1. Changes/Updates/Reminders Fall 2010 District Test Coordinator Training

2. 2 Reminder Labeling Test Books Test books must have a label applied before the test books are used by students. Test books that do not have a precode label or district/school label will be considered unused and will NOT be scored. Manual scoring of test books will be at district expense ($150/per content area).

3. 3 Reminder Adults taking the HSGQE Retest A person, including a person older than school age, who holds a Certificate of Achievement may take the High School Graduation Qualifying Examination (HSGQE) after exiting high school until the person passes the HSGQE [4 AAC 06.771]. Guidance has been created to support the process on the HSGQE website.

4. 4 Reminder Clarification of HSGQE Waivers The Late Arrival and Rare and Unusual Circumstances waivers require the students take the HSGQE. If they do not pass, they are waived from passing. 1. The regional school board may not grant a waiver until the students last semester of the year of intended graduation 2. After HSGQE scores are posted, identify students who need the waiver Avoid sending in waivers at the start of the year If the student does not complete the academic credits, do not submit a waiver 3. Waivers are good for the year of intended graduation

5. 5 New Accommodations – DVD and Audio CD DVDs now contain advanced programming, which includes chapters to locate specific groups of test questions. Audio CDs now have a jewel case insert, which provides the track number for each test question. IMPORTANT: Reading Audio CD consists of 2 volumes (2 separate discs). Ensure both discs are provided to students during testing

6. 6 New ACFA and Practice Tests New items for the Alaska Computerized Formative Assessment (ACFA) available August 16, 2010 Writing items – conventions only - Grades 3-10 Science items – grades 4, 8, and 10 New practice test for Grade 10 SBA-HSGQE in spring 2011 Half a form (spring 2012 full form) Previously tested released items make up the practice test

7. 7 New 504 Requirements Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Amended, effective January 1, 2009 (Title 42, Chapter 126, Section 12102 (3)(B), Definition of Disability. Congress clarified, an individual is not regarded as an individual with a disability if the impairment is transitory and minor. A transitory impairment is an impairment with an actual or expected duration of 6 months or less. Regulation change is in progress Temporary 504 plans for 2010-11 New Participation Guidelines in 2011-12 Handout provides more details

8. 8 New IronPort On July 1, 2009, the State of Alaska implemented IronPort, an email encryption tool that will affect email sent from inside the State network to addresses outside the state network that contain personal information. The Personal Information Protection Act (HB 65) went into effect on July 1, 2009. It is password protected: upon receiving your first Secure email guidance will be provided. You can prefer to receive these communications un-encrypted and must contact the State of Alaska Service Center and request a TLS connection be configured for your email domain.Service Center The talking points handout provides more information

9. 9 New Website The department will have a new website appearance Expected date is not known All information will remain, but arranged differently

10. 10 New Student Information Request Form In an effort to improve data quality between the department and school districts, the department has put in place a procedure for school districts to request student assessment score information 1. Eliminate chance for error in precode data by confirming a students proficiency on subtests of the HSGQE. 2. Establish retest information when student records have not been transferred to the new district.

11. 11 New Participation Guidelines New version ready for fall 2011 Public comment period in March 2011 Revisions will address Accommodations for LEP students Temporary disabilities Alternate assessment criteria

12. 12 New eDIRECT DRC is making a change to the online reporting, enrollment, and precode site – all 3 systems are now accessible through a single web portal. the talking points handout provides more information