Question of the Week
Q: When does PearsonAccessnext open for Spring KSA?
A: PearsonAccessnext (PAN) opens today, Monday, March 25, for Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) for the Quality of School Climate and Safety Survey, reading, mathematics, science, social studies, editing and mechanics and on-demand writing in grades 3-8, 10 and 11. Although testing is still several weeks away, opening now allows District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and Building Assessment Coordinators (BACs) the opportunity to complete administrative tasks necessary for the 2024 spring assessment.
Note: Districts are encouraged to start completing the tasks listed below as soon as possible.
Trainings for both PAN and TestNav are available on the Meetings and Trainings page on the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) website. Resources and guidance documents for PAN and TestNav are available on the KY Portal.
As a reminder, please make sure that the following tasks are completed:
- Update district and school profiles.
- Familiarize staff with PAN navigational instructions.
- DACs create user accounts.
- DACs order accommodated kits via the additional order option in PAN. For help placing additional orders, refer to the Create an Order for Materials directions.
- DACs and BACs create test sessions.
- Prepare the online testing environment with technology staff.
- Complete student transfer work requests (indicated by a red bell).
Please Note: If a student cannot test online due to a medical disability there are a small number of paper kits printed that can be sent to districts for special situations. These can only be obtained with KDE approval and cannot be ordered in PAN. To gain approval, please email DACInfo.
Text-to-Speech (TTS) and IEP/504 Calculator Instructions are located on the KY Portal under the PAN Guidance Documents Tab.
Please refer to the KSA Important Dates and KSA Roadmap to Success for important reminders and timelines for completing all KSA tasks.
KSA Office Hour (with Teams link)
OAA, in collaboration with Pearson, is hosting office hour sessions for the spring 2024 administration of the KSA. The first session will be held on Wednesday, March 27. For this first session, Pearson will provide demonstrations and tutorials to assist DACs and BACs in creating test sessions, adding accommodations and creating classes in PAN. DACs, BACs and all test administrators will be able to ask questions and receive assistance during this time. Questions can be submitted prior to the office hour using the KSA Office Hour Form. Please use the meeting link below to join the Teams meeting. Links to future Office Hour meetings will be shared in Monday DAC emails.
KSA Office Hour Session 1 – Wednesday, March 27, 10-11 a.m. ET (Please use this link to access the meeting.)
KSA Office Hour Session 2 – Wednesday, April 27, 10-11 a.m. ET
KSA Office Hour Session 3 – Wednesday, May 15, 10-11 a.m. ET
Please note that the questions asked during the office hour sessions should be specific to the KSA administration and not include personal identifying information. For questions, please contact Melissa Chandler.
KSA District Test Window Collection Reminder
District Test Window Collections for the KSA will close on March 28 at 5 p.m. ET in the Student Data Review and Rosters (SDRR) application. DACs need to enter the date of the first day of KSA testing for elementary, middle and high schools in the district.
For more information, please refer to the Monday DAC email on March 4.
ACT Spring 2024 Junior Administration - Test Window 1: Return Materials
Schools who administered exams within the initial test window, or test window 1, will have a material pickup today, Monday, March 25. If schools were unable to compile material for return to ACT on today’s initial material pickup attempt, FedEx will attempt two additional pickup attempts on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Testing staff is encouraged to review the resources and training tutorials posted within Step 6 of the ACT-hosted website to ensure the appropriate material is returned to ACT for processing. This includes the training tutorial on How to Return Online Test Materials.
Finally, testing staff should be aware that the receipt deadline for initial test materials to have been delivered to ACT is Friday, March 29. For questions or assistance, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Spring 2024 Junior Administration - Makeup Testing (Test Window 2) Opening Soon
Schools who have students participating within the makeup, or test window 2, should be aware that online testing will begin on Tuesday, March 26. Online test sessions can be created, and students can be added to those sessions at this time. Testing staff who have questions about online test preparation and/or online test session creation should review the documents and resources within Step 2 and Step 4 of the ACT-hosted website. This includes training tutorials about online technical readiness (Overview, TestNav, and Mock Administration) and how to Create and Assign Test Sessions.
Testing staff who have general questions about administering the online test are encouraged to review the documents and resources within Step 5 of the ACT-hosted website.
For questions or assistance, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACCESS for ELLs Theme Generator & Standards Expert Recruitment
WIDA and the test development partners at the Center for Applied Linguistics are looking for educators to serve as Theme Generators and Standards Experts for new ACCESS for ELLs test items between April and May 2024. This is a chance for educators to be a part of the test development process.
- Activity format: virtual
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Anticipated time commitment:3-6 hours (asynchronous, can be over multiple days)
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Level of experience needed: Any educator who has experience with students in grades 1-12 in a WIDA member state during the previous two years.
For more details, please review our informational flyer. To apply, complete the participation survey by March 29.
Reminder: Don’t Forget to Nominate an Expert Educator for the WIDA Fellows Program
Nominations for the next cohort of WIDA Fellows are due March 31. Selected educators will participate in a professional learning community and have opportunities to contribute exemplars of practice, while providing guidance and feedback on the development of WIDA professional learning materials. To learn more about the program, benefits and nomination process, visit WIDA Fellows webpage.
Reminder: Transition Attainment Record (TAR) Training Closes March 25
The TAR training quiz will close on Monday, March 25, in the Online Training System (OTS). The TAR is one of the two assessment pieces that make up the academic assessment portion of the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA). It is for students in grade 11 and can be administered to students in grades 12 and 14 who did not previously meet benchmark. The quiz must be successfully completed by a certified staff member of the student’s instructional team before the document can be downloaded and rated. For questions, please email Krista Mullins.
Reminder: AKSA Window 2 Materials Shipping Dates
Shipping dates for Window 2 Materials for AKSA will be the week of March 25 or April 1. The shipping date was collected from district staff in February. If a district did not make a selection, materials will default to shipping the week of March 25. If materials are not received by Friday, March 29 or Friday, April 5, please reach out to KDE at dacinfo@education.ky.gov.
Reminder: 2023-2024 CTE EOP Assessment Testing Window Closes Mar. 29
The 2023-2024 Career and Technical Education (CTE) End-of-Program (EOP) Assessment testing window closes Mar. 29. All 2023-2024 CTE EOP Assessment testing must be completed by Mar. 29.
CTE EOP Assessment performance results and certificates are scheduled to be released on Apr. 16. More details are forthcoming to assessment coordinators.
Please visit the CTE EOP Assessment webpage for more information and contact the Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) at kdeeopsupport@education.ky.gov or Sherri Craig, OCTE, at 502-564-4286 ext. 4226 with any questions.
Reminder: 2023-2024 TRACK Pre-Apprenticeship Assessment Testing Window Closes Mar. 29
The 2023-2024 Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) Pre-Apprenticeship Assessment (Carpentry, Electrical, Welding) testing window closes Mar. 29. All 2023-2024 TRACK Pre-Apprenticeship Assessment (Carpentry, Electrical, Welding) testing must be completed by Mar. 29. A retest window will be available for TRACK Pre-Apprenticeship Assessment Apr. 15-30. More details are forthcoming to assessment coordinators.
Please visit the Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) and CTE EOP Assessment webpage for more information and contact the Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) at kdeeopsupport@education.ky.gov or Sherri Craig, OCTE, at 502-564-4286 ext. 4226 with any questions.
K Screen Ordering Window Closing Soon
The ordering window for K Screen Materials will be closing on Friday, March 29, . District BRIGANCE contacts or district assessment coordinators will submit orders to Curriculum Associates through KDE using the 2024-2025 K Screen Order Submission Form.
If guidance is needed, ordering instructions are available on the Common Kindergarten Entry Screener webpage. If further guidance is needed or there are questions about replacement items please contact Lisa Jett.
BRIGANCE K Screen Refresh Webcast Now Available
The K Screen Refresh Webcast is now available on KDE's Media Portal. This training is an annual requirement for experienced district Train the Trainers staff.
The session includes updates and changes for the 2024-2025 K Screen implementation, including information on the following topics:
- Reminder of login appendices;
- Reminder of core data and social-emotional data submission;
- New Online Management user abilities;
- New Online Management System functions; and
After completing the annual refresh webcast training, please complete the EILA credit form to receive an EILA certificate. Please allow two weeks for the certificate to be delivered via email.
K Screen Implementation Guide is Now Available
The 2024-2025 K Screen Implementation Guide is now available on the Common Kindergarten Entry Screener Webpage. The Implementation Guide offers guidance on the screening process covering topics pertinent to meeting the October 15th deadline. District Assessment Coordinators and K Screen Contacts will need to review the Implementation Guide and the K Screen Refresh Webcast before implementing the required K Screen Training for the 2024-2025 screening window. If you have any questions pertaining to the K Screen process, please contact Lisa Jett.
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