September 20, 2017
 SPECIAL WY-TOPP EDITION
- WY-TOPP Training Test Available
- WY-TOPP Embedded Tools and Accommodations
- WY-TOPP Blueprints
- WY-TOPP Blueprint Webinars
- WY-TOPP Regional Trainings
- WY-TOPP User Roles in TIDE
- WY-TOPP Recorded Tech Coordinator Webinar
- WY-TOPP Calculator Training Webinar and Resources
- Important Testing Dates
IMPORTANT WEBPAGES TO HAVE ON HAND
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The WY-TOPP training test will be available throughout the year for students, educators, and parents. The purpose of the training test is to become familiar with the look and functionality of the new online assessment. Accommodations are selectable prior to starting the training test. We encourage students and educators to practice using the universal tools. Students with IEPs are encouraged to practice using his or her specific accommodation(s) in addition to the universal tools that are available to all students. |
 The following tools will be available to all students during the assessment:
- Calculator – customized versions of the Desmos calculator (see article below)
- Periodic Table and Formula Sheets (as allowed)
- Highlighter
- Mark for review (student can mark to come back to 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)
For the 2017-18 school year, WY-TOPP assessment blueprints are available for all three types of assessments - modular, interim, and summative. Please see WDE's assessment blueprints webpage for the full list of blueprints. For this year, science tests will only be available for the summative assessment.
Wyoming Department of Education content specialists will host blueprint webinars for the new ELA, Math, and Science WY-TOPP blueprints. These webinars will be focused on the WY-TOPP Summative Assessment Blueprints.
JOIN BLUEPRINT WEBINAR - Click on the desired time to join the webinar
WY-TOPP INTERIM ASSESSMENTS
For grades 3-10*, the WY-TOPP interim assessments are optional online adaptive assessments. Math, Reading, and Writing interim assessments will be available during the Fall Interim window, October 23, 2017-November 17, 2017, and during the Winter Interim window, January 16, 2018-February 9, 2018. The expected completion time for interim assessments is 30-60 minutes per subject. The interim assessment results are available immediately after students complete the assessment. Please click on the following links to find the blueprints for the interim assessments.
Link to Math interim assessment blueprint
Link to ELA interim assessment blueprint
*WY-TOPP will have fixed form interim assessments for grades K-2. Kindergarteners will have a Spring reading interim and grades 1 and 2 will have a Winter and Spring interim that includes math and reading.
WY-TOPP MODULAR ASSESSMENTS
The WY-TOPP modular assessments are optional online formative assessments that will be available for ELA and Math for grades 3-11* and can be administered on-demand throughout the school year. Results from the modular assessments will be available immediately after students complete the assessment. Participating in modular assessments can help instructors inform instruction and help students and teachers gain familiarity with the online test platform and tools. All of the WY-TOPP assessments will be administered through the same platform. Please click on the following links to find the modular assessment topics available and number of questions on each test.
Link to Math modular assessment topics
Link to ELA modular assessments topics
*Grade 11 students will not participate in the WY-TOPP summative assessment. Grade 3-11 modulars are available for teachers to use with students in any grade.
WY-TOPP WRITING ASSESSMENTS
Writing is assessed on the WY-TOPP summative assessment in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. The writing assessment will be a segment within the ELA summative assessment. The writing assessment will include 1 stand-alone prompt. Because of the adaptiveness of the exam, students in grades 3 and 5 will be presented with an opinion or an informative/explanatory prompt. Students in grades 7 and 9 will be presented with an argumentative or an informative/explanatory prompt.
Writing is available to be assessed on the optional WY-TOPP interim assessments in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. The same breakdown of prompt types apply to the interim as the summative.
Writing is also available for grades 3-10 on the optional modular assessments. Grades 3-5 writing modulars will include opinion and informative/explanatory prompts. Grades 6-10 writing will include argumentative and informative/explanatory prompts.
*Writing rubrics and webinars will soon be available.
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Mark your calendar! Regional WY-TOPP trainings will start the week of October 9-13. AIR will conduct half-day trainings at six locations. District Assessment Coordinators and Building Coordinators 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)
- Online Reporting System (ORS)
TRAINING LOCATIONS October 9, 2017 - 8:30-11:30-Cheyenne October 10, 2017 - 8:30-11:30-Green River October 11, 2017 - 8:15-11:15-Jackson October 11, 2017 - 4:00-7:00-Thermopolis October 12, 2017 - 8:30-11:30-Casper October 12, 2017 - 4:00-7:00-Gillette
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
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.
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Wednesday, Oct. 11th
4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. MST
Wyoming has the opportunity to learn about the Desmos calculator through a webinar by Dan
Meyer, a lead expert in mathematics.
This state-specific training will help support students working
with the calculators they will use on the state assessment.
Join at https://join.me/desmoscalculator or phone +1.646.307.1990
Conference ID: 791-280-991 #
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The following are free resources for educators and students to learn and practice using the Desmos calculators that will be provided online for the WY-TOPP state assessment. The links include a four-function calculator for grade 6, scientific calculator for grades 7-8, and graphing calculator for high school.
Grade 6
Grade 7-8
High School
A deeper explanation of the Graphing Calculator is also available in this Desmos_User_Guide
Contact jill.stringer@wyo.gov, (307) 777-5036
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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: DESMOS calculator webinar with Dan Meyer
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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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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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