Q: When will the 2025-2026 Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) Combined Overview/Attainment Task (AT) Trainings and Quiz be available? 

A: The 2025-2026 AKSA Combined Overview/AT trainings and the associated online  quiz are now available. The Administration Guide is currently available for viewing and download. The Overview/AT Quiz is now open and will remain open until Friday, Nov. 7. Training materials will continue to be accessible on the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment Resources site. These trainings and the quiz must be completed before administering the AKSA.  

Links to Trainings:   

Attainment Task Training Videos Part 1 and 2   

Attainment Task Training PowerPoint Part 1    

Attainment Task Training PowerPoint Part 2   

For additional support, please contact Krista Mullins via email or by phone at (502) 564-4394 ext. 4759.  

New WIDA Family and Community Engagement Webpage 

Educators can now explore the new Engaging Families and Communities webpage, a collection of resources that centers on multilingual voices and provides tools to support culturally and linguistically sustaining engagement practices. On the webpage, educators will find: 

• Videos showcasing real-life stories and instances of meaningful family and community engagement 

• The ABCs of Family and Community Engagement, the six essential considerations to guide and grow engagement practices 

• Resources to enhance practice using the first three ABCs, with more to come in 2026! 

For questions, please contact Chris WIlliams. 

September WIDA Assessment Webinars 

Please join WIDA and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) to learn about the following topics: 

• Welcome Back: What’s New in 2025-2026? Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 1-2 p.m. CT 

• WIDA ACCESS for New Test Administrators Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 1-2 p.m. CT 

• WIDA ACCESS for New District Coordinators Thursday, Sept. 11 at 1-2 p.m. CT 

• Ordering Materials in WIDA AMS Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 1-2 p.m. CT 

• WIDA ACCESS Software Updates and Tech Readiness Checklist Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 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. Technology-related webinar links can also be found in WIDA AMS. On the landing page, select Documents and filter the Document Type by Memos/Documents. For questions, please contact Chris Williams. 

Assessment Scores in Infinite Campus 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) strives to publish student results data in Infinite Campus (IC) as it becomes available. KDE published last week the 2024-2025 scores for Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) and the 2025-2026 Kentucky Online Testing (KYOTE) scores. Please email KDE data services inbox with any questions. 

KDE Offices Closed on Sept. 1   

KDE will be closed Monday, Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day.

Reminder: Process for Requesting AKSA Visual Impairment (VI) Materials for Window 1 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will provide tactilely enhanced supplemental materials (e.g., maps, graphs) for some grades on the AKSA ATs to students who have verified visual impairments in their Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs). Districts should verify a visual impairment is clearly marked on the current IEP and that the student meets all of Kentucky’s eligibility criteria for taking the alternate assessment as indicated in the current IEP. Once districts have verified the student’s eligibility, districts should complete the Visual Impairment (VI) Order Form. If a district has more than one student, the form provides the opportunity for the district to add more students to the form.   

All submissions must be made no later than Wednesday, Sept. 3, in order for districts to receive these materials for Window 1 of the AKSA.   

For any additional questions or concerns, please contact Krista Mullins. For questions regarding completing the VI Materials Request Form, please contact dacinfo@education.ky.gov.   

In This Issue 

Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) Combined Overview/Attainment Task (AT) Trainings and Quiz Released 

Assessment Scores in Infinite Campus 

KDE offices closed on Sept. 1 

New WIDA Family and Community Engagement Webpage 

Reminder: Process for Requesting AKSA Visual Impairment (VI) Materials for Window 

September WIDA Assessment Webinars 

Important Dates 

August 25: AKSA Overview and Attainment Tasks Combined Training and Qualification Quiz Released    

August 27 & 28: K Screen Train the Trainers Virtual Training  

August 28: WIDA Webinar about MLs and Writing          

August 31: Deadline for 2024-2025 WIDA Professional Learning Self-Paced Workshops Completion 

September 2: Welcome Back: What’s New in 2025-2026? WIDA Assessment Webinar   

September 3: Visual Impairment (VI) Orders Due for AKSA Window 1 

September 5: Career Work Experience Certification (CWEC) Qualification Quiz Opens 

September 9: WIDA ACCESS for New Test Administrators Assessment Webinar 

September 11: WIDA ACCESS for New District Coordinators Assessment Webinar 

September 23: Ordering Materials in WIDA AMS Assessment Webinar 

September 29: Transition Attainment Record (TAR) Training and Qualification Quiz Released 

September 30: WIDA ACCESS Software Updates and Tech Readiness Checklist Assessment Webinar