Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities

1. Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities Test Administration Training

2. Introductions Office of Educational Accountability Contact Information Kristen Burton- Special Populations kristen.burton@dpi.wi.gov Phil Olsen- Assistant Director philip.olsen@dpi.wi.gov

3. Introductions Special Education Team- Contact Information • Erin Faasuamalie- Cognitive Disabilities • Erin Faasuamalie@dpi.wi.gov

4. Agenda • Extended Grade Band Standards • Student Participation • Test Administration • Example Test Items • Accommodations • Test Security • Distribution/Scoring/Reporting • Frequently Asked Questions

5. Extended Grade Band Standards • What students are expected to know and to be able to do at the appropriate grade-band level • Grade bands: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 10 • Instructional achievement descriptors defined for WAA-SwD Minimal, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced performance levels for Mathematics, Reading, and Science Posted at: http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/sped_assmt-extstd

6. WMAS Reading, Mathematics and Science ESSENCE WISCONSIN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKS WISCONSIN EXTENDED GRADE BAND STANDARDS WKCE WAA-SwD

7. Student Participation • IEP Team decision • Participation Checklist • Students must take either WKCE, with or without accommodations, or WAA-SwD, with or without accommodations, for all tested subjects • Found online at: http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/sped_assmt-waa

8. Participation Checklist

9. WAA-SwD Schedule • The WAA-SwD occurs in the same test window as the WKCE. • A calendar of important assessment and accountability dates for the WAA-SwD can be found at: http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_calendar • For annual test administration updates be sure to refer to the WAA-SwD Directions for Test Administration Guide as well as the WSAS Pre-Test Workshop.

10. Who Does What?

11. Test Administrators • Test administrators: Qualifications • Must be teacher or licensed staff (e.g., school psychologists, speech therapists, etc.) • Paraprofessionals and aides cannot administer WAA-SwD • Familiarity with student and the student’s response style and communication style is essential

12. Test Administrators • Prepare materials ahead of time, and familiarize yourself with the flow of test items • Consider manipulatives and accommodations for each student • Logistics: what makes sense for each of your students? • Stick to the script in the Teacher Test Book • Test Administrators must read, verbatim, what follows the icon • Remain neutral while reading and pointing to test items and answer choices (e.g., no inflection of tone should be detectable, no lingering pointing, etc.☺) • Redirect students as needed • Test Administrators can re-read any section following the icon; however, the entire section must be read, and it must be repeated verbatim; answer choices may be repeated as often as needed, with or without reading the question • Maintain test security

13. WAA-SwD Tests

14. Test Forms • Grade clusters 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 10 • Separate test for each grade (one grade 3, one grade 4, etc.) • One test book for every student • all content areas in one book • Separate Teacher Test Book • all content areas in one book • One student Answer Document for every student

15. Reading Test • 2/3 of items in the Reading Test are to be read to students by the teacher • 1/3 of items are “read by STUDENT” items • Spread throughout test at different levels of difficulty • Encourage students to try their best on these independent reading items • Test administrators must pay close attention to which items are “read by STUDENT” • On these items, the test administrator will read prompts and can redirect students’ attention to the reading passage or answer choices; test administrators cannot readthe reading passage or answer choices… Stick to the script!

16. Sample Items • Sample teacher and student test books are available on the DPI website at: http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_waa • Sample items provide additional information such as Extended Grade Band Objective and performance level for the purposes of training. • Can be used with students before the test administration for practice.

17. Test Item: Mathematics grade 3-4 Teacher Test Book

18. Test Item: Mathematics grade 3-4Student Test Book

19. Example Reading Item (grade 5-6)Teacher Test Book: Read by Student

20. Example Reading Item (grade 5-6) Student Test Book: Read by Student

21. Social Studies and Language Arts/Writing • Social Studies and Language Arts/Writing Rater Forms • Download from DPI website: http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_waa • Grades 4, 8, and 10 • Can be done before October test window; save the score to record on WAA-SwD student Answer Document • Document score on back of WAA-SwD student Answer Document • Rating Scale Format (checklist) • No evidence collected • Only one rater (no second rater needed) • Items do not need to be IEP-aligned

22. Accommodations • Braille orders and/or picture descriptions contact Kristen Burton at DPI • Kristen.burton@dpi.wi.gov or by phone at (608) 267-3164 • Assistive technology • Allowed, as long as it is recorded in the student’s current IEP and it does not alter what a particular test item measures • Not allowed: • Paraphrasing, rewording, explaining, etc.; stick to the script to keep the results of the test valid • Returning to a test item after it has already been administered • Calculators • Accommodations on WAA-SwD • Must be allowable on WSAS Assessment Accommodations Matrix (http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_accommtrx )

23. Accommodations: Manipulatives • Allowable manipulatives • Manipulative Guide http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/files/oea/pdf/maniguide.pdf • It is important for test administrators to review the test ahead of time to prepare manipulatives for each individual student • Remember – only use manipulatives that your student uses regularly in class; do not introduce new manipulatives during test administration • Ruler required for grade 10 Mathematics Test • Use the ruler that your student uses in class

24. Student Answer Document • Only answers bubbled onto student answer document will be scored • Answers recorded in the Student Test Book will not be scored • If answers are not bubbled correctly on the student answer document, AYP can be affected • Test administrators may choose initially to document answers in the Teacher Test Book and then to transfer answers onto the student answer document (bubble sheet) after administration

25. Student Answer Document • Student Answer Document information • Student answers must be bubbled in for Mathematics, Reading, and Science • Student label (or bubble in all student info) • SS and LA/Writing Performance Levels • Accommodations • WAA-SwD Student Performance Level Survey • Important that test administrators review Performance Level Descriptors before completing survey on the student answer document

26. WAA-SwD Test Security • Teachers will be utilizing the test in their classrooms and will be able to have access to the test before testing begins • Teachers administering the WAA-SwD are able to maintain possession of individual student tests and administration guides until all content areas are complete • All tests must remain in locked storage when not in use • After test administration, test books must be collected, counted, and returned to the School Assessment Coordinator (SAC) for storage in a secured-and-locked room and/or cabinet • ALL test booklets and answer documents must be returned. Districts CANNOT keep a copy or copies of the WAA-SwD • Each CESA and the DPI will retain one copy for reference • This policy is different than the WKCE

27. Distribution • Receiving test materials • Districts will be sent WAA-SwD materials based on the numbers submitted to DPI through the online ordering system. • District Assessment Coordinators will be sent an email from DPI with a link to the order form prior to the start of the school year. Only the DAC should order WAA-SwD test materials. • Test materials will be shipped in a separate box than the WKCE, and can be easily identified by a blue dot. • Student labels • WKCE and WAA-SwD label shipment will be the same • If no label, bubble in student information

28. Scoring and Reporting • Record Editing System(RES) window includes both the WKCE and WAA-SwD • Reporting of WAA-SwD scores is similar to WKCE

29. Frequently Asked Questions The WAA-SwD FAQ is updated on an annual basis and can be found at: http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_faqwaa Topics include: • Test Security • Test Participation • Test Administrators and Test Administration • Manipulatives • Accommodations • 1% and 2% Assessments • Communication with Parents

30. Can we photocopy graphics? In very limited circumstances, district or school assessment coordinators may provide teachers with photocopies of WAA-SwD graphics for use during testing. For example, a student may have a wide eye gaze or a student may require this accommodation for sequencing constructed response items. Teachers must present all items that are photocopied in the order and manner that they appear in the Student Test Booklet.

31. Can we photocopy graphics? cont. The DAC and SAC should monitor the use and the distribution of this accommodation and ensure test security. All copies must be destroyed after test administration as they contain live test materials. Appropriate techniques for destroying materials include utilization of a commercial document shredding company, cross-cut shredders, and incineration.

32. Can we photocopy graphics? Cont. • Note: Enlarged photocopies are not appropriate for students with visual impairments as these students are able to use the Braille materials and picture descriptions.

33. Can a student write in his/her student test book? Yes. A student can respond in whatever manner is best for that student, including writing on test book pages, answering orally, pointing, eye-gazing, squeezing a hand, etc

34. What about the students for whom the WAA-SwD is too difficult? Test administrators should do their best to administer the test to students, even if they think that it might be too difficult. It is always possible that students may do better than you expect, given the opportunity to try. Items of different difficulty level are spread out across the test, so test administrators are directed to try several test questions and see if the student is able to answer.

35. What about the students for whom the WAA-SwD is too difficult? Cont. Test administrators need to make a professional decision about when to stop the administration of a test to a student. If a student attempts any part of the test, he/she are considered a test participant in a given subject area.

36. Will DPI provide a list of acceptable modifications for the WAA-SwD administration? No. Modifications are not allowed on the WAA-SwD, since a modification changes what a test item measures. However, there is an extensive list of acceptable accommodations available called the Assessment Accommodations Matrix.

37. Questions?

38. For More Information… • Visit the WAA-SwD pages on the DPI website http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/oea_waa (OEA page) http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/sped_assmt-waa Special Education page) • Call us… • DPI Office of Educational Accountability 608-267-1072 • DPI Special Education Team 608-266-1781