July 19, 2005

Caveon™ Test Security to Apply Its Test Cheating Detection Services to the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS™)

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- Caveon Test Security is pleased to announce that it will perform its Caveon Data Forensics™ test cheating analyses for the Texas Education Authority (TEA) under a subcontract with Pearson Educational Measurement.

"We were looking for an effective way to assist the TEA in evaluating adherence by schools to proper testing practices as an additional component of the total efforts to secure the fairness and validity of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) results. The Caveon approach permits us to deliver this added benefit to the state without additional testing of students," indicated Walter Sherwood, Director of the Texas Assessment Program for Pearson Educational Measurement, the prime contractor for TAKS work.

Texas joins six other states that in the past year have elected to employ Caveon to detect test cheating. "We help states assure the recipients of assessment results that scores were earned fairly," observes Dr. John Fremer, Caveon Senior Director of Test Security. "This issue has become increasingly important as we rely on test scores to help evaluate the effectiveness of classes, schools, and districts. Caveon's objective, third party reviews and analyses help ensure the validity of test scores as a basis for evaluating student and school performance."

Dallas Morning News Story

About Caveon Test Security

Caveon is a high-growth, test security consulting and technology company offering Prevention, Detection, and Remediation services aimed at test fraud and theft. In addition to consulting services, Caveon has developed patent-pending technologies which analyze test data for signs of cheating and test theft. Caveon offers test security solutions for clients in the education, information technology, healthcare and financial services industries.

About Pearson Educational Measurement

Pearson Educational Measurement, the largest comprehensive provider of educational assessment products, services and solutions, helps states and large school districts meet the requirements of education reform while using testing and assessment to promote learning.  As a pioneer, PEM has been a trusted partner in district, state and national assessments for more than 50 years.  

PEM’s full-service offerings for K-12 and other assessment organizations include PEMSolutions™ (Pearson Educational Measurement Solutions) for custom assessments, both online and on paper; PASeries™ (Progress Assessment Series) for formative assessments; Perspective™ for performance reporting; and a wide range of data warehousing and other educational assessment products and services. Pearson Educational Measurement operates as a business of Pearson Education, the world’s largest education company, which in turn is a part of Pearson (NYSE: PSO; LSE: PSON), the international media company. Pearson’s other primary operations include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group.

Press Contact:
Don Sorensen, VP of Marketing, Caveon