January 26, 2018 | WDE Assessment Updates | Volume 5, Issue 47
 WY-ALT students will be participating in an online independent field test this spring. The window for the WY-ALT field test is April 9-27. A guidance document will be available soon for the WY-ALT independent field test. There will be 10 items per subject. The online assessment is adaptive and eliminates the use of the Student Placement Questionnaire and the Scale Score Starting Points Table.
Please contact your technology coordinator to install the secure browser on the devices that will be used by your WY-ALT students prior to the independent field testing window. Click on the links below for technology guidance:
System Requirements for Online Testing
Secure Browser Installation Manual
Technical Specifications Manual for Online Testing
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 A few points to highlight while training test administrators and proctors for the WY-TOPP Interim and Summative Assessments include:
ACCOMMODATIONS: Please know which students have accommodations and check that their accommodations are properly set prior to approving test sessions.
WRITING PROMPT: The only assessments that will ask TAs for additional approval between segments are the Grades 3, 5, 7, & 9 ELA with Writing assessments. TA's will receive a request for approval prior to the Writing section of the ELA test. Test Administrators should not approve the request if there is not enough time for students to complete the writing section.
PAUSE RULE: TAs and students can pause a test in order to temporarily log the student out of the test
session. Students cannot review or modify answered questions after their test pauses for more
than 20 minutes, even if they marked questions for review. The Writing segment in grades 3, 5, 7, & 9 cannot be paused more than 20 minutes or students will not be able to finish. Test Administrators should not approve students' requests to enter the writing segment, if there is not enough time for students to complete the writing section.
TA CERTIFICATION: All test administrators and proctors who plan to administer the WY-TOPP assessment during the 2017-2018 school year must complete the online Test Administrator Certification course. The course is approximately 30 minutes long and the Wyoming Department of Education will ask Building Coordinators to keep documentation of completion for their staff. Please follow this link to the AIR Wyoming Assessment Portal and you will find the Test Administration Certification button in the top row and second column.
TAs should also read the Test Administrator User Guide and the Test Administration Manual.
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This year the department will be using a Secure Google Drive folder to collect exemption request documents from districts. Please contact Michelle Carroll at michelle.carroll@wyo.gov or Catherine Palmer at catherine.palmer@wyo.gov to request access to your campus' Secure Google Drive Folder. Here is a link to the exemption request document. Please view this tutorial on how to submit your exemption request and documentation.
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This application is for any Wyoming educator interested in participating in either the Content Alignment Review Committee or the Bias & Sensitivity (Fairness) Review Committee meeting for WY-TOPP Science items. The committee will meet in Cheyenne on June 21-22. Due to these committee meetings being held concurrently, applicants will only be selected for one committee, but applicants may use this single form to apply for either or both committees. Travel and lodging reimbursements will be offered to committee members traveling from outside of Cheyenne. All applications submitted by 11:59 p.m. on March 30, 2018 will be considered. Follow this link to apply for consideration to participate. |
The deadline to verify student enrollment is Friday, February 2nd. Please log in to PAnext to verify total enrollment count, demographic information, test delivery format, and accommodations and supports. Your campus shipment will be determined by the information you verify in PAnext.
 To test online, complete proctor caching by Friday, February 2nd, following the instructions in the Technical Guide until you reach the “SUCCESS!” message in the instructions.
Make sure all examinees testing online have “online” marked as their delivery format in PearsonAccessnextTM. Follow the “How to Change an Examinee’s Test Format” instructions in the ACT Test Administration Manual Online Testing to view or change the format.
ACT recommends that you conduct a mock administration before the proctor cache deadline. This is one of the best ways to ensure your school can successfully test online.
If you know prior to the deadline that you won’t be testing online, please let ACT know so your campus can be switched to paper testing in advance. By doing so, you’ll receive your initial shipment of materials for paper testing as soon as possible.
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The accommodations application window is open; these applications are submitted through the Test Accessibility & Accommodations System (TAA) and must be submitted by February 2, 2018. If you need to request ACT-approved accommodations or English learner supports, then ACT highly recommends starting your applications early to allow your site time to resubmit the application if there are any issues with your original application.
If you have any questions regarding accommodations, please contact the Wyoming ACT help desk at 800-553-6244 ext 1788 (Wyoming school code = 51).
 It is important for District & School Test Coordinators and Test Administrators to use the Wyoming ACCESS for ELLs Checklist, before, during, and after testing. The checklist is a summary of all tasks that need to be completed for online and paper administration by all personnel involved. This is a "working document" that we are asking coordinators/administrators to provide feedback by adding/changing information on the document that would make it more helpful or accurate. Please follow this link to provide feedback on the checklist.
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November 6-February 2: ACT Request ACT-approved accommodations window
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December 4-February 2: ACT Install ProctorCache software and setup proctor cache
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January 16-February 9: WY-TOPP Winter Interim window (Grades 1-10)
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January 16-February 2: ACT Verify student information in PAnext
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January 29: ACT Standard Administration Q&A webinar @ 3:30 p.m.
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January 22-23: Casper - Phase I & II Literacy and Formative Assessment Workshop
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January 23-February 27: ACCESS 2.0 testing window
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January 24: WY-ALT Test Administrator Training in Cheyenne 9:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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January 25: WY-ALT TA Refresher Training in Cheyenne 9:00 - 12:00 p.m.
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January 25: WY-ALT TA Refresher Training in Cheyenne 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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January 29-30: Casper - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 2
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January 30: WY-ALT TA Refresher Training Webinar 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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February 1: WY-ALT TA Refresher Training Webinar 9:00 - 12:00 p.m.
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February 1-2: Green River - Phase III The Art and Science of Teaching, Unit 2
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February 2: ACT Deadline for accommodations approval
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February 26-March 28: WY-ALT testing window (Grades 3-11)
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February 28: ACT Standard Administration Q&A webinar @ 3:30 p.m.
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March 3-9: WorkKeys Window to order paper materials
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March 3-9: WorkKeys Schools will receive online testing realm email and information
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March 5-30: WY-TOPP paper test initial order window
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March 20: Option 1 - ACT paper test day
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April 2-6: WorkKeys Schools will receive paper test materials
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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 16-25: WY-TOPP paper test late order 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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June 21-22: WY-TOPP Science Content Bias and Fairness Review in Cheyenne
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