Statement of Work

Consultant Services for PDE’s Investigatory Team

HISTORY: Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) is PDE’s vendor for the development and scoring of the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment tests (PSSA). Under its contract, DRC conducts forensic reviews of the student performance and answer sheets for the PSSA administrations and the Keystone Exam administrationsand providesstatistical data related to those reviewsto PDE.The review conducted by DRC identifies or flags certain schools based upon a number of statistical analyses that identify statistical anomalies.The name of schools with statistical anomaliesisidentified and provided to PDE. Each of the local education agencies with an identified school is contacted and asked to respond to the statistical anomalies. These responses are processed by PDE.The PDE processing and analyzing of this informationis conducted by an investigatory team which studies all forensic information, reviews the responses of the listed LEAs and ultimately makes recommendations to PDE for next steps.

PDE seeks a contractor to serve as a consultant on PDE’s data forensicsteam to assist PDE in analyzing, understanding, synthesizing, and investigating data anomalies related to Pennsylvania’s statewide testing program.The contractorwill be chosen based on (1) his or her experience as a long-term educator with expertise in curriculum such that he/she can review Math, Reading, Language Arts and Science at the Kindergarten to 12th grade levels;(2) expertise as a testing consultant with significant familiarity with the PSSAs and Keystone Exams and assessment statistics and reports;(3) expertise as a statistician with experience reviewing, analyzing, preparing, synthesizing, and explaining statistical data provided by DRC; (4) experience preparing and conveying information when appearing as a witness at administrative hearings or litigations; and (5) experience as an administrator in the public schools to inform the consultant’s communications with administrators in the schools subject to PDE’s investigations. This background will uniquely qualify the contractor to review the forensic information, data used in the data analysis and the methodology used by DRC and then to assess the response of each district. This work will require the contractor to review confidential information on individual identified students and also to participate in discussions regarding each identified LEA, which discussions must be held in confidence as well. In the performance of this work, the contractor, in addition to the time devoted to the review and analysis of the forensic information, test data, and responses, will be required to participate in scheduledconference calls or meetings with the PDE members of the investigatory team. Finally, depending upon the identified next steps, contractor may be called upon to serve as an expert witness in administrative or judicial proceedings that result from this work.

In the performance of the contractor’s duties under this contract, contractor agrees that if awarded this contract, he or she will be provided with access to confidential testing and student information. Contractor understands that any unauthorized disclosure of confidential student information is illegal as provided in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and in the implementing federal regulations found at 34 CFR, Part 99. In regard to test information, the contractor understands that the PSSA questions are the intellectual property of PDE and that their security is mandated in order to insure test integrity. Thus, the contractor understands that he or she may be subject to suit for damages for any release of test information that has not been approved in writing by PDE and which results in the need for PDE, through DRC, to develop/substitute new test items for items that have been disclosed.The contractor further understands that any personal characteristics of a student that could make the student’s identity traceable shall be protected. In addition, the contractor understands that he or she is being retained as a consultant and expert in regard to matters that may ultimately result in legal proceedings and that any and all reports, information,recommendations, and notes prepared under this contract are work product prepared solely for the use of PDE, that they are based upon and may include confidential data and that they shall be protected and not disclosed to anyone other than an authorized PDE employee or PDE attorney.The contractor will specifically agree tonot distribute to any unauthorized person any data sets, information, or reports that he or she has accessed or generated using confidential data.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Supplier must have a minimum of 15years’ experienceas aneducator, which must include experience as a school or LEA administrator, with curricular experience as stated above and supported by a resume
  • Supplier must provide a written statement explaining his/her familiarity with PSSAs and Keystone Exams
  • Supplier must demonstrate knowledge of data forensics/statistics and ability to review, analyze, prepare, synthesize, and explain statewide testing statistics through work experience or teaching experience, which may be supported by a resume
  • Supplier must have experience preparing and conveying information about statewide testing statistics when appearing as a witness , which may be supported by a resume or written statement of explanation
  • Supplier must be available to PDE at minimum 4 days per week
  • Supplier must provide 3 references for contact in regard to the work requested above, which references should not be PDE employees