The “Update Student List” process has changed in the online MyNAEP system, i.e., since the last round of NAEP testing in Wyoming in 2015.

In 2017 building coordinators will have an option on Update Student List (USL), to EITHER:

a) Manually add any newly enrolled grade 4 or 8 students (i.e., new kids since September) one-by-one into the MyNAEP system in January…OR,

b) Upload a current student file from your school’s Student Information System or SIS to MyNAEP during January. The uploaded file, as in 2015, must be formatted in Excel and contain student names and their month/year-of-birth.

During 2015, all schools were required to upload an Excel file to MyNAEP…so having an option this year to pick a method that fits a school’s circumstances is a definite plus.

Student now listed in MyNAEP reflect an enrollment snapshot from early October, i.e., as submitted by district offices to the WDE via the state’s Form 684 data collection process.

Here is some guidance in picking an Update Student List method at your building:

• Manually adding students one-by-one to the MyNAEP system via the “Add Newly Enrolled Students” option is likely a good choice for schools with fifty (50) or fewer students slated for 2017 NAEP testing…there are many such schools in Wyoming. It’s also a good pick if a building has had none, or just a few new grade 4 or 8 students enroll since late September.      
• On the other hand, uploading an Excel file will be an efficient path for schools with substantially more than 50 students taking NAEP in grade 4 or 8. It also works for schools experiencing a lot of new grade 4 or 8  student enrollments since September. School staff who are adept in handling and formatting Excel spreadsheet files will prefer this approach, regardless of size.

At large schools especially, uploading an Excel file will be an efficient approach. This option electronically compares current student information system or SIS listings with Form 684 student data already in MyNAEP, and then identifies and adds new enrollees to MyNAEP automatically; this can save staff time in cross-referencing lengthy student lists, and manually keying-in new enrollees’ names and birth information one-by-one into MyNAEP.

WDE trusts building coordinators’ ability to best identify an option that fits for their school, its new student enrollment flow since September, its in-house Excel file handling expertise, etc…. and trusts in school-based option selections for completing the Update Student List (USL) task during January.

Each option works, and will be available for USL input on MyNAEP next month. One could prove more efficient in completing the USL step, i.e., given a school’s situation and specifics.

Please view the Update Student List tutorial and contact Will Donkersgoed at (307) 777-5133 or william.donkersgoed@wyo.gov if your NAEP building coordinator needs further input re: the respective USL options…he’ll be glad to discuss the matter directly, and further advise building coordinators. 

The spring 2017 Wy-ALT Initial Pre-ID window closes Tuesday, December 13 in TIDE (Test Information Distribution Engine). TIDE is available by visiting the Building Coordinators page on the Wyoming Alternate Assessment portal.

All students taking the Wy-ALT must be pre-identified in TIDE. Test Administrators and Second Scorers are able to enter scores only for students pre-identified. To add user accounts for new Test Administrators and Second Scorers, please refer to the TIDE User Guide document located on Wyoming Alternate Assessment portal.

All Spring 2017 Test Administrators (TAs) and Second Scorers (SSs) must attend one of the Wy-ALT trainings, even if they administered the test in the past. If you administered the test last year and feel comfortable doing so in 2017, you can attend one of three in-person half-day refresher trainings rather than the full day training for new TAs and SSs. If you have a conflict and cannot attend any of the in-person trainings, there is also the opportunity to attend a Refresher Training Webinar.

Wy-ALT Training Locations and Dates:
Full-Day Trainings Required for New Test Administrators and Second Scorers*

• Monday, January 9 in Powell at 9:00 AM
• Tuesday, January 10 in Casper at 9:00 AM
• Friday, January 13 in Evanston at 9:00 AM
• Wednesday, January 18 in Cheyenne at 9:00 AM

Half-Day Refresher Trainings for Previous TAs and SSs*

• Wednesday, January 11 in Casper from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM
• Wednesday, January 11 in Casper from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
• Thursday, January 19 in Cheyenne from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Refresher Training Webinars for Previous TAs and SSs* (if unable to attend any in person)

• Tuesday, February 7 in the afternoon 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
• Thursday, February 9 in the morning 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Wyoming Department of Education will be hosting Building Coordinator Training sessions at two locations to review the role and responsibilities of the Building Test Coordinator for the 2017 PAWS administration.

Training Dates 

• Green River, January 31, 9 am - 11 am
• Green River, January 31, 1 pm - 3 pm
• Powell, February 2, 9 am - 11 am
• Powell, February 2, 1 pm - 3 pm

*Note: The previous Newsletter listed the January 31 training location as Rock Springs. The training has been moved to Green River due to space/availability. 

ACT Aspire's storage system is going to rollover in early January. If you need to archive the Dynamic Educator Reports, you will need to do so before December 31, as reports will not be available in the new year.

ACT Aspire has provided a Checklist For Success which contains tasks and timelines to help Test Administrators, Technology Coordinators, and Room Supervisors have a successful test administration. The document is color-coded by role for ease of use and contains a progressive, linear timeline for task completion.