What's New?

Accountability News! The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has offered states the opportunity to apply for flexibility on certain provisions of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, currently known as NCLB, the No Child Left Behind Act). DPI is working with the USED to finalize the details of a new system to replace the current NCLB system as part of the ESEA waiver process and anticipate approval in the near future. Beginning in 2011-12, a comprehensive accountability index will replace the current ESEA Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) system. For more information go to http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/acct/accountability.html.

Required - Update of Your District Assessment Cordinator (DAC) Contact information All DACs are asked to take a moment to complete the following annually required forms and return them to DPI by June 15, 2012: The District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) Information Update Form - Having accurate and up-to-date DAC information ensures timely delivery of assessment-related information from DPI and test materials from the test contractor to your district. The completed form should be signed by the District Administrator. The Confidentiality Agreement Form - Your signed confidentiality agreement, as the DAC, is an assurance that you will maintain the confidentiality of the WKCE and WAA-SwD tests, items, and so on at all levels of test administration and data analysis. Both forms can also be accessed on the OEA website at http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/dacforms.html

Commercial Products and Workshops Promoting Test Prep The Office of Educational Accountability has received a number of phone calls from districts asking about the validity of commercial test prep products or workshops designed to enhance student performance on the WKCE. DPI does not endorse these products or workshops. It is recommended that schools limit the amount of instructional time spent on specific test preparation activities; instead, time is better spent on solid instructional activities that prepare students to demonstrate proficiency on grade level expectations. Suggestions for test preparation are available at the OEA website “DAC Corner” http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/dacnwltrs.html

General Supervision Enhancement Grant (GSEG) Wisconsin is participating with a consortium of states in a four year General Supervision Enhancement Grant (GSEG) award totaling almost $20 million. The GSEG is an IDEA funded grant awarded by the Office of Special Education Programs, at the U.S. Dept. of Education. Outcomes of the grant include the creation of: New essential elements based on the Common Core State Standards Learning maps, which will include tasks of various proficiency levels leading to formative assessment and tools for educators. Annual summative assessment (used for accountability purposes) Professional development modules for teacher training For more information regarding the Dynamic Learning Maps consortium please visit: http://dynamiclearningmaps.org/. As the consortium’s fiscal agent, the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE) at the University of Kansas maintains this site.

Wisconsin Takes Leadership Role in Assessment Development Wisconsin is a leading state in the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a state-led consortium working to develop next-generation assessments that are aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and that accurately measure studnet progress toward college and career readiness. The work of the consortium is guided by the belief that a high-quality assessment system can provide resources and tools for teachers and schools to improve instruction and help students succeed. The Consortim involves educators, researchers, policymakers, and community groups in a transparent and consesus-driven process. For more information about SBAC, go to http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/sbac.html.

For questions about this information, contact oeamail@dpi.wi.gov

Last updated on 5/1/2012 11:57:16 AM