New, Effective, Innovative Strategies for Districts

1. New, Effective, Innovative Strategies for Districts Laura Witte & Beverly Lebherz North East ISD Texas Assessment Conference December 2010

2. Where are you? • Each DTC needs to decide where the district/department is and where you want to be • In NEISD, we needed to continue to provide quality training and service without adding staff and with budgetary constraints in place • Testing Services asked: • What is legally required and what do we want to be able to do? • How do we get there from here? Decide on a three or 5 year plan that works for your district and budget • Can we streamline what the department is currently doing? • We have too many forms, so we consolidated and eliminated forms • How can we use technology to save time and money? • Technology should enhance what we are doing and not be an added burden • We need to roll it out at the beginning of the year at our Fall Academies • Can we improve training and make it more easily accessible

3. NEISD’s Testing Services Plan • The quality of the training was good, so we did not want to do less. We needed look at the training format/mode of delivery • NEISD trains CTCs for each test administration and provides CTCs with the training for the test administrators • CTCs can add Powerpoint slides to the district provided training, but you cannot delete slides so that the district can ensure that all campuses are getting the same training • NEISD made a decision to divide training into “chunks” so that campuses did not have to offer marathon training sessions • Security training is stand alone training • Answer document coding is a separate training • LAT and DBA training is separate training

4. NEISD’s Testing Service Plan 3. NEISD has limited storage space in order to store documentation for 5 years. We needed to look at technology to help us solve this problem. • Testing Services found out that a couple of other departments were using an electronic file cabinet and we made inquiries regarding the availability for our department • Communication is key for any department! Testing looked at how we could use technology as a tool to communicate with Campus Test Coordinators, principals and the district. • Testing Services needed to ensure that our student data was “clean” so that nothing stood in the way of our district becoming exemplary! Testing Services created a system of data verification using preliminary precodes.

5. Training • Train your Campus Test Coordinators in early fall • NEISD does Face to Face training at Fall Academies • CTCs learn to network • CTCs learn expectations, deadlines and procedures • Roll out new procedures and technology in early fall if possible • Decide which trainings must be face to face and which ones can be done using technology such as: • Go To Meeting • Interactive Training • Web-X or • Breeze (recorded PowerPoint)

6. NEISD Training Calendar The Security Breeze Trainings will be released January 2011 for campuses to begin training

7. Training & Technology • Testing Services has created Breeze presentations that permit staff to be trained 24 hours a day • Testing Breeze Presentations: • Answer Document Coding and Submission for March & April testing • Accommodation Manual Training • FERPA Training • Security Training which includes state oath • Monitor Training which include state oath • NEISD District In View Training • Breeze is an Adobe product

8. Breeze Presentations • Staff may view the Breeze at anytime • Provide website address or link • Breeze training frees up time from face to face training or allows campuses condense training • More options for campuses • Training during conference periods • Breeze can be reviewed whenever CTC or TA have questions

9. Breeze Security Training • Creating a stand alone security training • Ask Test Administrators to view it prior to face to face training; be available to answer questions • General- for office staff, technicians etc • Administration specific for Test Administrators • Breeze Presentations • PowerPoint with sound • Quiz included • Oath included, print and sign • Ticket into face to face campus training

10. Breeze Presentations Continued • Answer Document Coding- • Breeze is required for all CTCs and staff assigned to help hand grid and verify coding • Shows all answer documents and explains all coding • We “chunk up” the Breeze presentations into administration specific trainings

11. Interactive Training • NEISD uses Interactive Training for LAT & DBA because not all campuses have those accommodations. • Interactive training allows CTCs to remain on campus and still receive the training “live” or have access to the recorded training. • The next slides are the slides we used last year to help walk the CTCs through the process.

12. MICROPHONE TEST IF YOU CAN HEAR ME GIVE ME A THUMBS UP!! To indicate a thumbs up, select “Thumbs up” from the My Status drop down menu under Attendee List.

13. Adobe Connect Testing Services will have an interactive CTC DBA training on January 21, 2010.

14. Joining the Meeting You will receive an e-mail invitation from Testing Services to join the interactive meeting on Adobe Connect for DBA Training. Click on the link in the e-mail.

15. Logging In When Adobe Connect loads select “Enter with your login and password”. Enter your Novell user name and password.

16. Request to Enter the Meeting At this point a request for you to enter the meeting will be sent to the presenter.

17. Entering the Meeting Once the presenter accepts you into the meeting then you will be able to see the presentation, attendees, and chat box.

18. How to Participate To communicate with the group during a Breeze meeting use the chat box.

19. Using the Chat Box Type your comments into the textbox area at the bottom of the Chat box pod. To send your comments press Enter on your keyboard or click the Send button in the pod. You can send to “Everyone” in the meeting or specific meeting attendees by selecting them in the drop down box labeled “To:”

20. Chat Box Messages You will be able to see the string of messages posted in the chat box.

21. Please complete a sound test before the training begins to ensure that you can hear the presenter speaking. Audio Setup Wizard Under Meeting select Audio Setup Wizard and follow the prompts.

22. Audio Setup Wizard From the Welcome screen click Next.

23. Audio Setup Wizard Turn your speakers on and make sure the volume is set to an audible level, then click Test.

24. Audio Setup Wizard If you were able to hear the sound test then click Cancel. If not, click Cancel and check to make sure that your speakers are plugged in, turned on, and the that the volume is set. Then try the sound test again.

25. Notes • Other than testing the sound and using the chat box there is nothing else you need to learn about Adobe Connect in order to participate in an interactive meeting. • Once the meeting is over you can simply close your browser. • The meeting will be recorded so if you were unable to attend or would like to view the training again you may do so by logging into Adobe Connect.

26. Live DBA Training • Thursday, January 21st. • You will receive the link to the training on Wednesday, January 20th. • You will click on the link, log-in and enter the meeting just as you have done today! • Thank you for participating in our Practice Session!

27. Additional Training using Technology • NEISD uses technology to deliver other types of training such as • FERPA • Accommodation Training • Monitor Training

28. Required FERPA Presentation • Due to the increased number of testing irregularities involving protected student information under FERPA Testing Services has created a new FERPA training for ALL staff who deal with test administration, student testing records/reports. • Staff will view the Breeze presentation and complete the Statement of Understanding and give it to the Campus Test Coordinator who will Right Fax statements into Docuware.

29. Accommodation Training Instead of pulling in all of the Campus Test Coordinators in for the training Testing Services creates it and posts the training online and is available for questions should they arise

30. Monitor Training • In NEISD district monitors are sent to all testing locations in and out of the district • The district monitors are district office staff who are trained as monitors (not test administrators) in security and how to complete the monitor forms • Monitors attend one face to face training for March and complete a Breeze presentation for the April administrations

31. Technology & Testing Cont. • NEISD District Monitor Forms- • Starting this year the forms will be a mainframe application that will allow CTCs and principals access to get in and view the forms • Summary data will also be accessible using the application • No longer will monitors turn in hardcopies that must be scanned and then emailed to campuses • New process allows anyone who has clearance to view the reports and get summary information • Testing will put together a training Breeze presentation on the new forms and how to access and use them

32. Screen shots

34. Campus Summary Monitor Report

35. Storing Documentation • In the past, NEISD collected all of the forms, seating charts and district documentation and then it sits in file cabinets or in boxes stacked up in closets or warehouses waiting for audits. • 3 years ago, NEISD started using an electronic file cabinet to store documentation • NEISD started using an electronic file cabinet when TEA required that we store TAKS-Alt documentation locally three years ago. • Last year, we decided to train CTCs how to attach and save Testing Services documentation into Docuware • This year, • All testing documentation will be filed electronically this year • TELPAS Writing Samples will be filed in Docuware this year at our 13 bilingual campuses and next year all campuses will store samples in Docuware • TAKS-Alt local documentation has been stored electronically for the last two years

36. Docuware by Toshiba • Docuware is a Records Management System with Controlled storage and access • Electronic filing and document management takes valuable information and makes it infinitely more useful by making it more accessible. All types of documents, whatever their source, are stored in one central document pool • Docuware has security mechanisms for internal control and meeting audit requirements, protecting documents from importation through long-term archiving on read-only media and storage systems. • Retention and deletion periods are monitored automatically. The Docuware database is capable of tracking storage locations and retention periods of physical paper files. • Docuware ensures that data, which may be needed for legal reasons, can be accessed throughout the entire statutory retention period by means of export functions. • You can also create form templates in Docuware to ensure that data can be faxed into the system

37. How the NEISD Electronic File Cabinet is Organized

38. NEISD Docuware Stored Files

39. RightFax • When we made the decision that test administration data was going to be stored in Docuware we decided to take baby steps and provide training and lots of support to Campus Test Coordinators • Fall Academy- we rolled it all out at the academies and provided training • Follow up Training- Testing went to cluster campuses and did follow up training in small groups • Newsletters/website- Testing posted reminders and helpful handouts in our newsletter and on our website • We got through the first year, but realized that we still had CTCs who were struggling to submit documentation into Docuware, so we started looking for other options to make this process easier. • RightFax was the answer!

40. RightFax • RightFax- New This Year for Testing Services! • Easy way to file documentation into Docuware, the NEISD electronic file cabinet • It is a fax software that helps organizations cut costs associated with stand alone fax machines. Faxes can be routed to email, network directories, printers, shared network folders, data repositories and more. • RightFax offers secure, tamper resistant document delivery. • New way to fax in test administration documentation, FERPA Statements of Understanding, TAKS-Alt local documentation, TELPAS writing samples for bilingual campuses • Must use appropriate header for each type of RightFax Document

41. RightFax Cover Sheet Template In order to make the faxing of documentation simple for CTCs Testing Services creates and provides cover sheets to CTC with each test administration or type of form such as the Precode Correction Form seen here to the right.

42. More About RightFax • Districts need 4 parts to make a fax server work: • A server • A phone system • Fax Server software (RightFax) & • Either a fax machine • Average cost today to send 1 document out via mail/fax is $1 including printing/paper/toner-ink/postage & manual processing • RightFax costs about $0.10

43. Cleaning up Data • There is a clear connection between student data submitted on answer documents and your campus and district accountability! • Your data must be accurate and “clean” in the Pearson testing database • Your precodes/answer documents should match PEIMS • There has been a connection between TPM and suspect files- • If a student has a suspect file he/she will not get a TPM indicator code • It is imperative that the DTC and the PEIMS coordinator work together to clean up student data!

44. Preliminary Precodes • Create a district system to verify student data prior to snapshot. • NEISD creates “Preliminary Precodes” and sends them out to campuses for the testing teams to verify student information that is in our district mainframe against the original documents. • We started out with campuses checking all student CUMs and program records. Now, campuses check all newly enrolled students to the campus and students moving up to another campus such as students moving from an elementary to a middle school. • Tip: Stamp the folder or mark it in a way to indicate that the file has been checked and is correct. • Remember, campuses must have a procedure in place to keep track and verify information for newly enrolled students who come in after PEIMS snapshot.

45. NEISD Changes Since the Precode Report • NEISD created a report to show the changes since the precode report was run so that CTC’s did not have to go back through the entire precode report to find changes that needed to be updated on the answer documents. • The report is run by campus and list students by grade in alpha order with the student name, PEIMS number, local ID, old value, new value and field. • Here is an example: • PEIMS Student Name Local Old Value New Value Field • 477205907 Jane De Leon 009368 Deleon De Leon Last Name • This report is generated the week prior to testing and sent to CTCs to use to update student answer documents.

46. Student Information Retrieval System (SIRS) • SIRS allows districts to get state testing information on students newly enrolled who have a testing history with Pearson. • It is worth it even if you have to pay $0.25 a student for it! • It provides critical testing information for instruction and for testing

47. Go Paperless! • NEISD Testing Services went paperless last year. • We do not provide hard copies of training, handouts or anything! • Everything is posted online on our website or in Compass • Electronic rosters posted on Compass (district created data management software) • Testing Services website on intranet posts all district and campus summary reports • Go Green and save money and time copying and looking for paper reports! • NEISD Testing Services saved over $6,000 in copies the first year we went paperless

48. Effective Communication • Testing Service Website • Newsletter • District blogs, principal web pages etc- EBD • New CTC Meetings • Ask to be added to other department meeting agendas

49. Communication • Emails • Please read emails from Testing as there will be information from TEA regarding testing, deadlines or updates • Testing Service Website • Intranet site has all training, resources etc • EBD • Testing will put in reminders and updates for principals and CTCs • Training reminders in EBD • Newsletter • Read monthly newsletter • They are archived on website

50. Other Ways to Communicate • Calendars- NEISD Testing Services used to have 4 different testing calendars but none of them were in a format that would allow them to be placed on a desk for easy, quick reference. • CD Calendar- Testing created a CD Calendar for testing dates which has been a great success and is used daily by campuses • Testing Service Quick Reference- This year we created the Quick Reference flip charts for campuses to have access to important dates and contacts quickly • Guidance lessons- Testing is creating guidance lessons on cheating for campuses to use at all levels to discuss cheating and its ramifications. • Picture Books on Test Anxiety- Testing has purchased class sets of picture books on test anxiety for each cluster to use to help elementary students get ready for testing and to open a dialog about test anxiety.