Educational Testing Act of 1981

Summary

Educational Testing Act of 1981 - Requires each postsecondary education admissions testing agency to provide to a test subject information concerning: (1) the purposes of the test; (2) the subject matters and the areas of skill or knowledge being tested; (3) interpretation of test results; (4) various effects upon, and uses of, test scores; (5) the form in which the scores will be reported; (6) any promises made by a testing agency with regard to accuracy, forwarding, and privacy of information of such scores; (7) the property interest of a test subject in such scores, and their storage, disposal, or future use; (8) the time period for mailing such scores to a test subject and designated recipients; (9) special services to accommodate handicapped test subjects; and (10) notice of the information rights and review procedure available to a test subject. Requires a testing agency to notify a test subject and designated recipients if the scores will be delayed ten days or more. Requires a testing agency to provide the Secretary of Education with information concerning any study or statistical report pertaining to a test which it prepares or for which it provides data. Declares that such information shall be considered records for public information purposes. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress regarding such information within one year of enactment of this Act. Requires a testing agency (with regard to any tests administered to 5,000 or more subjects nationally over a testing year) to file with the Secretary: (1) a copy of all test questions used in determining such test's raw score; (2) the corresponding correct answers; and (3) all rules for transferring raw scores into the scores as reported to a test subject and designated recipients. Declares that such information shall be considered records for public information purposes. Requires a testing agency, upon request, to send to a test subject: (1) a copy of the test questions used to determine the raw score; (2) such test subject's answer sheet, along with the corresponding correct answers; and (3) a statement of the raw score, if such request is made within 90 days of the release of the test score to the subject. Authorizes a fee to be charged to cover the costs of providing a test subject with such information. Prohibits test scores from being disclosed by a testing agency to any person, institution, or governmental agency unless specifically designated as a recipient by a test subject. Authorizes previous scores to be released to any currently designated recipient. Requires a testing agency to report specified cost-related information to the Secretary to ensure that such tests are being offered at a reasonable cost. Requires additional cost-related information to be submitted if a separate fee is charged for admissions data assembly or score reporting services (as defined by this Act). Provides a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each violation of this Act by a test agency. Defines "standardized test" to mean a test affecting, or distributed through, interstate commerce (exclusive of one used by an individual institution for its own purposes or one used for non-admission or credit-examination purposes) and used for: (1) postsecondary admissions; or (2) preliminary separation for such postsecondary admissions tests.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 4 February 1981

  Open at official source

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