The Examiner
An ADE Newsletter for Test Coordinators
February 2022 Edition |
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Achievement District Test Coordinator (DTC) emails will continue to be sent out weekly through the testing windows, or more frequently if additional updates are necessary. Please be on the lookout for these emails and the information shared within them regarding any deadlines or updates for all of the Achievement tests:
- AASA Writing Stand-Alone Field Test (Grades 3-8)
- AASA (Grades 3-8 ELA and Math)
- AzSCI (Grades 5, 8, and 11/Cohort 2023)
- ACT Aspire (Grade 9/Cohort 2025)
- ACT (Grade 11/Cohort 2023)
In addition, all DTC emails are posted on our website for easy reference at:
Friendly Reminders:
- Please include your Entity ID in emails to us.
- Please include which test you are asking about when you email us.
- Please send your email to only one of our inboxes (AASA, AzSCI, or Testing). Please do not copy the other inboxes on your email. This helps us to track emails that have been completed vs. those that still require follow-up.
- For issues that occur while students are testing, please include in your email subject line, "Urgent - Students Testing".
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Infographics
We have created several infographics this school year to help summarize important testing information. These infographics are posted on the homepage of our website: https://www.azed.gov/assessment, and many have been recently updated.
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Statewide Achievement Test Windows
Please note the AASA Writing Stand-Alone Field Test (SAFT) window has been extended through March 4, 2022. |
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ACT Test Windows
Districts and charters with Grade 11/Cohort 2023 students have selected a test window in ACT's PearsonAccessNext platform. Please remember there is only one ACT standard paper test date in each testing window, but there are six standard online test dates in each window. Schools that are administering the ACT on paper may utilize the additional online test dates within the same window for any makeup testing needed.
Note:
- Cohort 2023/Grade 11 students will take both ACT, which includes a Science section, as well as AzSCI, the statewide assessment for Science.
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Schedules of Tasks for Achievement District Test Coordinators
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Achievement District Test Coordinator Training
There are four training modules:
- AASA - required for all Achievement DTCs with Grades 3-8
- AzSCI - required for all Achievement DTCs with Grades 5, 8, and/or 11 (Cohort 2023)
- Accommodations - required for all Achievement DTCs with Grades 3-8 and/or 11
- Achievement Test Administration Responsibilities - required for all Achievement DTCs with Grades 3-8 and/or 11 and for all employees who will administer, proctor, or be in contact with Achievement test materials.
Achievement DTCs are responsible for ensuring that all testing staff have received training prior to administering any tests. This training must include, but is not limited to, the Achievement Test Administration Responsibilities training module. Testing staff may view this training module in TMS, or DTCs may present this module in a group setting. Either way, DTCs are responsible for tracking staff completion of training as well as ensuring that testing staff have the information they need, based on their user role(s), for any test(s) they will be administering.
Additional training for Achievement District Test Coordinators with Grade 9/Cohort 2025 and Grade 11/Cohort 2023 students:
- ACT webinars: DTCs must attend either the live webinars or watch the recorded webinars, which can be accessed after the live events from the ACT-hosted website for Arizona.
- ACT Test Administration Webinar #1: available on demand
- ACT Accommodations Webinar: available on demand
- ACT Test Administration Webinar #2: February 2, 2022, 9:00-10:00am. This webinar will also be available on demand following the live event.
- ACT Aspire on-demand webinars: DTCs must view the recorded webinars for ACT Aspire in preparation for test administration. Three webinars are available at: https://success.act.org/s/article/ACT-Aspire-Webinars
- PearsonAccessNext Basics
- Technical Readiness
- Test Administration
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PearsonAccessnext (PAN) and TestNav |
In Spring 2022, all of the Achievement assessments will utilize the PAN and TestNav platforms. There are three separate PAN websites, with three separate logins, depending on the grade level of students in your LEA.
Please see links below for TestNav technical requirements for each assessment.
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Accommodations
Special Paper Version (SPV) Tests - AASA, AzSCI, ACT Aspire
- Reminder: Any requests for Special Paper Version (SPV) tests for AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire, including braille, large print, or regular paper, should be submitted to ADE for review by February 25, 2022 using the secure online form: https://www.azed.gov/assessment/spv2022. Please contact us at AASA@azed.gov or AzSCI@azed.gov if a student has an injury or illness after February 25, 2022 that necessitates a paper test.
Additional Accommodations - AASA, AzSCI, ACT Aspire
- Note: This webform should not be used to submit requests for Universal Test Administration Conditions or Universal Tools, which are available for all students. Please refer to the Achievement Assessments Accommodation Manual for additional information about Universal Test Administration Conditions and Universal Tools. Please also refer to the Special Email about Achievement Accommodations, which was sent to DTCs on January 4, 2022.
- ACT Aspire - only requests for SPV tests or Speech-to-Text (for Writing and Constructed-Response questions) need to be submitted to ADE. Please note that Speech-to-Text requires a paper test administration.
ACT Aspire Accommodations
Personal Needs Profile (PNP) - NEW!
ADE will be utilizing the Personal Needs Profile (PNP) file to allow LEAs to upload accessibility tools that must be turned on ahead of time and ready for any student(s) that has these tools as accommodations. The PNP file is available for AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire.
For AASA and AzSCI, please see the Quick Guide - Personal Needs Profile (PNP) Import, located in PearsonAccessNext, under Support > Documentation, for instructions and layout.
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Student Eligibility Reports
ADE's upload of students has now been completed for AASA Writing SAFT, AASA (operational), ACT, and ACT Aspire. ADE's upload of students for AzSCI is coming later this month. Following each upload by the State, DTCs should be verifying that all students who are eligible for testing have been uploaded, and if not, DTCs need to ensure that all eligible students are added to the appropriate PAN site in preparation for Spring testing.
Reports are available in ADEConnect to identify the students who need to be in your file upload for each assessment and will create the correct upload file for you, if needed. To access this in ADEConnect, select Assessments > Achievement Reports, then select the Eligibility Report for the appropriate assessment. |
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PearsonAccessNext (PAN) Tutorial Videos and Quick Guides
In addition to the overall PAN User's Guide, we have worked with our vendor, Pearson, to create some PAN tutorial videos and additional PAN Quick Guides. These are posted on the Achievement DTC page and the AASA page of our website.
PAN Tutorial Videos (approximately 2 minutes each)
- How to Unlock Student Tests
- How to Find Testing Groups in Sessions
- How to Resume a Test
PAN Quick Guides
- Work Requests and Transferring Students
- Personal Needs Profile (PNP) Import
- Creating Testing Groups Using the Student Test Update File
- Grade 3 (includes information about ORF for CBT and PBT schools) - Coming soon!
Test Coordinator's Manuals and Test Administration Directions for AASA are coming soon!
AASA Writing Stand-Alone Field Test (SAFT)
All students in Grades 3-8, except for those who qualify for the alternate assessment, MSAA, will participate in the AASA Writing SAFT. The test window is open now and has been extended through March 4, 2022. DTCs should be using this additional time in their contingency plans for this test administration. Currently, over 98,000 students have completed testing!
Due to the extended test window for the Writing SAFT, the Additional Order window and the Materials Return window have also been adjusted. The DTC Checklist has been revised to reflect these updated dates, which are also summarized below. Date changes are in bold font.
Revised Dates - AASA Writing SAFT
- Test Window: January 24 - March 4, 2022
- Additional Order Window (test materials): January 14 - February 25, 2022
- Additional Order Window (return materials): January 14 - March 4, 2022
- Materials Return Window: February 28 - March 7, 2022
As with all field tests, districts and charters, schools, and students will not receive score results from the AASA Writing SAFT.
Test Irregularities
Any student test irregularities, test administration errors, and test security breaches must be reported immediately by the Achievement DTC in PAN and by sending an email to AASA@azed.gov.
Tips for Spring 2022 Testing
- Proctor and pre-caching can help alleviate connection and lagging issues during testing.
- As students move through the test, some items may take a few seconds to display.
- To organize students into smaller groups, such as by classroom or testing session, use the Testing Groups function. You can name these groups by school and grade, teacher name, etc. Please do not rename test sessions.
Testing Groups
- Testing groups are optional.
- Please see the Quick Guide - Creating Testing Groups Using the Student Test Update File, posted in PearsonAccessNext under Support > Documentation.
- Testing groups created for the Writing SAFT will carry over to AASA; however, students in the groups will not carry over. Students will need to be re-added to testing groups for the operational AASA test.
Testing Tickets - online testing and Special Paper Version tests
- Testing tickets for the Writing SAFT will not carry over to the operational AASA test. New testing tickets are required for AASA.
- Testing tickets are considered secure test materials and must be kept in locked storage after printing until needed for test administration. After testing, they must be securely destroyed.
- For the operational AASA test, the following number of testing tickets will be required for students. Grade 3 will require additional test tickets due to the new Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) test unit.
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Pre-ID Labels - Paper Testing
- Pre-ID labels are shipped separately from paper test booklets but should arrive on or near the same day as the test booklets.
- Pre-ID labels should be applied to student test booklets prior to testing.
- Pre-ID labels should not be applied to Special Paper Version tests, which are non-scorable materials.
- If a Pre-ID label for a student is incorrect, it should not be used. The student's demographic information will need to be bubbled in on the test booklet.
- If a Pre-ID label is not received for a student, the student demographic information will need to be bubbled in on the student's test booklet prior to testing. New Pre-ID labels are not available and may not be printed.
- Pre-ID labels are considered secure test materials. Any unused labels must be securely destroyed after testing.
AASA Sample Tests
Sample tests for AASA (Grades 3-8), including the Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Sample Test, are located at https://home.testnav.com/. Select "Arizona," then click on "Mic Check and Sample Tests." Scoring Guides for AASA Sample Tests are posted on our AASA webpage under "AASA Sample Tests."
Please have students practice with the Sample Tests so they can become familiar with the test features, tools, and different types of items on the online tests. Please also have third grade students practice with the ORF Sample Test.
AASA Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency
All third grade students will have a new (separate) ELA test unit for Oral Reading Fluency (ORF). Each student will read three separate passages, with a time limit of one minute per passage. This is similar to what is done for other Oral Reading Fluency tools used in schools.
The ORF test unit is being field tested in Spring 2022. The ORF items will not be included in the students' ELA score nor the Move On When Reading score this year. As with all field tests, districts and charters, schools, and students will not receive score results from the ORF test section this year.
Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Schools and all Students with Special Paper Version (SPV) Tests
- This test unit will take approximately 15 minutes for each small group of students (up to 6 students in a classroom or computer lab)
- ORF must be administered online in TestNav for any students at CBT schools and any students taking an SPV form of the test
Paper-Based Testing (PBT) Schools
- ORF default testing mode for PBT schools is a telephone test. A lithocode will be required, and the test must be administered in a 1:1 test administration with a landline speaker telephone.
- Optionally, third grade students may be administered the ORF test online in TestNav.
- Detailed steps to switch PBT students from the default telephone test to an online test will be included in the Grade 3 Quick Guide, coming soon!
AASA Reporting
Writing SAFT: Districts, schools, and students will not receive data or score reports.
Operational AASA
- Score reports (electronic) - Grade 3 - May 14, 2022
- ELA (including Move on When Reading) and Math electronic score reports and student data files will be available in PAN to view, download, and print
- Score reports (electronic) - Grades 4-8 - May 25, 2022
- ELA and Math electronic score reports and student data files will be available in PAN to view, download, and print
- Score reports (paper) - Grades 3-8 - June 15, 2022
- Paper copies of student score reports will be delivered to districts and charters
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AzSCI Information
Spring 2022 will be the first operational administration of the AzSCI assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11 (Cohort 2023). The AzSCI assessment is a computer-based assessment. There will be two test units at each grade level, with a combined total of 60 questions. Each test unit is estimated to take 60-90 minutes each. If both AzSCI test units are administered on the same day, then there must be a significant break between each test unit.
Please note: No hard copies of Test Coordinator's Manuals and Test Administration Directions will be automatically sent to districts and charters. These documents are posted on our website and may be used electronically. A limited number of copies are available for order during the Additional Order window, February 28 - April 7, 2022.
Student Data Extraction
Students in Grades 5, 8, and in Cohort 2023 (generally 11th graders) that are enrolled in AzEDS by February 17, 2022 will be uploaded and will be visible in PAN on February 21, 2022. Students not uploaded can be manually added to PAN starting on February 22, 2022.
AzSCI Sample Tests
Sample tests for AzSCI (Grade 5, 8, and 11) are located at https://home.testnav.com/. Select "Arizona," then click on "Mic Check and Sample Tests." Scoring Guides for AzSCI Sample Tests are posted on our AzSCI webpage under "AzSCI Resource Suite."
Please have students practice with the Sample Tests so they can become familiar with the test features, tools, and different types of items on the online tests.
AzSCI Reporting
Districts and charters, schools, and students will receive score results following Spring 2022 testing. However, scores will be delayed until August 2022 as Standard Setting will occur in Summer 2022.
- Score reports (electronic) - August 3, 2022 - Score reports and student data files will be available in PAN to view, download, and print.
- Score reports (paper) - August 16, 2022 - Score reports will be delivered to districts and charters.
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ACT Webinars and Office Hours
The ACT-hosted webinar, Test Administration #2, will be held on February 2, 9:00am-10:00am in preparation for the upcoming ACT testing windows. There will be pre-recorded information from ACT followed by a live Q&A session with ACT experts who work directly with the Arizona program.
Webinar Registration:
Office Hours:
ACT Office Hours sessions are held live on Wednesdays (1:00pm Arizona time) and Thursdays (9:00am Arizona time). In addition, previously held Office Hours sessions, covering a variety of ACT topics, are available on demand. A list of topics, dates, and registration links can be accessed from the ACT-hosted website under the dropdown for "Office Hours".
Materials Receipt and MyACT
Depending on the materials receipt week your district or charter selected in PearsonAccessNext, you have either started to receive non-secure materials, or you should be receiving them soon. Included with the non-secure materials will be the MyACT non-test instructions and Taking the ACT, to be distributed to students.
When students complete the non-test information in MyACT, they will receive their scores 11-14 days faster than waiting for scores to be mailed. In addition, students can select up to four free score recipients (colleges and/or scholarship agencies) by creating a MyACT account. For more information, please see Step 4: Preparation on the ACT-hosted website.
Tips for Spring 2022 Testing
For issues when students are testing, please contact ACT at 319-337-1567.
Please note this is a state-specific number for Arizona.
ACT test sections are timed and must be administered in the following order. Standard test times are listed below.
- English - 45 minutes
- Mathematics - 60 minutes
- Reading - 35 minutes
- Science - 35 minutes
- Writing - 40 minutes
For schools administering the ACT on paper: Please remember you have one standard paper test date in your selected test window. The additional online testing dates in the same window are available to you for any makeup testing. ACT has created a document, Switching from Paper to Online Testing, to help you with this process.
Calculator Guidance - Correction
The online embedded calculator for ACT is the Desmos Graphing Calculator. In the November edition of The Examiner, we incorrectly stated that it would be the Desmos Scientific Calculator. Please see the ACT Calculator Policy for information about allowable handheld calculators.
ACT Reporting Schedule - coming soon!
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ADE has uploaded Cohort 2025 (typically grade 9) students to ACT Aspire's PearsonAccessNext (PAN) site. Please verify your student enrollments in PAN. If any students need to be added, see Step 2: Configuration on the Aspire website. Please also see Step 3: Accommodation for information on the Aspire Personal Needs Profile (PNP) file, which may be used to assign accommodations for online testing and to create test sessions and assign students to sessions. Optionally, you may also create groups/classes - information about this option is also included under Step 2.
ACT Aspire Webinars and Office Hours
ACT Aspire on-demand webinars are available at https://success.act.org/s/article/ACT-Aspire-Webinars. In addition, there are several upcoming live Q&A sessions with ACT Aspire experts, beginning February 9 and going through May 4. At this same website, you can register for any of these upcoming sessions. Following the live events, these Q&A sessions will also be available on demand.
Tips for Spring 2022 Testing
For issues when students are testing, please contact ACT Aspire at 855-730-0400.
- ACT Aspire test sections are timed and may be administered in any order. Standard test times are listed below.
- English - 45 minutes
- Mathematics - 75 minutes
- Reading - 65 minutes
- Science - 60 minutes
- Writing - 40 minutes
- ACT Aspire test sections may be administered in one testing day, or they may be administered on different days. Individual test sections must be completed on the day they are started.
- Districts/charters/schools do not need to indicate their testing day(s) in PearsonAccessNext. Testing may occur on any days within the published testing window.
- No hard copies of manuals for ACT Aspire will be sent. Manuals are available on the ACT Aspire website.
ADE Policy Reminders
- Spanish Text + Audio is not allowed. It is shown as available in PearsonAccessNext; however, per ADE Policy, this option is not permitted.
- Do Not Report - has Illness as an available option in PearsonAccessNext; however, per ADE Policy, this option is not permitted.
- Will Not Test - has Parent Opt Out as an available option in PearsonAccessNext; however, per ADE Policy, this option is not permitted.
Note: Using any of these options will invalidate the student's test. The student will not count as participating, impacting your participation rate for Accountability.
Reporting
May 23, 2022 - Individual student reports and aggregate reports will be released and viewable in PearsonAccessNext.
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