Question of the Week
Q: How will districts verify that House Bill 6 (2024) website requirements have been met?
A: The 2023-2024 assessment and accountability data were publicly released on Oct. 3. Within the data files provided to District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) is a spreadsheet that includes percentages of accountable students performing at Proficient and Distinguished levels in reading and mathematics. This data should be used to update student performance information required on each district and school website, as required by House Bill 6 (2024). See House Bill 6 (2024) Requirement to Report Academic Performance on Websites for more information.
As a reminder, the data should be displayed for each level (elementary, middle, high) of the school or district as provided in the spreadsheet, not averaged or otherwise calculated differently.
Districts should update websites with the 2023-2024 student performance data by Wednesday, Oct.16.
Any subsequent data files provided (e.g., post-10-day regulatory period) will require another website update within 14 days if there are changes to a district’s reading and mathematics proficient and distinguished percentages.
Beginning with the 2023-2024 student performance results, superintendents must assure that the required data has been posted on the district and school websites. This assurance will be added to the Grant Management Application and Planning System (GMAP) in the coming weeks. Superintendents must sign the assurance by no later than Dec. 15.
ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration – Test Window #1 Concluding
With test window 1 closing soon (online testing and accommodations and supports paper testing concluding on Oct. 11), testing staff may find particular interest in the following information:
- Prepare Paper Testing Materials for Return. Schools are to prepare accommodations and supports paper testing materials from test window 1 as soon as testing is completed. Per the Schedule of Events, the pre-scheduled pickup date is Monday, Oct. 14, and the receipt deadline is Friday, Oct. 18. Additional information about preparing materials for return can be found in the Test Coordinator Information Manual in its section titled “Collecting, Packing, and Returning Materials after Testing.” There are resources and training tutorials posted within Step 6 of the ACT-hosted testing website that testing staff should review to ensure there is awareness of the process for collecting, storing, and returning materials after testing concludes. This includes the training tutorial on How to Return Standard and Accommodations Test Materials.
- Online Test Materials. Starting with the fall administration, schools will no longer need to return online test materials due to a new ACT policy change. Testing staff can refer to the ACT Administration Online Manual and the section titled “Collecting and Securely Destroying Materials after Testing” for information on how to manage the online materials after testing is complete. This includes instructions on how to upload the seating diagram in PearsonAccessnext (PAN) using the Support Request functionality, as this specific test administration form is still required to be provided to ACT electronically.
- Schedule Online Test Sessions (if needed). If there are students that will test later in the window, schedule those online test sessions. Step 4 of the ACT-hosted testing website contains helpful resources about creating online test sessions. This includes the ACT Administration Online Manual and training tutorial on how to create and assign test sessions.
- Track Paper Test Materials Shipments. Testing staff can track accommodations and supports paper test materials shipments using Orders and Shipment Tracking in PAN. Instructions can be found in the PAN User Guide by referencing the section titled “View Status and Shipment Information.”
If you have any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration: Return Accommodations and Supports Paper Testing Materials – Test Window #1
Schools who administered accommodations and supports paper testing within test window 1, will have a material pickup attempted on Monday, Oct. 14. If schools were unable to compile material for return to ACT on the initial material pickup attempt, FedEx will attempt two additional pickup attempts on Tuesday and Wednesday of that 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.
Finally, testing staff should be aware that the receipt deadline for test window 1 accommodations and supports paper materials to have been delivered to ACT is Friday, Oct. 18.
If you have any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration – Create Online Test Sessions for Window #2
Testing staff can create and add students to online test sessions for the ACT online test window 2 beginning Wednesday, Oct. 9. ACT recommends schools create sessions and add students to those sessions at least two days prior to the planned administration date. The published deadline to complete this activity is the final day for online testing of window 2.
Step 4 of the ACT hosted testing website contains helpful resources for creating online test sessions. This includes the ACT Administration Online Manual and training tutorial on how to create and assign test sessions.
If you have any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT/OAA Spring 2025 Junior State Administration In-Person Training Opportunities
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) and ACT are partnering to offer testing staff the opportunity to attend in-person training sessions to provide information about the spring 2025 junior state administration of the ACT. The test administration training sessions will cover the essential tasks for test coordinators throughout the testing cycle. It will include information on the Kentucky Department of Education policy and updates, ACT systems, pre-test activities, things to consider during testing, and post-test activities. This information is targeted primarily to assigned test coordinators, but other key testing staff, including test accommodations coordinators and district assessment coordinators, are welcome to participate. OAA and ACT will host two separate sessions in two different locations to accommodate as many attendees as possible. Note that the content will be the same across both training sessions. Please ensure attendees register using the appropriate link below based on preferred location.
Lexington: The Campbell House Lexington, Curio Collection by Hilton (*note that this is a different location than last year)
Address: 1375 S. Broadway
Date: Nov. 13, 2024
Time: Sign-in 8-8:30 a.m. ET, Training occurs 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Pre-Register for the Lexington Event Here
Bowling Green: Holiday Inn University Plaza
Address: 1021 Wilkinson Trace
Date: Nov. 14, 2024
Time: Sign-in 8-8:30 a.m. CT, Training occurs 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT
Pre-Register for the Bowling Green Event Here
If you have any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
Public Hearing on Proposed Changes to Administrative Regulations Oct. 23
Proposed amendments to the following administrative regulations were approved by the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) on Aug. 8, 2024, and filed with the Legislative Research Commission on Aug. 15, 2024:
703 KAR 5:080. Administration Code for Kentucky's Educational Assessment Program
Material Incorporated by Reference
703 KAR 5:240. Accountability Administrative Procedures and Guidelines
704 KAR 3:535. Full-time enrolled online, virtual and remote learning programs
A public hearing on the proposed administrative regulations will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. ET in the State Board Room, 5th Floor, 300 Sower Blvd., Frankfort, KY. Individuals interested in being heard at this meeting must notify the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) in writing five working days prior to the hearing of their intent to attend. If no notification of intent to attend the hearing is received by that date, the hearing may be canceled. This hearing is open to the public. Any person who wishes to be heard will be given an opportunity to comment on the proposed administrative regulations.
In lieu of attending the public hearing, the public may submit written comments on the proposed administrative regulations. Written comments shall be accepted through Thursday, Oct. 31.
The proposed administrative regulations and their documents incorporated listed above are still in the administrative review process, pursuant to KRS Chapter 13A. Upon completion of the review process, these regulations will become law. The official version of KDE regulations, final regulations and those still in the review process, can be found on the Legislative Review Commission website.
Comments should be directed to Todd G. Allen, General Counsel, Kentucky Department of Education, 300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor, Frankfort, KY, 40601, phone 502-564-4474, fax 502-564-9321; email regcomments@education.ky.gov .
Revising ACCESS for ELLs Update on Standard 1 in the Listening and Reading Tests
Watch the Revising ACCESS: Emphasizing Standard 1 in the Listening and Reading Tests video (four minutes) to learn about:
- Standard 1 and how it fits in the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework
- How Standard 1 will affect the structure of Listening and Reading test items
In case district and school staff missed it: WIDA is revising ACCESS Online and Paper and Kindergarten ACCESS to incorporate the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition. WIDA Consortium members will use these revised assessments in the 2025-2026 WIDA testing year.
For assistance or questions, please contact Chris Williams.
WIDA Feature Resource: Focus on Collaboration
Collaboration is one of the four Big Ideas of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework. This month, WIDA is highlighting resources that are all about collaboration.
- WIDA's Focus Bulletin from 2020, Collaboration: Working Together to Serve Multilingual Learners, presents the collaborative approach as a cyclical process with shared responsibility by educators assessing, reflecting upon, planning for and teaching multilingual learners. (Educators can also read and download this Focus Bulletin en español.)
For assistance or questions, please contact Chris Williams.
2024-2025 ACCESS for ELLs Test Administrator, Districts and School Test Coordinators Manuals Change
In the “New for the 2024-2025 School Year” section of this year’s ACCESS for ELLs Test Administrator and District and School Test Coordinator Manuals, WIDA shared that translated versions of the ACCESS Online test administrator scripts would be available for the 2024-2025 year. These translations will be available in the 16 most common languages in the WIDA Consortium and will allow a test administrator to read the test directions in the student’s home language.
The manuals also reference video translations in American Sign Language (ASL). Unfortunately, due to delays in finalizing this resource, WIDA will not be offering translations in ASL for the 2024-2025 year. WIDA apologizes for the error. WIDA will share more information about the translated test administrator scripts in the coming weeks.
For assistance or questions, please contact Chris Williams.
WIDA Assessment Webinars Reminder
Please join WIDA and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) to learn about the following topics:
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ACCESS Technology Installations Part 1 Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 1-2 p.m. CT
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ACCESS Technology Installations Part 2 Thursday, Oct. 10 from 1-2 p.m. CT
Learn more and add these upcoming webinars to the calendar on the Webinars page (login required).
Can’t make it? The recordings for Assessment Webinars are posted to the WIDA Secure Portal on the Webinars page within a week of the presentation.
For assistance or questions, please contact Chris Williams.
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