Your monthly update on all things MS-CPAS
August 2021
The Heat is On
 
The end of the 2021 MS ACTE Summer Conference is the sign that the dog days of August are fast upon us and we are about to begin the start of another school year.

As with the start of any new year, there is always change. For our team over this summer, we bid farewell to Brian Dorsey. Brian was an integral part of our national certification processes as well as helping the team develop item banks for our statewide assessments. His knowledge of online learning grew during his time at the RCU, which will serve him well at the MSU Center for Distance Education.

Last month, we hired Mandy Scarpulla. Mandy brings a wealth of knowledge to our team from an administrative, teaching and workforce perspective. She most recently worked as a principal and assistant principal in high schools across the state, but her career started as a forensic chemist in New York City. When you see Mandy online or in person, please welcome her to the CTE world. 

For our educational technology focus of the month, I wanted to draw your attention to a few resources that may help your students improve their information literacy. This skill is necessary for preparing students for both college and careers!

Search Like a Pro
: It has been my experience that even at the university level, my students do not know how to search properly to find the best information for things they need personally or professionally. Cindy Otis created a great one-page infographic to help your students hone this skill.

Literacy: With the passage of Perkins V, there is an increased emphasis on CTE educators playing a more active role in helping improve students' academic proficiency in Reading/Language Arts (Secondary Core Indicator 2S1). There are several Google Chrome extensions you can integrate into your CTE classroom for students (or advise them to use in their other classes) to help improve this proficiency.

As a reminder, the 2021-2022 testing dates and assessment events calendar have been released on our website. Make sure you log in to download that file and other assessment resources on the RCU website. A few things to note are the change in dates for test coordinator training and the removal of congressional district windows during spring 2022 testing. The assessment team will discuss the fall and spring testing processes in detail at test coordinator training events.

Have a great start of the school year!

Sean Owen, PhD
Assessment Director

If your CTE center has a new director or  
testing coordinator for the 2021-2022 school year, please  
let us know by submitting a Help Desk ticket with the
name and contact information of this new hire.
Important Dates
 
Fall Roster Submission PeriodSept. 24 to Oct. 8
Fall Practice Testing for MS-CPAS Oct. 1 to Nov. 4
Fall MS-CPAS Demo Period
Demo testing is open year-round. 
SEC Coordinator Training
  • Lake Terrace Convention Center, Hattiesburg
  • Hunter Henry Center, MSU

Two one-day events
  • Oct. 19: in Hattiesburg
  • Nov. 2: in Starkville
Fall Verification DeadlineOct. 8
Fall 2021 Testing
Note: National certification reports will be available by January, contingent on the release of results by certification companies
  • Nov. 8-11: MS-CPAS Testing
  • Nov. 12: Makeup MS-CPAS Testing
  • Nov. 26: Final MS-CPAS Reports Available at 5 p.m.
  • Nov. 8 to Dec. 3: National Certification Testing

Spring Roster Submission Period
Jan. 25 to Feb. 18
Spring MS-CPAS Demo PeriodDemo testing is open year-round. 
Spring Practice Testing for MS-CPAS
Feb. 22 to March 24
Spring Verification DeadlineFeb. 18
Spring 2022 Testing
Note: It is not necessary to wait until the makeup day to test students who need to make up an assessment.
National certification reports will be available by midsummer, contingent on the release of results by certification companies.
  • April 1-28: MS-CPAS Testing
  • April 29: Makeup MS-CPAS Testing
  • March 21 to May 13: National Certification Testing
  • May 13: Final MS-CPAS Reports Available at 5 p.m.


To view a full calendar, visit the MS-CPAS resources page and log in to the RCU website. 
MS-CPAS Testing
 
The 2021-2022 secondary CTE testing calendar and all 2021-2022 blueprints are now on the RCU website. The 2021-2022 CTE Testing Manual and other updated documents will be added to the website in early August.

One major change to take note of is a change to test coordinator training. We will hold test coordinator training in October instead of February. This training will combine our previous February test coordinator training with the new test coordinator training that typically takes place in the fall, and we will offer specific sessions for new test coordinators. Currently, we are planning for a one-day, face-to-face format held in both Hattiesburg (Oct. 19) and Starkville (Nov. 2). You may select the training held at the location that is closest to you. Because many pathways are transitioning to new national certifications this year, it will be better to complete this training earlier in the school year. Make plans to attend one of the dates and look for more details and instructions for registering in the September MS-CPAS Minute.

National Certifications
 
New Certifications: All 2021-2022 blueprints are now live on the RCU website in addition to the 2021-2022 secondary CTE testing calendar linked above.

As mentioned in the July MS-CPAS Minute, several pathways are transitioning to new national certifications this school year. The pathways that will take new certifications are:
  • Advanced Manufacturing (Y1)
  • Architecture and Drafting (Y2)
  • Business, Marketing, and Finance (Y2)
  • Engineering (Y2)
  • Information Technology (Y1 and Y2)
  • Metal Fabrication (Y1)
More information about each of these certifications can be found in the CTE Testing Manual and on the Student Certifications page of the RCU website. Testing coordinators should look for certification survival guides to be posted on the RCU website mid-fall.

Fall Testing Option: Pathways taking the National Health Science Assessment (NHSA) or the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification may choose to test in either the fall or spring certification window. If your center chooses to take your certification test in the fall window, you will need to notify the RCU via Help Desk by Sept. 1. Not all tests within the ASE suite would need to be taken within one window. These could be split over the fall and spring windows but must be taken within the specified testing window dates.

Information Technology
Schools offering IT have access to resources to prepare for the certification test offered through TestOut. If your instructor did not attend MS ACTE, you will need to notify us via the Help Desk to receive a temporary license to access these resources.

Engineering: Engineering programs will have an option of Autodesk (CAD) or SolidWorks as the end-of-the-year certification. Each school must notify the RCU via Help Desk as to the software their teacher uses so end-of-year certification vouchers can be purchased.

NCCER Module Testing: In the 2021-2022 school year, NCCER programs will use online module testing. End-of-year NCCER testing will still be used for Perkins V accountability purposes.

To prepare for NCCER module testing, test coordinators will need to load all students into the NCCER system early this fall. Students must be uploaded before the first module test can occur. Check with your instructor on their timeline for completion of the first module. The first module test will most likely occur in late August or early September. Groups have already been created in the NCCER system, so uploading can begin now.

To Load Students:
  • Log in to your NCCER account.
  • Click on "Group Management."
  • Click on your testing location.
  • Do not create groups, change names of groups or delete groups.
  • Pay close attention to the names of the groups. Do not load students into end-of-year groups 
  • Find Module testing groups and click "Edit."
  • Enter the NCCER ID of the student and click "Find."
  • When the correct student name appears, click "Add Test-Taker."
  • Be sure to assign correct rosters to the correct module groups.
  • Students can be added or deleted from a group at any time. 
To Assign Module Tests:
  • Once students have been loaded to the correct groups, select the home button that looks like a house at the top of the page.
  • Click "Test Assignments."
  • Select "Edit" for each module (looks like a pencil).
    • Use blueprints and/or instructors to know which modules go with each course.
    • Core modules will need to be assigned to each Y1 group/instructor.
  • Select the instructor (located on the left side of the page) and click "Add Test-Takers."
  • Select the previously set up group and click "Add."
  • Repeat these steps for each module.
  • Once all modules are assigned, this process will be complete until students need to be uploaded for end-of-year testing or a new student needs to be added.
For the 2021-2022 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education recommends but will not require that someone other than the teacher of record administer the module testing. The MDE suggests districts start working on a plan for other staff members to proctor module testing for 2022-2023. This can include allowing the student services coordinator or another CTE instructor to proctor the module testing.

View https://tinyurl.com/3r53azyn for information about text-to-speech options for students with IEPs that require read-aloud accommodations.

If you have a question or need assistance, please contact us by sending a Help Desk ticket or calling 662.325.2510.

Key Contacts
Assessment Director .............................
Assessment Manager ...........................
National Certifications ...........................
Data and Research ...............................
MS-CPAS ..............................................
Cliff Thames & Mandy Scarpulla
Ben Alexander & Sean Owen

Have assessment needs not addressed in this issue?
Create a Help Desk ticket, and we'll get right on it! 

662.325.2510 | rcu.msstate.edu
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