1008.24 Test security. - Florida Statutes

1008.24 Test security.

   (1) It is unlawful for anyone knowingly and willfully to violate test security rules adopted by the State Board of Education for mandatory tests administered by or through the State Board of Education or the Commissioner of Education to students, educators, or applicants for certification or administered by school districts pursuant to s. 1008.22, or, with respect to any such test, knowingly and willfully to:

   (a) Give examinees access to test questions prior to testing;

   (b) Copy, reproduce, or use in any manner inconsistent with test security rules all or any portion of any secure test booklet;

   (c) Coach examinees during testing or alter or interfere with examinees’ responses in any way;

   (d) Make answer keys available to examinees;

   (e) Fail to follow security rules for distribution and return of secure test as directed, or fail to account for all secure test materials before, during, and after testing;

   (f) Fail to follow test administration directions specified in the test administration manuals; or

   (g) Participate in, direct, aid, counsel, assist in, or encourage any of the acts prohibited in this section.

   (2) Any person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

   (3)(a) A district school superintendent, a president of a public postsecondary educational institution, or a president of a nonpublic postsecondary educational institution shall cooperate with the Commissioner of Education in any investigation concerning the administration of a test administered pursuant to state statute or rule.

   (b) The identity of a school or postsecondary educational institution, the personally identifiable information of any personnel of any school district or postsecondary educational institution, or any specific allegations of misconduct obtained or reported pursuant to an investigation conducted by the Department of Education of a testing impropriety are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until the conclusion of the investigation or until such time as the investigation ceases to be active. For the purpose of this paragraph, an investigation shall be deemed concluded upon a finding that no impropriety has occurred, upon the conclusion of any resulting preliminary investigation pursuant to s. 1012.796, upon the completion of any resulting investigation by a law enforcement agency, or upon the referral of the matter to an employer who has the authority to take disciplinary action against an individual who is suspected of a testing impropriety. For the purpose of this paragraph, an investigation shall be considered active so long as it is ongoing and there is a reasonable, good faith anticipation that an administrative finding will be made in the foreseeable future. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2014, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

History. s. 370, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2009-143.