This application is for any Wyoming special education educator working with students whose IEP teams have determined they will take the WY-ALT. We are looking for a representation of students in grades 3-10 with various cognitive levels and disabilities. You will be expected to administer a sample of WY-ALT items to (preferably) two of your students. There will be a short pre- and post- questionnaire. The test administration will be recorded by WDE staff; you will be asked to take notes on student response during the testing. The Cognitive Labs will be scheduled during the typical school day, at the student's home school, and facilitated by WDE staff. Teachers will gain valuable insight into how their students think and process information. Applicants may use this form to apply. All applications submitted by 11:59 p.m. on October 7, 2018, will be considered.

It is imperative that WIDA recruit sites for the essential Writing Test field test, particularly tier A and high school students, since we have not met our recruitment goals in the past. 

The field test window for grades 1-3 will be November 14, 2018 through February 15, 2019. The window for grades 4-12 will be December 3, 2018 through March 1, 2019. All students in grades 1-3 will handwrite their responses, and those in 4-12 will keyboard. 

ACCESS will not pass peer review if they do not recruit a sufficient number of students. WIDA states are held to the following USDOE Peer Review Guidance:

• Must provide evidence of appropriate field testing.
• Field test student sample must be representative of the “population” of final test takers (of adequate size and diversity). 

If you would like to participate, please contact Alex Bauer at 1-608- 265-0601 or email alex.bauer@wisc.edu. 

November 5, 2018 - Evanston, Wyoming  

Audience: District Test Coordinators, Building EL Coordinators, Test Administrators/Coordinators, Principals & anyone interested

During the morning session, participants will learn: 

• ordering and distributing materials, 
• setting up testing schedules, 
• monitoring test administrator certifications. 

During the afternoon session, test administrators will explore how the WIDA Standards and Assessment System is connected to the ACCESS for ELLs Online. 

Participants will: 

• Learn to administer the online test to students,
• Access sample items and the WIDA Assessment Management System,
• Identify the purpose of the WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations Framework,
• Explain the technology basics for ACCESS for ELLs,
• Describe the administrative functions of test coordination in WIDA AMS,
• Explain scheduling, test administration monitoring and materials management,
• Discuss the features of each of the different ACCESS for ELLs suite of assessments, 
• Identify the different aspects of paper test administration such as domain test details,
• Explain the procedure for scoring the speaking test.

(Participants may attend ½ day of training, but encouraged to attend the full day).

To register: https://goo.gl/forms/Odaat4mnw2Pft1Lp1

The National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), is collecting public comments as part of an effort to revise their policy on developing student achievement levels for each NAEP assessment. The existing policy, last updated in 1995, needs to be revised to reflect current best practices in standard-setting and to address some of the recommendations from a recent evaluation of the NAEP achievement levels. The Governing Board is seeking public comment to guide our achievement levels policy revision and help fulfill our legislative mandate.The deadline for comment has been extended. Visit their special page to receive more details and background, review related materials, and submit comments no later than October 15.  

Because the test has gone online this year, and will be computer adaptive, WY-ALT test administrators must attend an in-person session this year, as there will be no refresher trainings. Trainings will be located around the state, and will be presented in half-day sessions. Please see the dates and locations below. When actual locations are finalized, the information will be provided. Please look for a registration announcement in an upcoming newsletter. Though not offered this year, we will be providing online refreshers trainings for the 2019-2020 test administration. In the meantime, it would be a good idea to make sure your ALT students are uploaded and identified correctly in TIDE.

WY-ALT Training Locations

• Monday, January 7, 2019 - Cody/Powell area
• Wednesday, January 9, 2019 - Gillette
• Thursday, January 10, 2019 - Casper
• Friday, January 11, 2019 - Green River/Rock Springs area 
• Tuesday, January 22, 2019 - Cheyenne

October 30, 2018 at 2:00 and 3:30

Mark you calendar! American Institutes for Research (AIR) will host two webinars on October 30 that will focus on WY-TOPP Interim and Summative results. 

ORS Webinar (teachers) October 30 at 3:30 p.m.:

• WY-TOPP assessment system: connections between Modular, Interim, and Summative Assessments
• reports available & navigation (focus on individual and classroom group reports)
• results of summative assessments: overall and reporting category interpretation (at student level)

ORS Webinar (administrators) October 30 at 2:00 p.m.:

• WY-TOPP assessment system: connections between Modular, Interim, and Summative Assessments
• reports available & navigation (focus on school and district level reports)
• results of summative assessments: overall and reporting category interpretation (aggregate reports)
• differences between ORS reporting and formal reporting for accountability