Question of the Week
Q: Should school staff plan to administer the Kindergarten Screen in the fall?
A: If schools are able to have in-person sessions in the fall of 2020, school and district leaders should plan for the administration of the Kindergarten Screen. However, the administration timeframe may be expanded.
At their August 2020 meeting, the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) will discuss a waiver on the timeframe for administration and reporting window requirements set forth in 704 KAR 5:070, Common kindergarten entry screener, for the 2020-2021 school year.
The required Kindergarten Screener is currently available for district and schools to administer; however, this waiver would give districts and schools additional time and more flexibility when administering this exam to students and the reporting of results to KBE. Staff should follow current safety expectations and best practice guidelines when screening students. Virtual administration of the screener is neither recommended nor supported.
The KBE will likely offer guidance regarding the timeframe of administration for the screener following their discussion during their August board meeting. All updates will be published through the DAC Monday Email and K Screen Update communications. More information and the KBE decision on the waiver will be forthcoming.
July DAC Monthly Webcast Canceled
The DAC Monthly Webcast for July 9 is canceled. The next DAC Monthly Webcast is scheduled for Thursday, August 13
2020-2021 WIDA Q&A Webinar Schedule
The 2020-2021 WIDA Q&A Webinar Schedule has been posted in the WIDA Secure Portal Download Library. WIDA’s Q&A webinars:
- Augment the information in the ACCESS for ELLs training courses.
- Provide an opportunity to ask questions directly to experts from DRC and WIDA.
- Include special topics like ACCESS Online Speaking, WIDA MODEL, and a series specifically for technology coordinators.
See the full schedule for dates, times, topics, and intended audiences. All WIDA Q&A webinars will be recorded and recordings will be available in the WIDA Secure Portal in the Download Library.
OAA/ACT Virtual Fall Administration Training Registration
District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) should share the following information with high school principals and ACT school test coordinators. ACT school test coordinators or district and school administrators who are assisting with ACT test administration should plan to attend.
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) and ACT will be offering a one-hour virtual training session covering the Fall State Administration of the ACT. The session runs from 1-2 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 30. This training will provide guidance for district/school staff who will be administering the ACT.
Please register @ KDE/ACT Training Registration. An email will be sent to registered participants with the link to join the meeting. The participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the live session.
For any questions or assistance, please contact Shara Savage.
ACT Spring 2020 Data and Reports Available
The final spring 2020 ACT student level data and aggregate reports are available through PearsonAccessnext (PAN). Data and reports are available today, July 6. Printed copies and CDs will not be provided.
District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and Test Coordinators (TCs) will receive an email from ACT today that will provide guidance on downloading the reports from PAN.
The student data and aggregate reports from the 2020 state spring administration of the ACT will be available in PAN until mid-October. Printing or downloading/saving local files is highly recommended.
DACs should check PAN to verify that each school has the correct, current Test Coordinator (TC) listed and make any needed changes. Information in PAN must be accurate for DACs and TCs to access the reports. DACs will be able to view school and district level data and reports, and TCs will be able to access school-level aggregate reports.
Directions for changing a School Test Coordinator, creating a new user account, changing passwords, or editing/deleting/restoring an existing user account can be found in the PAN User Guide for the ACT Test
Graduation Codes Deadline
Rodney Bennett, with the Division of District Services (DDS), monitors G-code entry and the Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) will use that data for Graduation Rate reporting this fall in the School Report Card. The deadline for G-codes to be entered in Infinite Campus (IC) was June 30. The G-code end status and graduation tab must be complete in IC for all summer school graduates by July 31. OAA will run and provide to districts initial graduation rates based on final year G-codes from June 30. OAA will monitor for any data quality issues and follow-up with DACs in July and calculate final graduation rates in early August based on any changes from summer graduates.
For assistance with cohort questions, in SDRR, click on the I NEED HELP button and choose Cohort. If you do not find the answer there, contact David Curd via email or phone (502) 564-9853, ext. 4744.
The Hart County School District is a small, rural district in south-central Kentucky, mid-way between Louisville and Bowling Green/Nashville on I-65. Unique to most districts in the state is the fact that rather than have elementary and middle schools, the district is comprised of five schools that all have the configuration of preschool through grade 8 with a total population of 2,423. Last summer, district and school administrators developed a five-year strategic plan to guide the district in the following areas: safety and well-being, human resources and building leaders, public relations, finance and facilities, and instruction. This plan is the roadmap to help ensure the success of Hart County students.
Each of the elementary schools are nearly 1:1 with technology devices from grades 3-8 to provide additional learning opportunities to all students. With the increased access to technology, more teachers are utilizing Google Classroom to assist with self-paced learning allowing students to move ahead at their own pace. All schools are utilizing Google Classroom to continue professional learning and student learning on Raider Days (non-traditional instructional days).
As a leader of public PreK-12 education, the Hart County School District has a student-focused culture. Staff believe all students will achieve success and graduate prepared for college and/or career, as well as for life. Students have opportunities such as dual credit, Advanced Placement Courses, along with multiple certification opportunities at the Green River College and Career
Academy that opened in the fall of 2019.
Hart County Schools is truly a place “Where Students Come First!”
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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