Test Center Procedures and Regulations

Testing Room Guidelines

By submitting your registration for a GACE^® assessment, you are agreeing to abide by all procedures and policies contained in the Registration Bulletin, in the Rules of Test Participation, and/or communicated to you at the test administration for which you have registered.

• Personal items other than ID document(s) (backpacks, phones, purses, etc.) are not allowed in the testing room. You may not access your personal items during the test administration except for food, beverages, and medication, which may be accessed during a break. You are not permitted to access your phone at any time for any reason.
• Food and beverages are not allowed in the testing room except when approved as a testing accommodation.
• You will be required to read and sign a Confidentiality and Regulations Agreement at the test center. If you do not sign the statement, you cannot test and your fees will not be refunded.
• You may be required to sign a test center log before and after the test administration and any time you leave or enter the testing room.
• The test administrator will assign you a seat.
• If you need to leave your seat at any time, raise your hand; timing of the test will not stop.
• You must have the test administrator's permission to leave the room during the test. Any time lost cannot be made up.
• In tests containing timed listening sections, once recorded material has begun, it cannot be stopped. Breaks should not be taken during these times.
• If at any time you have a problem with your computer or need the test administrator for any reason, raise your hand.
• If a technical issue prevents you from completing your test, immediately notify your test administrator and contact ETS Customer Service at the conclusion of your test to reschedule.
• The test administrator will provide you with pencils and scratch paper that may be replenished after you have used all pages of the scratch paper initially given to you. You may not take your own scratch paper to the test, remove scratch paper or a piece of scratch paper for any purpose from the testing room at any time, nor may you write on anything other than the scratch paper provided (i.e., computer, workstation, or ID document). The scratch paper is provided to assist test takers in working out problems and for appropriate note taking during the timed sections of the test. Scratch paper should NOT be used before the test, during the untimed sections of the test, or during breaks. At the conclusion of the test, you will be required to return all scratch paper, in its entirety, to the test administrator. If you are observed using any documents or unauthorized papers other than the scratch paper distributed by the test administrator, they will be confiscated.
• The testing session will be actively monitored by test center staff. This includes staff walking around and entering and leaving the testing room.
• The maximum time allotted for untimed sections prior to the test is 30 minutes. The purpose of the untimed sections prior to the test is for you to become familiar with important information that will make your computer-delivered testing experience as convenient as possible. The time you spend on the untimed sections should not be used for any other purpose. Infractions will be reported to ETS and the test administrator is authorized to dismiss you from the test administration if you fail to follow directions.
• You may not use any aids in connection with the test, including, without limitation, pens, pagers, beepers, watches, calculators (except where approved as a testing accommodation), books, pamphlets, notes, unauthorized scratch paper, rulers, highlighter pens, scan pens or scanning devices, stereos or radios with headphones, dictionaries, translators, compasses, protractors, and any handheld electronic, listening, recording, scanning, or photographic devices.
• Your test may include exit evaluation questions. These questions are not scored and relate to your overall testing experience; your responses to these questions provide ETS with valuable information for future program enhancements.
• ETS and the GaPSC reserve the right to take appropriate action and/or notify appropriate authorities including, but not limited to, law enforcement authorities, if a test taker responds in a threatening or disturbing way to essay or speaking questions or communicates with ETS or other individuals either verbally or in writing in a threatening or disturbing manner.

ID Verification

ID verification at the test center may include:

• Photo identification
• Fingerprinting/thumbprinting
• Videotaping
• Signature comparison

These verification methods are in addition to the requirement that you present acceptable and valid identification documents. If you refuse to participate, you may not be permitted to test and you will forfeit your test fees.

Personal Items

• Personal items other than ID documents are not allowed in the testing room. This includes backpacks, phones, purses, tablets, PDAs, watches, and any other electronic, recording, listening, scanning, photographic, or wearable technology devices. If you take any personal items into the testing room, or if you are seen using or accessing any electronic device, including but not limited to text messaging, email, and photographs, your device will be inspected and may be confiscated, and you will be dismissed from the test. You may not access your phone at any time for any reason, including during breaks.
• Jewelry is prohibited, except for wedding and engagement rings and small stud earrings. Do not wear other jewelry to the test center.
• Clothing and other personal items that include, but are not limited to, hair accessories, neckties, bowties, hats, scarves, jackets and outerwear are subject to inspection by the test center administrator. Test takers wearing large hair clips or other objects in the hair such as buttons or other objects will be asked to remove and store them before entering the testing room. Refrain from wearing such items as you may be prohibited from wearing them in the testing room.
• You may be required to remove your eyeglasses for close visual inspection. This inspection will take a few seconds and will be done at check-in and again upon return from breaks.
• Before the test, you will receive instructions from test center staff regarding where to store personal items. You may also be asked to empty your pockets. You will not have access to your personal items during the test administration except for food, beverages and medication, which may be accessed during a break. Food, beverages, and tobacco are not allowed in the testing room.
• Test administrators are not permitted to collect and hold phones, watches, or any other devices.
• Test center and ETS assume no responsibility for personal items, including watches, jewelry, or devices that you choose to bring into the test center.

Dismissal from a Test

A test administrator is authorized to immediately terminate your test, dismiss you from a test session, and/or your scores may be withheld and ultimately canceled and your test fees forfeited for any actions that violate the policies and procedures set forth herein and/or communicated at the test center including, but not limited to, the following:

• Attempting to take the test for someone else or having someone else take the test for you.
• Failing to provide acceptable identification as described herein, including refusal to allow a photograph to be taken.
• Obtaining improper access to test content, a part of the test or information about test content (this includes having test questions or answers in advance of the test administration and bringing pre-knowledge of test information into the test center in any form including, but not limited to, identification documents, prohibited devices, and any other method listed as an aid in connection to the test).
• Using or having any prohibited item or device in your possession in the test center or testing room. See "Personal Items" above.
• Using any aids in connection with the test, including, without limitation, calculators (except when approved as a testing accommodation), watches, books, pamphlets, notes, unauthorized scratch paper, rulers, highlighter pens, stereos or radios with headphones, dictionaries, translators, compasses, protractors, and any handheld electronic, listening, recording, scanning, or photographic devices.
• Creating a disturbance. (Disruptive behavior in any form will not be tolerated. The test administrator has sole discretion in determining what constitutes disruptive behavior.)
• Attempting to give or receive assistance. (Communication in any form is not permitted during the test administration. Discussion or sharing of test content or answers during the test administration, during breaks, or after the test is prohibited.)
• Removing or attempting to remove test content from the test center. (Under no circumstances may test content or any part of the test content be removed, reproduced, and/or disclosed by any means [e.g., hard copy, verbally, electronically] to any person or entity.)
• Tampering with a computer.
• Attempting to remove scratch paper or a piece of scratch paper from the testing room or using scratch paper before the test, during untimed sections, or during breaks.
• Bringing food, beverages, or tobacco into the testing room (except when approved as a testing accommodation).
• Bringing a weapon or firearm into the test center.
• Leaving the test center vicinity during the test or during breaks without permission.
• Taking excessive or extended unscheduled breaks during the test. (Test administrators are required to strictly monitor unscheduled breaks and report test takers who take excessive or extended breaks.)
• Failing to follow any of the test administration regulations contained in the Registration Bulletin, the Rules of Test Participation, on this website, given by the test administrator, or specified in any test materials.
• ETS and the GaPSC reserve the right to take any and all actions — including, but not limited to, barring you from future testing and/or withholding or canceling your scores — for failure to comply with any of the test administration regulations or the test administrator's directions, including the Rules of Test Participation. If your scores are canceled, they will not be reported, and your registration and test fees will not be refunded. Further action may be taken, including denying, revoking, and/or suspending a teaching credential or certificate.
• Reports of cheating or fraud will be investigated thoroughly and offenders may be prosecuted to the full extent of the applicable laws. Further action may be taken, including denying, revoking, and/or suspending a teaching credential or certificate.

Reporting Suspicious Behavior

ETS takes test security very seriously. Although GACE tests are administered under strict supervision and security measures, testing irregularities may sometimes occur. Please contact ETS as soon as possible after the test to report any irregular behavior that is either observed or reported to you — for example, someone copying from another test taker, taking a test for someone else, having access to test questions before the exam, or using notes or unauthorized aids.

All information will be held in strictest confidence. Reports of cheating or fraud will be investigated thoroughly and offenders may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Email:

TSReturns@ets.org

Phone:

1-800-353-8570 (United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Canada)
1-609-406-5430 (all other locations)

See also:

• Policies
• Canceling Your Scores
• Accommodations for Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-related Needs
• Rules of Test Participation