"Deterrence is an important aspect of security for a high-stakes exam program. I like to think of an effective exam security program as supported by a three-legged stool of activities focused on deterrence, detection, and decision-making. Basically, programs should deter what they reasonably can, detect what they are unable to deter, and be prepared to make decisions when potential incidents do arise. Just like a three-legged stool collapses if one leg is missing, an exam security program is not as effective if the deterrence activity is missing. "Effective deterrent activities vary. For example, an effective deterrent can be as simple as ensuring item and form reviewers agree to maintain the confidentiality of exam content, thereby avoiding inadvertent disclosure due to lack of awareness. Or an effective deterrent can be as complex as capturing and comparing biometric data associated with a testing candidate to discourage attempts to engage in surrogate testing. Determining which deterrent activities are appropriate for a particular testing program depends on the unique aspects of that program."

"High-stakes testing in K-12 education comes in many forms. State-wide assessments are required by the U.S. Department of Education in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics in grades 3-8, and once in high school, usually in the form of an End-of-Course (EOC) assessment in a subject area (i.e. Algebra I and English II). Science is required to be tested once in elementary school, once in middle school, and once in high school. Some states across the nation, such as Florida and Mississippi, use the 3rd grade ELA assessment as a promotion/retention test for students to matriculate to the 4th grade. In addition, some states have graduation requirements that include the passing of one or more EOC assessment(s).  These requirements make the assessment high-stakes for students.  "High-stakes also come in the form of accountability for schools and districts. All states have an accountability model that uses student performance data from the assessments previously mentioned to produce an output or label that is ultimately placed upon schools and districts. For example, Mississippi uses an accountability model that produces an A-F rating system for schools and districts. A school or district that scores an “A” is high performing, while an “F” rated school or district needs serious improvement. This rating scale resonates with the general public. In fact, business development, real estate decisions, and the community’s reputation are all dependent upon school and district accountability ratings. Therefore, all statewide assessments are high-stakes for various stakeholders and demand deterrent test security strategies to be implemented prior to and during testing. "There are many benefits to training District Test Coordinators (DTCs), School Test Coordinators (STCs), Test Administrators (TAs), and proctors on test security deterrent strategies such as data forensics, web patrol, monitoring efforts, test invalidations, and educator misconduct licensure action. In fact, states should do their due diligence and inform everyone involved in testing of the policies and procedures of testing, to include what is and is not allowed during the testing process, as well as the consequences when test security rules are not followed. Setting the expectations up front ensures everyone has been informed of the rules, and makes enforcing consequences easier when problems arise. "Just like in society, a majority of students and administrators will conform to the testing policies and procedures and do what is expected of them. For those who think about cheating, most will also think about the consequences and not engage in unethical behavior. Being informed and understanding the consequences of cheating will make most people do what is right. At the same time, elaborating on deterrent strategies like data forensics, web patrol, and test invalidations will do nothing for the small minority who have already decided to engage in cheating in some form or fashion. Therefore, it is incumbent on the state department of education to have agreements in place that require the signature of all students and administrators who participate in the testing process. "State officials should use test security incidents during the training of District Test Coordinators for the upcoming school year. Sharing these incidents without identifying those involved makes everyone aware of the potential threats that exist during the testing process, and allows for lessons to be learned in a professional manner. The goal should be for DTCs to take these real-life situations back to their home district and incorporate them into trainings of School Test Coordinators and Test Administrators. Being aware of these incidents and how they were handled becomes a natural deterrent."