Confidentiality of Information

Privacy

TEA and ETS take the privacy of our test takers seriously and recognize your right to control the information about you that is stored by them. Their policies are designed to safeguard that information from unauthorized disclosure.

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Consent

When you register for a test you will be asked to read and agree to the privacy statement below.

I understand and agree that ETS and TEA may collect my photograph, fingerprints and other types of personal information regarding my identification document(s).

The following information may be collected.

  • Personal contact details from your identification documents
  • Date of birth, country of residence and country of citizenship from your identification documents
  • Photograph
  • Signature
  • Fingerprint images and templates
  • Audio and video recordings of test sessions

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At the Test Center

You must show the required identification documents to be admitted to test.

At PBT test centers, your photograph will be taken and your fingerprint will be imprinted on your answer sheet.

Your photograph and fingerprint may also be taken at CAT test centers. The biometric-enabled check-in system at CAT test centers is designed to protect test taker privacy and improve the security and integrity of the CAT testing process. The biometric-enabled check-in system converts a fingerprint image to a digital image that is used for identity verification purposes. To use the biometric-enabled check-in system, you must place your finger on a scanner. The system equipment will create a digitized representation of your fingerprint (a "template"). This representation template will be paired with other personal information you provide allowing ETS and TEA to identify you accurately during the testing process.

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Purpose and Use of Personal Information, Photographs and Fingerprints

Fingerprints, photographic images and other associated identification information will be used solely to:

  • administer the tests and verify your identity on an ongoing basis as you participate in this and future testing activities
  • identify and prevent testing fraud and maintain the integrity of the testing process by detecting and preventing test taking by unauthorized candidates
  • provide results, scores and analysis
  • facilitate test administration management and operational functions such as tracking attendance, recording test taken and scores received, communicating test and score reporting times, details and results, conducting analysis of the test, etc.
  • backup data to facilitate business continuity
  • maintain compliance with any contractual, legal or regulatory obligations or other legitimate business purposes

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Disclosure

Your personal information may be disclosed to those third parties that provide services to ETS and TEA, provided that they have contractually agreed to only use the personal information as needed to provide the services.

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Security and Retention

ETS, TEA and their service providers shall at all times protect your personal information with operational, administrative, technical and physical security safeguards.

Unless your photograph and fingerprint images are being used in connection with an active security investigation, ETS and TEA shall retain them for a maximum of five years after the last test you have taken.

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Individual Rights

You may at any time:

  • request access to and correction of your personal information
  • make any inquiries, requests or complaints in rela-tion to the use of your personal information
  • withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data (including fingerprint data); however, if you exercise this right, you may not be allowed to take any further tests and your scores may be canceled.

Requests, inquiries or complaints should be directed to ETS-Texas Educator Certification Program. See Contact Information.

You may at any time:

  • request access to and correction of your personal information
  • make any inquiries, requests or complaints in relation to the use of your personal information
  • withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data (including fingerprint data); however, if you exercise this right, you may not be allowed to take any further tests and your scores may be canceled.

Requests, inquiries or complaints should be directed to ETS-Texas Educator Certification Program. See Contact Information.

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Score Information

Your score information is intended only for you and your EPP (if applicable). However, background information, as noted during the registration process, is reported to the state of Texas and some institutions.

ETS will not release your score information at the request of institutions or agencies except:

  • for use in research studies, scoring and statistical analyses approved by TEA and that preserve your anonymity
  • when information is required under compulsion of legal processes, in which case your score record and the documents you completed that are retained at ETS may be released to third parties, e.g., govern-ment agencies, parties to a lawsuit, etc., if requested pursuant to a subpoena
  • Sections 205 through 208 of Title II of the Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended in 2008, require all states that require testing for licensure to provide that agency with annual performance data for students completing their state-approved teacher preparation programs. If you complete your preparation program in a given cohort year, your preparing institution will collect and forward your score information to the state for inclusion in the federally mandated educator preparation performance report. The report will contain aggregate data only and will not include any information that identifies examinees.

Note that whenever ETS has confirmed that you have submitted a TExES score directly to an educational institution, agency or district in satisfaction of one of its requirements, ETS will respond to requests for score verification from that recipient.

Recorded responses may be used for training scorers and in new test preparation materials. Test taker information, such as names and addresses, is not included when scoring responses are used for these purposes. Scorer training is essential to ensure that tests are scored in a fair and consistent manner. The use of your recorded responses will benefit future test takers by helping to improve the training of scorers, just as the scoring of your test will benefit from the use of prior test takers' recorded responses. Test preparation materials demonstrate how the test is administered and the skills that are necessary to succeed.

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