Assessment Newsletter (Volume 3 Issue 39)

Update from the Wyoming Department of Education  |  view online |  website

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November 20, 2015  |  WDE Assessment Updates  |  Volume 3, Issue 39

WHERE ARE WE? ACCESS FOR ELLS

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ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Training Course - Preparing for Testing 

  • The ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Training Course contains the Test Coordinator and Test Administrator checklists for all training materials and resources needed to prepare educators in these roles to administer ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 assessments. 

ACCESS 2.0 Log-ins Supported by two Different Organizations

  • Personal Training Account for all ACCESS for ELLs test administration preparation (quizzes, checklists), support at WIDA Client Services Center at help@wida.us
  • ACCESS for ELLs test ordering and ACCESS online administration tasks (entering students, printing out test tickets for test sessions, etc), support at Data Recognition Corporation at WIDA@datarecognitioncorp.com or 855-787-9615

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Materials Ordering

  • The test ordering window is open until December 4.  Materials can be ordered through the WIDA Assessment Management System WIDA AMS   
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ACT ASPIRE PORTAL INVITES

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Invites for the ACT Aspire portal will be sent out next week. District Test Coordinators (DTC) and Building Coordinators (BC) will receive the initial invites from the Aspire portal. After the invite is accepted, DTCs and BCs will be able to invite others to access the portal, as needed. If you believe you should have received an invite, and have not by November 30, please contact your building or district administrator.  Do not upload any students into the portal. WDE will be uploading the student file (684) in December. 


TRAINING MAKEUP DATES: LEXILES AND QUANTILES

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The following trainings are now rescheduled. 

Differentiating Instruction Using the Lexile and Quantile Frameworks Monday, November 30, 2015 3:00 pm (Duration:1 hr)

Register After your request has been approved, you'll receive instructions for joining the meeting.

Maximize the Match: Understanding Text Complexity and Reader Ability Wednesday, December 2, 2015 3:00 pm (Duration: 1 hr)

Register After your request has been approved, you'll receive instructions for joining the meeting.

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IMPORTANT: ACT ASPIRE TRAINING MODULES

On the ACT Aspire "Test Management System (TMS)" website are a number of useful videos that will help you navigate the Aspire portal. You will need to enter your email address to access the page. Once you are inside, you will find many training videos about Inviting and Managing Portal Users; Proctor Cache Portal Setup; Creating and Using Groups; Printing Student Authorization Tickets; and, much more. If you are not yet confident in your ability to navigate the Aspire system, these training modules will be a valuable resource for you.

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ACCESS FOR ELLs 2.0 WRITING DOMAIN FIELD TESTING

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WIDA is currently recruiting for the ACCESS 2.0 Writing Field Test. The window for the field test is set for January 4, 2016 - February 12, 2016.  Tier B/C students in grades 1-12 who have completed their operational ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 through the computer-based delivery method are eligible to participate. Students in grades 1-3 who were administered the computer-based assessment are also eligible to participate and will hand-write their responses. If you would like to participate or have questions, please contact Alex Bauer at WIDA (alex.bauer@wisc.edu). 

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REGISTER NOW: PAWS TOMS TRAINING (FOR BUILDING COORDINATORS) WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015, 1:00 – 3:00 PM

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Educational Testing Service (ETS) will be hosting a training webinar for all PAWS Building Coordinators to review the Test Operations Management System (TOMS), the demographic collection database to be used for the 2016 PAWS Administration.

Please make sure all key staff who use the TOMS system attend the training. The webinar will be posted to the ETS – TOMS site as well as the WDE homepage to view if staff are unable to attend the live training.

 In this training, ETS will review and walk through the current TOMS system. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. View "System Requirements" here.

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SAVE THE DATE: WY-ALT TRAINING DATES ANNOUNCED

WDE has created training sessions for everyone administering or second scoring the Wy-ALT assessment during the 2015-1016 testing window.

If you have not previously attended a Wy-ALT training session, and will be administering and/or second scoring the assessment this year, you will need to attend a full-day training session. 

There are three full-day (new to Wy-Alt) training sessions scheduled:

  • January 11 - Buffalo
  • January 12 - Casper
  • January 15 - Rock Springs

WDE will be scheduling an additional full-day session in Cheyenne, in January. Date: TBD

If you attended last year's full day training, you will not be required to attend the full day session (you may however on a voluntary basis). Instead, you will be required to attend a half-day refresher course. There will be 2 live sessions:

  • January 13 - Casper (morning)
  • January 13 - Casper (afternoon)

WDE is also scheduling refresher webinars in lieu of the live sessions. A registration link will be posted in an upcoming WDE Assessment Newsletter.

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TRAINING LINKS: ACT Suite

ACT Plus Writing

Accommodations

Test Administration Training

ACT WorkKeys

Test Administration Training


ACT ASPIRE TECH READINESS SURVEY

This survey should be completed by your District Technology Coordinator. The information provided will be used to determine your district’s technology readiness for the ACT Aspire administration in spring 2016.  Please complete and submit the survey by December 18.

ACT Aspire will contact the District Technology Coordinator within two weeks (using the information submitted in the survey) concerning any technology-related testing concerns. 

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WORD OF THE WEEK

Reliability

The tendency of test scores to be consistent on two or more occasions of testing, if there is no real change in the test takers' knowledge. If a set of scores has a high reliability, the test takers' scores would tend to agree strongly with their scores on another occasion of testing.  


IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

  • November 30: Training makeup: Differentiating Instruction Using Lexile and Quantile Measures
  • December 1: ACT WorkKeys Test Administration Training
  • December 2: Training Makeup: Maximize the Match: Understanding Text Complexity and Reader Ability
  • December 4: Last day to order materials for ACCESS for ELLs Administration
  • December 8 - 9: PD: Scoring & Norming to Improve Writing Instruction - Cheyenne, WY
  • December 9: ACT Accommodations Q&A Session
  • December 18: ACT Aspire Tech Readiness Survey Due
  • January 11: Wy-ALT Training - Buffalo
  • January 12: Wy-ALT Training - Casper
  • January 13: Wy-ALT Training (half-day sessions) - Casper
  • January 15: Wy-ALT Training - Rock Springs
  • January 15: ACT: Deadline for Test Coordinators to Submit ACT-Approved Accommodations
  • January 19: ACCESS for ELLS Testing Window Opens
  • January 25: PAWS Building Coordinator Training - Evanston
  • January 25: ACT: Window Opens for ACT to Receive Accommodations Late Consideration Form
  • January 26: PAWS Building Coordinator Training - Laramie
  • January 26: ACT Window Opens for Test Coordinators to Verify Enrollment Online
  • January 27: PAWS Building Coordinator Training - Casper
  • January 29: PAWS Building Coordinator Training - Sheridan
  • February 29: Wy-ALT Testing Window Opens
  • March 4: PAWS Testing Window Opens
  • April 11 - 14: ACT: Test Coordinator Receives Secure Shipment of Testing Materials
  • April 19: ACT Test Adminstration