Insider Tips and Tricksfor Iowa TIER...learning from experience

Statewide Data ConferenceAugust 10, 2015

How the systems connect

Access and Log-In Tips● A user never needs a new portal account if

he/she already has one - even if it was created for a different purpose or in a different locationo Instead, have thm edit the existing portal account when they

change location by clicking on the “Account Details” button on the A&A log-in screen

● User Search in the Portalo A portal application that allows districts to search and view

their staff portal accounts (who has an account with what access; email address on account)

o If you need access to this, have your superintendent email ed.portal@iowa.gov

Access and Log-In Tips

● Disconnect old location from TIERo TIER staff need to clear your old location from your profile in

TIERo Submit a ticket to Iowa TIER with your first/last name, past

and new locations

● Do not request the Iowa TIER role in the portalo Access is managed by building and role assignments in the

SISo Email address is used to match SIS and portal account info

Rosters & Class Lists● Teacher role only sees “scheduled” kids based

on class assignments scheduled in your SIS

● Internal Coach, Principal, Site User see all students in the building but class filters won’t work correctly unless schedules are set-up in your SIS

● All roles can use the List Student page to check on student and class roster issues

● All kiddos receiving 1.0 funding are required to be tested and should have the grade of kindergarten (or 1-6) in your SIS

Rosters & Class List Troubleshooting● Schedules are not the same thing as the

homeroomo Terminology differs by SIS - the key is the schedule to class

● If students show up under a teacher’s name but disappear once a course is selected this is a scheduling issueo check on scheduling and teacher folder number in the SIS

● If students don’t show up under the teacher or course this is an enrollment issueo check on the student’s enrollment information in the SIS

List Staff Page● Available to internal

coaches and principals

● Use the filters to help narrow searches for staff

● Set “has role” filter to yes to hide other district staff (bus drivers)

● Search by first or last name or partial name

● Enter key will now trigger the apply button

● Use to troubleshoot staff access issues

Role

Student History Page

● One-stop access to student informationo Universal Screening

resultso Interventionso Progress Monitoring

● Export capability

● Includes all historyo Previous yearso Previous enrollmentso Previous locations

Universal Screening● Click black pencil to start test

● Internal coach/principal can click:o black triangle for reason not

assessedo gray pencil to allow test out of

windowo single curved arrow to allow retesto small circle with two arrows to

request resend of score info

● Assessment statuso At vendor = wait, don’t retesto Incomplete = only some tests doneo Pending = data stored but not sent

back

aReading Lab Setup● Follow directions posted in the knowledge base

to avoid severe performance issues

● Set up one computer at a time (can have 2-3 people simultaneously set up lab)o Log in and navigate to the universal screening pageo Click on the black pencil to start the testo Leave computer idle on FAST page until the students arriveo Direct each student to the computer with their name

displayed

● DO NOT leave multiple computers on the US page (with the pencils) - it’s a sure-thing network killer!!!

System Performance Tips● Bandwidth is critical

o Run: www.speedtest.net on the same computer, in the same location where problems are appearing, when they are happening

o Need at least 10Mbps download speed for most of Iowa TIER system

o aReading needs 40Mbps for typical lab application

● Other tipso Keep student and staff lists at or below 20 per page

o Make sure firewall and email settings allow access

o Reduce other internet usage during critical testing time

o Use rolling/staggered testing if necessary

Supported Technology● Windows & Mac - reasonably current OS and

hardware

● Google Chrome & Firefox browsers - keep ‘em updated

● Chromebooks

● Full support for iPad and Android tablets should be ready soon

● Please test new technology before diving in head first!o Use the training site to avoid playing with live student datao Small scale before all-in

Operational Supports● System Status Page - updated with known

outageso https://sites.google.com/site/iowatierstatus/

● Knowledge Baseo News Items, Announcements & Hot Topics - things you need

to know

o Idea Forum - ideas for changes/enhancements - not bugs!

o Chat - ask questions of other users, discuss application - Please do not include any student info here!

o Search for topics by keyword - try several terms

o Subscribe to forum posts to receive email updates

● Ticket System

Ticket System● 1-2 internal coaches and principals per building

submit tickets for all

● Need to include in the ticket:o District, building, student name, grade, assessmento Detailed description of problem including steps leading to ito Screen shots help

● Other ticket tipso One ticket per issueo One issue per ticketo We try to respond quicklyo Please tell us when an issue is resolved

Year End Processing during Dark Period● Roll info from 14-15 to 15-16 in TIER

o End all 14-15 intervention and PM scheduleso Copy all 14-15 banked intervention definitions forward to 15-

16o Roll all manually created staff forward (Primarily AEA and

DE)

● Pull fresh data from each SIS to start 15-16

● District work during dark window:o Roll SIS and SIF agent forward to 15-16o Enroll students, confirm State IDs and correct gradeo Schedule students to courseso Building assignments and roles for all staff needing access

Delete/Edit Banked Interventions● Internal coaches and principals can edit/delete

banked interventions after rollover to 15-16, BUT

● Once a banked intervention is assigned, it can’t be changed or deleted

Scheduling Assessments by Building● Internal coach or principal must indicate the

following by grade and season prior to the beginning of the fall screening window:o Check which assessment(s) will be used in 15-16 (use check

boxes)o Can select more than oneo Will define what assessments are available for universal

screening

● Where do you do this? o Universal Screening tab > select Schedules

Set Default Assessment by Building● Internal coach or principal must indicate the

default assessment prior to the beginning of the fall screening window:o Defines the screening assessment used to auto-calculate

student determinations (adequately progressing, at risk, substantially deficient)

o This selection is set and remains the same for the entire year

● Where do you do this? o Universal Screening tab > select Schedules

What’s New?● Updated interface

o Faster loading, better use of spaceo Will work better on tablet devices

● Certification required to administer assessmentso 14-15 certification will remain valid for 15-16o Certification reports available for internal coaches and

principals

● State Student ID required for testing students

● Reason not assesseddropdown - to supportaccurate reporting

Coming Soon...● Users will be able to skip building select step in

portal

● Updated FAST benchmarks

● Age 3, Age 4, Age 5 will change to PKo helps resolve confusion about students not enrolled in

Kindergarteno Students not 4 by September 15 will be hidden from view

● New summary reports available by end of September

Questions● What else is there to talk about?

● What do you want to know?

● What have you learned?

● Slides will be posted on DE web-site by the end of the week at the same place as conference registration was ato https://www.educateiowa.gov/event/statewide-data-conferenc

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