After an initial review, if it believes further investigation is warranted, OSSE will contact the LEA to share the information it has collected and discuss the plan and timeline for further investigation. For the vast majority of allegations of test security violations, the LEA will be required to investigate or provide additional information regarding the allegation and provide a report to OSSE. OSSE reserves the right to conduct the investigation itself or hire a third-party contractor to conduct the investigation. When conducting its investigation, the LEA may conduct interviews with staff and students about state test administration procedures, as appropriate.

The LEA report must include a description of the situation, the time and place of occurrence, the names of the individual(s) involved in or witness to the occurrence, a review of the evidence, a summary of actions taken during the investigation, findings, and a recommended course of action based upon the findings. OSSE may require additional specific information from the LEA.

The report of findings and the LEA plan of action should be sent to:

Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Director of Assessments
810 First St. NE, Ninth floor
Washington, DC 20002

Following receipt of all required reports, OSSE will review the findings and, if applicable, recommended course of action, and make a final determination regarding the alleged violation. If it is found that a violation occurred, the OSSE will share this finding with the LEA, the reason for this finding, and the corrective actions required by OSSE. For the most serious allegations of test security violations, OSSE may assign an independent investigator to conduct an investigation and provide a report.