TO: LOTE Checkpoint a and B Teachers and Administrators in the Mid-West JMT Region

TO: LOTE Checkpoint A and B Teachers and Administrators in the Mid-West JMT Region

FROM: Dr. MarijoPearson, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development, Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES

Cheryl Dobbertin, Director of School Improvement, Monroe #1 BOCES

DATE: January 9, 2017

RE: LOTE Checkpoint A and Checkpoint B Regional Assessment Update

For the past 6 years, LOTE Checkpoint A and B assessments have been written regionally by 66 school districts in our area. The LOTE assessment writing groups worked diligently and followed the NYSED protocols for assessment writing. In the spring of 2016, The Mid-West Regional LOTE assessments were approved by NYSED to be used by districts for teacher and principal evaluations. As a result of this rigorous approval process, we will be offering to our districts one of the approved assessments and will not be developing new test items. LOTE Checkpoint A and B assessments developed regionally are available in 3 languages (French, German, and Spanish).

This year, Monroe #1 BOCES and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES will facilitate a Final Eyes Review for the both Checkpoint A and B assessments in all 3 languages on March 8, 2017. The Final Eyes Review will consist of having teachers review all items of the various forms of the Checkpoint A and B assessments to ensure a balanced assessment and to check for errors in the assessments. The Final Eyes Review will be offered as a half-day session and participants will choose to come in the AM or PM to review their language assessments. Information about the Final Eyes Review will be forthcoming to districts who have previously participating in the LOTE Checkpoint A and B writing.

Test Security and Testing Date/Window

The Mid-West JMT BOCES and the teachers involved in writing of the Regional Checkpoint A and Bassessments have ensured that the assessments are secure. All Regional Checkpoint A and B assessments developed previously must be kept secure and not used for review or for any other purposes.

In an attempt to the ensure test security, BOCES is encouraging districts to give the Checkpoint A and B Regional Assessments on June 19, 2017 (as per the NYS Regents Examination schedule). We understand that this date may not be conducive to all districts, so we have also added a “test window” beginning Tuesday June 13, 2017 and running through June 22,2017. For those districts that logistically are not able to give the exam on June 19, 2017; we are encouraging you to work with your district and BOCES to determine a common date for administration. In doing so, we will hold true the integrity of the examination and ensure the best possible testing conditions for all students.

Administration and Scoring Process

Since the Checkpoint A and B Assessments are modeled after the NYS exams, teachers should follow the NYSED Directions for Administering and Scoring of the assessments and the Teacher’s Manual for Administering and Scoring Part 1 (Speaking). Please note that this exam is not a NY State Education Department exam. The State Education department has stated in both memos and emails that this isnow a local exam that can be constructed regionally in accordance with the new APPR regulation.

Please note that if the Regional LOTE Checkpoint A and B examinations are being utilized for any part of the new APPR process (SLO), the guidelines for assessment security must befollowed. According to G2 of the guidance ( teacher may NOT score her own students’ assessments.

Within in the next few weeks you will receive a district link to complete for the district contact form. If you have any questions about the process, the administration dates, or test security, please feel free to contact Dr. Marijo Pearson, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development for Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES at (585)352-2416 or via email at .