English Learners Newsletter

Wyoming Department of Education sent this bulletin at 11/02/2022 07:30 AM MDT

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

English Learners Update Masthead

November 2, 2022

MAINTENANCE & CUSTOMER SERVICE

  • WIDA AMS Upgrade at 7 p.m. on November 17, 2022.
  • WIDA AMS Security Patch from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday on November 5-6, 2022.
  • Updated Supported System Requirements for ACCESS for ELLs Online and WIDA Screener Online have been posted to WIDA AMS. These system requirements are valid through June 29, 2023.
  • WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for test sessions through the window dates listed below. To participate in WIDA Screener Online, students must be added to WIDA AMS and placed into test sessions. Add students and create test sessions independently, or add students to an existing test session.
    • Screener Test Setup: June 30, 2022-June 29, 2023.
    • WY ACCESS Test Setup: November 11, 2022-February 24, 2023.
    • WY ACCESS Test Window: January 17, 2023-February 24, 2023.
  • DRC Customer Service is available from 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday at 855-787-9615 or WIDA@datarecognitioncorp.com. Contact DRC with questions about testing material, Central Office Services (COS), and processing paper test materials.
  • The WIDA Client Services Center is available from 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday Contact at help@wida.us or 866-276-7735. Contact WIDA with questions about WIDA Secure Portal user accounts, ACCESS for ELLs, WIDA Screener, MODEL, score reports, TA procedures, training, and certification, as well as Standards and Can Do Descriptors, and WIDA Early Years.
  • Submit updated EL Coordinator contact information to the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) through this link.

WIDA HIGHLIGHTS

  1. Honor a Wyoming Educator for supporting English Learners by submitting a nomination form. If the nominee is selected, a WIDA staff member will reach out to the educator directly.
  2. WIDA is collecting feedback about how the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition Impacts K-12 Educators. Specifically, WIDA wants to better understand how the 2020 Edition impacts your teaching and assessment practices. Survey submissions are due by November 18, 2022.
  3. The Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Field Test 2022-23 Q&A Webinar will be held at noon on December 1, 2022. This webinar is designed for everyone from district/school coordinators and test administrators to those at the state level.
  4. New Information: Have questions about the Alternate ACCESS Field Test? Peruse the Alternate ACCESS Field Test webpage or Ask Candoo and your question will be answered in the Supporting Success for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities Facebook group and via Advancing ALTELLA on Twitter.

ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS FOR ELLS TEST ADMINISTRATION

Test Material Ordering Process 

  • Test materials for the ACCESS for ELLs and ALT ACCESS for ELLs will be automatically ordered for all Active English Learners (ELs) based on the information provided in the October WDE684 submission.
  • If new Active EL students enroll between November and January, test administrators can order materials during the additional test materials ordering window from January 4-February 17, 2023.
  • Accommodated test forms can also be ordered during the additional test materials ordering window.

Test Material Ordering Process for ALT ACCESS for ELLs Field Test

  • Field test materials will be automatically ordered for schools based on the number of ALT ACCESS materials ordered during the 2021-22 school year.
  • Field test materials will arrive as early as February 7, 2023.
  • If a newly enrolled Active EL student is also an ALT ACCESS test taker, he/she will need to participate in the ALT ACCESS field test. Additional field test materials can be requested using the Additional Material Order form during the additional field test materials ordering window from February 7, 2023-April 10, 2023.

Quality Assurance Monitoring

  • Quality Assurance and Test Security Monitoring tasks occur before, during, and after administration. The Wyoming ACCESS for ELLs Online Checklist provides guidance and highlights tasks which need to be completed as districts prepare for and administer the assessment.
  • The monitoring process includes a desktop and onsite portion. WDE assessment monitoring staff members will notify monitored districts by the end of November. More information about quality assurance monitoring is found on the WDE Test Security webpage. 

Bias, Sensitivity, and Content (BSC) Review Committee

  • WIDA is recruiting kindergarten educators to participate in a review committee in Washington, D.C. April 25-26, 2023.
  • The BSC committee will review ACCESS assessment items to ensure that Kindergarten ACCESS is an accurate and appropriate assessment that is fair and unbiased for a diverse population of test takers.
  • To sign up to participate, email Cat Palmer at catherine.palmer@wyo.gov, with your first and last name, email, and contact number.

Apply for a Domain Exemption Using the WDE465

  • When a student is an English Learner (EL) and has an IEP but is unable to participate in a particular domain (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) on the ACCESS for ELLs Assessment, an exemption may be filed on behalf of a student for a specific domain. Information is found in the WDE465 Guidebook. Submit a domain exemption request via the web form in the Data Collection Suite (DCS). Applications are reviewed by the WDE to determine eligibility. 
  • Districts must review WIDA’s Accommodations and Accessibility Guide to determine if appropriate accommodations can be provided to give the student access to the assessment before submitting the WDE465.
  • The window to apply for exemption is November 15, 2022-January 31, 2023. A WyEdPro user account and WDE465 certify role is required.
  • To sign up for an account, complete the WyEdPRO Request Form on the WDE website. An automated email will be forwarded with directions for completing the account setup and assigning a password.

Assessment Webinars Available

  • ACCESS for ELLs Technology Coordinator Support for Test Administrators.
    • This webinar provides technology coordinators information to communicate with test coordinators and administrators. Join here at noon on November 8, 2022.
  • Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators.
    • This webinar provides an overview of Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs including scheduling, basics of administration, and review of training resources. This is not a replacement for the training course, which is required to administer the assessment. Join here at noon on November 15, 2022.
  • Managing Students in WIDA AMS – ACCESS Online.
    • This webinar provides an overview about student demographic information and accommodations for online administration. Join here at noon on November 17, 2022.
  • Alternate ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators.
    • This webinar provides an overview of Alternate ACCESS for ELLs including scheduling, basics of administration, and review of training resources. This is not a replacement for the training course, which is required to administer the assessment. Join here at noon on November 22, 2022.
  • ACCESS for ELLs Online Test Administrator Overview.
    • This webinar provides an overview of how to administer the online test to students. Participants will be able to discuss the features of ACCESS for ELLs Online, the training requirements and preparation, and much more. Join here at 3:30 p.m. on November 29, 2022.
  • ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinator Overview.
    • This webinar provides information about the procedures for facilitating the overall administration of ACCESS for ELLs suite of assessments. Topics include managing test materials, setting up testing schedules, monitoring test administrator certifications, and more. Join here at 3:30 p.m. on November 30, 2022.

For more information about EL assessments, contact Cat Palmer, WDE Assessment Supervisor, at 307-777-8568 or catherine.palmer@wyo.gov.

WDE505 STUDENT CANDIDACY FOR SEAL OF BILITERACY

Collection Window Coming in November 2022

  • The State Seal of Biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy with Advanced Distinction awards are given in recognition of graduating high school students who are proficient in both English and one or more world languages.
  • For more information on the award criteria, go to the SoBL webpage. 
  • Each year, the school district must report to the WDE each student who is a candidate to receive this award via the Data Collection Suite - Forms Inventory page. Districts will download and enter data on the WDE505.
  • To upload and certify this information to the WDE, a WyEd user account is required. To sign up for an account, complete the WyEdPRO Request Form on the WDE website. An automated email will be forwarded with directions for completing the account setup and assigning a password.

For more information, contact Antoinette Hallam, EL Consultant, at 307-777-5214 or antoinette.hallam@wyo.gov.

ATTENDING TO EQUITY THROUGH BILINGUAL INSTRUCTION

Workshop Series Begins December 1, 2022

  • This virtual workshop is a series of three webinars designed for Spanish/English bilingual K-12 educators, administrators, and support staff interested in strengthening instructional practices within the bilingual classroom. Each 90-minute webinar will be delivered primarily in Spanish.
  • This workshop uses an interactive, hands-on approach to connect the theoretical and pedagogical foundations of Spanish language development instruction and assessment in the bilingual classroom. Participants will explore equitable instructional planning for the bilingual classroom from an asset-based perspective, recognizing that multilingual learners bring many contributions to the learning community. Specifically, participants will focus on creating contexts for meaningful language use with intentional planning for language development in Spanish.
  • By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
    • Recognize the value of emergent bilinguals’ assets to reflect on language ideologies.
    • Analyze ways to create meaningful contexts for language use connected to content concepts and skills.
    • Identify and connect lesson planning considerations for emergent bilinguals.
  • Register here for the live webinar series (December 1, 8, 15, 2022). Webinars will not be recorded.

For more information, contact Antoinette Hallam, EL Consultant, at 307-777-5214 or antoinette.hallam@wyo.gov.

EL QUARTERLY WEBINAR

From 10-11:15 a.m. on December 15, 2022

  • The WDE EL Quarterly Webinar will provide up-to-date, clarifying information and details on revisions to EL and Title III programs, processes, and documents. Sessions offer guidance on a number of topics relevant to all districts serving ELs. Q&A session will follow.
  • Join the webinar here.

For more information, contact Antoinette Hallam, EL Consultant, at 307-777-5214 or antoinette.hallam@wyo.gov.

EL BEST PRACTICES

Using Reader’s Theater for Oral Language Enrichment and Literacy Development

  • ELs can benefit greatly from having opportunities to read a text multiple times because this helps them develop fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Reader's Theater offers ELs an opportunity to immerse themselves in a story and gives them the chance to think about how engaged readers interact with print, such as by seeing pictures in their heads, very similar to watching a movie or play.
  • Students can be encouraged to use vocal, facial, and physical expression to engage with the script and their character. They have the opportunity to practice speaking skills, such as pronunciation, inflection, expression, and varied volume. Since the activity is meant to practice reading, students don't need to memorize their lines, which keeps the spotlight on the reading practice, not the performance.
  • For more information, read “Reader's Theater: Oral Language Enrichment and Literacy Development for ELLs”.

SY 2022-23 EL IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

  • September 1-August 31: WIDA’s Self-Paced Virtual Workshops Available.
  • November 1: Language Specialists - Engaging Multilingual Newcomers Webinar.
  • November 8: ACCESS for ELLs Technology Coordinator Support for Test Administrators Webinar.
  • November 15: Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators Webinar.
  • November 15-January 31: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS Domain Exemption Submission Window.
  • November 17: ACCESS Online - Managing Students in WIDA AMS Webinar.
  • November 18: WIDA ELD Standards Framework Feedback Submission Deadline.
  • November 22: ALT-ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators Webinar.
  • November 29: ACCESS for ELLs Online Test Administrator Training.
  • November 30: ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinator Training.
  • December 1: ALT-ACCESS for ELLs Field Test 2022-23 Q&A Webinar.
  • December 1, 8, 15: Attending to Equity Through Bilingual Instruction Webinar Series.
  • December 6: ACCESS Online - Managing Test Sessions Webinar.
  • December 8: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS/K-ACCESS - Managing Paper Test Materials Webinar.
  • December 13: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS/K-ACCESS - Managing Students in WIDA AMS Webinar.
  • December 15: Winter Quarterly EL and Title III Webinar.
  • January 5: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS Technology Troubleshooting Webinar.
  • January 10, 17: Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework Webinar Series.
  • January 17-February 24: ACCESS & ALT-ACCESS Assessment Window.
  • January 24: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS/K-ACCESS- Returning Paper Materials Webinar.
  • January 26: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS Online - Monitoring Completion for Test Coordinators Webinar.
  • February 7: ALT-ACCESS Field Test Materials Arrive in Districts.
  • February 14-April 20: ALT-ACCESS Field Test Assessment Window.
  • March 7: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS - Post Testing Data Validation Webinar.
  • March 14: ACCESS/ALT-ACCESS - Interpreting Score Reports Webinar.
  • March 15: Teacher Leaders - Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework Webinar.
  • March 16: Spring Quarterly EL and Title III Webinar.
  • March 22: Teacher Leaders - Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework Workshop (In-Person/Location TBD).
  • April 25-26: WIDA Kindergarten ACCESS Bias, Sensitivity and Content Review Committee in Washington, D.C.
  • May 5-6: 6th Annual Wyoming ESL & DLI Conference.
  • May 9: Interpreting ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports Webinar.
  • May 11: WIDA Screener for Kindergarten Webinar.
  • May 18: Summer Quarterly EL and Title III Webinar.
  • August 15: WIDA Screener for Kindergarten Webinar.
  • August 17: WIDA Screener Online Webinar.
  • August 31: Deadline to Complete WIDA Self-Paced eWorkshops.