Question of the Week
Q: Is training required to administer the End-of-Course (EOC) assessments for Early Graduates?
A: Yes, State Administration Training is required for EOCs to be administered to Early Graduates. The Makeup Training is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3. 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 session will be on Thursday, Feb. 3 (9 a.m. – 11 a.m. ET). The required training is an opportunity to learn 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
End-of-Course (EOC) State Testing Office Hour -- Feb. 18
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) will be hosting an office hour session this Friday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. EST, focusing on Testing Window 2. Although the focus will be on the Test Window Task, all questions related to the EOC state administration are welcome. The session will be hosted via a Microsoft Teams meeting. While the content will be focused on this policy, encourage testing staff to attend and ask any questions they may have at this time. Please be sure to provide testing staff with EOC Office Hour Feb. 18 Teams Meeting Link for this session.
Assessment Scores in Infinite Campus (IC)
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) strives to publish student results data in IC as it becomes available. KDE will publish Dec. 2021 KYOTE and Dec. ACT National scores to districts beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Please email the KDE data services inbox with any questions on this matter.
Jan. DAC Monthly Webcast
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA), Division of Assessment and Accountability Support (DAAS) hosted its live Monthly DAC Webcast on Jan. 13. The meeting was hosted by Jennifer Stafford, Director of DAAS. She was joined by DAAS consultants Devon Avery, Jenni Larkins and Shara Savage.
Agenda topics included:
Quality of School Climate and Safety (QSCS) Survey
Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) Updates
End-of-Course/ACT Updates
2022 February DAC Meetings
The DAC Webcast PowerPoint and the DAC Webcast Video links are available on the right-hand side of the KDE Meetings and Trainings webpage. The recorded session is posted on the KDE Media Portal.
Future broadcasts are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. ET on the KDE Live Stream.
Updates and Reminders: 2021-2022 CTE End-of-Program (EOP) Assessment
The 2021-2022 Career and Technical Education (CTE) EOP Assessments testing window is Feb. 21 – March 31. Schools have selected a consecutive two-week school testing window to conduct the assessment administration. All 2021-2022 CTE EOP Assessments testing must be completed by March 31 following current health and safety guidance. The CTE EOP Assessments are available in-person and must be proctored in-person in accordance with 703 KAR 5:080 (Feb. 2014), Administration Code for Kentucky’s Educational Assessment Program and 703 KAR 5:070 (April 2021), Inclusion of Special Populations in the State-Required Assessment and Accountability Programs.
UPDATES:
The 2021-2022 CTE End-of-Program (CTE EOP) Assessment Coordinator and Test Administrator Manuals are now available at the CTE EOP Assessment webpage.
CRITICAL DEADLINE: Schools must meet Critical Deadlines for students to be eligible to test. A student must be identified as a “concentrator” in their pathway(s) in Infinite Campus (IC) and the Technical Education Database System (TEDS) AND have at least two credits in a pathway transcribed (two credits on their transcript in the pathway) by the Feb. 1 deadline to be eligible to test in 2021-2022. Refer to the latest TEDS Monthly Notes - Kentucky Department of Education for additional information regarding TEDS data.
All concentrator students in a pathway, with a CTE EOP Assessment available, and who receive a test ticket will be eligible to test.
In 2021-2022, CTE End-of-Program (EOP) assessment tickets will be available during the Spring 2022 testing window to early graduate students for the purpose of earning articulated credit (even though these students will have already graduated). This cohort of students has not had the opportunity to test because of a testing window closing early (Spring 2020 testing window) and grade 12 students only being eligible to test (Spring 2021 testing window). However, this is a one-time exception for the Spring 2022 testing window and passing the assessment will NOT count toward postsecondary readiness as part of state accountability for the student or school.
REMINDERS:
The complete list of 2021-2022 Valid CTE End-of-Program (EOP) Assessments is available on the CTE EOP Assessments webpage and are aligned to Career Pathway Standards.
All individuals participating in the administration of CTE EOP Assessment shall comply with 703 KAR 5:080 (Feb. 2014), Administration Code for Kentucky’s Educational Assessment Program and 703 KAR 5:070 (April 2021), Inclusion of Special Populations in the State-Required Assessment and Accountability Programs. Assessment Regulations Training must be completed by all individuals participating in the administration of the assessments prior to testing at the local level. Nondisclosures and Group Signature Sheets verifying training should be kept on file locally.
Please visit the CTE EOP Assessment webpage for more information and contact Sherri Craig, Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE), at 502-564-4286 ext. 4226 with any questions.
2021-2022 TRACK Skilled Trades--Carpentry and Electrical Assessments
Critical Deadline: For a student to be eligible to test in Skilled Trades, Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) Carpentry or TRACK Electrical assessments and a test ticket to be generated, the following is required by Feb. 1:
- The student must be enrolled and identified as a concentrator in the specific TRACK pathway (Skilled Trades Commercial Carpentry TRACK (CIP CODE: 46.0201.99) or Skilled Trades Construction Electrical TRACK (CIP CODE: 46.0302.99) in Infinite Campus (IC) and the Technical Education Database System (TEDS); and
- The student must show four credits (earned or currently enrolled for the fourth credit) in IC and TEDS in the specific Skilled Trades TRACK pathway sequence of courses in the same year the assessment is taken.
This data will be pulled from TEDS as of Feb. 1 to generate test tickets. Refer to the links TEDS Monthly Notes and TEDS website for more information regarding TEDS data.
The 2021-2022 Skilled Trades TRACK Carpentry and TRACK Electrical assessments will only be available in-person following the current health and safety guidance, and must be proctored in-person pursuant to the 703 KAR 5:080 (Feb. 2014), Administration Code for Kentucky's Educational Assessment Program, 703 KAR 5:070 (April 2021), Inclusion of Special Populations in the State-Required Assessment and Accountability Programs and specific TRACK Carpentry or TRACK Electrical assessment instructions. Assessment Regulations Training must be completed by all individuals participating in the administration of the assessments prior to testing at the local level. Nondisclosures and Group Signature Sheets verifying training should be kept on file locally.
The 2021-2022 Skilled Trades TRACK Carpentry and TRACK Electrical assessments testing window is Feb. 21 – Mar. 31. Schools will administer TRACK assessments during the same consecutive two-week school testing window selected for CTE EOP Assessments. A Skilled Trades TRACK assessment retest option will be available from April 18-29 for eligible students that tested during the initial Skilled Trades TRACK assessment testing window and did not meet benchmark.
For information regarding Skilled Trades TRACK assessments, refer to the link TRACK: Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky webpage.
For assistance with Skilled Trades TRACK Carpentry and TRACK Electrical assessments, contact Sherri Craig, Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE), at 502-564-4286 ext. 4226 with any questions.
Last Chance! Submit a Proposal for the 2022 WIDA Annual Conference
The deadline to submit a proposal for the 2022 World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Annual Conference is Jan. 31. The 2022 WIDA Annual Conference will take place Sept. 28-30 in Louisville, under the theme "Advancing Learning Together." Share expertise and contribute to a conference that is by teachers and for teachers by submitting a proposal.
Administering ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Screener on iPad Devices
If districts are using iPad devices with OS 14.x or higher to administer ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Screener, they need to enable Cross-Website Tracking on each testing device. If Cross-Website Tracking is not enabled, student testing will be interrupted, and students will not be able to continue testing until this is corrected. To manually enable Cross-Website Tracking, perform the following steps on each iPad:
- Navigate to Settings
- Click DRC INSIGHT Online Assessments
- Toggle Allow Cross-Website Tracking to on
See the Technology User Guide, located in WIDA AMS under My Applications > General Information > Documents for additional information. Please contact DRC Customer Support or (855) 787-9615 with any questions.
Feb. ACCESS for ELLs Q&A Webinar
Please join WIDA and DRC to learn about the following ACCESS for ELLs topic:
During Testing: Monitoring Completion for Test Coordinators – ACCESS Online: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. CT
More information and login details can be found in the WIDA Secure Portal on the Webinars page.
Can’t make it? The recordings for WIDA Q&A Webinars are posted to the WIDA Secure Portal on the Webinars page within a week of the presentation.
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DAC Spotlight
Dana Cull
Bardstown Independent Schools
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“Bardstown City Schools is located in the heart of Kentucky near historic downtown Bardstown. The district serves over 2,600 students in six schools. Currently these include an early learning center, primary school for K-2, elementary school (3-5), middle school, high school, and alternative school for students who need a different path to success.
“Through innovative teaching and offerings, our students enjoy their education journey and are better prepared for their future. Starting in grade six, students plan for successful career and college pathways. They are exposed to career pathways through advanced placement classes, dual credit courses, and embark on internships at businesses across Nelson County. For qualifying students in grades four -- seven, our S.T.E.A.M. Academy works to encourage student interest in the constantly expanding fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
“Additionally, BCS offers an abundance of opportunities for children to explore their interests and develop talents. Including a strings program that provides students with stringed instrument instruction — violin, viola and cello — during the school day starting in third grade.
“A new state-of-the-art elementary school is currently under construction and due to open in the fall of 2022. The new elementary school will house second through fifth grade students. This expansion provides opportunities to renovate existing facilities to expand CTE pathway opportunities for high school students.
“Bardstown City Schools is a proud vibrant community. Our students come from many different backgrounds and cultures; yet we are a close knit, tightly aligned community. Once a child enters school as a Bardstown Tiger, he or she is a Tiger for life!
“The goal of effective leadership within the DAC role is building relationships and a foundation of trust within the team. This begins with frequent communication. It is also incredibly important and valuable to honor the knowledge of those who came before you and respect the effectiveness of systems that have been put in place.”
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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