September 1, 2017 | WDE Assessment Updates | Volume 5, Issue 28
 On September 5, campuses will have the opportunity to "Test the System" for the new WY-TOPP assessments. The purpose of the day is to have faculty, staff, parents, and students familiarize themselves with the system. It will also allow campuses to conduct an internal capacity check. Tech Coordinators have the option to install the secure browser prior to "Test the System" day but it is not required to have the secure browser installed to participate in "Test the System" day. Please see the "Test the System" day quick guide for more information.
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If you have questions or concerns regarding Test the System day, please contact the Wyoming Help Desk at wyohelpdesk@air.org or call 888-897-8024.
WDE will also be sending a survey following "Test the System" day where campuses can inform us of any internal system concerns.
 Mark your calendar! Regional WY-TOPP trainings will start the week of October 9 - 13. AIR will conduct half day trainings during the week of October 9th. District Assessment Coordinators and associated staff are encouraged to attend one of the regional trainings.
Topics that will be discussed during the training include:
- Wyoming Assessment Portal
- Test Delivery System (TDS)
- Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE)
- AIR Ways
- Online Reporting System (ORS)
Tentative training locations
October 9, 2017 - Cheyenne
October 10, 2017 - Green River
October 11, 2017 - Jackson
October 12, 2017 - Casper & Gillette
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User roles for the new WY-TOPP assessment will be assigned at the district level based on your designated role in Fusion. User roles in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) have the following access:
District Testing Coordinator
-ADD and EDIT users (BC, TA, PR), students, and accommodations
-CREATE and VIEW appeals
-Monitor test progress
-View district, campus, and student reports
District Data Reviewer
-VIEW students
-VIEW appeals
-Monitor test progress
-View district, campus, and student reports
Building Coordinator
-ADD and EDIT users (TA, PR), students, and accommodations
-CREATE and VIEW appeals
-access Test Administration site
-Monitor test progress
-View campus and student reports
Test Administrator
-VIEW students
-VIEW appeals
-access Test Administration site
-Monitor test progress
-View student reports
Proctor
-access Test Administration site
The following tools will be available to all students during the assessment:
- Calculator – customized versions of the Desmos calculator
- Formulas
- Periodic table sheet
- Highlighter
- Mark for review (student can mark to come back to the item)
- Strikethrough
- Masking (block out text)
- Text-to-speech (TTS)
- Expandable passages (expands the passage across the screen so student does not need to
scroll and the text will be in the same location when they search for a part they read)
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The following accommodations will be available during the assessment:
- Color Choice (background and text color)
- Zoom (enlarge 1x, 2x, etc.)
- Language (Spanish translation and Spanish versions of formula sheets)
- ASL and Closed Captioning
- Braille (through refreshable Braille displays and Tiger embossers; a paper option is also
available)
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AIR hosted two webinars for Wyoming Technology Coordinators. The following topics were discussed during the webinar:
- Overview of Wyoming Portal and resources
- School/building readiness for testing
- System requirements
- Installation of the Secure Browser
- Uploading student and user information
- Time for Q&A with the presenters
Please watch the recording of the webinar if you were not able to attend either meeting.
PLEASE NOTE DUE TO SCHEDULING AND COST ISSUES THE GILLETTE TRAINING LOCATIONS WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE.
Phase I & II - Literacy and Formative Assessment
These trainings serve as foundational components within the comprehensive instructional framework that is further developed in Phase III -The Art and Science of Teaching. In this training educators will gain an awareness of the research regarding classroom assessment, understand the difference among obtrusive, unobtrusive, and student-generated assessments, and how to use each in the classroom, learn data analysis practices related to classroom assessments, and learn attributes of high-quality performance tasks.
- September 12 - 13 in Evanston
- January 22 - 23 in Casper
Phase III - The Art and Science of Teaching Unit 1
Districts should send teams of 6 – 8 educators for both Unit 1 and Unit 2. The Art and Science of Teaching will span a total of four full days. Two days in the Fall and two days in the Spring. Teams will include district or building leaders, instructional facilitators, and classroom teachers. Smaller teams will work with others attending the training.
Unit 1
- October 11 - 12 in Casper
- October 18-19 in Green River
Unit 2
- January 29 - 30 in Casper
- February 1 -2 in Green River
 GEAR UP Wyoming will sponsor an ACT Preparation Teacher Workshop. The workshop will include a series of round table sessions that will be facilitated by Mary Kerns and a team of ACT Prep trained teachers (Alan Shotts and Steve Newton). Following a presentation by the Wyoming ACT Council, there will be a Q&A session.
PTSB credit will be available for participants who attend all sessions on both days.
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017 from 11:00 - 5:45 p.m. (lunch provided) through Thursday, September 14, 2017 from 8:00 - 1:30 p.m. in Casper
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September 5: WY-TOPP Test the system day at 9:00 a.m.
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September 12-13: Evanston - Phase I & II Literacy and Formative Assessment Workshop
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September 13-14: Casper - ACT Preparation Teacher Workshop
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September 19: Casper - WIDA Online Screener Training
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September 21: Rock Springs/Green River - WIDA Online Screener Training
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October 3: WY-TOPP Online TA Certification Course is open
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October 3: WY-TOPP TIDE is open
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October 9-13: WY-TOPP Regional Trainings
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October 11-12: Casper - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 1
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October 18-19: Green River - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 1
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October 23: WY-TOPP Assessment Viewing Application is open
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October 23: WY-TOPP AIR Ways Reporting is open
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October 23: WY-TOPP Modular assessments are available (Grades 3-10)
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October 23-November 17: WY-TOPP Fall Interim window (Grades 3-10)
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January 16-February 9: WY-TOPP Winter Interim window (Grades 1-10)
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January 22-23: Casper - Phase I & II Literacy and Formative Assessment Workshop
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January 29-30: Casper - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 2
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February 1-2: Green River - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 2
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February 26-March 28: WY-ALT testing window (Grades 3-11)
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March 20: Option 1 - ACT paper test day
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April 3: Option 2 - ACT paper test day
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April 3-5 and 10-12: Option 3 - ACT online testing window
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April 16-May 11: WY-TOPP Interim Spring window (Grades K-2)
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April 16-May 11: WY-TOPP Summative testing window (Grades 3-10)
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April 17-May 1: WorkKeys testing window (Grades 11-12)
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