Question of the Week
Q: What should schools do with the materials used for the online test mode at the completion of the ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration?
A: Schools 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. With ACT’s policy change regarding online test materials no longer needing to be returned, the ACT Administration Online Manual includes information about what materials are required to be collected and guidelines about securely destroying the materials. There is also information about the retention of specific online test materials, such as the Seating Diagram (after upload in PAN), the Scribe’s Agreement, and the Interpreter’s Agreement.
Testing staff should be aware that if the school or facility has internal processes or policies for conducting document destruction, those procedures should be followed.
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration – Test Window #2 Concluding
With test window 2 closing soon (online testing and accommodations and supports paper testing concluding on Friday, Oct. 25), 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 2 as soon as testing is completed. Per the Schedule of Events, the pre-scheduled pickup date is Monday, Oct. 28, and the receipt deadline is Friday, Nov. 1. Additional information about preparing materials for return can be found in the Test Coordinator Information Manual and 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. Schools will not need to return online test materials, as this is an ACT policy change new starting with this fall administration. 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.
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Fall 2024 Optional Senior State Administration: Return Accommodations and Supports Paper Testing Materials – Test Window #2
Schools who administered accommodations and supports paper testing within test window 2, will have a material pickup attempt on Monday, Oct. 28. 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 are 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 2 accommodations and supports paper materials to be delivered to ACT is Friday, Nov. 1.
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
ACT Spring 2025 Junior State Administration - Welcome Email Coming Soon
School and district testing staff will receive an email from ACT on Monday, Oct. 28, with information about the spring 2025 junior state administration. The communication will be sent from statetesting@operations.act.org. Testing staff should ensure this email address is added as a trusted contact and that the email system allows for the @operations.act.org and @act.org domains to receive communications from ACT throughout the administration cycle. This communication will provide testing staff with links to various supporting documents designed to align with the upcoming spring administration cycle. For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
Reminder: AKSA Window 1 Documents
The AKSA Window 1 materials will arrive in districts the week of Oct. 21. If the materials are not received by Monday, Oct. 28, please email dacinfo@education.ky.gov.
AKSA Office Hours Scheduled
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) is pleased to announce its office hour sessions for the AKSA in the 2024-2025 school year. Office Hours will address questions specific to the Window 1 administration. The first session will occur prior to Window 1 opening, and there will be a second session prior to the close of the window.
District Assessment Coordinators (DACs), Building Assessment Coordinators (BACs), Directors of Special Education (DoSE), and all teachers/test administrators will be able to ask questions and receive assistance during this time. The dates, times, and links to the Teams meetings below may be forwarded to any school personnel who may benefit from attending these sessions:
AKSA Office Hour (Window 1 Administration) - Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET
AKSA Office Hour (Preparing for the End of Window 1)- Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET
Please note that the questions asked during the office hour sessions should be specific to the AKSA administration. Please contact Krista Mullins with any questions.
AKSA Window 1 Administration to Begin Tuesday, Nov. 12
The AKSA Overview and Attainment Tasks (AT) Combined Training Quiz closes on Nov. 8. The AKSA test administrator must pass the qualification quiz prior to administering the AT, and a copy of the quiz certificate must be given to the DAC. Test administrators will receive testing materials from the DAC to administer the AT. Test administration for Window 1 will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 12 and close on Wednesday, Dec. 18. All scores must be entered into the SRD by Friday, Dec. 20.
For questions, please email Krista Mullins or call at (502) 564-4394 ext. 4759.
2024-2025 ACCESS for ELLs Trainings
The 2024-2025 ACCESS for ELLs trainings are available on the ACCESS for ELLs webpage for districts to use to train the staff administering the assessment this year. The ACCESS Roster training will be available prior to the ACCESS Testing Window opening on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
For questions on ACCESS for ELLs Trainings, please contact Chris Williams.
ACCESS for ELLs Materials Ordering Reminder
The window for ACCESS for ELLs test materials (ACCESS, Alternate ACCESS, Kindergarten ACCESS, Large print, Braille) is closing on Wednesday, Oct. 23. DACs need to place test material orders for the schools in the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). Please refer to the Sept. 16 Monday DAC Email for additional details.
For questions about the ACCESS for ELLs Test Materials Ordering, please contact Chris Williams.
New: ACCESS Online Test Administrator Script Translations
Translations of the ACCESS Online Test Administrator Script for Grades 1-3 (Listening, Reading and Speaking only) and the ACCESS Online Test Administrator Script for Grades 4-12 are now available to download in the WIDA Secure Portal. These documents provide scripting in the 16 most common languages across the WIDA Consortium for test administrators to read during ACCESS Online test sessions. The translations provide a guide for students to log in and launch the test and also give directions for the test administrator on monitoring and ending the test session.
These translations include the directions only and do not contain any secure test content. Remember to follow the state guidance when using these scripts.
For questions about ACCESS, please contact Chris Williams.
WIDA Academies
Academies are in-person professional learning workshops that focus on topics relevant to educators of multilingual learners. Educators from within and outside of the WIDA Consortium are invited to attend these open-enrollment workshops facilitated by WIDA Professional Learning Specialists. Visit the WIDA Academies webpage for information on topics, dates, locations and registration fees.
For questions about the WIDA Academies, please contact the WIDA Client Services Center or by phone at (866) 276-7735.
CTE End-of-Program Assessment - 2024-2025 School Testing Window Selection
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) End-of-Program (EOP) Assessment is administered through E-SESS, an online assessment system provided by Pitsco Education. CTE EOP Assessment testing will be available in person pursuant to the 703 KAR 5:080, Administration Code for Kentucky’s Educational Assessment Program and 703 KAR 5:070, Inclusion of Special Populations in the State-Required Assessment and Accountability Programs (April 2021).
The 2024-2025 CTE EOP Assessment testing window is Feb. 24 to March 28.
ACTION REQUESTED: The CTE EOP Assessment Coordinator must select their school’s consecutive two-week testing window by completing the 2024-2025 CTE EOP Assessment School Testing Window Selection Form on or before Dec. 1.
Schools must meet critical deadlines for students to be eligible to test. A student must be identified as a “concentrator” and have at least two credits completed in a career pathway in the Technical Education Database System (TEDS) by the Feb. 1, 2025, deadline to be eligible to test in 2024-2025. The 2024-2025 CTE EOP Assessment Coordinator/Administrator Manuals are scheduled to be available on the CTE EOP Assessment web page by Dec. 1.
For more information, please visit the CTE EOP Assessment web page.
Please contact KDE EOP Support or Sherri Craig, Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE), or 502-564-4286 Ext. 4226 with any questions.
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