Question of the Week
Q: When can districts expect Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) materials to ship?
A: The Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) Window 1 Materials will begin to ship Oct. 26-29 and should arrive in districts the first week of November in time for the testing window Nov. 15 - Dec. 20.
Please remember that all staff involved in the administration of the AKSA must be trained in the Administration Code, Inclusion of Special Populations (provided by the district and/or the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) via in person, modules and virtual) and the Attainment Task Administration (available in the Online Training System [OTS]). These trainings must be successfully completed prior to the administration of the assessment.
Virtual Alternate Students Expected to Test
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) does not anticipate flexibility from the U.S. Department of Education on state administered assessments or accountability for the 2021-2022 school year. School and district staff should prepare for administration of assessments to all students. Preparations should be made to assess students who are receiving instruction through a hybrid or virtual model.
While OAA can provide some flexibility on when and where the students are tested, the expectation is students, including students in the Alternate Program, take the state required assessments. If a student has a documented medical condition which prevents testing, OAA advises filling out the medical nonparticipation form.
As districts plan to test students in the Alternate Program, if a situation arises where flexibility is needed, please contact Jason Howard to discuss options for this particular situation.
Kentucky Alternate Assessment – ESAR and CWEC Trainings/Quizzes Open
The Employability Skills Attainment Record (ESAR) and Career Work Experience Certification (CWEC) trainings and quizzes are now open. The ESAR quiz opened Oct. 15 in the Online Training System (OTS). Please visit the Kentucky Alternate Assessment Program (KAAP) website for access to trainings and quizzes. The ESAR and CWEC quizzes will close Dec. 22.
Districts and schools should continue to maintain supporting evidence for ESAR and CWEC in the Career Ready Alternate Assessment Folder (CRAAF). Refer to the Working with Exceptional Children in CTE web page on the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) website for additional resources, including ESAR and CWEC Administration Guides and District CWEC Checklist. The Career Readiness Database (CRD) is scheduled to officially open Nov. 15. The CRD is used for score entry for the ESAR and status of completion or attainment entry for the CWEC.
For any questions regarding the career readiness opportunities for alternate assessment students, please contact Sherri Craig in the Office of Career and Technical Education.
ACCESS for ELLs Test Materials Ordering Reminder
The window for ordering ACCESS test materials (ACCESS, Alternate ACCESS, Kindergarten ACCESS, Large print, Braille) will close on Oct. 26. District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) need to place the testing orders for their schools in the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). Only order the materials that are needed. The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) will provide the Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) with the pre-id label file after the ordering window closes. DACs will not order pre-id labels in WIDA AMS. The PowerPoint provides additional details for ordering ACCESS test materials.
New Research Report on English Learner Performance During COVID
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) has released a research report Examining English Learner Testing, Proficiency and Growth: Before and Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. The report examines English Learners’ testing, proficiency, and growth in the academic years of 2018–2019, 2019–2020 and 2020–2021, using population-level data from ACCESS for ELLs Online. The objective of the report is to shed light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on English Learners’ educational outcomes.
WIDA Customer Service Hours of Operation
The WIDA Client Services Center will hold extended hours starting on Monday, Nov. 1.
- Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
- Friday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT
DRC Customer Service is open year-round Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
Sign Up to Participate in an ACCESS for ELLs Event
ACCESS for ELLs needs educator input: Sign up to participate in a review of ACCESS for ELLs test content in development! WIDA values the fresh eyes, unique perspectives, and range of experiences that educators bring to items, and WIDA revises test items based on this feedback from the field.
Whether educators are interested now or interested later, fill in the participation sign up form before Friday, Oct. 29 and WIDA may contact educators about an upcoming event. Need more information about this opportunity? Visit the Building a WIDA Assessment page to see a list of opportunities under Educator Involvement.
“Fulton County is the westernmost county of Kentucky bordering the Mississippi River. The Fulton County School District has as its mascot the Pilot, and its vision is ‘Proficiency, Positive Relationships and Pilot Pride.’ Fulton County Schools is contained on one campus in the county seat of Hickman. There is one P-5 elementary, one 6-8 middle school and one 9-12 high school with an enrollment of 640 students. The Four Rivers Career Academy is also located on the campus allowing all students to have a career pathway. Fulton County is also a part of a WKEC GEAR UP grant which provides STEM consultants and a College and Career coach to assist with mathematics and science curriculum mapping and ACT preparation.
“Teamwork is the model to attain at Fulton County Schools, focusing on sharing ideas, aligning the curriculum, and developing processes and procedures. The high school principal, a WKCTC Administrator of the Year, is the district’s Building Assessment Coordinator (BAC). The elementary/middle BAC, a KY BAC of the Year, is the district Director of Operations. As DAC, this team has been working with testing for several years and continues to ensure that deadlines are met, teachers are trained, and students are learning in order to be prepared for life outside Fulton County Schools. Instructing our teachers the same writing process taught our students and having a district wide writing plan has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of proficient and distinguished writers in our district.”
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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