Question of the Week
Q: What is the current status of the assessment blueprints for the new reading/writing, mathematics, and social studies content assessments?
A: The DRAFT Reading and Writing Blueprint, DRAFT Mathematics Blueprint, and DRAFT Social Studies Blueprint are currently available. Senate Bill 1 (2017) calls for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments with one or two content areas to be reviewed each year, and every six years after that on a rotating basis. Currently, the KDE is currently waiting on members of the Standards and Assessment Process Review Committee (SAPRC) to be appointed by the Governor to review and determine whether the process was sufficient or not. If found sufficient by the SAPRC, the blueprints and process will be presented to the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) before the process is finalized. Until then, the KDE is releasing draft blueprints as a resource for curricular decisions for schools.
To review KDE’s process of the alignment of standards and assessments in reading and writing, mathematics, and social studies that began in July 2019, please review the Assessment Alignment and Review Process in more detail. This is the same process that was used when standards were reviewed and developed beginning in 2017 for the same content areas.
KDE Telecommuting and Security
Cyberattacks via email, phone and the network have increased over 50%, which translates into many additional hundreds of thousands of new, targeted attacks each and every day, at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and across the state since before the COVID-19 closures. These attacks are targeting everyone in Kentucky K-12, regardless of job title or level of access. This requires all of us to scrutinize every communication for legitimacy. The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) asks that you pass along to your district and schools that no one at KDE, OAA or “the state” (or any legitimate vendor)
- will never ask for your password for any system, or
- will request personal identifiable information (PII) for students; there are encrypted methods for sharing PII with KDE.
Although KDE is working remotely, security measures and procedures are still in place. For example, OAA continues to use the KDE phone system remotely. This means that a phone call coming from OAA should show the caller’s name, the same as it did in February. If a call seems suspect, ask to return the call at a known KDE number. OAA staff members will not be upset if you ask to call us back at the office number. Your call will be transferred, as normal, to the staff member.
The Office of Education Technology (OET) has shared with the Chief Information Officers (CIO) in every district, more detailed information regarding strong passwords, encrypting PII, handling equipment and more. Please contact the district’s CIO for these documents, which include links to sites to improve the security on your home network.
Remember, if something seems “off,” question it and use a regular channel to check on the validity of the request. OAA can be reached via email or phone at (502) 564-4394.
ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports
Printed ACCESS for ELLs reports will be sent to district offices from Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) starting August 13.
ACCESS For ELLs Post Data Validation
Districts were able to work in WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS) back in March during the pre-data validation window to make changes to demographics, etc. for English Learners (ELs). Those changes are reflected with the ACCESS for ELLs reports online in WIDA AMS. If changes were missed during the pre-data validation, post-data validation for districts is available through May 8 by contacting Chris Williams or by phone (502) 564-4394.
WIDA AMS Navigation Changes Webinar
Please join World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) for a webinar highlighting upcoming changes to WIDA AMS on Wednesday, May 6 at 1-2 p.m. CT. On June 25, users will experience a new look and feel to the AMS site navigation and will see an updated layout on the Central Office Services Device Toolkit. Login details can be found on the WIDA Q&A Webinar Schedule. For those unable to attend the live webinar, a recording will be posted to the Secure Portal Download Library approximately one week after the presentation.
2020-2021 WIDA Fellows
WIDA is announcing a call for nominations for the second class of WIDA Fellows. The WIDA Fellows program brings expert teachers and WIDA professional learning specialists together in a collaborative effort to enhance the development of WIDA professional learning products and services. In establishing these fellowships, WIDA formally acknowledges the invaluable role of exemplary teachers of bilingual and multilingual learners in advancing the field in collaboration with professional development and research partners. All nominees must be exemplary teachers of bilingual and/or multicultural learners.
To learn more about the WIDA Fellows program and/or nominate an educator, visit the WIDA Fellows page on the WIDA website. No self-nominations, please.
WIDA Early Years Resources
The WIDA Early Years Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families is a resource for families that supports conversations with young children about their families and environments. We know that children learn language by listening to those around them and then using their language skills to respond. The activities in these booklets allow for conversations with children about their family, what they like to play, how they feel, what sounds they hear around them at home or in the community, and the weather. The booklets may be downloaded for printing and sharing. They are appropriate for children ages 2-7 years.
These activities can be helpful for parents and caregivers with young children at home. The resources can be downloaded for free by using the links below or from the WIDA website:
Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Arabic)
Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (English)
Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Simplified Chinese)
Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Spanish)
Bowling Green Independent Schools are proud of traditions, pleased with accomplishments and excited about the future. Employees of Bowling Green Independent Schools strive to meet three primary goals and expectations: building relationships, engaging students and connecting opportunities, and personal and professional growth. Each day, accomplishments of students and employees provide evidence of the district’s motto: "Excellence is Worth the Effort."
The district has existed since the 1880s and has long been known for excellence in academic programs and success on the athletic field. The mission is to lead the way in education for all students, and both encourage and recognize distinction in every field of human endeavor.
Bowling Green High School is one of two of the first public high schools established in 1903.
Bowling Green Independent is a diverse school system serving over 4,200 students PreK-12. The district consists of five elementary schools (one containing a centralized preschool), a middle school, a high school, one learning center, a state-funded juvenile detention center, and in-patient crisis center in partnership with LifeSkills. BGISD is unique in that over 40 languages are spoken in the schools. Bowling Green, Kentucky is the home to many international families as The International Center of Kentucky assists immigrants and refugees to resettle in the United States. The community is also home to Western Kentucky University and South Central Kentucky Career and Technical College.
The district’s focus for the last few years has been the alignment of curriculum in an effective system for responding to each student’s needs with the ideal instruction and assessment. The district received a Professional Learning grant for standards roll out and has over 130 teachers participating in revising curriculum documents and realigning horizontally and vertically. The alignment will go beyond simply rolling out the standards, but to re-align programming and support services for all groups of students to ensure upon graduation they are on a path to achieve their future goals. This school year, the district began to use a data warehouse, eduCLIMBER to consolidate student data, PLC data, and intervention progress to assist in this process.
The vision for the instructional program has been to examine current practices under a data-driven culture that supports more effective decision making. The district’s goal is to ensure that all practices within schools point to effective systems of support for student achievement and a culture of continuous improvement. Work in this area will bring more alignment and equity for all students in all schools.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions presented in the article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
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