1. Dynamic Learning Maps: Using Essential Elements to plan instruction
Presented by:
Cary Rogers – Secondary Functional Special Education Teacher - Parsons

2. What is the DLM?
Assessment designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for who general state assessments are not appropriate, even with accommodations.
Offer these students a way to show what they know and can do in mathematics, ELA, and science.

3. terms
Learning Map – The large, overall organizing frame of the DLM system.
Claims – General areas in ELA and Mathematics that students are expected to learn and what the DLM assessment will measure.
Conceptual areas – Areas of the learning maps within the claims that are organized around commo cognitive processes.
Essential Elements and other nodes- The specific statements of knowledge and skills that are linked to grade-level specific expectations.
The large organizing framework of the system is the Learning Map. From this, we can determine Claims and the Claims then can be further divided into Conceptual Areas. Those Conceptual Areas are made up of Essential Elements, the smallest units of the System. The Essential Elements are then broken down to 5 linkage levels (Initial, distal, proximal, target, and successor). The linkage level is determined from the First Contact, but can also be adjusted by the teacher during the fall and winter windows. (Science only has 3 linkage levels – initial, precursor, target.)

4. Participant Guidelines
Who takes the DLM?
Participant Guidelines

5. I’m a dlm teacher – now what
Become familiar with DLM site
Sample testlet information pages
Professional development modules
Practice testlets
Instructional and informational videos
ELA and math record sheets – you can start planning now for which EE’s will work best for your students
Required training – sign up to attend Greenbush workshop to complete your required training
Become familiar with curriculum links to teach your students the essential elements – created by TriCounty functional teachers (on Tri-County webpage – Home>Staff Development>Dynamic Learning Maps>Essential Elements linked to resources).
v/SEC/Staff%20Development%7CDynamic%2 0Learning%20Maps

6. Subscribe to test updates
CO3P (fill out and submit form)
Subscribe to test updates

7. Assessments – Operational testing – select Kansas – select role (test administrator)
Professional development –
learning modules ross_reference.xlsx
Individual Education Programs Linked to the DLM Essential Elements
DLM Claims and Conceptual Areas
Principles of Instruction in English Language Arts
Plus many, many more – each one takes minutes (PDP points)
Exemplar text
Accessibility manual - ity_Manual_ pdf
Educator portal user guide - prints/Educator_Portal_User_Guide.pdf
DLM Website

8. Access Profile
Each student’s Access Profile takes about minutes for test administrators to complete the Access Profile. Test administrators should have the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) at hand or know which supports the student currently receives.
To enter data in the Access Profile, follow these steps:
1. Click Settings.
2. Click Students.
3. In the Select Action drop-down menu, choose View Students.
. 4. Select the organization information; click Search.
5. In the list of students, click the state ID number for the student.
6. On the View Student Record window, click the link next to Access Profile.
7. The Summary tab shows Student Demographics on the left and the Current Profile Settings on the right. The tabs at the top of the page break down accessibility options into three categories. Click Edit Settings to create or edit profile settings.
8. Click Save to save all information and move on to the next tab.
9. complete all tabs: summary, display enhancements, language and Braille, Audio and environment, other supports.
Educator_Portal_User_Guide.pdf pg 31-42

9. First Contact
EP presents the previous year’s First Contact survey responses from the matching student record. The test administrator updates items based on changes in the student’s data/learning capabilities. Submit the survey even if no changes are made.
Set aside approximately minutes to complete a new survey, or minutes to update an existing survey. Preview the survey questions in the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL appendix.
HINT: After clicking Next, a blue circle should be visible in the finished tab, indicating that all questions for that section have been completed. Tabs with multiple sections may have multiple circles. Ensure that all circles are blue. If any circles are yellow, revisit the section and make sure that all information was submitted successfully
nts/Manuals_Blueprints/Educator_Portal_User_Guide.pdf pg 42-50

10. Teacher record sheets Educator resource page for ELA and math
Math selection records d_for_Math_IM.docx
ELA selection records d_for_ELA_IM.docx
Instructional and informational videos
Educator resource page for science
release testlets
instructional activities
MS/HS data sheets with linkage levels – I created these to better assist me in making sure I was teaching and tracking student learning on each students selected essential elements. ( me if you would like a copy
I track data a variety of ways with this (+, -, %, V verbal, G – gestural)

11. Practice testlets
Guide to Practice Activities & Released Testlets Blueprints/Guide_to_Practice_Activities_and_Released_Testlets_IM.pdf
The Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment System provides two practice activities and many released testlets to support educators and students preparing for testing. • Practice activities are designed to familiarize users with the way testlets look in the KITE® system. One is for educators and the other is for students. • Released testlets are similar to the real DLM testlets in content and format.
Practice activities and released testlets are accessed through KITE Client in the practice section. Using login information provided in this guide, both types of activities can be completed as many times as desired. NOTE: Some released testlets are available in PDF format on the “Information for Parents” page on the DLM website. KITE Client does not have to be installed on a computer to view these items.
In KITE Client, released testlets are labeled by their subject, Essential Element, and linkage level.
Access practice activities by selecting “Other” in KITE Client after logging in with the practice account credentials.

12. Practice Testlets continued

13. Differences between fall/winter and spring testing.
Fall and Winter-
Instructionally embedded assessment – teachers create instructional plans using the Instructional Tools Interface on Ed Portal.
Test administrators choose Essential Elements
Test administrators select the linkage level, there will be a recommended level based on the First Contact
You can test these more than once
The number of required testlets per grade in ELA and math are indicated on next page.
Science is voluntary (field testing) for fall and winter this year (5th, 8th, and 11th grade)
Spring –
Each student is assessed five testlets in ELA and 5 testlets in math (students may receive 1- 2 additional field tested testlets to complete)
The system chooses the Essential Elements from the blueprint and selects the linkage level.
If you administer enough testlets during the instructionally embedded window the Essential Elements will be chosen from those that have been tested.
If you do not administer enough testlets they will have to pull from all of the eligible Essential Elements on the blueprint.
Linkage levels are adjusted by the system based on the students performance on the previous testlet.
Science is required in the Spring – these testlets will just appear during the spring window for 5th, 8th, and 11th graders (9 testlets total)
Social studies, history, government – required in grades 6th, 8th, and 11th – 1 testlet with 6 questions.

14. History Government Social Studies Field Test (Voluntary)
DLM Testing Schedule
ELA
Fall Window 1
September 20 – December 20
(Required)
Winter Window 2
January 3 – February 28
Spring Window 3
March 13 – April 27
Grade 3 4 3 5
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 10 2
Math
Fall Window 1
September 20 – December 20
(Required)
Winter Window 2
January 3 –February 28
Spring Window 3
March 13 – April 27
Grade 3 3 5
Grade 4 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 10
History Government Social Studies
Fall Window 1
September 20 – December 20
Winter Window 2
January 3 – February 28
Spring Window 3
March 13 – April 27
(Required)
Grade 3
See Test Ad Manual
Grade 4
Appendix
Grade 5
Grade 6
1 testlet – 6 questions
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 11
Science
Fall Window 1
November 13 – December 20
Field Test (Voluntary)
Winter Window 2
January 3 – February 28
Spring Window 3
March 13 – April 27
(Required)
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5 5 4 9
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 11

15. Ed Portal vs. KITE Client
The KITE™ system was designed to deliver the next generation of large-scale assessments and was tailored to meet the needs of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Educators and students use two of the four applications in the KITE system. Students and educators each see a different part:
Students have accounts in KITE Client.
KITE Client delivers assessments to students through the use of a customized, secure web browser accessible on multiple devices. Practice activities and released testlets are also available using demo student accounts through KITE Client. Educators and staff do not have accounts in KITE Client.
Staff and educators have accounts in Educator Portal.
Educator Portal (EP) is the administrative application where staff and educators manage student data and retrieve reports. The data manager uses Educator Portal. Users can access EP via For information on working within EP, see this manual and the DATA MANAGEMENT MANUAL on the DLM website.
(taken from Educator_Portal_User_Guide_ _0.pdf)

16. Feel free to contact me if you have questions
Cary Rogers
Parsons Middle School
cell
school
Additional training
September 15th (Friday)
Greenbush – 2 sessions (am or pm)
We will go through the required training together and I will be able to answer any question. You will need to bring a laptop.
October 6th (Friday)
We will set up instructional plans for the fall and winter testing windows. Plan to bring ELA and math record forms for your students so that you can enter the actual plans. You will need to bring a laptop.
Contact information