September WIDA Q&A Webinars
Please join the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) to learn about the following topics:
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Welcome Back: What’s New in 2022: Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 1-2 p.m. CT
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Pre-Testing: ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators: Thursday, Sept. 15 at 1-2 p.m. CT
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Pre-Testing: ACCESS for ELLs for New District Test Coordinators: Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 1-2 p.m. CT
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Pre-Testing: Ordering Materials in WIDA AMS: Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 1-2 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.
2022-2023 ACCESS for ELLs Manuals Now Available
Alternate ACCESS Field Test: Updates to Webpage
The Advancing ALTELLA team has been working hard to honor all the thoughtful, helpful feedback about the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Field Test and weave it into the communication resources.
Alternate ACCESS Field Test webpage-Thanks to all, the webpage has gone through a much-needed makeover. It’s now organized into four sections to explain the field test, and tell educators what they need to know before, during, and after testing. Each of the “what to know” sections includes specific tasks for district/school coordinators and test administrators.
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 the 2021-2022 ACCESS assessments to districts beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Please email KDE data services inbox with any questions on this matter.
Alternate Assessment Students Marked Blind/Visually Impaired (VI) On Individualized Education Program (IEP): Deadline Today
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will provide tactically enhanced supplemental materials (e.g., maps, graphs) for some grades on the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment Attainment Tasks (AT) to students who have visual impairments. KDE must verify that the student has VI marked on their IEP. If a student qualifies for these materials, please complete the following tasks:
- Verify a visual impairment has been clearly marked in the current IEP and the student is identified as participating in Kentucky’s Alternate Assessment. Once completed move to the next step.
- Download your District Spreadsheet using this link: Window 1 VI Orders
- Open the Google Sheet
- Select File>Download>Microsoft Excel
- Edit the spreadsheet with your District’s data.
- Once you have completed this spreadsheet, please save it as “DistrictName_Window1.XLSX and submit a copy to the Google Form.
- This needs to be completed by Sept. 6, 2022
- Only one list containing all students who qualify for this accommodation should be provided per district.
All submissions must be made no later than today, September 6, to receive these VI materials for the first Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment Attainment Task window. Districts who submit late information or do not follow the above instructions may not receive these materials for Test Window 1 (Nov. 14 – Dec. 16) on time. For any additional questions or concerns please contact Jason Howard or by phone at (502) 564-4394.
ACT Fall 2022 Senior Administration Office Hour - Reminder
ACT and OAA have partnered to offer office hours to support testing staff in navigating the fall 2022 senior administration. The next office hour will be Thursday, September 8, 2022, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET. Please make any staff involved with the fall administration of the ACT aware of this upcoming opportunity to connect with ACT and OAA staff.
ACT Fall 2022 Senior Administration: Materials Arriving Soon & Non-Test Activity
During the select test dates task, the testing staff identified the week during which they would like to receive their materials for the upcoming ACT administration. Material distribution for Test Window 1 will begin the week of Sept. 12 and continue into the week of Sept. 19. Testing staff can monitor material shipment progress by logging into PearsonAccessNext (PAN) and locating a tracking number associated with their material shipment. When materials arrive testing staff should inventory the packages to ensure all items within the packing list are accounted for. Testing staff can review the Test Coordinator manual for more detailed instructions about receiving and handling secure material.
The material shipment will include personalized non-test instructions and corresponding supporting documentation for students to conduct the non-test activity within MyACT. Prior to conducting the non-test activity, testing staff should be made aware of the KDE Parental Consent policy form, as well as the instructions and resources for conducting the non-test activity, both of which can be found within step 4 of the ACT-hosted website. All schools will also receive bar code labels, although the labels will not be needed for online testing. For any questions or assistance, please contact Shara Savage.
ACT Fall 2022 Senior Administration Touchscreen Policy Clarification
ACT uses the same test delivery system as the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA), where iPads and touchscreens are permitted; however, ACT had additional policies that restricted the use of some operating systems and devices, specifically iPads and touchscreen Chromebooks. OAA initiated discussions with ACT and expressed the need for these devices to be included as we moved forward with an all-online approach to the ACT exams. ACT has agreed to this, and for the Fall 2022 administration, iPads and touchscreen Chromebooks will be supported with the ACT online test for students testing with standard time.
Standard test time students will be authorized to utilize touchscreen devices, including iPads and Chromebooks, this fall. Students utilizing ACT-authorized accommodations of any kind will be required to adhere to the traditional supported device requirements. Students testing with ACT-authorized accommodations will not be permitted to utilize a touchscreen device as ACT does not have the appropriate user experience and validity evidence to offer touchscreen testing to this student demographic group of examinees at this time.
Please note that this is a Kentucky-specific arrangement. If you reference the ACT technology guidance documentation on the ACT website, it still references the restrictions not allowing iPads and touchscreen devices. Those restrictions do NOT apply to the Kentucky administration of the ACT online test for the Fall of 2022. Additionally, the policy to allow touchscreen for standard time testing was made after the TAMs were released; therefore, this information will conflict with the TAM.
To ensure students have the best test experience and to ensure the scores they earn are deemed to be college reportable, the following information is to help clarify and answer questions touchscreen technology for the Fall ACT online testing.
- Apple iPads are allowed for the ACT Fall online testing windows.
- Chromebooks with touchscreens are allowed for the ACT Fall online testing windows. The touchscreens can be in active mode and used during the test.
- Chromebook “convertible” models must keep the keyboard attached during all test activities to be used in the ACT online tests. The touchscreens can be in active mode and used during the test.
- Convertible Chromebook Tablets operating in tablet mode are NOT allowed at this time.
KDE Awarded $3 Million State Assessments Grant
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has been awarded $3 million over the next four years to support the continued development of United We Learn, the bold new vision for the future of public education in Kentucky that was created with stakeholders from across the Commonwealth.
The funding, made available through the 2022 Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program from the U.S. Department of Education, will help advance innovations to move the state’s assessment and accountability system toward a competency-based education (CBE) model.
For more information, visit Kentucky Teacher
“We Will Rise” 2022 Scott Trimble Workshop on Assessment and Instruction October 27-28, 2022
Register for the 2022 Scott Trimble Workshop on Assessment and Instruction. The workshop will be held at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Expo Center. Early Bird Registration Fee of $225 and KAAC Hotel Block deadline is Sept. 26, 2022. You can find all the information regarding the Workshop Schedule, Hotel Accommodations, and Registration information by going to www.kaac.org
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