N Y S AA A S SE S S M EN T
C O O RD I N ATO R
M A NUA L 20 15 - 16
Revision Date: 05/18/2016
All screenshots shown or referred to in this manual are accurate on the Publication Date
noted above.
When this manual is updated, the Revision Date will also be updated. An alert will be
posted on the Test Updates webpage. A summary of changes is included in Appendix A
under Document History.
DYNAMIC LEARNING MAPS CONSORTIUM
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SERVICE DESK
Hint: Print this page and keep it handy!
For questions regarding the online testing system or for additional assistance, please
contact the Service Desk at 1-844-261-6481 (toll-free) or DLM-support@ku.edu.
The Service Desk is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Time.
The Service Desk is closed or has reduced staffing in observance of the following
holidays:
Martin Luther King Day
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Memorial Day
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Monday, Jan 18, 2016
Monday, Feb 15, 2016
Monday, May 30, 2016
Monday, July 4, 2016
Monday, Sep 5, 2016
Friday, Nov 11, 2016
Thursday and Friday, Nov 24 and 25, 2016
The Service Desk provides support for a variety of situations, including:
•
•
•
testing environment issues
test administration and user account issues
student information issues
When contacting the Service Desk, provide as much detail as possible about the issues
encountered and the system on which they occurred. Please include:
• your contact information (name and email address)
• the state and district in which your school is located
• error messages, including the testlet number, if applicable to the problem
• operating system and browser information
• status if using a local caching server
• information about network configuration
Test administrators should contact the local Technical Liaison if they encounter technical
issues related to Internet availability, KITE™ Client installation, display resolution,
and/or issues with sound/headphones/speakers, etc.
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NYSAA ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR
MANUAL 2015-16
CONTENTS
Service Desk ............................................................................................................................. 2
Audience and Purpose ............................................................................................................ 5
What’s New In This Version? ............................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 6
Checklists for Assessment Coordinators ............................................................................ 7
About Dynamic Learning Maps ......................................................................................... 13
The Dynamic Learning Maps ...........................................................................................................14
Essential Elements .............................................................................................................................14
Assessment System Design and Delivery ......................................................................................14
Assessment Results ............................................................................................................... 15
About KITE Client and Educator Portal............................................................................ 16
How to Use the DLM Website ............................................................................................ 17
PREPARE FOR THE DLM ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATION .......................... 19
Overview ................................................................................................................................. 19
Manage District/School Staff Roles and Responsibilities............................................. 19
Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Training Plan............................................ 19
Resources for Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons ...................................................................20
Resources for Test Administrators ..................................................................................................21
Prepare for Assessment Implementation .......................................................................... 23
Monitor and Support Test Preparations and Administration....................................... 24
Form Delivery ....................................................................................................................................26
Scoring a Student’s Response ...........................................................................................................27
Develop a Communication Plan ......................................................................................... 27
EDUCATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE FOR ASSESSMENT COORDINATORS. 28
Required Software................................................................................................................. 28
Supported Browsers ..........................................................................................................................28
PDF Viewer .........................................................................................................................................29
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Manage User Account ........................................................................................................... 30
Activate Educator Portal Account ...................................................................................................30
Access Educator Portal ......................................................................................................................32
Reset Educator Portal Password ......................................................................................................33
Change Password ..............................................................................................................................35
Complete Security Agreement .........................................................................................................37
Change Display Name ......................................................................................................................38
Change User Role View ....................................................................................................................39
Change Default Organization and Role ..........................................................................................40
Access Data Extracts .............................................................................................................. 40
View a Data Extract ...........................................................................................................................40
Understanding the Accessibility Profile Extract ............................................................................43
Understanding the Accessibility Profile Summary Extract .........................................................44
Understanding the Current Enrollment Extract ............................................................................46
Understanding the Roster Extract ...................................................................................................47
Understanding the Users Extract .....................................................................................................47
Understanding the DLM Test Administration Monitoring Extract ............................................48
Test Administrator Procedures ........................................................................................... 50
Manage Student Data ........................................................................................................................50
Manage Assessments.........................................................................................................................50
KITE CLIENT ................................................................................................................. 51
KITE Client Testing Devices ............................................................................................... 51
Ensure Internet Connectivity .............................................................................................. 51
KITE Procedures .................................................................................................................... 51
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................... 52
APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................. 54
Document History ................................................................................................................. 54
APPENDIX B–AGE RANGES FOR TESTING .......................................................... 55
APPENDIX C—REASONS FOR NOT TESTING ..................................................... 56
Enter a Special Circumstance Code .................................................................................... 56
Special Circumstance Codes................................................................................................ 59
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AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
This document supports the Assessment Coordinator in preparing schools for the
Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment. It also provides information to
enable Assessment Coordinators to support the roles of Data Stewards, Technical
Liaisons, and test administrators/examiners. It provides an overview of the DLM
alternate assessment and includes a checklist of key duties. This document addresses
planning needs, resources, and Educator Portal (EP) procedures.
This DLM-provided manual is designed for Assessment Coordinators in all states in the
DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium. However, your state may have also provided
appendices that provide clarifications and supplemental information specific to your
state. Be sure to check the resources provided on your state’s DLM webpage and follow
any additional instructions provided at the state level.
To learn about updates to Assessment Coordinator resources, such as this manual,
subscribe to Test Updates on the DLM website under Assessments | Operational
Testing.
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS VERSION?
Information about these topics has been added or enhanced in this version.
Topic
Added an appendix regarding Special Circumstance Codes
Page
Error!
Bookmark
not defined.
A more comprehensive list of changes to this manual is included in Appendix A under
Document History.
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INTRODUCTION
This manual provides information and a checklist for the Assessment Coordinator to
support district staff and educators participating in DLM testing. It includes policies and
procedures, and outlines the roles and responsibilities the DLM Alternate Assessment
Consortium has defined for participants.
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium has defined four participants/roles in test
delivery. We use these titles throughout the assessment administration manuals and
training resources.
•
•
•
•
test administrator, also known as
educator or examiner
Assessment Coordinator
Data Steward
Technical Liaison
One person may fill
multiple roles.
Information related to the roles of Data Steward and Technical Liaison is included in this
manual only as it supports Assessment Coordinators in their activities. Resources
specifically written for Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons are available on your
state’s page on the DLM website. The roles and responsibilities of the people
administering tests are addressed in the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL (TAM).
How your state defines the tasks and titles may vary. First, check your state’s page on
the DLM website to see if your state has provided additional information.
Title
Task Summary
The Assessment Coordinator is presumed to be at the
district level and is the one main point of contact
between the NYSED, the DLM Alternate Assessment
Consortium, and the district.
Assessment Coordinator
The key duty of the Assessment Coordinator is to
oversee the assessment process, including managing
staff roles and responsibilities, developing and
implementing a comprehensive training plan,
developing a schedule for test implementation,
monitoring and supporting test preparations and
administration, and developing a plan to facilitate
communication with parents/guardians and staff.
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Title
Task Summary
The Data Steward is presumed to be at the district or
school level, but may be at a higher level.
Data Steward
The key duty of the Data Steward is to manage
educator, student, and roster data. The Assessment
Coordinator and Data Steward work together
throughout the year.
The Technical Liaison is presumed to be at the district
or school level, but may be at a higher level.
Technical Liaison
Test Administrator
(Examiner)
The key duty of the Technical Liaison is to verify that
the network and testing devices are prepared for test
administration.
Test administrators are educators who are responsible
for working with Committees on Special Education
(CSEs) to select and enter the accessibility features and
supports for each student into Educator Portal. They
are also responsible for completing Required Test
Administration Training, reviewing and verifying
student data, preparing students for assessment,
instructing students on the Essential Elements (EEs),
and administering the DLM alternate assessments to
students.
CHECKLISTS FOR ASSESSMENT COORDINATORS
The following checklists detail the critical steps for Assessment Coordinators to follow.
Refer to them as you read this manual and prepare your school or district for the DLM
alternate assessments. Follow the links provided for more information, to quickly go to
topics in this guide, or to access other resources.
The checklists are organized into three sets of tasks for different parts of the school year:
1. Before Beginning Assessment
2. Spring Operational Assessment
3. Preparing for Next Year
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Before Beginning Assessments

Tasks
1. Bookmark your state’s page on the DLM website. Use
the resources on your state’s page to become familiar
with the DLM assessment window(s) identified for
your state, your roles and responsibilities, the roles
and responsibilities of other participants from your
state and district, and the procedures and materials
needed to prepare for the assessment, including the
DLM support resources.
2. Activate your Educator Portal (EP) account by
following the instructions in the KITE activation
email. You will not receive an activation email until
your Data Steward uploads your information into EP.
The State Education Agency (SEA) must upload Data
Steward information.
(If you already have an EP account, skip this step.)
Resources
The DLM website,
Assessments
|Operational Testing
http://dynamiclearning
maps
.org/content/
operational-testing.
Activate Educator
Portal Account,
page 30.
Educator
Portal: https://educator.
cete.us.
3. Work with your State Education Agency (SEA) and
Data Steward to activate accounts equal to or above
the District Test Coordinator (DTC) level.
4. Complete the annual Security Agreement in your EP
profile.
5. Sign up for the DLM test notifications during the
year.
Complete Security
Agreement, page 37.
Educator
Portal: https://educator.
cete.us.
The DLM website,
Assessments |
Operational Testing:
http://dynamiclearning
maps
.org/content/
operational-testing.
6. Participate in Assessment Coordinator training. States The DLM website
http://www.dynamiclea
may also provide their own training for Assessment
rningmaps.org/content/
Coordinators.
district-staff-trainingresources-ye.
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
Tasks
7. Manage district/school staff roles and responsibilities.
a) Identify personnel to fill the roles of Technical
Liaison and Data Steward, as needed. Designate
backup personnel for each role.
b) Identify educators who will serve as test
administrators/examiners for the DLM alternate
assessments.
c) Make sure that each person is aware of his or her
roles and responsibilities and the timeline of
events, including firm deadlines for required
steps.
Resources
Checklists for Data
Stewards, Technical
Liaisons, and test
administrators from
role-specific manuals.
Manage
District/School Staff
Roles and
Responsibilities, page
19.
d) Make sure that the Technical Liaison, the Data
Steward, and test administrators understand the
DLM test policies and procedures, as well as statespecific policies.
8. Develop and implement a comprehensive training
plan OR implement your state’s training plan for
district staff and test administrators.
a) Review the checklists for Data Stewards, Technical
Liaisons, and test administrators.
b) Encourage Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons
to complete the DLM-sponsored or statesponsored training on their roles.
c) Deliver Required Test Administration Training (if
assigned to you by your state/district).
d) Monitor educator completion of all parts of
Required Test Administration Training and the
Security Agreement (if assigned to you by your
state/district).
e) Identify additional training or resource needs
specific to your local DLM participants; develop
resources to address needs.
f) Encourage and monitor participation in the DLM
professional development for instruction (if
assigned to you by your state/district).
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Checklists for Data
Stewards, Technical
Liaisons, and test
administrators from
role-specific manuals.
The DLM training for
Data Stewards and
Technical Liaisons.
The DLM Required
Test Administration
Training
http://training.dynamic
learningmaps.org/.
Develop and
Implement a
Comprehensive
Training Plan, page
19.
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
Tasks
9. Prepare for assessment implementation.
a) Gather Technical Liaison and Data Steward
contact information and initiate communication
between district staff. Encourage staff to sign up
for Test Updates on the DLM website.
b) Establish communication between Data Stewards,
Technical Liaisons, and the DLM Alternate
Assessment Consortium.
c) Determine how you will receive communications
from your state or district representatives for
information that is specific to your state or district.
d) Monitor creation of Educator Portal user accounts.
e) Follow up, as needed, to ensure that deadlines are
met for test administrators to activate accounts
and complete training.
f) Establish a test security plan and monitor
adherence to the DLM and the state-specific testsecurity policies.
Resources
Test Updates Page
http://dynamic
learningmaps.org/
content/test-updates.
Educator
Portal https://educator.
cete.us.
Educator Portal
section in this
manual.
Prepare for
Assessment
Implementation, page
23.
g) Troubleshoot issues as they arise.
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
Tasks
10. Monitor and support test preparations and
administration.
a) Remind Technical Liaisons, Data Stewards, and
test administrators about important deadlines.
b) Make sure that educators have identified students
who will participate in the DLM assessments.
Advise educators about your state’s policy for
students who are hospitalized or home-bound, as
needed.
c) Support test administrators and Data Stewards in
conducting data verification/revision within the
window. Understand what data lockdown means
and how it is used in your state. The DATA
STEWARD MANUAL includes recommended
procedures.
d) Ensure that every student who is supposed to
participate is listed in EP and assigned to an
educator.
e) Monitor completion of the Access (Personal Needs
& Preferences) Profile and the First Contact survey
for all students who will be assessed. Follow up
with test administrators as needed.
f) Assist test administrators with technology
preparations (e.g., making sure that assistive
devices work) and test environment setup (e.g.,
computer lab scheduling) as needed. Use the
practice tests to ensure that computers are
configured correctly.
Resources
Educator
Portal https://educator.
cete.us.
Educator Portal
section in this
manual.
Participation
Guidelines on the
DLM website.
Your state page on
the DLM website.
Monitor and Support
Test Preparations and
Administration, page
24.
GUIDE TO PRACTICE
ACTIVITIES AND
RELEASED TESTLETS
on the DLM website.
g) Support test administrators in preparing the test
environment.
h) If responsibility for printing student usernames
and passwords for KITE Client will be centralized
in the school/district, assign responsibility for that
task (the DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium
assumes that test administrators are responsible).
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
Tasks
11. Develop a plan to facilitate communication with
parents/guardians and district staff OR follow your
state-developed communication plan. Schedule
meetings, as necessary.
a) Consider what parents/guardians and district staff
will need and want to know about the DLM
assessments.
b) Determine the frequency of communication to
various audiences.
c) Deliver communication to various audiences
according to the timeline in your communication
plan.
Resources
The DLM information
for
parents/guardians htt
p://dynamiclearning
maps.org/content/info
rmation-parents.
Develop a
Communication Plan,
page 27.
d) Relay new information from the DLM Alternate
Assessment Consortium, your state, and your
district to appropriate audiences, as needed.
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Spring Operational Assessment

Tasks
12. Support test administrators in rechecking student
demographic information, PNP settings, and First
Contact responses.
Resources
TEST ADMINISTRATION
MANUAL.
13. Monitor and support test administration.
a) Facilitate communication between the DLM
staff and district staff during the testing
window(s).
Form Delivery, page 26.
b) Obtain and deliver braille forms, as needed.
c) Monitor test activity, including test completion,
prior to the end of the testing window.
d) Serve as the first point of contact for educators,
answering questions about the assessment.
Troubleshoot issues, as they arise.
Prepare for Next Year

Tasks
14. Prepare Assessment Coordinator plans for next
year (develop calendar, design communication
plan, schedule required training, etc.).
15. Support test administrators in preparing for next
year (evaluate Personal Needs & Preferences
Profiles, review blueprints for the next grade, etc.).
Resources
TEST ADMINISTRATION
MANUAL.
Blueprints on your state
page on the DLM
website.
ABOUT DYNAMIC LEARNING MAPS
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Alternate Assessment Consortium is a multi-state
consortium that has developed a computer-delivered alternate assessment. The DLM
alternate assessment system is an assessment program designed to validly measure
what students with the most significant cognitive disabilities know and can do. The
DLM system provides accessibility by design, and is guided by the core belief that all
students should have access to challenging, grade-level content, and that test
administrators should adhere to the highest levels of integrity in providing instruction
and administering assessments based on this challenging content.
Students who are eligible for the DLM Alternate Assessment are those for whom general
education assessments, even with accommodations, are not appropriate. Students taking
the DLM alternate assessment require extensive, direct instruction and substantial
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supports to achieve measurable gains. These students learn academic content aligned to
grade-level content standards, but at reduced depth, breadth, and complexity. The DLM
content standards are called Essential Elements and are the learning targets for the
assessments for grades 3-12 in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.
THE DYNAMIC LEARNING MAPS
The dynamic learning maps are highly connected representations of how academic skills
are acquired, as reflected in research literature. Nodes in the maps represent discrete
knowledge, skills, and understandings in either English language arts or mathematics,
as well as important foundational skills that provide a foundation for academic skills.
The maps go beyond traditional learning progressions to include multiple and alternate
pathways by which students may develop content knowledge.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
The Dynamic Learning Maps Essential Elements (EEs) are specific statements of
knowledge and skills linked to the grade-level expectations identified in college- and
career-readiness standards. The purpose of the EEs is to build a bridge from those
content standards to academic expectations for students with the most significant
cognitive disabilities.
The EEs specify academic targets, while the dynamic learning maps clarify how students
can reach those targets. For each EE, small collections of nodes are identified earlier in
the map that represent critical junctures on the path toward the standard. These small
collections of nodes are called linkage levels. The fourth level is the Target. There are
three levels below the Target and one that goes beyond the Target. See Linkage Level in
the Glossary, page 52, for more detail.
ASSESSMENT SYSTEM DESIGN AND DELIVERY
The DLM assessments are delivered in “testlets.” Each testlet consists of an engagement
activity and 3-9 items. The items in each testlet align to nodes in a single linkage level
within an EE. An engagement activity for an ELA testlet consists of a reading or writing
task. For math, an engagement activity gives context, which is carried throughout the
testlet. Specific item types are described in the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL.
Information on accessing practice activities and released testlets, where educators can
view various item types, is also included in the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL.
Required tests are delivered in the spring (see Figure 1).
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In the spring, all students are assessed on the full range of EEs in the blueprint. The
educator is responsible for providing instruction on those EEs during the year. Using an
algorithm that defines the relationships between the nodes in the map and uses
information about the student, the system dynamically routes students to testlets at the
appropriate linkage level for each EE.
Figure 1—Summative scores based on all EEs covered in the blueprint.
During the year-end window, the estimated total testing time per student is 35-60
minutes in mathematics and 70-90 minutes in English language arts.
ASSESSMENT RESULTS
The scoring system in the DLM alternate assessment works differently from scoring in
traditional alternate assessments. The system combines a student’s responses on
operational testing and data about the dynamic learning map to determine which nodes
the student has mastered. Students are not given raw scores, percentages, or scale scores.
Results for each node are determined based on probability that the students has
mastered the node. Summative results for a student are determined from the node
mastery data. The information about each node leads to a summary of a student’s
mastery of each linkage level, and, in turn, each EE. Summative results are based on the
mastery probabilities for all linkage levels in all EEs in which a student was assessed.
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ABOUT KITE CLIENT AND EDUCATOR PORTAL
The KITE platform was designed and developed to meet the needs of the next
generation of large-scale assessments. KITE Client consists of four applications. Students
and educators each see a different part:
Students have accounts in KITE Client.
KITE Client delivers assessments to students through the use of a
customized, secure web browser that is accessible on multiple devices.
Practice activities and released testlets are also available to students
through KITE Client. Educators and staff do not have accounts in KITE Client.
Staff and educators have accounts in Educator Portal (EP).
Educator Portal is the administrative application that allows staff and
educators to manage student data and retrieve reports. Users can access
Educator Portal via https://educator.cete.us.
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HOW TO USE THE DLM WEBSITE
Additional resources for test administrators, Assessment Coordinators, Data Stewards,
and Technical Liaisons are available on the DLM website. Resources are provided by the
DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium and state-specific resources may also be
available.
To access resources for your state and role, follow these steps:
1. Go to the DLM website http://dynamiclearningmaps.org/.
2. Click Assessments | Operational Testing.
3. Select your state.
Hint: Bookmark the page or save it to your favorites for quick access later.
4. Choose your role; click Apply.
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5. Resources appear below the role field. The DLM resources appear first, sorted
alphabetically. State-specific resources appear next, sorted alphabetically.
These DLM resources are designed for specific roles, and are available to all states:
ASSESSMENT
Supports the Assessment Coordinator in preparing
COORDINATOR MANUAL
district and school staff for testing.
(PDF)
DATA STEWARD MANUAL
Supports the Data Steward in gathering, editing, and
(PDF)
uploading user (educator/staff) data, enrollment
(student) data, and roster (groups of students by
educator) data via Educator Portal.
TECHNICAL LIAISON
Supports the Technical Liaison in preparing schools for
MANUAL (PDF)
the technology needs of the DLM assessment.
TEST ADMINISTRATION
Supports test administrators in preparing themselves
MANUAL (TAM) (PDF)
and students for testing. Expands the knowledge base
for the Assessment Coordinator on specific topics.
Accessibility Manual (PDF) Provides guidance to state leaders, districts, educators,
and CSEs on the selection and use of accessibility
features available in KITE Client.
Educator Resource Page
Provides supplemental instruction and testing
(webpage)
resources for educators and test administrators.
GUIDE TO DLM REQUIRED
Helps users access the DLM Required Test
TEST ADMINISTRATOR
Administrator Training on the DLM Moodle training
TRAINING (PDF)
website.
GUIDE TO PRACTICE
Supports the test administrator in accessing practice
ACTIVITIES & RELEASED
activities in KITE Client.
TESTLETS (PDF)
Test Updates Page
Provides breaking news on test administration
(webpage)
activities. Sign up to receive alerts when new resources
become
available. http://dynamiclearningmaps.org/content/testupdates.
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PREPARE FOR THE DLM ASSESSMENT
ADMINISTRATION
OVERVIEW
The key duty of the Assessment Coordinator is to oversee the assessment process,
including managing staff and educator roles and responsibilities, developing and
implementing a comprehensive training plan, developing a schedule for test
implementation, monitoring and supporting test preparations and administration, and
developing a plan to facilitate communication with parents/guardians and staff. In some
cases, your responsibilities will be determined by plans and communications decided at
the state level.
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium suggests that you prepare for the DLM test
administration through careful planning, implementation, and monitoring.
MANAGE DISTRICT/SCHOOL STAFF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
 Identify personnel to fill the roles of Technical Liaison and Data Steward as
needed. Designate backup personnel for each role.
 Identify educators who will serve as test administrators/examiners for the DLM
assessments.
 Make sure that each person is aware of his or her roles and responsibilities and
the timeline of events, including firm deadlines for required steps.
 Make sure that the Technical Liaison, the Data Steward, and test administrators
understand the DLM test policies and procedures, as well as state-specific
policies.
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PLAN
The user manuals for test administrators, Data Stewards, and Technical Liaisons
guide users to contact their District Assessment Coordinator for a training plan
tailored specifically to their state and district.
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium suggests developing a training plan to
support test administration efforts by test administrators/examiners, Data Stewards, and
Technical Liaisons. Consider these tasks when developing your plan:
 Participate in the DLM- or state-sponsored training for Assessment
Coordinators. Recorded webinars by role are available on the DLM
website. Check to see if state-sponsored training is available in your state.
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 Review the checklists for Data Stewards, Technical Liaisons, and test
administrators, which are located in individual manuals for each role.
 Encourage Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons to complete the DLMsponsored or state-sponsored training on their roles and responsibilities.
 Deliver Required Test Administration Training (if assigned to you by your
state/district).
 Monitor educator completion of all parts of Required Test Administration
Training and the Security Agreement (if assigned to you by your state/district).
 Identify additional training or resource needs specific to your local DLM
participants; develop resources to address these needs.
 Encourage and monitor participation in the DLM professional development for
instruction (if assigned to you by your state/district).
 Direct any Alternate Assessment Training Network (AATNs) who should need
training DVDs to the DLM Service Desk.
RESOURCES FOR DATA STEWARDS AND TECHNICAL LIAISONS
Most training and professional development modules provided by the DLM Alternate
Assessment Consortium are intended for educators and test administrators/examiners.
However, resources specific to Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons include:
•
•
Webinars for Data Stewards and Technical Liaisons
Instructional videos for Data-Steward tasks in Educator Portal
All resources listed above are located on the DLM website;
none of them are located in Educator Portal.
See How to Use the DLM Website on page 17 to find resources by role.
RESOURCES FOR AATNS
Members of the Alternate Assessment Training Network (AATNs) facilitate test
administration training. AATNs who need training DVDs may contact the Assessment
Coordinator for more information. In this event, AATNs should be re-directed to the
Service Desk.
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RESOURCES FOR TEST ADMINISTRATORS
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium provides required test administrator
training, professional development for instruction, and supplemental training. The
following chart compares these three categories.
Required Test
Administrator Training
•
Covers critical content
for managing and
delivering the DLM
alternate assessments.
•
Required for test
administrators.
•
No tests will be
delivered if training is
incomplete.
•
New York State
requires facilitated
training for 2015-16.
•
Successful completion
= a score of 80% or
higher on the post-test
quiz.
Professional
Development for
Instruction
Supplemental Training
•
Addresses topics to
support instruction in
academics for students
who take the DLM
alternate assessment.
•
Includes a variety of
topics to supplement
the use of the DLM
materials and system
navigation.
•
Optional, but strongly
recommended.
•
Optional, but strongly
recommended.
•
States and districts
may recommend or
require specific
modules.
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Required Test Administrator Training
Hint: See the GUIDE TO DLM REQUIRED TEST ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING
located on the DLM website for complete information.
Training is required for all educators who will administer Dynamic Learning Maps
alternate assessments. Test administrators must successfully complete four modules,
with a passing score on each module’s post-test, before administering DLM assessments.
Total training time is estimated at less than four hours.
Modules should be completed in the order listed.
1. About the DLM System
2. Accessibility by Design
3. Understanding and Delivering Testlets in the DLM System
4. Preparing to Administer the Assessment
All post-tests for required training must be completed in Moodle.
More information about the contents of each module, training formats, and procedures
for completing required training is provided in the GUIDE TO DLM REQUIRED TEST
ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING, located on the DLM website.
Professional Development for Instructional Support
Professional development for instruction is strongly encouraged. If you wish to
incorporate professional development for instruction into your training plan, the DLM
Alternate Assessment Consortium offers a variety of content, and multiple methods to
access the materials.
The professional development website is http://dlmpd.com/.
• Facilitated modules for groups focus on a single topic related to the instruction of
students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. These modules provide
materials to support a facilitator in addressing a group of test administrators.
However, test administrators who participate in facilitated training must also log on
to the website and receive a passing score of 80% or higher on the posttest quiz in
order to be included on the completed modules list for their district.
A Virtual Community of Practice is provided to encourage collaboration between
educators across the consortium. The website is http://dlmpd.com/clds/forum/.
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Supplemental Training
Supplemental training plans and materials are being developed. Resources may include
short how-to videos on common EP procedures and best practices to help test
administrators. Subscribe to Test Updates to learn when new training is released.
PREPARE FOR ASSESSMENT IMPLEMENTATION
To prepare for assessment implementation, consider these tasks:
 Gather Technical Liaison and Data Steward contact information and initiate
communication between district staff. Encourage staff to sign up for Test
Updates on the DLM website.
 Establish communication between Data Stewards, Technical Liaisons, and the
DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium.
 Determine how you will receive communications from your state or district
representatives for information that is specific to your state or district.
 Monitor the creation of EP user accounts.
 Follow up, as needed, to ensure that deadlines are met for test administrators to
activate accounts and complete training.
 Establish a test security plan, and monitor adherence to the DLM and statespecific test-security policies. Consider these tasks when developing your plan:
 Designate the testing location(s); a quiet, private environment is best.
 Ensure that test administrators complete the required training on test
security, and agree to the Security Agreement in Educator Portal.
 Adhere to state and district policies for test security.
 Troubleshoot issues as they arise.
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Security Agreement
Test administrators have a unique opportunity to administer new items and
assessments. These items are expected to be treated as secure assessments.
Each year, anyone with access to EP will renew her or his DLM Security Agreement.
Help test administrators avoid this common pitfall.
If a user does NOT agree to the annual Security Agreement (and print or
save the Required Test Administration Training completion certificate),
the user will NOT have access to the Test Management tab in Educator
Portal.
MONITOR AND SUPPORT TEST PREPARATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium suggests that you monitor and support test
preparations and administration to promote success in your school/district. Include
these tasks:
 Remind Technical Liaisons, Data Stewards, and test administrators about
important deadlines.
 Make sure that educators have identified students who will participate in the
DLM assessments. Advise educators about your state’s policy for students who
are hospitalized or home-bound, as needed.
 Support test administrators and Data Stewards in conducting data
verification/revision within the window. Understand what data lockdown means
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and how it is used in your state. The DATA STEWARD MANUAL includes the
recommended procedures.
 Ensure that every student who is supposed to participate is listed in EP and is
assigned to a test administrator, AND that no student who is not supposed to
participate appears in Educator Portal. Educators, along with CSEs, identify
students who will participate in the DLM assessments. Participation guidelines
are available on the DLM website.
Hint: Help educators who have a student who is leaving or joining
the classroom after the spring testing window has started. Work
with your Data Steward (who has more information about best
practices and procedures) so that these students have accurate
records and receive testlets at their current schools.
 Monitor completion of the PNP and First Contact survey for all students who
will be assessed. Follow up with test administrators as needed.
More checklist items appear after this supplemental information.
Access (Personal Needs & Preferences) Profile
The test administrator, using information and procedures from the ACCESSIBILITY
MANUAL, will complete an Access (Personal Needs & Preferences) Profile for each
student. This Access Profile ensures the correct selection and use of the accessibility
features that are available in KITE Client.
Two data verification/revision windows are outlined in the DLM Administration
Calendar 2015-16. These are the dates when test administrators should enter new Access
Profile information or verify existing information in EP.
First Contact Survey
The test administrator completes a First Contact survey for each student. This survey
data helps place the student in the map and determine their initial testlet.
Test administrators receive training on how to answer the First Contact questions as part
of the Required Test Administration Training. The Assessment Coordinator’s job is to
answer questions and help test administrators make sure that they have answered all
items and successfully completed the survey.
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For each of the items in the following checklist, see the TEST ADMINISTRATION
MANUAL. Use the TAM checklists to find specific sections in the TAM that define
policies and procedures for test administrators.
 Assist test administrators with technology preparations (e.g., making sure that
assistive devices work) and test environment setup (e.g., computer lab
scheduling), as needed. Use the practice tests to ensure that computers are
configured correctly.
 Support test administrators in preparing the test environment.
 If responsibility for printing student usernames and passwords for KITE Client
will be centralized in the school/district, assign responsibility for that task. (The
DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium assumes that test administrators are
responsible.)
 Facilitate communication between the DLM staff and district staff during the
testing window.
 Obtain and deliver braille forms, as needed. See Form Delivery below.
 Monitor test activity, including test completion, prior to the end of the testing
window.
 Serve as the first point of contact for test administrators, answering questions
about the assessment. Troubleshoot issues as they arise.
Responsibilities for Braille Test Administration
Assessment Coordinators monitor and support the administration of braille forms
during the spring testing window. Braille forms are created for grades 3-5 at the Target
and Successor levels and in grades 6-8 and 9 at the Proximal Precursor, Target, and
Successor levels. However, not all parts of the test at every grade level have braille
equivalents. Where they are not provided, test administrators will use other approaches
to deliver assessments to students who have blindness or visual impairments. For more
information see the Braille Fact Sheet available on the Educator Resource Page.
FORM DELIVERY
Select the braille support on the Access (PNP) Profile so that the system will assign
braille forms to the student when available. Braille Ready Files (BRF) are delivered
through Educator Portal. They are located in the same area of the Test Management
screen as the Testlet Information Page. See the procedure titled Retrieve Braille Ready
File in the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL for the steps to retrieve the BRF.
Select the braille support on the Access (PNP) Profile so that the system will assign
braille forms to the student when braille forms are available. When the braille support is
selected on the PNP, the teacher of record will receive an email from DLM staff after
February 29 regarding the embossing of braille materials. The deadline to mark braille
on the PNP for access to braille forms during the spring 2016 window is March 28.
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SCORING A STUDENT’S RESPONSE
When the system assigns a testlet, it delivers a computer-based version through KITE
Client. This version is equivalent to the braille version that the student receives. As the
student takes the testlet on the braille paper version, the student indicates each answer
choice to the test administrator as she or he normally would on other braille
assignments. The test administrator inputs each student response into KITE Client.
Responses are scored by the system, the same way that non-braille forms are.
Monitor Test Activity
You may retrieve reports to monitor student enrollment in testlets and completion of
testlets through the DLM Test Administration Monitoring Extract. Using this same
extract, educators have the ability to monitor students who are rostered to them.
Building-level users have the ability to monitor students in the building, while districtlevel users have the ability to monitor students in the district. See the procedure titled
Understanding the DLM Test Administration Monitoring Extract on page 48 for more
detail.
DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION PLAN
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium suggests developing a plan to facilitate
communication with parents/guardians and district staff OR follow your statedeveloped communication plan. Schedule meetings, as necessary. Consider these tasks
when developing a plan:
 Consider what parents/guardians and district staff will need and want to know
about the DLM assessments.
 Determine the frequency of communication to various audiences.
 Deliver communication to various audiences, according to the timeline in your
communication plan.
 Relay new information from the DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium, your
state, and your district to appropriate audiences, as needed.
The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium provides a Parent Notification Letter,
available in English and Spanish, as an editable Word document. These are available on
each state’s Operational Testing website. These resources are available to download and
edit to fit the needs of a state or district. The DLM Alternate Assessment Consortium
offers information and resources for parents/guardians at the
website: http://dynamiclearningmaps.org/content/information-parents.
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EDUCATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE
FOR ASSESSMENT COORDINATORS
This information outlines the step-by-step procedures that an Assessment Coordinator
might use in EP.
Hint: If EP or KITE Client look or behave differently, and you are
using a printed version of this manual, check for an updated
version of the manual on your state’s DLM website.
Ignore these features in Educator Portal: Test Coordination,
and Add New Test.
Create Account is available, but not recommended for the DLM users.
REQUIRED SOFTWARE
SUPPORTED BROWSERS
See the KITE Requirements website to choose a browser that will work well with EP. For
more information on browsers and technology in your district, contact your Technical
Liaison.
To access the KITE Requirements website, follow these steps:
1. Go to www.dynamiclearningmaps.org.
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2. Click Assessments | KITE & Educator Portal.
3. Click View KITE Requirements.
4. Look for the section titled Supported Browsers.
PDF VIEWER
To view PDFs in EP, educators will need Adobe Reader or other software that allows
you to view and print PDFs. Download Adobe Reader
from http://get.adobe.com/reader/. Contact your Technical Liaison for questions related
to technology specifications.
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MANAGE USER ACCOUNT
Avoid this common pitfall.
A state-level user (commonly someone from your SEA) must assign you
the role of District Test Coordinator in Educator Portal before you can
complete responsibilities such as monitoring testing or checking
enrollments.
ACTIVATE EDUCATOR PORTAL ACCOUNT
This procedure is required for all first-time DLM users.
Hint: Go to the procedure titled Access Educator Portal on page 32 if
you have already activated your EP account and received your
username and password.
1. Did you receive your KITE activation email message from KITE-support@ku.edu?
If:
Yes
No
Then:
Go to Step 2.
The activation email message is sent ONLY after your state or
district Data Steward has uploaded your user information into
Educator Portal.
Did your Data Steward upload your user information into
Educator Portal?
If:
Then:
Yes
Ask your Data Steward to resend the
KITE activation email message.
No
Wait until your Data Steward has
uploaded your user information.
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Hint: The email message may reference the KITE system, but this is
the path to Educator Portal.
2. Click the link in the message. The Activate User screen appears.
3. Complete these fields:
First Name
Last Name
Password
Confirm Password
4. Click Activate.




5. Receive a confirmation message. Click Back To Login.
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ACCESS EDUCATOR PORTAL
Hint: The first time you access Educator Portal, go to the procedure
titled Activate Educator Portal Account on page 30 of this guide.
To log in to Educator Portal, follow these steps:
1. Using a recommended internet browser, go to https://educator.cete.us.
2. Complete these fields on the Sign In screen.
Username (usually your email address; use lower case)
Password (case sensitive)
3. Click Sign In.


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RESET EDUCATOR PORTAL PASSWORD
Hint: Use this procedure ONLY if you forget your password. To
change your password, see Change Password on page 35.
To reset a password in EP, follow these steps:
1. Go to Educator Portal at https://educator.cete.us.
2. Click Forgot Password?
3. Type your Username.
4. Click Submit.
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5. You will receive a notification that the password reset request has been received.
KITE-support@ku.edu will send a password reset email within one hour; check your
junk or spam email folders if this automated message does not arrive.
6. Click the link in the message.
7. Type your Username.
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8. Type a new password in the Password and Confirm Password fields.
9. Click Submit.
10. Click Return to KITE Login Page.
CHANGE PASSWORD
To change your password, follow these steps:
1. Click My Profile.
2. Click Change Password on the left menu.
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3. Complete these fields.



Current Password
New Password
Confirm Password
4. Click Save.
5. Click X to close the pop-up window.
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COMPLETE SECURITY AGREEMENT
This procedure is required for all first-time DLM users and at annual renewal. It will
appear the first time you log in.
All educators who administer the DLM alternate assessments are required to read and
respond to a security agreement. This information is stored in EP, and is renewable
annually.
To complete the Security Agreement, follow these steps:
1. Click My Profile.
2. Click Security Agreement on the left menu.
3. Read the agreement.
4. Choose your reply.
5. Type your full name in the field.
6. Click Save.
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A message indicates that you have successfully saved the security agreement
information.
7. Click X to close the pop-up window.
CHANGE DISPLAY NAME
The display name is the name that shows when logging into the application. The default
display name is the first name and last name that was defined in the user upload
completed by your Data Steward to create your account. Editing your display name is
an option.
To edit your display name, follow these steps:
1. Click My Profile.
2. Click Edit Display Name on the left menu.
3. Type your Display Name.
4. Click Save.
5. Click X to close the pop-up window.
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CHANGE USER ROLE VIEW
If you require multiple roles (because you teach in different buildings or districts) AND
your Data Steward has set up your access with those roles, you are able to switch your
user role view to see the students in a particular building or district. The role name is
followed by the building or district. Click the drop-down arrow to choose the desired
role.
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CHANGE DEFAULT ORGANIZATION AND ROLE
The default organization and role affect the view that appears when logging in to EP.
The default organization and role was defined in the user upload completed by your
Data Steward when she or he created your account. Changing the default organization
and role is an option.
To change the default organization and role, follow these steps:
1. Click My Profile.
2. Click Change Default Organization and Role on the left menu.
3. Choose the organization and role you want to be the default.
4. Click Save.
5. Click X to close the pop-up window.
ACCESS DATA EXTRACTS
This section summarizes the data extracts available through EP.
VIEW A DATA EXTRACT
The following data extracts are available for select users. If the user does not have
permission to view the extract, it will not appear in the list.
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Name of Data Extract
Current Enrollment
Accessibility Profile
Roster
Users
Test Records
DLM Test Administration Monitoring
Accessibility Profile Summary
Summary
Enrollment data for your organization
Access (PNP) settings for your organization
Roster data for your organization
User data for your organization
Test records for students in your organization
Testlets assigned and completed in a subject
(per student)
Student counts by organization for supports
selected in Access (PNP) Profile
To view a data extract, follow these steps:
1. Click Reports.
2. On the left side of the Reports screen, under Data Extracts, click Downloads.
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3. Click New File for the extract that you wish to view.
4. Select your organization (district or school).
5. Choose begin and end dates when applicable; click Ok.
6. If you accessed the report previously, you will receive this message. Click Yes to
proceed.
Hint: Each request for an extract replaces the previous extract. Save
extracts to your computer if you require an archive.
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7. The File field transitions from “In Queue” to “CSV.”
8. Click CSV to access the extract file.
Hint: Think of a CSV file as a completely unformatted Excel file. The
inability to apply formatting mostly impacts fields with leading
zeroes.
9. Follow the browser’s procedure for viewing or saving the CSV file to your computer.
UNDERSTANDING THE ACCESSIBILITY PROFILE EXTRACT
Accessibility Profile creates a CSV file that lists the accessibility (PNP) settings for the
students enrolled in a particular district or school. Only students who have PNP settings
are included in the file. The file contains a column for every possible PNP setting and
indicates whether or not that setting has been chosen for a student.
Name of the Extract
When saving the Accessibility Profile download, the file will have the following name:
Educator_Portal_PNP_OrgID_UserID_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
Hint: OrgID is the organization identifier for your school or district.
UserID is your user identification number.
MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the file was
created.
HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the file was
created.
Fields in the Extract
The file includes information about a student’s PNP settings. Each of the possible PNP
settings is included in the file. See the example below.
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The file indicates whether or not a feature or support has been selected for a student,
and, if a feature or support has multiple settings, the details of those settings are listed.
For example, the overlay color can be set to one of several pre-determined colors. The
file lists the hexadecimal value of the color selected (e.g., #87cffd), as well as the
description of the color (e.g., Light Sky Blue). You may also see the following results in
columns:
• N/A–indicates that the feature or support has not been selected, either because the
selection depends upon another item being checked or because the accommodation
is not available for your organization.
• Not Selected–appears when a feature or support has been selected, but “Activate by
Default” has not been selected.
• Selected–indicates that the feature or support has been selected on the student’s
PNP.
Some columns on the file that may be of particular interest are described in the table
below.
Column Name
Description
Last Modified Time
The date and time that the PNP settings were last
modified. The format used is MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM
AM/PM and time zone.
Last Modified By
The name of the person who made the last change to
the PNP settings.
UNDERSTANDING THE ACCESSIBILITY PROFILE SUMMARY EXTRACT
The Accessibility Profile Summary extract creates a CSV file that lists the total number of
students who have a particular setting on their Access Profile (PNP). Depending upon
the level of access, you can retrieve summary data in several configurations. If you have
district-level or state-level access, select filters for the report.
Note: If you have school-level access to Educator Portal (i.e., you access the data
for one school), there is no need to select any filters. The CSV file will have two
lines of data, summarizing the PNP settings for your school.
District-Level Access
The district-level filter window displays a choice of two summary levels: District or
School, and three possible combinations for selecting the data to be included in the CSV
file. When the contents include two rows of data, one marked as General Assessment
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and one marked as DLM, use only the DLM rows. See the screenshot below.
Settings
Filter
CSV Contents
District Summary
Level
CSV file contains two lines
of data–PNP counts
summarized for the district.
School Summary
Level
CSV file contains multiple
lines of data–two lines for
each of the schools in the
district.
School Summary
Level
CSV file contains two lines
of data–PNP counts
summarized for a single
school.
School selected
Name of the Extract
When saving the Accessibility Profile Summary download, the file will have the
following name:
Summary_Accessibility_Profile_OrgID_UserID_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
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Hint: OrgID is the organization identifier for the school or district.
UserID is the user identification number.
MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the report was created.
HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the report was
created.
Fields in the Extract
The report includes columns of information about the PNP settings in use. Unlike the
Accessibility Profile extract, PNP settings are summarized by category.
The extract provides a count of the total number of students who have the
accommodation selected in their PNP.
UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT ENROLLMENT EXTRACT
The Current Enrollment extract includes all records for students who are enrolled in the
user’s organization.
Hint: There will be multiple records for one student if the student has
been enrolled in more than one school or grade.
Name of the Extract
When saving the Current Enrollment extract, the file is named:
KITE_Enrollment_Extract_OrgID_UserID_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
Hint: OrgID is the organization identifier for your school or district.
UserID is your user identification number.
MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the report was
created.
HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the report was
created.
Fields in the Extract
The extract includes information about each student. With the addition of Extract_State,
Extract_District, and Extract_School_Name, the columns are the same as those in the
Enrollment Upload Template.
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UNDERSTANDING THE ROSTER EXTRACT
The Roster extract creates a CSV file that lists the students and educators on every roster
in a particular school. When creating the extract, you must select the school. The Roster
extract is similar, but not identical to the Roster Upload Template.
Note: If your program will use the report to maintain rosters, be sure to delete
the first five columns in the report (State, District, School, Last Modified Time,
and Last Modified By) and any other columns that do not identically match the
Roster Template.
Name of the Extract
When saving the Roster extract, the file is named:
KITE_Roster_Extract_OrgID_UserID_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
Hint: OrgID is the organization identifier for your school or district.
UserID is your user identification number.
MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the report was
created.
HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the report was
created.
Fields in the Extract
The extract includes information about rosters. With the addition of Extract_State,
Extract_District, and Extract_School, the columns are the same as those in the Roster
Upload Template.
UNDERSTANDING THE USERS EXTRACT
Note: Depending upon account permissions, you may not be able to access this
report. Contact your Data Steward.
The Users extract creates a CSV file that lists the users and their role(s) in a particular
school. When creating the extract, you must select the school. The extract contains a
column for all of the roles available in EP and indicates if that role has been assigned to
the user.
Name of the Extract
When saving the Users extract, the file is named:
KITE_User_Extract_OrgID_UserID_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
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Hint: OrgID is the organization identifier for your school or district.
UserID is your user identification number.
MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the report was
created.
HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the report was
created.
Fields in the Extract
The extract includes information about the roles assigned to a user. If a user is assigned
to more than one organization, she or he will appear on multiple lines in the CSV. For
example, if an educator works in more than one school, she or he will appear on a line
for each school in the CSV.
All of the user’s assigned roles for a particular organization appear on a single line of the
CSV. For example, if the user is a Building Test Coordinator and a Building Principal, an
X will be in each column.
UNDERSTANDING THE DLM TEST ADMINISTRATION MONITORING EXTRACT
The DLM Test Administration Monitoring Extract includes the number of testlets
confirmed, in progress, and completed by a student. Testlet counts are included for each
subject, so a student may appear on more than one line in the extract. If a student is in
more than one roster, grade, or school, separate lines will appear for the student.
•
•
A student will not appear on this extract until they are enrolled and rostered to at
least one subject in the current school year.
Data is available for the current testing year (September 1 through July 31).
Hint: There are two subsections of the extract: the Instructional dates
apply to the four columns of Instructional testlets; the End of
Year dates apply to the four columns of End of Year testlets.
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Use the system default dates for accurate results. Do NOT
change the dates that appear.
When saving the DLM Test Administration Monitoring extract, the file will have the
following name:
KITE_DLM_Test_Administration_Status_Extract_MM-DD-YY_HH-MM-SS.csv
Hint: MM-DD-YY is the month, day, and year that the extract was
created. HH-MM-SS is the hour, minute, and second that the
extract was created.
These four columns include data from the spring testing window.
Hint: The End of Year Begin and End dates affect the data in these
columns. Use the system default dates for accurate results. Do
NOT change the dates that appear.
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Column Heading
End of Year # Testlets Not
Started
Definition
The number of testlets assigned by the system for the
spring testing window, but which the student has not
yet started.
Hint: The system assigns testlets one at a time, not all
at the beginning of the window.
End of Year # Testlets In
Progress
The number of spring window testlets that are in
progress.
End of Year # Testlets
Completed
The number of testlets from the spring testing
window that have been completed by the student. By
the end of the state’s spring testing window, the
numbers in this column should equal the number in
the “End of Year # Testlets Required” column.
The number of required testlets, based on the
blueprint for the subject. See the section titled
Number of Testlets for Spring Testing in the TEST
ADMINISTRATION MANUAL.
End of Year # Testlets
Required
TEST ADMINISTRATOR PROCEDURES
See the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL for these procedures that are specific to test
administrators.
MANAGE STUDENT DATA
•
•
•
•
•
View and Check Student Data
View and Check Roster
Complete Access (Personal Needs & Preferences) Profile
Complete First Contact Survey
Record Testing Exceptions
MANAGE ASSESSMENTS
•
•
View Student Username and Password
Retrieve Testlet Information Page
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KITE CLIENT
KITE CLIENT TESTING DEVICES
The DLM alternate assessments may be administered on:
Windows PC desktops
Via KITE Client with Windows and Mac
Mac desktops
instructions
Laptops (PC or Mac)
iPads
Via KITE Client app with iPad instructions
(previous versions are not supported)
Chromebooks
Via KITE Client or Google app with Chromebook
instructions
Local devices attached to these machines, such as interactive whiteboards, are also
acceptable. Interactive whiteboards (brand names SMART, Promethean, etc.) may be
used in testing. The same hardware, software, and screen resolution constraints apply.
The projector associated with the interactive whiteboard must project the computer
screen at a resolution of no lower than 1024 x 768. For more information on testing
devices, contact your Technical Liaison.
ENSURE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
An internet connection is required to deliver assessments through the use of KITE
Client. Test administrators may contact you or a Technical Liaison to ask about
opportunities available for testing without the use of an internet connection.
KITE PROCEDURES
See the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL for these KITE procedures that support test
administrators.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Access Practice Activities and Released Testlets
Start a Test
Navigate in KITE Client
Take a Break During Testing
Complete the Test
Change An Accessibility Support During Testing
Troubleshoot in KITE Client
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GLOSSARY
This glossary compiles definitions and acronyms relevant to testing for the Dynamic
Learning Maps Alternate Assessment.
claim
A broad statement about what the DLM consortium expects
students to learn and to be able to demonstrate within each
content area. Each claim is subdivided into two or more
conceptual areas.
conceptual area
A region within the dynamic learning map that contains nodes
associated with related Essential Elements and nodes that
represent concepts and skills that support the learning of the
Essential Elements. Conceptual areas are comprised of clusters of
connected concepts and skills, and serve as models of how
students may acquire and organize their content knowledge.
Conceptual areas are considered subparts of the overall claims.
connection
The relationship between two nodes. Connections are illustrated
with arrows in the map.
engagement
activity
An activity that precedes a testlet and describes a scenario, taps
into prior knowledge or experience, and/or introduces the
concept to be addressed. In English language arts, the first
reading of the text often serves as the engagement activity. In
math, the engagement activity provides context for the items.
Essential
Elements (EE)
Specific statements of knowledge and skills linked to the gradelevel expectations identified in college- and career-readiness
standards. EEs build bridges from the content in the grade-level
standards to academic expectations for students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities.
First Contact
(FC)
A survey used to collect background information about students
who are eligible for the DLM assessments. The survey goes
beyond basic demographic information to include questions on
communication, assistive technology devices, motor and sensory
impairments, and academic performance. Some questions from
the First Contact survey are used to determine a student’s entry
point, or initialization, into the assessment.
initialization
The process by which existing information about a student is used
to determine the point in the map at which the student enters the
assessment for the first time.
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linkage level
A small section of the dynamic learning map that contains one or
more nodes that represent critical concepts or skills needed to
learn the Essential Element. Linkage levels are always related
directly to grade-level Essential Elements but extend back to
foundational skills at the Initial Precursor level. There are five
linkage levels: Initial Precursor, Distal Precursor, Proximal
Precursor, Target, and Successor. The nodes at the Target level are
most closely related to the expectation in the Essential Element.
node
Individual skills and understandings that were identified in the
research in mathematics and English language arts.
Personal Needs
& Preferences
(PNP) Profile
Also called Access Profile. Student-specific information that tells
KITE Client about individual users' needs. The PNP includes
information that the system needs to make the student’s user
interface compatible with her or his accessibility needs. In
Educator Portal, the PNP profile includes information about
display enhancements, language and braille, and audio and
environment supports. Educators who know the student provide
the information in the profile.
State Education
Agency (SEA)
A state department of education.
testlet
Short for instructionally relevant testlet. A testlet includes an
engagement activity and a set of three to nine items. Beginning
with an engagement activity and combining multiple items
increases the instructional relevance of the assessment, and
provides a better estimate of the students’ knowledge, skills, and
abilities than can be achieved by a single test item.
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APPENDIX A
Your state has provided an appendix to this manual with information customized for
your state. You will find this same information on your state’s DLM website. The
filename will look like this:
ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR MANUAL APPENDIX ST (where ST is the two-letter
abbreviation for your state). See How to Use the DLM Website on page 17 to get started.
SEAs: If you wish to provide a state appendix to this manual, send the finished file,
along with a DLM Website Update Request Form.
DOCUMENT HISTORY
Page numbers are valid ONLY for the date and version noted.
They may change in future versions.
Date
05/18/2016
02/23/2016
Section Name/
Summary of Changes
Added an appendix regarding Special Circumstance
Codes
Starting Page
Added statements regarding the new Data Lockdown in
Checklists for Assessment Coordinators and Monitor
and Support Test Preparations and Administration
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APPENDIX B–AGE RANGES FOR TESTING
NYSAA is administered only to high school students who are or will be 18 according to
the age range chart. Enroll the student in grade 9 to receive the appropriate test.
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APPENDIX C—REASONS FOR NOT TESTING
ENTER A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE CODE
In the event that a student cannot participate in a testlet that generates a performance
level used for federal and state accountability, a special circumstance code can be
entered in Educator Portal to provide explanation for the reason the student was not
tested. Your state’s SEA submitted a list of codes and their meanings, which may be
available on your state’s DLM website if your state requested they be posted.
Note: Codes must be entered before the testing window ends.
The Special Circumstances fields are located in EP on the same screen where the TIP is
accessed, and are descriptive words, e.g., medical Waiver or Parental Refusal. Only
educators with the role of District Test Coordinator, Building Test Coordinator, or State
Assessment Administrator have the permissions to choose the code. We recommend
that the special Circumstance code not be entered until late in the state’s testing
window, but before the window closes. The code needs to be entered once per content
area associated with the first testlet to be delivered. The testlet does not need to be
opened.
Note: Once the code is selected and saved, the code can be changed by any
authorized user.
To enter the special circumstance for a student, follow these steps.
10. Click Test Management.
11. Click Test Management.
12. Select the following options in these fields:




Assessment Program: Dynamic Learning Maps
Testing Program: Summative
District: Your district
School: Your school
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13. Click Search.
14. Click the Test Session Name you want to update. Please note that this will need to
be repeated for each subject.
15. Select the student.
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16. Select the applicable Special Circumstance.
17.
Note: If the wrong code is selected and saved, the code can be changed by any
authorized user.
18. Click Save.
Hint: Once the Save button is clicked, the Special Circumstances column
updates to indicate the special circumstance code has saved.
Hint: Code entry in Educator Portal is independent of the testlet delivery
system. A new testlet is delivered each time a testlet is submitted.
Note: If a special circumstances code was selected, but is not needed, the user
should follow steps 1-8 and choose the default “select” as the special
circumstances code for the student.
See the following page for the special circumstance codes and descriptions.
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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE CODES
NYSAA Not
Tested Category *
NYSAA Not Tested Description *
New York users should
use the following
Special Circumstances
Code in Educator Portal
to indicate a NYSAA
Not Tested Category.
Absent
The student was in attendance for fewer than Chronic Absences
30 school days as a NYSAA eligible student
between March 21—June 3, 2016 (ELA and
Mathematics) and it was determined that
there was not enough time to assess the
student.
Not Enrolled at
The student left the district before an
Other
Time of Test
assessment could be collected, or the student
arrived in the district too late for the district
Administration
to enter the student into SIRS as NYSAA
eligible and an assessment could not be
completed.
Medically Excused To be medically excused from taking the
Medical Waiver
NYSAA, the student must be too
incapacitated to be assessed because of
illness or injury resulting from a significant
medical emergency, as documented by a
medical practitioner, for more than 30 school
days between March 21—June 3, 2016 (ELA
and Mathematics). Students taking the
NYSAA are not considered medically
excused from testing because of their
disability.
Took Another
The student took another approved
Other Reason for NonAssessment to
assessment (i.e., a New York State general
Participation
assessment, Regents Competency Test (or
Fulfill Testing
approved alternative), Regents Examination
Requirement
(or approved alternative)) to fulfill the
testing requirement in a particular content
area.
The student is expected to participate in the Parent Refusal
NYSAA but does not participate.
*http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/nysaa/2015-16/nottested16.pdf
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