Assessment Newsletter (Volume 3, Issue 44)

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

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December 31, 2015  |  WDE Assessment Newsletter  |  Volume 3, Issue 44


RECRUITING NOW: Educators Wanted For One Day ACT Workshop

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.

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REGISTER NOW: PAWS Building Coordinator Training

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.

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REGISTER NOW: Wy-ALT TRAINING DATES

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.

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INPUT WANTED: 5-YEAR TECHNOLOGY PLAN

Tech shortfalls limit equal access to a quality education for some Wyoming students. A comprehensive ed tech plan can help change this. The Wyoming Department of Education will be conducting a listening tour to gather information from school, business, postsecondary, and other community members about their ed tech ideas, needs, and hopes. This is your chance to help improve education technology access and use in Wyoming.

Join us from 4 - 6 p.m. on these dates (and locations):

  • 1/25 Evanston, High School, Seminar Room 
  • 1/26 Rock Springs, Central Admin Building, Board Room 
  • 1/27 Rawlins, High School, Cafeteria 
  • 1/28 Riverton, Central Office, Board Room 
  • 2/1 Casper, Central Services, Jefferson Room 
  • 2/2 Cody, Middle School, Commons 
  • 2/3 Sheridan, Central Office, Board Room 
  • 2/4 Gillette, Staff Development Center, Willow Room
  • 2/9 Laramie, Special Services Building, District Training Room 
  • 2/10 Cheyenne, Storey Gym, District Boardroom

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2015-2016 WYOMING ASSESSMENT HELPLINES

Below please find the various helpdesk lines for statewide assessments.  Please use these numbers when you have questions about PAWS, Wy-ALT, or any of the ACT assessments. For any policy-related questions, please contact WDE assessment team.



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WORD OF THE WEEK

Holistic Scoring

A procedure for scoring responses on a constructed-response test , in which the scorer makes a single judgement on the overall quality of the response, instead of awarding points separately for different traits of the response.


IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

  • 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: ACT PLD Panel Convenes
  • January 19: ACCESS for ELLS Testing Window Opens
  • January 21: Wy-ALT Training - Cheyenne
  • 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 8: TOMS Supplemental Orders Window Opens
  • February 16: Test Security Webinar
  • February 18: Test Security Webinar
  • February 29: Wy-ALT Testing Window Opens
  • March 4: PAWS Testing Window Opens
  • March 29-30: Assessment Literacy and Formative Assessment Resource Development Training - Casper 
  • March 30: Last Day to Ship PAWS Materials
  • April 11 - 14: ACT: Test Coordinator Receives Secure Shipment of Testing Materials
  • April 12: Assessment Development for Elementary Educators - Riverton
  • April 13: Assessment Development for Secondary Educators - Riverton
  • April 19: ACT Test Administration  
  • April 26: ELA and Social Studies Assessment Development - Green River
  • April 27: Math/Science/STEM/CTE Assessment Development - Green River
  • May 2: ELA and Social Studies Assessment Development - Sheridan