Question of the Week
Q: When will registration for the Feb. DAC Hybrid Question & Answer (Q&A) Sessions be available?
A: The Division of Assessment and Accountability Support (DAAS) looks forward to seeing District Assessment Coordinators (DAC) during the Feb. DAC Q&A hybrid meetings. Q&A sessions will be offered virtually and in-person. Space will be limited for in-person to accommodate for social distancing. Masks will be required.
As a reminder, the trainings will be recorded and released prior to the hybrid Q&A sessions. Each training topic will include a recorded video to watch, at the viewer’s convenience, prior to attending one of the Q&A sessions for that topic. Most videos are approximately 30 minutes.
In order to make the most of the allotted time, the one-hour Q&A sessions will not include full presentations of content already covered in the recorded videos. Staff from the DAAS, other KDE offices and Pearson representatives will be available to assist with your questions.
For in-person Q&A Sessions, registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be followed by the Q&A Sessions scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (local meeting location time). Masks will be required.
Feb. DAC Trainings Hybrid Q&A Sessions:
9:00 Welcome and Updates
9:15 - 10:30 Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA)
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 11:15 Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA)
11:15 - 11:45 Accommodations
11:45 - 12:15 High School and Test Security
12-15 - 1:30 Lunch
1:30 - 2:30 SDRR
2:30 - 3:30 KSA PAN/TestNAV
Below are the Feb. DAC Q&A sessions scheduled around the state for the upcoming spring assessments. Registration is now open. Everyone planning to attend must register. Please carefully consider the in-person or virtual option and register just once for the appropriate session. For all in-person sessions, masks and social distancing is required.
We welcome BACs to attend, but please keep in mind that DACs will receive preference in the event a venue is booked to total capacity.
The DAAS believes that the safety of the participants is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the meeting may be canceled due to weather, COVID-19 or other circumstances. In the event of a cancellation, the in-person session will be held virtually. A Special DAC Email will be sent with the appropriate links.
EILA credit will be offered for the February DAC Trainings that does not include the Q&A sessions. More details on EILA credit will be shared soon.
2021-2022 Quality of School Climate and Safety (QSCS) Surveys
The QSCS survey has been updated for the 2021-2022 school year and is available on the QSCS webpage.
The QSCS survey contains two forms: Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-High School. Each form contains 27 statements for which students are prompted to respond whether they strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. All students in tested grades participate in the surveys just prior to their first content test.
An Opportunity to Learn survey is included again for 2022, which contains nine survey items on each form. This survey supplement seeks to capture students' perceptions of their educational circumstances during the 2021-2022 school year in the areas of access to tools that support instruction, access to instruction and instructional experience.
NEW this year is a fifth response option on the Opportunity to Learn survey, "Does not apply to me." Students who did not miss school because of COVID illness or quarantine can select the "Does not apply to me" option.
Modifications to the QSCS survey were made to align all responses so that "agree" and "strongly agree" are positive responses. The Opportunity to Learn survey was updated to reflect the fact that most school buildings have been open throughout the school year.
The updated alternate 2021-2022 survey is modified, and number of items reduced, for students who participate in the Alternate Assessment program (10 QSCS survey items, 7 Opportunity to Learn items).
ACT State Testing Office Hour Jan. 13
OAA and ACT will be hosting an office hour session this Thursday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m. EST, focusing on the Verify Enrollment Task. Although the focus will be on the Verify Enrollment Task, all questions related to the ACT state administration are welcome. The session will be hosted via a Microsoft Teams meeting. While the content will be focused on this policy, KDE and ACT encourage testing staff to attend and ask any questions they may have at this time. Please be sure to provide testing staff with this Jan. 13 Teams Meeting Link for this week's session.
ACT State Testing Verify Enrollment Begins This Week
KDE and ACT will partner to have student records loaded into PearsonAccessnext (PAN) this week. Testing staff should expect student records to be loaded no later than Jan. 12. After records are loaded, ACT will send an email to school and district staff, which will confirm that the record load was successful. After records are loaded, school testing staff are tasked with verifying that the list of examinees associated with their organization is complete and accurate. The deadline to complete this task is Jan. 21. Also, new this year, all records will be loaded with an online testing format. Verifying enrollment counts and the accuracy of student test mode helps ensure schools receive the appropriate quantities and types of test materials for testing. Failure to complete this task could mean inaccurate materials shipments and missing bar code labels. Additional resources can be found in the ACT State testing webpage Configuration section.
ACT State Testing Verify Enrollment Begins This Week
KDE and ACT will partner to have student records loaded into PearsonAccessnext (PAN) this week. Testing staff should expect student records to be loaded no later than Jan. 12. After records are loaded, ACT will send an email to school and district staff, which will confirm that the record load was successful. After records are loaded, school testing staff are tasked with verifying that the list of examinees associated with their organization is complete and accurate. The deadline to complete this task is Jan. 21. Also, new this year, all records will be loaded with an online testing format. Verifying enrollment counts and the accuracy of student test mode helps ensure schools receive the appropriate quantities and types of test materials for testing. Failure to complete this task could mean inaccurate materials shipments and missing bar code labels. Additional resources can be found in the ACT State testing webpage Configuration section.
Jan. Monthly DAC Webcast
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA), Division of Assessment and Accountability Support (DAAS) will host its live monthly DAC Webcast virtually Thursday, Jan. 13 from 11 a.m. – 12 noon ET.
The meeting will be hosted by Dr. Jennifer Stafford, Director, in the Division of Assessment and Accountability Support. She will be joined by others to discuss current assessment and accountability topics. The agenda and direct links to materials will be forthcoming in a Special DAC Email prior to the webcast.
Please join Jennifer at 11 a.m. ET for the live broadcast. If you have a conflict with this meeting, the session will be recorded and posted on the KDE Media Portal and the KDE Meetings and Trainings page with all pertinent materials. Questions may be asked by sending an email to KDE DAC Information.
Future broadcasts are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. ET.
Alternate Assessment Medical Nonparticipations
Many districts have inquired about medical nonparticipations for the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) during Window One. Medical Nonparticipations are accepted in the Student Data Review and Roster (SDRR) application during the Spring Window only. These must go through an approval process by a team at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). No medical nonparticipations may be granted or denied outside of this process. If a student is eligible for one please do not test them until this process has been completed. If for some reason a medical nonparticipation is not granted a student could complete both windows during Window Two. For information on filing a medical nonparticipation please go to the Assessment Support & Forms Page.
Destruction of Alternate Assessment Materials for Window One
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) and the University of Kentucky (UK) want to stress to districts to read and follow the instructions for properly destroying materials for Window One. Each district should have received mathematics counters for each elementary school to use during Window One. The counters should be kept and not destroyed as they will be used during Window Two as well. Please follow all guidelines for destruction.
If for some reason Alternate materials were destroyed inadvertently, or due to the natural disasters, please reach out to Jason Howard as soon as possible as many of these items – such as the counters – take time to obtain from vendors and ship.
Alternate Assessment Make Up Window Opened Jan. 3
The make up window for the Alternate Assessment opened on Jan. 3. This window runs until March 18. All make up tests must be approved by KDE by emailing the request to Jason Howard. In your request the following information is required for each student requiring a make up test:
SSID#
District
School
Reason
For multiple students an excel spreadsheet is likely best. OAA and our vendor, UK, maintain a database listing all make up exams and the reason the make up was required for our own records. Once make up testing is completed please email Jason Howard and Darrell Mattingly to have the Student Registration Database (SRD) opened for score entry.
Students Entering the Alternate Assessment Program After Window One
Many districts have emailed about students being enrolled as an Alternate Assessment Participant following their annual Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) that occurred during or after Window One began. These students are expected to complete both Window One and Window Two of testing. The alternate assessment, while given in two windows, is actually one single test broken into two parts. The return to two windows resulted after meeting with every stakeholder group, based on their feedback two windows was best for both teachers and students. However, it is not an option to take only half of the exam.
For these students some flexibility does exist. Students may take Window One in two ways:
- Window One may be administered during the make up window Jan. 3 - Mar. 18 by requesting a make up window for the student. OR
- Window One may also be administered during Window Two.
OAA is leaving this as a local decision so teachers, students and parents can select the option that works best for their situation. For further questions or guidance, please contact Jason Howard.
End-of-Course (EOC) State Administration Training - Makeup Training
District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and/or DAC designees may register for the EOC State Administration Virtual Training. If training has not been completed, EOC school test coordinators or district and school administrators assisting with EOC test administration should plan to attend the virtual Test Administration Trainings. The training sessions will be on Thursday, Feb. 3 (9 a.m. – 11 a.m. ET). The required training is an opportunity to successfully administer the 2021- 2022 EOC Exams. An EILA Credit will be provided for the training. For any questions or concerns, please contact Shara Savage.
Register for the Feb. 3 Training:
EOC State Administration Training
"Montgomery County, whose county seat is Mt. Sterling, is a rural community located on Interstate 64, which is central to the busy commerce of Lexington to the west. It is known as the Gateway to the Eastern Appalachian Region. The county serves as an economic hub for the region, with more than 60% of the workforce residing within the county. It is one of only two counties in the eastern portion of Kentucky in which more people commute into the county to work than leave the county to work elsewhere. According the 2000 census, Montgomery County workers yield from 21 different counties.
"The mission of the Montgomery County School District is to serve as a model district by creating and sustaining a top-notch, comprehensive, educational program that serves to promote public schools as the best option for our children and future. Our district serves approximately 4,900 students and consists of four elementary schools (PK-5), one middle school (6-8), one alternative school (7-12), one site school (7-12) and one high school (9-12). The Montgomery County Accelerated Academy, with an intense focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, opened in August 2013. It currently serves students in grades 7-12. Students are also served by the Area Technology Center, Morehead State University's extended campus in the Clay Community Center, the Maysville Community and Technical College, and the 175-acre Chenault Agriculture Education Center. A commitment to education and excellence is represented by our special programs and organizations.
"Montgomery County Schools exists to ensure that each and every student makes at least one year's worth of growth every year through a combination of high expectations and compassion. Structures built within the district help to contribute to teacher consistency and collaboration. Two planning days built into the schedule paired with district-wide data retreat days, vertical and horizontal team meetings, and strong, focused Professional Learning Communities (PLC) ensure that instruction is consistent and rigorous throughout the district. Key, district partnerships with local civic organizations, local industry, and postsecondary college/universities (Morehead State University at Mt. Sterling, Maysville Community Technical College (MCTC)) provide a unified approach to ensuring our students are college and/or career ready when they graduate from Montgomery County High School. In addition, our district has made bullying prevention a focus in all schools through the implementation of the Olweus Bully Prevention Program. The Olweus program is a comprehensive approach that includes school-wide, classroom, individual, and community components. The vision of Montgomery County Schools is to be the standard of educational excellence in an ever-changing global society."
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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