Standardized Testing is Trying - Dr. Kelli Langan Wants to Change That
There's no way around it: from managing schedules to meeting accommodation requirements, testing gets tricky. In this webinar Lara Miller, Account Executive for TestHound talked with Dr. Kelli Langan, Director of Assessment and Accountability in Springdale ISD in Arkansas. We discuss what it's like to work with new testing coordinators, how to manage dealing with new assessments that seem to pop up every year, the challenges of switching over to a new testing system, and the importance of sharing what we learn along the way with others.
New Assessments: A Constant Challenge Across the U.S.
Dr. Kelli Langan: So, this is my fourth year as district testing coordinator here in Springdale. Every year is a new year, and this is our fourth year of having a new assessment. So, every year I get to relearn what I'm doing. I think that's the nature of the position. I'm so thankful that I have Albert, my assistant network technician. He does so much work on the data side for me when it comes to the beginning of the school year and getting things ready. Having a calendar that sets up when everything is due, and when all my training is going to be, I think that's very, very helpful.
Using Data in a Way That Makes Sense
Langan: Sometimes data is measured in a way that doesn't really measure achievement, but measures readiness for performing with your peers. It's not that 30% of your students were proficient. They took the test. That's important. It's, "how did they move?" We're testing to inform our instruction, or we're testing to move students out of English language proficiency assessment (ELPA) services if they don't need them.
Navigating Testing and Turnover
Lara Miller: What's your biggest struggle? Probably turnover? How do you get new folks on the same page?
Langan: I try to pair them off with someone like a veteran building test coordinator and make sure they have someone they can call when I'm not available. Having a new person paired with a more experienced testing coordinator can help them learn the ropes. Sharing a calendar really helps, because that gives them a roadmap for what's coming. Sometimes it ends up being a little game between buildings because everyone can see what's getting accomplished. This way, deadlines don't just sneak up on you.
Managing Accommodations: Tips and Tricks
Langan: Last year was our first year to have TestHound. I'm going to be honest with you: I got some pushback. We had to redo our accommodations setup in SEAS, our special education automation software. At one point there were actually open text fields where people could type what they wanted for accommodations. It was different for every school, almost every student. TestHound forced us to think about accommodations from a district perspective and how to make them uniform and consistent. This is where TestHound shines.
Dealing with Testing Mishaps
Langan: I got a call this morning from one of our new testing coordinators that there might have been a testing irregularity. In this situation, there was an accommodation that was put on the test that should have been taken off because the student had exited English Language Learner (ELL) services, but it didn't get processed. The test administrator was a new teacher who didn't know what to do. We all took a deep breath, realized that we could just take the test accommodation off. Life goes on. Training people to stay calm and learning how to not overreact yourself is key. You don't want your teachers to be terrified to teach or terrified to report irregularities. The testing coordinator told the teacher that she did exactly what she was trained to do. She was actively monitoring and did the right thing.
Working as a Statewide Team
Miller: One thing that we have all found over time is that staying connected and sharing information is really the only way that we can survive. I think it's easy for people to become isolated in their offices and in their districts. That being said, there are people out there that are doing the work and have done the work. So why not share?
Langan: We need to share! I'm also the President of the Arkansas Association of Testing Professionals and I encourage anyone to please reach out. Anything I have is open to other testing professionals!
Meet TestHound
TestHound is a comprehensive K-12 testing assessment coordination tool that integrates data from disparate systems into a single platform for easier assessment coordination. By utilizing the efficiencies provided through the platform, tasks that could take several days to accomplish using alternative methods can be done within a matter of hours. TestHound empowers overextended school staff to efficiently and accurately coordinate K-12 assessments, allowing them to spend their valuable time on other priorities.
