INFRASTRUCTURE TRIAL OVERVIEW

Length: 30 minutes

This training introduces the Infrastructure Trial Tenant, a sandbox environment that allows districts and schools to practice using the Portal without affecting live student data.

During this 30 minute session, participants will learn to navigate the Aspire testing portal, create groups, set up testing sessions, use Proctor Caching, and more.  This trial is STRONGLY recommended for all districts in order to ensure you are ready to implement Aspire successfully from a technology infrastructure standpoint.

The Infrastructure Trial Guide is also currently available.

You will need to enter your email address to log-in on the ACT Aspire Training Management System.

Testing Coordinators please be aware that the ACT-Approved Accommodations submission date is January 15th. ACT will continue to use the Test Accessibility and Accommodation, TAA platform for the submission of accommodations. This can be found at https://readiness.act.org/ccr/app/home.

Please visit http://edu.wyoming.gov/educators/state-assessment/act/ for links to a schedule of events, manuals, user guides, and more. You may also visit http://www.act.org/aap/wyoming/act.html for training videos and further information. 

For questions concerning accommodation submission please contact the ACT customer support line at 1-800-553-6244 ext. 1788.

WDE is recruiting educators who are interested in working with colleagues in Wyoming to develop content-based performance level descriptors (PLDs) in reading/ELA, math, and science for the grade 11 ACT. These PLDs will describe the range of knowledge and skills for each of the performance levels (basic, proficient, and advanced) WDE reports on the ACT.  The one-day session, hosted by the WDE assessment and standards teams, will be facilitated by content experts from the ACT and participants will benefit from a deep-dive into specific ACT content.

Participants should have at least three years of experience teaching reading/ELA, math, or science in grades 9 -12+ and a working knowledge of the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards in these subjects.  WDE will provide a stipend of $300 to cover lodging, transportation, and meals.  The meeting will be held in Cheyenne on Tuesday, January 19th from 9:00 – 4:30.

 Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Wyoming Department of Education will be hosting Building Coordinator Training sessions at four locations to review the responsibilities of the Building Test Coordinator for the 2016 PAWS administration.

Training Dates 

• January 25 - Evanston (9 am - 11 am)
• January 26 - Laramie (1 pm - 3 pm)
• January 27 - Casper (9 am - 11 am, or 1 pm - 3 pm)
• January 29 - Sheridan (9 am - 11 am)

 Click here for more information.

WDE has created training sessions for everyone administering or second scoring the Wy-ALT assessment during the 2015-2016 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
• January 21 - Cheyenne

All full-day sessions begin at 9 AM and last until 4:30 PM. Registration begins at 8:30 AM. 

If you attended last year's full-day training, a half-day refresher course is available in lieu of the full-day this year. There will be 2 live sessions:

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

The morning session will begin at 9 AM; the afternoon session will being at 1 PM. WDE is also scheduling refresher webinars in lieu of the live sessions.

 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). 

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.