DATE:
Thursday, January 13, 2022
TO:
Elementary Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
Acadience Reading and Math Testing for the MOY and EOY Windows
The Acadience Reading and Math middle-of-the-year (MOY) window will close on Monday, January 31, 2022. As a department, Evaluation, Research & Accountability will continue to do all it can to ensure that our assessment assistants are able to complete K-3 testing at the remaining elementary schools. As has been the practice for the last two years, we will continue to use department personnel to fill gaps on assessment teams so that we can test each class scheduled for that day.
There are many possibilities which may render us unable to complete testing at a school such as another snow day, illness, staff shortages, or a high rate of student absenteeism. With 41 elementary schools and a short testing window, if we miss testing at a school due to a snow day or cannot finish a school in the allotted time, we may be unable to come back and complete testing. In such situations, the school would need to complete testing on its own.
Here are a few ways that, together with your help, we can mitigate this situation as a possibility:
- Ensure that your testing schedule allows for some flexibility. Second and third grade classes test quickly because we only administer the Acadience Reading measures while kindergarten and first grade take longer because we also administer the Acadience Math measures. Because of this, it is helpful if teachers can be ready to come early or late.
- Avoid scheduling kindergarten and first grade classes back to back, when possible. Because these grade levels participate in both reading and math testing, they take longer to finish for each student.
- We have asked instructional coaches to assist us on testing days. On occasions where the coach is unavailable, we may not have enough staffing even with department personnel to complete testing in a timely manner.
- We have asked that schools provide at least one adult runner. When schools are not able to do so, one of the assessment assistants assumes this responsibility, which means that tester isn’t testing as many students and we once again may not be able to complete testing in a timely manner. Parent volunteers who know classroom locations are acceptable runners.
In the event that there is another snow day, a high rate of student absenteeism, or we cannot complete testing at a school, the following steps will be taken:
- Because the state requires grades 1-3 testing, we will leave the remaining kindergarten classes to the school to be tested and focus on grades 1-3 if we have another day scheduled at that school.
- Schools will need to put together and coordinate a testing team to complete testing of remaining untested students.
- All instructional coaches have been trained on both Acadience Reading and Math test administration and can provide training to school personnel.
- Schools may also use the Canvas training courses to train personnel on test administration. The Acadience Reading Canvas course may be accessed here: https://jordanpd.instructure.com/enroll/E4MAF7 The Acadience Math Canvas course may be accessed here: https://usbe.instructure.com/enroll/96NGXW
- Principals may also contact Ben Jameson to set up a training as well.
We recognize the depth and breadth of what we are asking schools to do if we cannot complete testing. Having schools complete their own testing is a last resort and every effort will be made to avoid it.
Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions or concerns.
