Assessment Newsletter (Volume 6, Issue 69)

Update from the Wyoming Department of Education  |  view online |  website

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August 20, 2018  |  WDE Assessment Updates  |  Volume 6, Issue 69


SECURE BROWSER, TECHNICAL MANUALS, FAQs, AND TIDE USER GUIDE

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The Secure Browser for the 2108-2019 administration is now available for download for various Operating Systems on the designated Secure Browser page. Please see the technical manuals for the up-to-date install and download information. 

2018-2019 Technical Manuals
Operating System Support Plan for TDS (End of Life manual)
System Requirements for Online Testing
Technical Specifications for Online Testing
Secure browser Installation Manual

WY-TOPP FAQS and TIDE User Guide
WY-TOPP Parent FAQ
WY-TOPP Teacher FAQ
User Role and Access Chart
TIDE User Guide


WY-TOPP DISTRICT TEST COORDINATOR TRAINING

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Mark your calendar! Regional WY-TOPP District Test Coordinator training will start August 28. AIR will conduct half day trainings on the dates listed below. 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)

Please mark your calendars for the date and location that works best with your schedule. 

August 28 - 8:30 - 11:30 in Cheyenne, 2810 House Ave. Rm. 306, Training Center
August 29 - 8:30 - 11:30 in Pinedale, 665 N. Tyler, Boardroom 
August 30 - 8:30 - 11:30 in Buffalo, 601 W. Lott St., Boardroom

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SUPPORT LANGUAGE LEARNER SUCCESS TRAINING - EL FACILITATORS

Cultivating Practices to Support Language Learner Success Train the Trainer Opportunity

Registration will close on August 24, 2018. The WDE is seeking one staff member from each district to become an EL District Facilitator, who will participate in a training series during the 2018-19 school year. Ideally, the facilitator should have experience in leading and training large groups, as well as experience with ELs or interest in learning more about ELs and training others. Each facilitator will learn how to host a professional learning opportunity entitled “Cultivating Practices to Support Language Learner Success." These hour-long training sessions will be held as webinars once a month for eight months. Please follow the link to see the dates of the 2018-2019 webinars. The live webinars will not be recorded. It is highly recommended to attend all webinar trainings live in order to ask questions and to be more fully engaged with the content. However, the webinars will be pre-recorded. The sessions support educators in using instructional practices that advance English language development and  academic achievement through WIDA’s English Language Development Standards. 

Facilitators will be provided all training materials for their districts, such as PowerPoint presentations, scripts, activities, and handouts. After each session, District Facilitators will host professional learning opportunities in their own districts. 

Each district is asked to determine the best person in their district to be part of this team of facilitators across the state. To register, complete the EL District Facilitator Registration Form below. More information can be found on this flyer and letter.

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WIDA SCREENER RE-CERTIFICATION

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Annual re-certification of the WIDA screener training course is required. 

Wyoming now requires annual re-certification training to administer the WIDA Screener; the English Language Proficiency Assessment given to incoming students in grades 1-12. The WIDA Screener assists educators with the identification of students as English Language Learners. The WIDA Screener training course includes content and training modules that prepare you to give the WIDA Screener online and/or on paper.

To access the training course, log in to the https://wida.wisc.edu/ website, and then log in to the "My Account & Secure Portal" and ACCESS for ELLs Training Courses. Then choose either WIDA Screener online or WIDA Screener paper.


2018-2019 EL GUIDEBOOK

The updated EL Guidebook is now available. The purpose of this guidebook is to set forth the conditions and methods for identifying, serving, and reporting to the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) a student as an Active English Learner (EL) or Monitor Status Year 1 or 2 student. This reporting is used to determine eligibility for the Wyoming Funding Model and Federal Title III – EL funding. Only Active ELs (those currently identified as Active ELs based on this guidebook) are eligible for Federal Title III – EL funding. Students that are Active ELs and those that are in the federally mandated two years of Monitor Status are eligible for state funding through the Wyoming Funding Model. Please follow this link to the updated EL Guidebook


INDIVIDUAL ENGLISH LEARNER PLAN (IELP) FORM

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For assessment purposes, IELP teams must ensure that any supports that the student receives during statewide assessments are appropriately documented. Follow this link to an optional IELP form that districts may use to document student supports, goals, meetings, interventions, etc. The information in Section 5 of the form is required for assessment administration. Documentation may be stored electronically or on paper. If a district currently has a process/form in place, it may continue to use it as long as the same information, as required in Section 5 of the WDE template, is collected.  

The IELP form is also located on the WDE Website under: For Educators > Content & Performance Standards > English Learners > Resources.


2018-2019 ACT WEBINARS

November 8, 2018 3:30 pm - Accommodations Q & A webinar

January 29, 2019 3:30 pm - Test Administration Q & A webinar

February 28, 2019 3:30 pm - Test Administration Q & A webinar

Webinar registration will open during the school year. Please mark your calendars. 


ACT PREP WORKSHOPS

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September 18-19, 2018

GEAR UP Wyoming is offering a FREE 2-day ACT prep workshop for 7-12 grade educators. The workshop will be in the University Union Building at Casper College. For registration and more information, please follow this link to the Wyoming GEAR UP website.


ACT OPPORTUNITIES

ACT Tessera Study

ACT is currently recruiting for an ACT Tessera™ study. This study is open to middle school and high school students and will assess students’ social and emotional learning skills. To learn more visit this information page or contact Lakisha Bates and Lakisha.Bates@act.org.

ACT Tessera™ is a comprehensive next-generation assessment system designed to measure Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. It provides assessments to help educators measure and evaluate 6-12th grade students’ SEL skills, determine their strengths and areas for improvement, and identify interventions to help them succeed. This study is open to middle school and high school students and will assess students’ social and emotional learning skills.

ACT Certified Educator (ACE)

The ACT ACE program is currently being piloted and ACT is seeking high schools and districts who are interested in this certification for teachers, tutors, and counselors. The ACT Basics and ACT English modules are currently being piloted. Workshops are available beginning in August and require a minimum of 20 participants. For more information on the certification or to sign up, contact Karthik Gunasekaran at Karthik.Gunasekaran@act.org.

The content presented in these courses validates candidates’ knowledge of the ACT test structure and content. Additionally, the program promotes a holistic approach to individualized tutoring through evidence-based pedagogy and test-taking strategies.


IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

  • August 28: WY-TOPP District Test Coordinator Training - Cheyenne
  • August 29: WY-TOPP District Test Coordinator Training - Pinedale
  • August 30: WY-TOPP District Test Coordinator Training - Buffalo
  • September 4-28: WY-TOPP Fall interim window (Grades 1-10)
  • September 17-20: WY-ALT Content & Fairness Committee - Cheyenne
  • November 8: ACT Accommodations Q&A at 3:30
  • January 15-February 8: WY-TOPP Winter interim window (Grades 3-10)
  • January 22-February 26: ACCESS 2.0 assessment window (Grades K-12)
  • January 28-March 8: NAEP assessment window (Grades 4 & 8 for selected campuses)
  • January 29: ACT Test Administration Q&A at 3:30
  • February 28: ACT Test Administration Q&A at 3:30
  • March 11-April 24: WY-ALT online assessment window (Grades 3-11)
  • April 2: ACT paper test day (Grade 11)
  • April 2-4, 9-11: ACT online test window (Grade 11)
  • April 15-May 10: WY-TOPP Spring Summative window (Grades 3-10)
  • April 15-May 10: WY-TOPP Spring Interim window (Grades K-2)
  • April 16-30: WorkKeys assessment window (Grades 11 & 12)

2018-2019 ASSESSMENT CALENDAR