Assessments Bulletin
February 1, 2023 |
Audra Ahumada
Deputy Associate Superintendent
of Assessments |
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It is hard to believe we are in February of 2023 and test windows are now open (AZELLA and Alt ELPA) or opening soon! Please read through this Assessments Bulletin, formerly The Examiner, for important information in preparation for all of the statewide assessments.
Thank you to all of our District Test Coordinators (DTCs) for your preparations to ensure a successful test administration. Over the next few months, all of the test windows will be open and many tests will be administered to students in Arizona. Since we have experience with the new statewide assessments, we are confident test administration will be smooth.
I would like to introduce the new Associate Superintendent for Assessment, Standards, Accountability, and Research, Dr. Joseph Guzman. Dr. Guzman has jumped right in, getting to know all of the Assessment Unit and learning about the current status of statewide assessments. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the agency and will be supporting our team to ensure that we are focused on improving student achievement and test scores!
This summer, we will continue to have educator committees for all of our assessments. Additionally, we will have a Standard Setting Committee for AZELLA to determine new proficiency levels due to the implementation of the new English Language Proficiency Standards adopted in 2019. If you are interested in being a part of the AZELLA Standard Setting Committee, submit an educator committee application! |
If you are looking for information around Assessment topics, we have several new or updated resources posted on the main Assessment webpage:
- Friday Focus webinars (PowerPoint slides, recordings, and FAQs). Our most recent Friday Focus webinar focused on Reducing Test Irregularities - don't forget to check it out and share within your schools.
- Assessment infographics created last fall
- Assessment Parent Guide available in English and Spanish
In March, the Bi-Annual Accommodations Survey will be distributed to all DTCs. We would like DTCs to send it out to all educators in your schools. Be on the lookout for this email with more details later this school year!
Lastly, we will be notifying DTCs about test administration observations for the 2022-2023 school year. We are looking forward to visiting schools during testing season. |
Audra Ahumada
Deputy Associate Superintendent of Assessment
Arizona Department of Education |
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Joseph M. Guzman, Ph.D.
Associate Superintendent of Assessment, Standards, Accountability, and Research
Arizona Department of Education |
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Friday Focus Webinar Rescheduled
The final webinar of the Assessment section's 2022-2023 Friday Focus Webinar Series, Accountability Updates, has been rescheduled for February 24, 2023, 1:00-2:00pm. Participants who had registered for the original webinar date of January 27, 2023 are still registered for the webinar on the new date. Any new registrations must be completed in the new ADE Professional Learning and Development (APLD) registration system using the registration link below. For assistance navigating the new system, please see the ALPD website for helpful links, resources, and Frequently Asked Questions. The webinar recording will be published on our website following the live event.
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Achievement District Test Coordinator (DTC) emails will continue to be sent out regularly through the testing windows. 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 (Grades 3-8 ELA and Math)
- AzSCI (Grades 5, 8, and 11/Cohort 2024)
- ACT Aspire (Grade 9/Cohort 2026)
- ACT (Grade 11/Cohort 2024)
Please remember the following when emailing the inboxes:
- Include your district or charter's Entity ID in emails to us.
- State which assessment(s) your inquiry is about.
- Please email 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.
- Send questions about AASA to AASA@azed.gov, questions about AzSCI to AzSCI@azed.gov, and questions about ACT Aspire or ACT to Testing@azed.gov.
For issues that occur while students are testing, please include in the email subject line, "Urgent - Students Testing."
When contacting Pearson Customer Support for assistance, please retain your ticket number. If you contact ADE's Assessment team for assistance with the same question or issue, please share the Pearson ticket number with us so ADE and Pearson can further assist you. |
Statewide Achievement Test Windows
Testing windows for the Spring 2023 Achievement tests are included in the table below, as well as in the Assessments Overview 2022-2023 and the Detailed Testing Calendar. The Detailed Testing Calendar also provides estimated times for each test unit of AASA and AzSCI as well as time limits for ACT Aspire and ACT test sections. |
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ACT Test Windows
Districts and charters with Grade 11/Cohort 2024 students may utilize both published ACT test windows in order to assess all Cohort 2024 students. Schools are encouraged to administer ACT during the first test window and may also use the second test window, as needed, to complete any makeup testing. Schools administering ACT on paper may also use the online test dates for makeup testing. Any schools that choose to administer the ACT during only the second test window will not have an additional ACT test window to use for makeup testing.
Schedules of Tasks for Achievement District Test Coordinators
Please refer to the schedules of important tasks for each of the Statewide Achievement tests for upcoming tasks and deadlines. Each schedule is posted on the Achievement District Test Coordinator (DTC) page of our website and is linked below.
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Training Modules
All Achievement District Test Coordinators must complete training modules in the Achievement Training Management System (ATMS) as soon as possible. All modules have been published. Please disregard any "Placeholder" tiles in the system that indicate "Coming Soon" as we are not able to remove these tiles. The DTC trainings specific to AASA or AzSCI are published under the "AASA" or "AzSCI" tab, respectively. All other modules are published under the "Achievement Testing" tab. |
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Details of who should complete each training module are included in the table below. Achievement DTCs are required to complete all modules within ATMS and to use the information provided to train testing staff according to their user roles. ADE will be tracking that all Achievement DTCs have completed the required training modules.
Achievement DTCs are responsible for tracking staff completion of trainings within the district or charter. Testing staff may complete training within ATMS, or Achievement DTCs may choose to present training to staff in a group setting. Tracking reports are available within ATMS, or staff training completion may be tracked outside of ATMS. This flexibility is left to the district or charter. All testing staff must receive training prior to administering any tests. |
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PearsonAccessNext and TestNav
In Spring 2023, all of the Achievement assessments will utilize the PearsonAccessNext (PAN) and TestNav platforms. PAN is the site where the test administration details will be managed, and TestNav is the test delivery platform. There are three different PAN websites (linked below), 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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Special Paper Version Tests and Additional Accommodations:
AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire
Requests for Special Paper Version (SPV) tests for AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire, including braille, large print, or regular print tests, should be submitted to ADE for review by February 24, 2023 using the secure online form: https://www.azed.gov/assessment/spv2023 . A copy of the student's IEP or 504 Plan must be uploaded with the request.
Examples of additional accommodations that should be submitted to ADE for review include assistive technology needed by a student during testing, the American Sign Language (ASL) form of the test, or any accommodations not listed in the Accommodations Manual. A copy of the student's IEP or 504 Plan must also be submitted with any request for additional accommodations.
Please contact us if a a student has an injury or illness after February 24, 2023 that necessitates a paper test or additional accommodation. Specific accommodations will be considered based on a doctor's written recommendation and the appropriateness for statewide testing.
The Personal Needs Profile (PNP) file is available for AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire to allow LEAs to upload to PAN any accessibility tools that must be turned on ahead of time and ready for any students who have these tools as accommodations. |
Sample Tests
Please have students practice with the sample tests so they can become familiar with the test features, tools, and different item types in the online tests. Sample tests for each assessment can be accessed at https://home.testnav.com using the instructions below. Login information is not required.
- For AASA or AzSCI, select "Arizona," then scroll to the bottom of the page and select "Mic Check & Sample Tests."
- For AASA, sample tests are available for each grade level in Math and ELA, including for the Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) test unit. New this year, American Sign Language (ASL) sample tests are also available for AASA.
- For AzSCI, sample tests are available for grades 5, 8, and 11.
- For ACT Aspire, select the "ACT Aspire" icon on the left side of the screen, then scroll to the bottom of the page and select "Exemplars." For each subject area, an "Early High School" Exemplar is available.
- For ACT, select the "ACT" icon on the left side of the screen, then scroll down to the bottom of the page and select "Practice Tests." Timed and untimed practice tests are available for each subject area to be tested.
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Calculator Guidance
On the Achievement tests where calculators are permitted, the approved calculator is embedded within the online test. Students may use an acceptable handheld calculator in addition to or instead of the embedded online calculator. Acceptable handheld calculators should be provided for paper-based testing. Please see ADE's Calculator Guidance and the ACT Calculator Policy for additional information about allowable calculators. Please note there are no changes to the calculator policy this year.
Calculators embedded within the online tests:
- AASA Grades 3-6: No calculators are permitted.
- AASA Grades 7-8: The Desmos scientific calculator is embedded for Math Unit 1 only. No calculators are permitted for Math Unit 2.
- AzSCI Grade 5: The Desmos four-function calculator.
- AzSCI Grades 8 and 11: The Desmos scientific calculator.
- ACT Aspire Grade 9: A non-branded scientific calculator.
- ACT Grade 11: The Desmos graphing calculator.
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Student Uploads and Student Eligibility Reports
ADE's upload of students has now been completed for ACT and ACT Aspire. ADE's upload of students for AASA will be visible in PAN on February 6 and for AzSCI on February 20. Following each upload by the State, Achievement DTCs should be verifying that all students who are eligible for testing have been uploaded, and if not, Achievement DTCs need to ensure that all eligible students are added to the appropriate PAN site in preparation for Spring testing.
Please note the following about ADE's student uploads for the Achievement tests:
- Students who qualify for the Alternate Assessment, MSAA, are included in ADE's upload of students. This is because there is no indicator in AzEDS to indicate a student participates in MSAA. However, students who qualify for MSAA should not be administered AASA, AzSCI, ACT Aspire, or ACT. These student records do not need to be deleted from PAN because PAN is not used for Accountability purposes.
- Students who are dually enrolled (in more than one school) are not included in ADE's upload of students and will need to be added to PAN by the school/district responsible for testing the student.
Reports are available in ADEConnect to identify the students who need to be in the file upload for each assessment and will create the correct upload file, if needed, for AASA, AzSCI, or ACT Aspire. To access this in ADEConnect, select Assessments > Achievement Reports, then select the Eligibility Report for the appropriate assessment.
If students need to be added to PAN for ACT, a support request will need to be submitted to ACT using ACT's Enroll or Unenroll Students form. More information about submitting an ACT support request is available on the ACT website under Step 2: Configuration and in this ACT Tutorial.
Work Requests in PearsonAccessNext
New this year for AASA and AzSCI, an Enrollment Transfer Import process is available to assist when several students transfer into a district or between schools in a district. This process may be used to request to have the students transferred from the releasing school(s) to the new school(s). See the PAN User's Guide for detailed steps.
Please check each PAN site regularly for work requests that may be waiting for approval by looking for the red bell at the top of the screen. |
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Please use the following guidelines for AASA, AzSCI, and ACT Aspire work requests:
- If a student has not started testing, APPROVE the work request.
- If a student has completed one or more test units, but has not completed the entire test, APPROVE the work request
- If a student has completed all test units of the assessment, REJECT the work request, and indicate in the Comments field, "Student has already completed testing."
The Work Request process is not utilized for student transfers for the ACT test. For ACT, use the Enroll or Unenroll Students form as mentioned in the "Student Eligibility Reports" section above. A support request will need to be submitted to ACT within PearsonAccssNext. ACT will then check to see if a student has already completed testing before processing the support request. |
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Manuals
The AASA Test Coordinator's Manual (TCM) is published on the Achievement DTC webpage and on the AASA webpage, under "Spring 2023 Manuals and Checklists." AASA Test Administration Directions (TAD) for both computer-based testing schools and paper-based testing schools are coming soon!
Districts and charters will receive hard copies of the AASA manuals, based on the participation counts entered in PearsonAccessNext (PAN) in January. Manuals will be delivered during the selected materials delivery window. If a materials delivery window was not selected in January, then the materials delivery window will be defaulted to the first delivery window option (March 20-23).
Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
All Grade 3 students will participate in an ELA Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) test unit. A decision has been made to gather more information on the ORF items and the impact to the Move On When Reading (MOWR) indicator this year. The Grade 3 ELA ORF test items will not be included in a student's score for the Spring 2023 AASA test administration.
Computer-based testing schools will administer the ORF test unit online in TestNav. The online ORF test unit may be administered in small groups with a maximum of six students testing simultaneously in a classroom or computer lab environment. Additional resources, listed and linked below, are available on the AASA webpage under "Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency."
New for Spring 2023: Paper-based testing (PBT) schools will administer the ORF test unit using a landline, speaker telephone with a keypad. There will not be an option for PBT schools to switch to online testing for ORF. The telephone ORF test must be administered one-to-one with each student. Each student will need a unique lithocode for the ORF test, which will be located on their AASA ELA Pre-ID Label and will also be accessible in PAN.
AASA Writing Resources
AASA Writing Resources are published on the AASA page and the Educator Resources page of our website. Please see the new AASA Writing Resources - Descriptions document for more details about the Writing Rubrics, Writing Guides, Writing Rubric Guides (new this year), and the Annotated Writing Sample Guides (new this year).
Computer-Based Testing
Testing Tickets
The following chart lists the number of testing tickets that will be required for students taking the AASA. This setup is the same as it was in Spring 2022 with Grade 3 students requiring additional tickets due to the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) test unit. |
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Test Units and Sessions
ADE's upload of students for AASA will be visible in PearsonAccessNext (PAN) on February 6, 2023. When students are uploaded to PAN for AASA, the test sessions are created automatically, and students are placed into the appropriate sessions for the grade level indicated.
Students in Grades 4-8 will have three test units for ELA: Writing, ELA 1 (Reading), and ELA 2 (Reading); and two test units for Math: Math 1 and Math 2.
In PAN, there will be only two sessions for these students: one for ELA and one for Math. During testing, all ELA test units will be accessed under the one session for ELA (with one testing ticket) and all Math test units under the one session for Math (with one testing ticket). |
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Students in Grade 3 are set up a little differently in PAN due to the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) test unit. Grade 3 students will have a separate session in PAN for each ELA test unit: Writing, ELA 1 (Reading), ELA 2 (Reading), and Oral Reading Fluency. Each will require a separate testing ticket.
For Grade 3, there will be two test units for Math: Math 1 and Math 2. As with Grades 4-8, these units will be in one math session, requiring one student testing ticket. |
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Reminder: All AASA ELA test units (Writing, Reading 1, and Reading 2) must be completed to receive an ELA score. Both AASA Math test units must be completed to receive a Math score.
Paper-Based Testing
Pre-ID Labels
Schools administering AASA paper-based tests will receive Pre-ID labels for any students that have been uploaded to PearsonAccessNext by February 17, 2023. Pre-ID labels must be affixed to student test booklets prior to testing.
Any students enrolled after February 17 will not receive a Pre-ID label. If any student does not have a Pre-ID label or if any information on a student's Pre-ID label is incorrect, then the student demographic information on the back of the test booklet must be bubbled in.
Pre-ID labels will be sent in a separate shipment from paper test booklets, but both shipments should be received within the same week in March.
Returning Paper Tests to Pearson
All AASA paper tests must be returned to Pearson as directed in the AASA Test Coordinator's Manual. Shipments must be picked up by UPS no later than April 13, 2023 in order to be scored.
New this year: Grade 3 scorable test booklets must be packaged and returned to Pearson separate from the Grades 4-8 scorable test booklets (in separate boxes). Please see the AASA Test Coordinator's Manual for return packaging instructions.
Reporting
May 15, 2023: Grade 3 AASA ELA (including Move on When Reading) and Math score reports and student data files will be available in PAN.
May 25, 2023: Grades 4-8 AASA ELA and Math score reports and student data files will be available in PAN.
June 14, 2023: AASA ELA and Math (Grades 3-8) On Demand Reports will be available to view in PAN, and the Parent Portal will be available.
June 15, 2023: AASA ELA and Math (Grades 3-8) paper copies of Individual Student Reports will be delivered to districts and charters.
June 16, 2023: AASA ELA and Math Longitudinal and Historical electronic reports will be available to view in PAN. More information about these reports will be coming soon.
Parent Portal
The AASA Parent Portal was made available to schools as an optional resource following Spring 2022 testing. This optional resource will be available again in Spring 2023. Using the AASA Parent Portal, families can securely access and view their student's online Individual Student Report using a claim code provided to them by their school/district.
Have you, your district/charter, or any of your schools utilized the AASA Parent Portal? If so, we want to hear from you! More than 3500 Parent Portal accounts were created, with families accessing a student report, across the state following Spring 2022 testing. Please share any tips and feedback from your experience using the AASA Parent Portal at AASA@azed.gov. We will compile any feedback received to share with other District Test Coordinators! |
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Manuals
The AzSCI Test Coordinator's Manual (TCM) is published on the Achievement DTC webpage and on the AzSCI webpage, under "Spring 2023 Manuals and Checklists." The AzSCI Test Administration Directions (TAD) manual is coming soon!
For AzSCI, hard copies of the manuals will not be shipped automatically to districts and charters. A limited number of copies are available for order during the AzSCI additional order window, which opens on February 27. The manuals may also be downloaded and used electronically from ADE's website and from PearsonAccessNext.
Test Units, Sessions, and Testing Tickets
Students in Grades 5, 8, and 11 (Cohort 2024) will have three test units for AzSCI this year. The approximate time for each test unit is 60-90 minutes. Please note the overall length of the AzSCI test is the same length as last year; however, based on challenges and feedback received, the AzSCI test has been split into three test units instead of two.
ADE's upload of students will be visible in PearsonAccessNext (PAN) on February 20, 2023. When students are uploaded to PearsonAccessNext for AzSCI, the test sessions are created automatically, and students are placed into those sessions based on their grade level. There will be one test session that includes all three test units. Students will use one testing ticket to access the three units.
Reminder: All AzSCI test units must be completed to receive an AzSCI score.
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Reporting
May 26, 2023: AzSCI electronic score reports and student data files will be available in PearsonAccessNext.
June 9, 2023: AzSCI summary performance data will be available in PAN in a .txt tab delimited file.
June 16, 2023: Paper copies of Individual Student Reports will be delivered to districts and charters. |
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Manuals
The ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual and Room Supervisor Manuals are published on the ACT-hosted Aspire webpage under Step 5: Administration. Hard copies of the manuals will not be shipped to districts and charters. These manuals should be used when training staff for ACT Aspire test administration.
Paper-Based Testing and Special Paper Version Tests
Districts and charters administering ACT Aspire paper-based tests, including any Special Paper Version (braille, large print, or regular print) tests should verify their shipping address in PearsonAccessNext now. If any changes are needed to the shipping address, please notify ADE at Testing@azed.gov no later than February 24, 2023 to ensure paper testing materials are delivered appropriately.
Barcode Labels
Schools administering ACT Aspire paper-based tests will receive barcode labels for any students that have been uploaded to PearsonAccessNext by February 24, 2023. Barcode labels will be sent in a separate shipment from paper test booklets and answer documents, but both shipments should be received within the same week in March. If barcode labels are not received for any students, the demographic information will need to be bubbled in on the student's answer documents.
Special Paper Version Tests
Any approved Special Paper Version tests for ACT Aspire must be administered within the shorter paper-based testing window, including for schools that are otherwise administering online tests. Student responses from braille and large print tests must be transferred to a regular answer document for scoring. The deadline for ACT Aspire to receive all paper testing materials for scoring is April 19, 2023.
ACT Aspire "Chat with an Expert"
For questions about ACT Aspire, please join one of the upcoming ACT Aspire "Chat with an Expert" sessions. These sessions are being held exclusively for Arizona and will be hosted by our ACT Aspire program coordinator.
- February 15, 2023, 9:00am - 10:00am
- March 22, 2023, 9:00am - 10:00am
Test Sessions and Testing Tickets
ADE's upload of students for ACT Aspire has now been completed and is visible in PearsonAccessNext. Test sessions for ACT Aspire were not automatically created when students were uploaded to PAN. This step will need to be completed by schools/districts. Please see the ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual for details.
Students will have a separate testing ticket for each test unit for ACT Aspire.
Timed Test Sections
ACT Aspire is a timed test. The test sections may be administered on the same day, or they may be administered on different days. This flexibility is left up to schools/districts, If administering on the same day, a break may be scheduled between the test sections. In addition, the test sections for ACT Aspire may be administered in any order. The test sections include English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. |
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Reporting
ACT Aspire electronic score reports and student data files will be available in PearsonAccessNext on May 25, 2023. Paper copies of student score reports will be delivered to districts and charters June 1, 2023. |
Manuals
The ACT Test Coordinator Manual and Test Administration Manuals are published on the ACT-hosted webpage under Step 5: Administration. Hard copies of the manuals will be shipped to districts and charters according to the materials delivery window selected in PearsonAccessNext. These manuals should be used when training staff for ACT test administration. |
ACT Webinars for Test Coordinators
All Achievement DTCs with students in Grade 11/Cohort 2024 are expected to view the three ACT-hosted webinars, either by attending the live webinars or viewing the recordings. Two webinars were held in the fall, Accommodations and Test Administration #1, and are now available on demand. The third webinar, Test Administration #2, will be held on February 22, 2023, 9:00am. Links to all three webinars are available through the ACT Schedule of Events.
ACT Accommodations
ACT accommodations requests must be submitted in ACT's Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) system no later than February 3, 2023. Requests for reconsideration must be submitted by February 10, 2023. Requests for qualified exceptions to the deadline must be submitted by March 27, 2023.
Please contact us at Testing@azed.gov if a student enrolls after the submission deadlines and requires accommodations for ACT. If the student has transferred from another Arizona district or from another state, ADE and ACT can research to determine if accommodations were approved for the student at their previous school.
ACT has scheduled several Office Hours sessions through April 12, 2023 to answer questions about ACT-approved accommodations. Register for upcoming sessions or view previous sessions on demand through ACT's Webcasts page.
Computer-Based Testing
Mock Administration
All schools administering the online ACT test are strongly encouraged to complete a mock administration to ensure that devices are ready for testing. More information is available on the ACT website under Step 2: Configuration.
Test Sessions
Test sessions for ACT were not automatically created when students were uploaded to PearsonAccessNext. This step will need to be completed by schools/districts according to the timeline provided in the ACT Schedule of Events and the resources included on the ACT website under Step 4: Preparation.
Student Authorization Tickets will need to be printed before test day and provided to the Room Supervisor the day of testing. Seal codes are used to begin each ACT test session. |
Paper-Based Testing
Pre-ID Labels
Schools administering ACT paper-based tests will receive barcode labels for any students that have been uploaded to PearsonAccessNext by February 3, 2023. If barcode labels are not received for any students, the demographic information will need to be bubbled in on the student's answer documents.
Receiving Test Materials
Depending on the test date selected in PearsonAccessNext, the initial shipment may include only non-secure materials, or it may include all testing materials, both non-secure and secure. If only non-secure materials are delivered in the initial shipment, the secure materials will arrive the week before the start of testing.
Timed Test Sections
ACT is a timed test. Test sections must be administered in the following order: English (1), Math (2), Reading (3), Science (4), and Writing (5). |
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For ACT standard time and ACT extended time on one test day, a 15-minute break is provided between Test 2 and Test 3. An extended break of up to 45 minutes may be given between Test 4 and the Writing test. Lunch may be provided during this extended break.
MyACT
MyACT is the platform for examinees to submit non-test information to ACT. This non-test information allows a student to send their scores, free of charge, to four colleges or scholarship agencies of their choice, and also allows students to receive their ACT scores up to two weeks faster than waiting for paper reports from their school. ACT recommends hosting an in-school session for students to create a MyACT account and to complete the non-test information online. This may be completed prior to test day and no later than two days after completion of their test. Please see the MyACT resources on the ACT website under Step 4: Preparation.
Reporting
New this year: All ACT reporting will be in ACT's Online Reporting System at success.act.org. Reports will not be located in PearsonAccessNext.
Schools will receive hard copies of student score reports 5-8 weeks following testing. Paper copies of score reports will no longer be mailed directly to students; however, students can access their scores electronically through their MyACT accounts. Scores will flow into the reporting portal at success.act.org as they become available.
The complete ACT Reporting Schedule is coming soon! When it is available, it will be posted on ACT's website under Step 7: Interpretation. |
Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator Checklist
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Alt ELPA
Our new Alternative English Language Proficiency Assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will be operationally field tested this year. If an EL student is eligible to participate in Alt ELPA, they will not participate in AZELLA Reassessment. This assessment will determine EL services or if a student is proficient in the English language acquisition skills based on Alternate Achievement Standards. The test administration window is February 1 - March 17, 2023. You can find more information in the training modules, Test Administration Manual in the Cambium portal, and the Alt ELPA presentation.
Alt ELPA Training
The Alt ELPA training is now available in the LMS. Instructions for setting up accounts in the LMS were sent to Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators in September. Please let us know if you need them sent again.
The required trainings are titled: CAAELP Modules: Alt ELPA Test Coordinator Training (2022-2023) and CAAELP Modules: Alt ELPA Test Administrator Training (2022-2023). In addition, new modules are available to help support your administration. Please look for Alt ELPA TDS Overview, Appeals Process, and Participation Reports.
Alt ELPA Accommodations
Available accommodations for Alt ELPA are different than those for MSAA. Please refer to the Alt ELPA Accommodations Manual for information on specific accommodations and universal features for each domain. If needed accommodations are not yet documented in the IEP, please have the IEP team complete an addendum.
Alt ELPA Administration
The Alt ELPA is administered through TIDE in the Cambium portal. The portal has additional resources including user guides and technology requirements for the assessment.
Additionally, please note that students who are eligible for alternate assessments will also be uploaded in PearsonAccessNext (PAN) for all Statewide Assessments, including AZELLA. Students eligible for any alternate assessment (MSAA or Alt ELPA) should remain untested in the PAN system. The Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator must communicate with the AZELLA and Achievement Test Coordinators to ensure students are administered the correct assessment.
MSAA
MSAA is administered in Grades 3-8 and 11 for ELA and Mathematics and Grades 5, 8, and 11 for Science. Students eligible for MSAA do not participate in AASA, AzSCI, ACT Aspire, or ACT. The MSAA administration window is March 13 - April 28, 2023.
MSAA Training
The MSAA system will open for training February 28, 2023. Test Coordinator and Test Administrator accounts will be created no later than February 27, 2023. Test Coordinators may add any additional test administrator accounts directly in the MSAA system. Please refer to the MSAA User Guide for Test Coordinators for instructions.
MSAA Accommodations
Please ensure that the appropriate instructional and test accommodations are included as you conduct the IEP meetings. MSAA allows five accommodations: sigh language, scribe, assistive technology, paper test, and Braille (cards for foundational reading in Grades 3 and 4 only). More information on accommodations for alternate assessments can be found in the MSAA Accommodations Manual.
MSAA Administration
The MSAA is administered in the MSAA system. Accounts will be created no later than February 26, 2023. On February 27, 2023, users will have access to training modules, student lists, and secure test materials. The MSAA test administration window is March 13 - April 28, 2023.
Adding Students
According to eligibility criteria, IEP teams determine eligibility for alternate assessments no later than November 30 to allow for suitable instructional time before test administration. If a student was determined eligible for alternate assessments but was not identified in the Student Selector Application, please refer to these instructions.
- If a student transfers, you can send us a list of SSIDs only and we will add the student to the testing platforms. Student records must be updated in AzEDS before the student can be added to testing platforms. Please conform your student records on your SPED72 report before contacting the Alternate Assessment Team.
- For students who have been enrolled in the district all year, the Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator must submit a letter signed by the Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator and their supervisor. The letter will include a list of students' SSIDs and an explanation of why students were missed in the selection process, which was open from October 3 - November 30, 2022. For explanations related to a deficiency in policy or practice, include steps the LEA will take to correct the issue. An explanation stating that the IEP team did not make the determination that the student is eligible for alternate assessment before the close of the Student Selector Application, will not be accepted since this does not follow eligibility guidelines. Only one letter should be submitted after reviewing your student list. Teachers should not be responsible for writing or submitting this letter to the DTC or the State. This task is the role of the DTC. Letters should be emailed to the Alternate Assessment Unit at AlternateAssessment@azed.gov.
Observations
ADE works with contractors to conduct MSAA administration observations. Additionally, the Assessment Unit will conduct observations for both Alt ELPA and MSAA. You will be notified by the Alternate Assessment unit if your LEA was selected for observation, These observations are required.
District Test Coordinators must also observe at least one MSAA administration and submit the responses using the Google form.
1% Threshold and Action Plans
We are calculating the participation rates for alternate assessment. Notifications for LEAs that exceeded 1% participation in the Spring 2022 administration will be sent soon. We want to thank all of our Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators and IEP teams for their efforts in following the eligibility criteria to make assessment decisions for your students.
ADE must take additional steps to support and provide appropriate oversight to each LEA that assessed more than 1% of its assessed students in a given subject in a school year using an alternative assessment aligned with alternate academic achievement standards. This means that we will continue our monitoring through the 1% Threshold Application and submission of Action Plans.
Two notifications will be sent to Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators if the LEA exceeded the 1% Threshold. The first notification will include the LEA percentage in each content area and instructions for Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators to provide student information in the 1% Threshold Application. Upon review of the student information, each LEA will be placed into a tier level of support. A second notification will be sent with instructions on submitting an Action Plan based on the tier level and addressing disproportionality if applicable.
Monitoring for the 1% Threshold will look differently this year. When we finish the calculations, we will send one notification with instructions to complete the Action Plan. You will not need to submit any student data. We are federally required to collect your justifications and address disproportionality annually. Next year, we will revert back to our regular monitoring plan.
More Resources
Please continue to use the MSAA States Website to access resources for families, educators, and students. Resources range from writing rubrics, sample items, Core Content Connectors, the Learning Progression Frameworks, and more. The website contains information for all states that participate in the consortium. Please do not use the website to contact the Alternate Assessment Unit as the communication is not directly sent to the Alternate Assessment Team.
TIES Center also has some great resources on instruction, information for parents, and communication and behavior supports. |
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AZELLA Placement Test
Administered through May 12, 2023
New-to-Arizona students with a Home Language Survey that includes languages other than English and American Sign Language (ASL) and do not have an AZELLA test history are required to be administered the AZELLA Placement Test and parents notified of the results within 2 weeks of the students' school enrollments.
Students associated with EL Group 8 on the EL73 Report and students with a red font message on their EL70 Report require the administration of the AZELLA Placement Test.
Kindergarten Students - Placement Test v. Reassessment Test
Kindergarten students who have been enrolled in any school in the USA for 60 or more cumulative days, will not be administered the Kindergarten Placement Test (KPT). The AZELLA KPT is not appropriate for these students because they have been enrolled in school, therefore receiving instruction. They will be administered the Spring 2023 Kindergarten Reassessment Test.
Kindergarten students who are enrolled in kindergarten for the very first time and have never attended school prior to January 1, 2023, should be administered the KPT, not the Spring Reassessment Test. |
Online Schools
Students must be administered the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test at a brick-and-mortar district/school building. Most students who are associated with an online learning program are administered the AZELLA at their home school by appointment or other scheduled testing times.
The online school may need to be added to the home school Test Administrators' PAN account so that they can access the administration of those students' tests.
Spring AZELLA Reassessment Test Administration Window
January 30 - March 17, 2023 (7 weeks) |
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Spring AZELLA Test Training
AZELLA District Test Coordinators and AZELLA staff must complete the required Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Training modules from the AZELLA Test Management System (ATMS) prior to testing.
DTCs are expected to create in-person training or a live virtual presentation for AZELLA staff that addresses test security, testing schedules, test materials, as well as the district's policies and procedures for the AZELLA Reassessment Test Administration. This presentation and the sign-in sheets must be made available to ADE upon request. DTCs must also ensure that all their School Test Coordinators and Test Administrators have completed the required ATMS training modules for their role and read the Test Administration Directions (TAD) for the grade levels assigned to them.
Spring 2023 Reassessment Resources
Students Participating in the Spring 2023 AZELLA Testing
For School Year 2022-2023, all Grades K-12 students who have an EL need will need to be administered the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test. These are students listed on the EL73 Report associated with EL Groups 1, 2, and 4. Students who are administered the AZELLA Placement Test after January 1, 2023, are not required to participate in the Spring Reassessment Test.
Parent Withdrawn EL students must continue to participate in the annual AZELLA Reassessment until they demonstrate an Overall Proficiency Level of Proficient. Parents may decline EL Services for their student but may not opt out of AZELLA testing.
AZELLA District Test Coordinators are expected to create a list of participating students and provide the lists to the School Test Coordinators and Test Administrators.
Communication between the AZELLA District Test Coordinators, other district staff, and School Test Coordinators is important to make sure only students who are required to be tested are tested. Completed Spring Reassessment Tests will not be invalidated (except for test security issues), even if the student is not eligible.
To be proactive for the Fall 2023 LEA Reason application (reason why the students were not administered the Spring Reassessment Test), ADE suggests that the districts and schools create a mechanism to keep track of students who should have been tested but were not able to be tested and the reason the student(s) were not tested. This will be extremely helpful during the summer months when the LEA Reason application must be completed.
Student Test Registrations in PearsonAccessNext (PAN)
Students must be registered, assigned the correct tests, and added to test Sessions (for online tests) in PearsonAccessNext (PAN) for the Reassessment administration. ADE supplied Pearson a student data file on January 6, and it was used to pre-register students for the test. This student data file did not include all the students who need to take part in these assessments. This means that there are students that need to have their test registration transferred by way of Work Requests in PAN or be manually added to PAN by the AZELLA DTC and STC.
Students may be registered individually using the PAN interface, or districts and schools may use the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Student Registration File Layout and Template provided by Pearson and found in PAN in the Support >> Documentation section. Pearson provides explicit directions for using this template in the test administration PAN User's Guide. When using the template, it must be saved and uploaded into PAN as a .csv file.
ADE has provided districts and schools with another option - download the EL73 Report using the PAN button. After downloading the file, delete the rows for the students who are already registered in PAN, add the language, SPED and Migrant participation, and the EL program services before saving the file as a .csv file that can be imported into PAN to register additional students. The columns with numbers will need to be formatted correctly and saved before uploading as the "Student Registration Import" file in PAN.
Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Administration
- AZELLA Kindergarten and Grade 1 are paper-and-pencil tests with Unit 5 (the Speaking Test) individually administered using a speaker telephone. Units 1-4 may be administered one-on-one, small group, or large group. The Speaking Test must be administered individually.
- AZELLA Grades 2-3 are a hybrid administration. Four of the five test units, Units 1, 2, 3, and 5, are online tests administered through Pearson's TestNav application, while Unit 4 of the test is a paper-and-pencil administration. Only students will have a Username and Password for TestNav. A required Speaking Practice Protocol using the Sample Test must be conducted before the administration of Unit 5 (Speaking) takes place to determine if each student in Grades 2 and 3 can take the test independently using a headset in a small-group administration or if they require a one-on-one administration with the Test Administrator in control of TestNav. Details on the Speaking Practice Protocol are included in the Grades 2-3 Test Administration Directions.
- AZELLA Grades 4-12 are administered online through Pearson's TestNav application. Only students will have a Username and Password for TestNav.
- Please refer to the Technology training module in the Training Management System under the "Annual" tab for additional information about online testing and the TestNav application.
AZELLA Sample Tests
It is strongly recommended that all students taking the online Spring Reassessment Test and Test Administrators prepare for the test by taking the Sample Tests. AZELLA online Sample Tests (for Grades 2-12) are available in TestNav. The online AZELLA Sample Tests can be accessed through the web browser version of TestNav at https://az.testnav.com/client/index.html or through the dedicated application that must be downloaded on all the computers and electronic devices that will be used for testing. A Username and Password are not needed for the Sample Tests, which are designed to provide students an opportunity to familiarize with the platform, item types, and format of the test. The digital kits (Student Test Book, audio files, and Teacher's Edition) of the Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grades 2-3 Sample Test, as well as the Grades 4-12 Teacher's Edition are now available for downloading at https://www.azed.gov/assessment/azella.
Testing Materials and Additional Orders
Districts and Charters who completed the Reassessment Participation Counts in December 2022 received an initial shipment of Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grades 2-3 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test materials during the weeks of January 17 and January 23, 2023. This included district and school test materials, return shipping materials, the Test Coordinator's Manual (separate shipment), and Pre-ID Labels for those Grades K-3 students who were on the EL73 Report as of January 6, 2023.
If the Reassessment Test paper materials received are not enough to test all students who need to be administered the test, the DTC may place an additional order for the district in PAN during the Additional Order window. Districts and Charters who serve Grades K-3 EL students and did not receive an initial shipment of the Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grades 2-3 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test materials are expected to submit an order through PAN for the necessary testing materials. ADE will review and approve additional orders. KEEP all the Pearson boxes to reuse for return shipping.
The Additional Order window closes on March 3, 2023, for testing materials. Return shipping materials (labels, boxes, etc.) will continue to be available to order through PAN until March 17, 2023.
ADE and Pearson will be ordering and shipping all Special Paper Version (SPV), Large Print, and Braille test materials to districts that have been approved for these materials.
Pre-ID Labels
The Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grades 2-3 Reassessment Pre-ID Label files were generated by Pearson based on the EL73 report from January 6, 2023 and shipped to districts during the week of January 17, 2023. The Pre-ID Labels were shipped separately from the boxes of paper testing materials. Not all Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grades 2-3 students who must be tested received a Pre-ID Label. Additional Pre-ID Labels cannot be ordered. The student data grid on the back cover of the student test book must be bubbled in by an adult for those Grades K-3 students who did not receive a Pre-ID Label and for those labels that are incorrect and cannot be used.
Please refer to the DTC-STC training module and the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Coordinator's Manual for explicit information about Pre-ID Labels.
Special Education EL Students
There are no provisions, in either state or federal law, that would allow the exemption of AZELLA testing for eligible students who are enrolled in the Special Education program and require an AZELLA test. An IEP Team, which must include a Language Acquisition Specialist, may NOT exempt a student from participating in AZELLA testing.
All dually enrolled EL/SPED students must be provided the opportunity to make an earnest attempt at all the AZELLA domains tested. Review the Universal Test Administration Conditions and the approved Arizona Accommodations Manual - AZELLA Accommodations for students with disabilities document.
Districts should have submitted requests for EL students who have an IEP or 504 Plan which require additional accommodations, including large print, Special Paper Version (SPV), and Braille, other than those pre-approved by ADE during the Fall 2022 semester. ADE Assessment has responded to AZELLA DTCs with approved accommodations. If the DTC has not received a response, please ensure that ADE has not asked the district for additional information. Not all accommodations are appropriate for AZELLA testing. Accommodations that are allowable for other statewide assessments might not be allowable for AZELLA.
Currently, ADE is only accepting requests for additional accommodations for newly enrolled and transfer students since the deadline to submit requests was August 30, 2022.
For new additional accommodations requests submitted for newly enrolled and transfer students, ADE will respond to the DTC with an approval and/or requests for additional information. Do not administer an AZELLA test to the student for whom the request has been submitted until ADE responds to the request.
Students Transferred with an EL Need
The Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Student Transferred with an EL Need form must be used throughout the Reassessment Test window. This form is for all students with an EL need (K-12) who transfer during the Spring Reassessment Test window. This form helps the DTC determine if the student needs to be administered a Placement Test, or the Reassessment Test, or does not need to be tested with either AZELLA test.
- The DTC must submit this form through the secure submission application ONLY for EL transfer students who are enrolled in Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, and 3 and have started the Reassessment Test at their prior school but did not finish it.
- Do NOT submit this form to ADE when a student has NOT STARTED the test.
- Do NOT submit this form to ADE when a student has COMPLETED the entire test at their previous school.
- Do NOT submit this form for students in Grades 4-12.
Testing Irregularities and Test Security and Ethics Violations
Any student test irregularities, test administration errors, and test security breaches must be reported to the AZELLA State Test Coordinator immediately by the AZELLA DTC. Student testing irregularities should be submitted through PAN. Test administration and test security irregularities must be submitted using the appropriate ADE online form. These forms are posted on the Assessment AZELLA District Test Coordinator webpage in the AZELLA Test Security and Irregularities Forms section.
Returning Spring Testing Materials to Pearson
The Spring 2023 Reassessment materials must be returned to the Pearson warehouses as Scorable or Nonscorable at the close of the Reassessment Test window. Pearson has provided prepaid UPS shipping labels for Scorable and Nonscorable testing materials. It is critical to ensure that the Scorable and Nonscorable materials have the correct shipping labels adhered to the boxes. Explicit directions for packing the boxes for return shipping is included in the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Coordinator's Manual (TCM). Materials must be picked up and shipped out no later than March 24, 2023.
- Districts will be responsible for paying for overnight shipping for AZELLA testing materials that are not shipped out by March 24, 2023.
- Pearson must receive each district's Scorable materials no later than March 30, 2023. Student test books received after March 30 will not be scored.
- The tracking numbers can be reported to ADE to ensure that Pearson receives the district's boxes no later than March 30, 2023. You may use the AZELLA Spring 2023 Reassessment Return Shipping Tracking Numbers application to submit information for each box that is returned to Pearson.
Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Reports
The Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment reports will be available electronically (PDF) through PAN after Standard Setting has been completed during Summer 2023. Paper reports will be received at the district offices one week after the electronic results have been published. The OnDemand Score Reports are only available for the Placement Test, not for the Spring AZELLA Reassessment Test. |
Student Testing Questions and Concerns
If you have questions whether a student requires any of the AZELLA tests, please send your inquiry to AZELLA@azed.gov and you must include the student(s) SSID number(s). |
Join the AZELLA team for AZELLAology, an hour long, informal, live customer service question-and-answer video call in Microsoft Teams.
The dates, times, topics, and invitation links will be posted on the AZELLA DTC web page under the AZELLAology section. There will be scheduled AZELLAology sessions throughout the Spring Reassessment Test Administration.
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If you have any questions about AZELLA, please contact us at AZELLA@azed.gov. |
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NAEP is fresh off its big release of statewide data that occurred in October of 2022. NAEP headlines were everywhere as the country saw the true impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation's educational system, and lower outcomes in Math and Reading throughout the nation were reported. As always, the public is free to explore NAEP data and look at how our state did via the NAEP data explorer. Explore Assessment Data | NAEP (ed.gov)
NAEP will soon be releasing another study that Arizona participated in, the Long-Term Trend Age 13. This was a nationwide sample and will be a direct comparison of schools that completed Long-Term Trend Age 13 in October of 2019 (just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). NAEP repeated the same sample of schools that completed the Long-Term Trend Age 13 assessment in October of 2019. We were in the field again sampling those same schools in October of 2022. The National Assessment Governing Board will soon be announcing when the data will be released. It is sure to make national headlines and gain interest in the media. Long-Term Trend Age 13 is one of the longest trendline tests in NAEP's assessment bank. While the Long-Term Trend data is valuable to the nation, there will be no state level results.
The 2023-2024 school year will involve a "Big NAEP" year for the country and Arizona. There will be a grade 4 and grade 8 Mathematics and Reading assessment. A grade 8 Science assessment will be part of NAEP 2024. Grade 12 will have a Math, Reading, and Transcript study. The High School Transcript study will collect the transcripts of students who took the NAEP assessment, and their course taking and performance on the NAEP scales will be studied. The amount of work and data that is used in this study is staggering, and the High School Transcript study data from 2019 can be seen here: 2019 NAEP High School Transcript Study (ed.gov).
Grade 12 data is particularly challenging to collect. The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is preparing to work with our high schools in the sample to increase participation rates. ADE will provide guidance to administrators and deliver the message of high participation as part of grade 12 students' legacy. The data collected will help stakeholders make informed data-driven decisions. It truly provides us with what our seniors know and can do at the completion of their High School Experience. Let's give these students the opportunity to give back to education and leave our system better than they found it. |
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Gary McIlvaine, AZ Director of NAEP and International Assessments:
602-364-1538
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The Assessments Bulletin is published electronically every August, November, February, and May for distribution to Test Coordinators in Arizona schools. Test Coordinators are responsible for disseminating information in The Assessments Bulletin as appropriate.
Arizona Department of Education - Assessment Section
602.542.5031 |
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