Online Diploma
Update
Spring 2014
Dan Karas, Director, Exam Administration
Deanna Shostak, Acting Director, Diploma
Examinations
Assessment Sector
Digitally-Based Assessment Update
• Use of Quest A+ (2013/2014 school year)
 Digital format field tests
 Almost 17,000 digital format field tests administered with Quest A+ from
September to January
 Approximately 3,000 digital format unit/topic field tests have been
administered between February 1 and April 25
 Approximately 33,000 digital format field tests (PATs/Diplomas) will be
administered between May 1 and June 13
 Diploma Examinations
 6000 written responses were administered in a secure digital format.
This is expected to increase to approximately 8000 for the June 2014
session and be substantially higher in 2014/2015.
 1800 Chromebooks were used
Quest A+ “2.0”
• HTML-based
• Is being used to administer the grade 3 SLA field tests and
the pilot grade 3 SLA in the fall
• Approximately 1,700 SLA field test instances representing
about 34,000 individual field tests will be administered
between April 23 and May 30.
• https://questaplus.alberta.ca
Increased Offerings of Diploma
Examinations Timelines
•
November 2013/April 14 saw a big uptake
•
November 2014 and April 2015
 Pre-registration is needed, as is a school-awarded mark
•
November 2015 and April 2016
 All high-demand diploma examinations will be administered
o Biology 30, Chemistry 30, ELA 30-1, ELA 30-2, Math 30-1, Physics 30,
SS 30-1, SS 30-2
December 2017
 Additional diploma examination session will be added in December, with the
above high-demand subjects
•
Technology and New Online Assessment
Timelines
Time
Action
2013-2014 School Year
Continue using Quest A+ as the electronic delivery pilot
June 2014
Post RFP for an online assessment system
Fall 2014
Conclude the RFP and select a suitable system
2014/2015
Transfer existing paper to online assessment system
2015/2016
Pilot the electronic delivery and return of selected examinations
in major or minor sessions
2016/2017
Electronic delivery and return of selected diploma examinations
in selected sessions, with the new system. Concurrent
availability of paper versions in January and June sessions
2017/2018
Additional diploma examination sessions in December, in highdemand subjects (e.g. Math 30-1, ELA 30-1, etc.)
What will be new for 2014 – 2015?
•
August 2014
 tech support needed for Part A’s
•
Digital Math and Science field tests
 Enhanced reports for formative purposes
 24 h window for perusal
 Extended availability
 120 minute field tests available in some subjects
Social Studies Hybrid Field Test in January 2015
November 2014
 ELA 30-2, Chemistry 30, Math 30-1
April 2015
 ELA 30-1, Social 30-1, Social 30-2
•
•
•
Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security
Standard
• In June 2014, all government fee collection services are
required to be PCI compliant
 Credit card numbers can NOT be provided via email, fax, or telephone
 This means that there will be a new system for rewrites, rescores and
transcripts
 A third-party broker handles secure payment via credit card
New Online System for PCI Compliance
• New online system for requesting and paying for High
School Transcripts, Statements of Marks, rewrites and
rescores
 Accessed through the Alberta Education website
 Students can enroll and create an Alberta Education user-id
 Payment can be made by credit card
 Paper can still be used BUT
 No credit cards
 The NEW forms must be used, starting in June 2014
 Present the paper forms in person or mail in (with cheque or
money order)
Summary of the new Diploma Exam
Rescore process
 Logon to the new online system
 Request the Diploma Exam Rescore
 Pay for the Diploma Exam Rescore using a credit card
 Print off the Diploma Exam Rescore form (for signature
purposes)
 Fax/mail or email the signed Diploma Exam Rescore to
Alberta Education.
Summary of the options for Transcripts,
Rewrites & Rescores
Using the NEW forms
Online with a credit card through the new system
Mail in along with a cheque or money order
In person with credit card, debit card, cash, cheque or
money order:
Alberta Education
High School Transcripts and Diplomas
2nd Floor, 44 Capital Boulevard
10044 - 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6
PASI – Web
Starting April 2015
 Diploma Examination Mark Statements will be available
here and no longer mailed out
 Students will need to access the online PASI portal