Q: What ethical considerations pertain to SAGE writing?
A: USOE has had numerous questions in regards to how the SAGE Writing can be administered. Remember, all assessments should be administered as described in the test administration manual (TAM) and nothing should be changed in administration rules that would artificially enhance a student’s score or give a student an unfair advantage over another student.
In SAGE Writing, it is incorrect administration and unethical to have students log on to the SAGE Writing assessment, look at the prompt, then go back to class to work on drafting and writing their essay. Although the SAGE writing may be accomplished over multiple days, it would be inappropriate and unethical for teachers and students to discuss prompts or work on responses outside of the testing area. Just like Math, Science, or Reading, the SAGE Writing test is a secure test. We would not allow students to look at the items on the SAGE Math test, go back to the classroom, work on responses as a class, and then go back to the testing environment to finish the test. As such, we cannot allow this practice with SAGE Writing.
Also, as stated in the administration manual, students may have a blank scratch paper, but students may not have a premade graphic organizer. All materials (blank scratch paper) are considered secure testing material and cannot leave the testing area and must be secure destroyed at the submission of the test.