Recently, the CNYRIC hosted a Fall Test Scoring Meeting, spearheaded by the organization’s own Test Scoring team. The meeting welcomed professionals from the other statewide regional information centers (alongside the Syracuse City School District) for a two-day gathering to discuss best practices, trials and tribulations, success stories, and current events.
On the first meeting day, discussion centered around a statewide initiative called NY Inspires. The roundtable conversation was heavily centered on how the initiative may impact New York State Regents going forward. Specifically, questions arose over how diploma pathways will be accurately tracked as students progress along (or change) these tracks over the course of their high school careers. This conversation barely scratched the surface of this initiative, but more guidance is emerging from the state. NY Inspires continues to be one of the hottest topics of conversation in state education, and its impacts on the testing world will continue to be closely monitored over the coming months.
Day two’s focus was on another hot-button topic around the state: the WIDA language assessment system. Based at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Education, the WIDA Consortium comprises more than 40 states, territories, and federal agencies looking to support multilingual learners.
Since the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) announcement that New York State would be part of the consortium, many questions have arisen from both districts and regional information centers throughout the state regarding WIDA. So ahead of this year’s annual meeting, the CNYRIC’s test scoring team worked closely with their counterparts from the Nassau BOCES to put together a pointed list of questions to ask NYSED during a video call, in order to maximize the face time allotted and address some of the most pressing concerns.
The assembled group of testing professionals chatted with NYSED representatives to get the most up-to-date information on what’s being planned for WIDA’s further implementation in the state. While some of the clarification received wasn’t necessarily what the group had hoped for, it did nonetheless help paint a clearer picture of the expectations of testing professionals throughout the state in assisting with any WIDA-related assessment.
Regional information centers will continue to play an integral role in helping districts meet data collection deadlines and implementing new state-led initiatives. And perhaps most critically, regional information centers will continue to serve as the bridge between NYSED and districts.
On the first meeting day, discussion centered around a statewide initiative called NY Inspires. The roundtable conversation was heavily centered on how the initiative may impact New York State Regents going forward. Specifically, questions arose over how diploma pathways will be accurately tracked as students progress along (or change) these tracks over the course of their high school careers. This conversation barely scratched the surface of this initiative, but more guidance is emerging from the state. NY Inspires continues to be one of the hottest topics of conversation in state education, and its impacts on the testing world will continue to be closely monitored over the coming months.
Day two’s focus was on another hot-button topic around the state: the WIDA language assessment system. Based at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Education, the WIDA Consortium comprises more than 40 states, territories, and federal agencies looking to support multilingual learners.
Since the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) announcement that New York State would be part of the consortium, many questions have arisen from both districts and regional information centers throughout the state regarding WIDA. So ahead of this year’s annual meeting, the CNYRIC’s test scoring team worked closely with their counterparts from the Nassau BOCES to put together a pointed list of questions to ask NYSED during a video call, in order to maximize the face time allotted and address some of the most pressing concerns.
The assembled group of testing professionals chatted with NYSED representatives to get the most up-to-date information on what’s being planned for WIDA’s further implementation in the state. While some of the clarification received wasn’t necessarily what the group had hoped for, it did nonetheless help paint a clearer picture of the expectations of testing professionals throughout the state in assisting with any WIDA-related assessment.
Regional information centers will continue to play an integral role in helping districts meet data collection deadlines and implementing new state-led initiatives. And perhaps most critically, regional information centers will continue to serve as the bridge between NYSED and districts.
