state-wide act explore test for 8 th grade students wyoming explore test
TRANSCRIPT
STATE -WIDE ACT EXPLORE TEST FOR 8 T H GRADE STUDENTS
Wyoming EXPLORE Test
Why EXPLORE™
Aid and assist in compliance of legislation regarding the 8th Grade Unit of Study
Test results can be used to counsel students into appropriate high school courses based on student’s academic skills and career interests
Test will be considered as part of the required 8th Grade Unit of Study, not in addition to the 8th Grade Unit of Study
Overview of EXPLORE Test
Career and skills Assessment Students’ career interests are mapped to
academic abilities (connected to college readiness); in other words, it’s an interest inventory and a needs assessment
Non-cognitive Components (self-reporting) Includes a needs assessment, plans for high
school and beyond, and an interest inventoryFour core areas tested
English, math, reading and science
Non-Cognitive
Needs AssessmentPlans and BackgroundTime to complete Non-Cognitive Segment
45 mins. – 1 Hour Recommendation – Conduct on Separate Day
Cognitive – Core Areas
Score Reports
What’s on them? Composite and individual scores, areas of strength and
weakness, career possibilities based on interest and skills, individual item analysis
What can counselors do with this report? An information piece called “Career Exploration with
EXPLORE shows counselors how to use the results to assist students with career exploration and post-secondary planning.
What can students/parents do with this report? www.explorestudent.org and www.act.org/standard are web
sites that will assist students/parents in understanding their score report and plan for college and/or the workplace
Score Reports Breakdown
Your ScoresYour PlansYour Career PossibilitiesYour Skills
Score Reports – Your Scores
Score Reports – Your Plans
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
Score Reports – Your Career Possibilities
Score Reports – Your Skills - English
Score Reports – Your Skills - Math
Score Reports – Your Skills - Reading
Score Reports – Your Skills – Science
Significant Connection to Hathaway Statue
Coursework Planner Use ACT’s Template – Build Your Own
Success Curriculum (Sample Curriculum Sweetwater No. 2)
Different Levels of Scholarship Honors
$1600.00/Semester Performance
$1200.00/Semester Opportunity
$800.00/Semester Provisional Opportunity
$800.00/Semester – Must Start at Community College/Complete Program of Study
Timeline
Major Milestones/Timeline August 1, 2009: Ordering information sent to all district
PAWS coordinator/designee* September 4, 2009: Orders due to ACT; PAWS coordinators
will identify school-level contact person who will be responsible for receiving the tests, sending the answer sheets back to ACT after the test, and receiving the school’s results
“Date Needed”: school-level contact person identifies when testing materials should arrive at the school. This is not the same as the testing date! Schools should arrange to have the tests arrive at least two weeks prior to their administration date
Timeline Continued
October 1 – October 30, 2009: Testing window for EXPLORE test; schools can choose any date they want within this timeframe to administer the test. The precognitive portion of the test is approximately 50 minutes long; the core part of the test is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes long
November 13, 2009: Answer documents (not the test booklets) must be post-marked by this date and on their way to ACT, Inc.
January 15, 2010: This is the latest date schools/districts will receive their score reports from ACT, Inc. School-level reports are returned based on when they are received; district-level reports are sent once all of the schools in that district have returned the answer documents to ACT, Inc
*The PAWS coordinator is the default contact for ordering the EXPLORE tests for each district; if a district chooses to use someone other than the PAWS coordinator to order the tests, that district must notify Sean Moore and he will notify ACT, Inc.
Who Does What?
Roles & Responsibilities Each district’s PAWS coordinator/designee* will
order the tests for his/her district using an online form
The school-level contact person will receive the tests, send the answer documents, and receive the school-level results
Test administration is left up to each school: it can be administered by individual teachers in the classroom or by a counselor/other instructor in a whole group setting
Data Interpretive Workshops
Following the administration WDE and ACT will conduct regional trainings using data from schools.
Tentative LocationsEastern Trainings Western Trainings
Sheridan Cody
Casper Jackson
Cheyenne Rock Springs
Thank You
QuestionsContact Information
Julie Magee – Hathaway Scholarship Consultant
Sean Moore- Hathaway Scholarship Consultant
Phone: 307-777-8740 Phone: 307-777-8595
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Mailing Address: 2020 Grand Avenue, Suite 500 * Laramie, WY 82070 * http://www.k12.wy.us/hathaway.asp