The Wyoming Department of Education released some information for rolling out the new WY-TOPP test with the new format.

The Spring 2018 WY-TOPP window is fast approaching (April 16-May 11). This is the testing window where participation is required for most grades.

Here are a few general talking points and reminders from Wyoming Superintendent Jillian Balow:

• Online with multiple item types (e.g., enhanced multiple choice, constructed response, technology enhanced, performance task)
• Testing time is limited to 1% of the school year (e.g., 9 hours for elementary, 10 for middle school, and 11 for high school); this is for “actual testing time” and does not include test prep, breaks, or time reading the instructions
• Comparability across states – students’ scores are to be comparable to students’ scores from other states
• Readiness check and training SHOULD HAVE ALREADY been conducted to ensure schools have a smooth online test administration
• Not only is this a new assessment, aligned with our state content and performance standards, it is also a new format. Thus, ensuring that stakeholders in your community have an understanding that assessment data is just one measure of school success, is essential.

This year, maybe more so than in recent years, it is important to pull data together from formative classroom assessments, district benchmark assessments, and the WY-TOPP to tell the assessment story for your students in your district.

“Student success is richer than assessment data, yet sometimes that seems to be the main focus. Our improved and refined accountability system puts a greater emphasis on student growth and a well rounded education and this will be reflected in this year’s performance ratings,” said Balow in a press release.