March 18, 2016 | WDE Assessment Updates | Volume 4, Issue 11
Below please find the final 2016-17 state assessment calendar. Note that it will be a “NAEP year,” so you can expect increased communications from Will Donkersgoed in the fall.
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Wy-ALT |
There is one week remaining in the Wyoming Alternate Assessment (Wy-ALT) test window.
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All Wy-ALT testing must be concluded and all scores must be submitted into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) by Friday, March 25 at 11:59PM. Remember, only users with a BC, TA, or SS user role are able to access the DEI and it is the Building Coordinator's responsibility to ensure user roles are correctly assigned. Also please note that Help Desk Support will not be available after 6:00 pm on Friday, March 25.
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Student Pre-ID information can be added and edited through Friday, March 25. For information on adding, deleting, or editing students, please see the TIDE User Guide starting on page 25.
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Please follow the instructions provided in the Directions for Administration Manual (page 19) for repackaging the TA Kits and the Building Coordinator’s Manual (page 11) for returning test materials. All test materials must be shipped to AIR no later than Friday, April 1.
If you have any questions, please consult the resources located on the Wy-ALT Portal or contact the Wy-ALT Help Desk at 1-888-897-8024 or at wyalthelpdesk@air.org.
Score reports as well as test participation can be viewed in the Online Reporting System (ORS) using the same login information for TIDE and DEI. These reports can be used to check in with TAs and SSs who may not have administered the test or entered data yet. Two tutorials regarding the ORS have been recorded and posted, walking through the major functions of the site. For more instructions on using the ORS, consult the ORS User Guide and the ORS FAQs.
We are looking for 3 teachers to participate in item review for the Wyoming Alternate Assessment. Participants must have at least 2 years of experience working with students with significant cognitive disabilities and must have administered the Wy-ALT this year. The review will take place in Columbus, Ohio on June 7. WDE will reimburse participants for travel, food, and lodging expenses.
Please submit letters of interest to michelle.carroll@wyo.gov
Wyoming educators are invited to apply for consideration to participate in PAWS reviews for the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), July 18 to July 21, 2016, in Sheridan, WY. Educators from around the state will review test questions and field-test data. Teachers will also make suggestions that will guide the development of the state assessments. ETS will provide pre-paid hotel accommodations for those who need them. In addition, participants will be reimbursed for mileage and meals outside those provided during the meetings and receive a stipend.
This is a reminder that the PAWS window closes next Friday, March 25. Per the instructions in the Building Coordinator's Manual, all materials are to be shipped by March 30.
Those schools in Wyoming that still would like to order WorkKeys paper testing for the April 19–May 3 testing window, can still do so by contacting ACT WorkKeys Customer Service at 800.967.5539. Please place your order by Friday, March 25. Schools should receive their materials the week of April 4. Arrangements have been made for a carrier to pick up materials at each site on May 4. All testing materials need to be returned no later than May 10 for scoring.
The Infrastructure Trial is a valuable tool for testing your infrastructure for the Aspire assessment. This tool allows schools to set up fictitious tests and run the TestNav 8 system in a trial setting. Access to the Infrastructure Trail can be found by following the steps below:
- Log in to the ACT Aspire Portal
- Click on arrow next to the person icon at the top right corner of the screen
- Select Edit profile
- Under Profile Details switch your tenant from the Default (Wyoming) to Infrastructure Trial.
If you do not have this option then please use the following form to gain access to this system: Infrastructure trial signup
On March 23 at 3 pm, ACT Aspire will be providing a refresher webinar for Aspire Test Administration. Please attend this session if you have any questions concerning ACT Aspire test administration.
As we approach ACT Aspire administration, we would like to highlight the some videos from the ACT Aspire Training Management System that focus on the administration of this assessment. These videos are small tutorials running no more that 16 minutes apiece focusing on the ins and outs of starting, monitoring, troubleshooting, and administration functions for this assessment.
The ACT Aspire testing window is quickly approaching. The WDE would like to offer the opportunity for testing coordinators, technology coordinators, and test proctors to ask questions about the Aspire assessment. A regular Q & A session will be scheduled weekly. The next session will take place March 30 at 3:30 pm. Please dial 307-439-4002 to access the Q & A sessions.
Under WAEA, high schools are rated on their performance on two major indicators – Academic Performance and Overall Readiness. The latter includes a component called Tested Readiness. Tested readiness has been based upon index scores derived from student composite scores on the ACT Explore test in grade 9, the ACT Plan test in grade 10 and the ACT test in grade 11. Table 10 below is from the 2015 Implementation Manual. Table 10 shows how index points were assigned to schools based upon student performance on the ACT tests.
Since
the ACT Explore and Plan tests are no longer available, they were replaced by
grade specific version of the ACT Aspire tests for the spring 2016. The process
of identifying index score ranges on the grade 9 Aspire test and grade 10
Aspires will be as follows:
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percentage of Wyoming students within each score range on the 2015 Explore test
and the 2015 Plan test will be computed.
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the 2016 Aspire test results are available for Wyoming students, score ranges
will be computed such that the percentage of students within each score range
matches the 2015 percentages as closely as possible.
- A
new Tested Readiness Score Ranges and
Index Point Values table will be constructed to reflect the identified
score ranges. This table will be included in the 2016 Implementation Manual.
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In September 2015, the USED released new guidance, which requires states to demonstrate that their assessments are aligned with the full extent of their adopted content standards including speaking and listening. The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will submit a waiver from the requirement to assess speaking and listening for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. Public comments may be submitted no later than April 19, 2016 through the following online survey: goo.gl/forms/V7uK1zntTw.
 WORD OF THE WEEK
Metacognition
The knowledge of one's own thinking processes and strategies, and the
ability to consciously reflect and act on the knowledge of cognition to
modify those processes and strategies.
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March 23: ACT Aspire Refresher Webinar for Test Administration
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March 25: PAWS and Wy-ALT Windows Close
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March 29: WorkKeys Webinar for Groups and Batch Load for Online Testing
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March 29-30: Assessment Literacy and Formative Assessment Resource Development Training - Casper
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March 30: Last Day to Ship PAWS Materials
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March 30: ACT Aspire Q & A
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April 1: Last Day to Ship Wy-ALT Materials
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April 1: WorkKeys Webinar for Test Administration for Online Testing
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April 11 - 14: ACT: Test Coordinator Receives Secure Shipment of Testing Materials
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April 11: ACT Aspire Testing Window Opens
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April 11: ACT COMPASS Testing Window Opens
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April 12: District Assessment Development Training for Elementary Educators - Riverton
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April 12: WorkKeys Webinar for Test Administration for Online Testing
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April 13: District Assessment Development Training for Secondary Educators - Riverton
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April 15: WorkKeys Webinar for Groups and Batch Load for Online Testing
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April 19: ACT Test Administration
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April 19: ACT WorkKeys Testing Window Opens
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April 26: ELA and Social Studies District Assessment Development Training - Green River
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April 27: Math/Science/STEM/CTE District Assessment Development Training - Green River
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May 2: ELA and Social Studies District Assessment Development Training - Sheridan
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