CESA 8 RSN
Fall Newsletter
A new Year
My goal for the year is to send out a seasonal newsletter. I will attempt to share updates and other information you will need in your role. Please let me know if there is something that you would like shared in this letter. The next newsletter will be December.
Please feel free to contact me!
Deb Wall
Cell 715 490-3689
*If you are unable to reach me please leave a message with Jessica at CESA 8 - 920.855.2114 ext. 241.*
2015-16 CESA 8 RSN - Special Education Leadership Meetings (Directors/PST Mtgs)
November 13, 2015 - with Principals
December 18, 2015
March 11, 2016 - with Principals
June 9, 2016
Registration is required! Register online at http://www.cesa8.k12.wi.us/
Also, please use our Livebinder for handouts, agendas, and other information. http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1772810
Literacy Links
October 29 & 30, 2015
8:30AM - 3:30PM
This course will present a kinesthetic, hands-on approach for bridging the gap between phonological awareness, reading and written language. Attendees will learn specific hand symbols for consonants and vowels that will assist in teaching rhyme, alphabetic code, sound-symbol relationships, phoneme segmentation and blending. Attendees will also gain an understanding of the phonological awareness continuum and which activities should be taught when. Attendees will learn many songs and over 50 phonological awareness activities that can be implemented immediately into the classroom with any language arts curriculum. Phonological Awareness Assessment will also be covered. The children will “love” this method of teaching literacy.
Session Learning Objectives:
- Identify the rationale for using a multi-sensory approach to developing phonological awareness.
- Demonstrate the use of hand symbols for consonants and vowels to assist in teaching rhyme, alphabetic code, sound-symbol relationships, phoneme segmentation, and phoneme blending.
- Learn activities that are appropriate for different levels of phonological awareness.
- Learn how this approach will fit into any language arts curriculum.
- Identify quick ways to assess each student’s phonological awareness skills
Here is the link for more information!
Trauma Sensitive Schools
Trauma Sensitive Schools
November 4, 2015
Pamela Black, Trauma Sensitive Education, LLC
The increase in prevalence of children impacted by mental health and trauma is evident in every classroom. These students’ lived experience makes it difficult for them to engage in classroom instruction, follow directions, comply with the school code of conduct and develop relationships. The process of learning is very challenging for them. Students impacted by trauma are two and a half times as likely to be placed in a special education program. Almost 50 % of youth ages 8 to 15 with a mental illness received no mental health services in the previous year. Yet educators who are implementing trauma sensitive schools practices are experiencing amazing results including dramatic decreases in suspensions and referrals as well as increases in attendance and academic success. For all these reasons using trauma sensitive schools practices to meet the needs of students impacted by trauma and mental health is a must for all schools.
Participants in this workshop will learn about the groundbreaking work on the impact of developmental trauma on students, its relationship to mental health and how that manifests itself in the classroom setting. The necessity of using a growth mindset and “trauma lens” when planning for and working with these children will be emphasized. The presenter will make the case for a perspective shift from “what is wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?’ as an essential component to successfully address the students’ needs. Trauma sensitive principles and practices that assist the teacher and the students manage their anxiety, dissociation, need for control and hyper vigilance will be shared. Participants will leave this session with a list of resources to utilize in the ongoing work of creating a trauma sensitive classroom and school.
Here is the link for more information!
CO-TEACHING "IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING"
November 11, 2015
9AM - 3PM
This training is intended for schools and districts looking to build and sustain a Co-Teaching framework built around strategies designed to reach and engage all students, including students with special needs. The focus of this training will be on creative, practical solutions for helping all students achieve high levels of learning based on, Anne Beninghof’s, book titled “Co-Teaching That Works.” Participants attending will find this training engaging, inspiring, and filled with research-based strategies that can be used immediately.
Here is the link for more information!
What is RSN? What can it do for you!
RSN is paid for through federal grant funds to provide support to special education leaders. There is no charge for services provided through the RSN grant. While there may occasionally be a charge for some of the training provided through the grant, these costs simply cover the cost of providing the training.
You benefit from regular networking and professional learning opportunities with your peers. Director/PST (RSN) meetings are a great way to connect with colleagues and to learn with and from each other.
ACT Update
Item 3: Biweekly Updates for the ACT High School Assessments
The ACT High School Assessment webpage
The DPI ACT High School Assessment webpage http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/assessment/ACT is updated with information such as test times for the ACT, ACT ASPIRE, and the ACT Work Keys assessments by grade and content area, checklist of dates, sample items, data and results etc. There have been some changes made to the ACT ASPIRE test times. You may also notice that the test times for Spring 2016 ACT writing will be 40 minutes as a result of enhancements to the writing assessment.
ACT Aspire
The newly released Chrome 45 browser from Google no longer supports the Java plug-in that TestNav uses to launch secure browser-based tests. The information regarding how to handle this change is available in the ACT ASPIRE technology requirements webpage http://oea.dpi.wi.gov/assessment/ACT/technology. Please contact ACT ASPIRE at 888-802-7502 or ACTAspire_Implementation@ACTAspire.org for further clarification on this matter.
The ACT and Work Keys
A welcome document, with assessment overview, common terms used, and a brief test cycle which illustrates the milestone activities during a testing phase, and the length of time for the relevant activities, is available in the ACT webpage http://www.act.org/aap/wisconsin/files/WelcometoStateandDistrictTesting.pdf. The testing cycle starts with establishment and ends with reporting.
Establishment process:
- The ACT Establishment process is basically a way for the test coordinator (TC) to provide their schools’ information to ACT, in order to participate in the ACT testing program. Establishment begins on Monday, October 12, 2015 and closes on Friday, October 23, 2015.
- Staff who won’t be serving as school TC should contact their district official to have this information changed with ACT.
- Next Steps: Watch for emails from ACT on October 8th and 12th about establishment. These emails will cover the topics such as establishment materials posted online, the establishment window opening.
Important Dates to Remember
October 8th - 2nd week: Establishment materials posted online
October 12th: Accommodation trainings become available
October 12th-23rd: Window for test coordinator (TC) to submit establishment information to ACT
November 4th: Accommodations Q&A session - 1
November 10th: Accommodations Q&A session - 2
November 20th: Deadline to submit requests for ACT-approved accommodations
IEP Forms Update
Item 5: I-7 Assessment Forms Updates
The I-7 assessment forms have been updated to reflect the current accommodation and accessibility policies for Wisconsin assessments. IEP teams will notice the following changes:
I-7-A Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessment- Removal of specific assessment names and name change to reflect Wisconsin Essential Elements and Wisconsin Academic Standards in footer, change in language from CD to ID
I-7 ACT® Plus Writing and ACT WorkKeys®- Removal of specific assessment names and name change to reflect Wisconsin Essential Elements and Wisconsin Academic Standards in footer, change from State-Allowed Accommodations to non-college reportable accommodations
I-7 ACT Aspire™- Removal of specific assessment names and name change to reflect Wisconsin Essential Elements and Wisconsin Academic Standards in footer
I-7 DLM-Inclusion of Science and applicable grade levels, removal of specific assessment names and name change to reflect Wisconsin Essential Elements and Wisconsin Academic Standards in footer
I-7 ACCESS for ELLs®/Alt. ACCESS for ELLS™-update in language to reflect accommodation policies for online platform, clarification to grade levels assessed with each assessment
Updated Assessment Information
Updated Information
From DPI
September 11, 2015
PALS
The actual state statute language is below with links. I hope that this clarifies the question about the need for the assessment to be valid and reliable. I believe Troy and Laura also provided this clarification.
118.016 Assessments of reading readiness.
(1)
(a) In the 2014–15 and 2015-16 school years, each school board and the operator of each charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall, using the appropriate, valid, and reliable assessment of literacy fundamentals selected by the department, annually assess each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten to 2nd grade in the school district or in the charter school for reading readiness. The department shall ensure that the assessment evaluates whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.
(b) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, each school board and the operator of each charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall, using the appropriate, valid, and reliable assessment of literacy fundamentals selected by the school board or operator, annually assess each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten to 2nd grade in the school district or in the charter school for reading readiness. The school board or operator shall ensure that the assessment evaluates whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge. A school board or operator may administer computer adaptive assessments.
(c) The department shall pay to the school board or operator, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (1) (f), the per pupil cost of the selected assessment. If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (1) (f) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under this paragraph, the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school boards and operators of charter schools entitled to the aid.
(1g) If a pupil is enrolled in a special education program under sub ch. V of ch. 115, the school board or operator of the charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall comply with s. 115.77 (1m) (bg).
(1r) The school board or operator of the charter school shall report the results of a pupil's assessment under sub. (1) to the pupil's parent or guardian.
(2) The school board of the school district or operator of the charter school in which the pupil is enrolled shall provide a pupil whose assessment under sub. (1) indicates that he or she is at risk of reading difficulty with interventions or remedial reading services, as described under s. 121.02 (1) (c).
History: 2011 a. 166; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55.
DLM Facilitated Training Modules
Designated facilitators have access to resources on Moodle specific to facilitated training. Facilitators must be added by either the District Test Coordinator for a district or by DPI. Facilitated materials are listed in the course list after logging into Moodle. AFACILITATOR GUIDE FOR REQUIRED TEST ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING 2015-16 is posted on the DLM Webpage. Once the DTC or DPI upload a facilitator, it may take up to a full week before access to Moodle is granted. Please plan accordingly for all DLM trainings.
Test Administrators must also have an active Educator Portal account before access to the required test administration trainings can be granted. A Moodle account will be created for each test administrator with an active account in Educator Portal account.Allow at least one full week for access to Moodle after your Educator Portal account is created.
Educators who completed the required training last year should be listed as ‘returning users.’ New educators to Educator Portal or users who didn’t complete the required training last year, will be uploaded as ‘new users.’ Log in to Moodle at training.dynamiclearningmaps.org.