Monthly Happenings: January 2020
Updates from IDOE's English Learner Team
LATEST NEWS
February EL Leadership Webinar
The slides from this webinar and all past EL Leadership Meetings can be found on our Professional Learning and Resources page, within the "EL Leadership Meeting Resources" tab.
WIDA ACCESS Testing Window is Here!
The WIDA ACCESS window is upon us! Please review the following important information as we gear up for the 2020 test administration...
Materials Delivery and Returns: ACCESS materials arrived in corporations on January 6. Initial materials orders for WIDA ACCESS assessments were generated based on student data reported via the DOE-TL and accommodations data extracted from the Indiana IEP system in October. The Additional Materials Ordering window is also now open through February 24. CTCs or designees must inventory initial orders and utilize any overage materials prior to placing an Additional Materials Order in WIDA-AMS. Materials must be postmarked for return to DRC no later than February 28 in order to be processed for scoring. Late materials not processed will result in students not receiving scores. This negatively impacts score report timelines and accountability reporting, and is a violation of an English learner’s civil rights which may result in a loss of federal funding.
Writing in Grades 4-5 Reminder: In previous years, ACCESS writing sessions for grades 4-5 had defaulted to a hybrid of an online test session with handwritten responses. Beginning with this year's ACCESS administration, all grade 4-5 writing sessions will be completely online. In the delivered materials, schools will not have grade 4-5 writing books like in the past, unless specifically requested for paper administration as documented in a student's IEP.
Labels, Bubbles, and More: All information on managing materials, what to bubble, how to apply labels, and more can be found in Indiana's State Specific Directions. It is important for this guidance to be reviewed and for test materials to be checked multiple times over to ensure proper materials management. Keep in mind that materials are able to be sent prior to the materials return deadline!
Verify Student Data in WIDA-AMS: Now is the time to be double checking student rosters and ensuring all of their information is correct in WIDA-AMS. As mentioned, students were automatically input from the October TL submission. Any new student enrolled since then that needs to be assessed will need to be added to AMS manually. Student demographic, test session, and accommodation information can also be double-checked and edited as needed. NOTE: Any student in AMS who does not need to be tested (i.e. added by mistake; moved since October; etc.) does not need to be removed from AMS. However it is good practice to remove them from pre-placed test sessions to prevent confusion.
Bookmark this link to the WIDA Indiana web page where you will find a hub of information and resources to assist with a smooth testing window. The test window opens January 13 and closes February 28.
2020 WIDA ACCESS Projected Growth Targets
The projected 2020 growth targets for English learners, which make up the ELP Indicator within the Federal Accountability model, are now available. The projected targets can be found in Learning Connection by following these steps:
- Log-in to Learning connection and click the "Reports" tab;
- Click "Admin Reports" on the left hand side;
- Click "WIDA Enrollment Report" at the bottom of the screen;
- Choose your district, desired school, year 2018-2019, and "Run Report".
There will be two columns within the report containing this information: 2020 Projected Growth Percentile Target and 2020 Projected Scale Score (the additional information in the report reflects data from the 2019 ACCESS administration). There are a few important considerations when viewing this data:
- You will need administrator permissions set in Learning Connection to be able to view this report. Please reach out to your district's Learning Connection administrator if you are seeking access.
- The projected growth percentile targets and projected scale scores are estimates and therefore may not reflect the actual exact growth target for the student. The exact growth percentile target cannot be determined until WIDA ACCESS results come back, as they are reliant on the student's performance and that of the other students throughout the state in their peer group. However, these estimates provide you with a general idea of where the student will need to fall to demonstrate adequate annual growth.
For more information on how growth is calculated for the ELP Indicator see our Understanding WIDA ACCESS English Language Proficiency Growth guidance.
EL Teacher of Record Coursework Participation
New: Indiana Dual Language Newsletter
Sign up for the newsletter, learn more about the expansion of the DLI grant, including 2019-2020 recipients, reading lists, and more on the IDOE Dual Language Immersion page. Also, learn about an upcoming DLI webinar in the Professional Learning section below.
The 2020 Edition of the WIDA ELD Standards - Input Deadline Extended
There is still time to get a sneak peek at different draft editions of the standards and to provide your feedback! The public input window closes on January 20. All educators and stakeholders are welcome to get an early look at the new editions and share their thoughts. Stay tuned for more information and guidance from IDOE and WIDA as the new editions are rolled out.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING and COLLABORATION
Indiana English Learner PD and eLearning Opportunities
Our Indiana English Learner PD Calendar features current professional learning opportunities for the school year. We will continue to update the Calendar as new opportunities arise and highlight those that are just around the corner here in Monthly Happenings. Be sure to bookmark and check back often!
EL professional development is available at any date or time in the form of WIDA Self-Paced eWorkshops. All Indiana educators with a WIDA portal login have the opportunity to participate in six self-paced, on-demand eWorkshops free of charge. The topics of the six workshops, which vary in length, are:
- Using the WIDA Writing Rubric
- Leading for Equity: Classroom Walk-through
- Classroom Educators: Engaging Multilingual Learners
- Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Doing and Talking STEM
- Foundational Concepts for K-12 Educators
You can find more details on each of these sessions, including a video overview, in WIDA's Self-Paced eWorkshops page. To access the eWorkshops, after logging into the secure portal, click the button labeled Free eWorkshops. If you have any questions, contact the WIDA Client Services Center at (866) 276-7735 or help@wida.us for assistance.
An Introduction to Dual Language Immersion Webinar
- WHEN: January 16, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET
- WHERE: Online, via this link; Access code: 731 094 798; Call in #: 1-415-655-0001
- WHO: Administrators and educators interested in learning more about DLI
We hope to see you in attendance! Please reach out to Nicole Leach with DLI or webinar-related questions.
Title Con Registration Opening and Pre-Conferences Announced
English Learner-focused IDOE Twitter Chats
If you are interested in participating in a chat and don't know how, or if you have any EL topics you would like to see discussed in a future chat, please email Georgina.
English Learner Resource Spotlight: Multicultural Books
- Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
- Dancing Home by Alma Flor Ada
- I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
- First Crossing: Stories about Teen Immigrants by Donald R. Gallo
IDOE English Learner Team
Valerie Beard
Email: vbeard@doe.in.gov
Phone: (317) 232-0558
Twitter: @valeriebeardEL
Nicole Leach
Email: nleach@doe.in.gov
Phone: (317) 232-0572
Twitter: @NicoleNLeach
Adam Pitt
Email: apitt@doe.in.gov
Phone: (317) 234-7168
Twitter: @AdamPittIDOE
Georgina Schneider
Email: gschneider@doe.in.gov
Phone: (317) 234-7785
Twitter: @gschneidercoach