Your monthly update on all things assessment

Important Dates

If your CTE center has a new director, student services

coordinator, counselor or test coordinator for the

2023-2024 school year, please let us know by submitting

a Help Desk ticket with this new hire's name and contact information.

Important Information

Health Science and Agriculture courses will continue the embedded WBL requirement. Educator Preparation will be added to the embedded WBL program during the school year 2024-2025. More information and AET training to come.

All districts will continue to utilize PULSE this year. One-year, two-year and credit-bearing work-based learning programs funded by the Mississippi Department of Education will complete the PULSE Quality Performance Rubric (QPR). The next submission for PULSE is due Feb. 29 and includes indicators 3-4. 

Pulse Office Hours will be offered again for the upcoming February submission. Anyone with questions regarding what to upload or best practices can log on to an open Zoom room for assistance.

Monday, Feb. 26 – Thursday, Feb. 29

9:00-11 a.m.

1:00-3 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93334773949

Meeting ID: 933 3477 3949

Scores are being released for program indicators 1 and 2 for two-year programs only. Should you wish to dispute your score, please follow this link to complete the form with the following guidelines in mind:

1. Provide a thorough and detailed explanation of your reason for disputing the score.

2. Include any relevant evidence or data that supports your position.

3. Be specific in your explanations to facilitate a smooth review process.

If a teacher has any issue with his/her score, the director/contact should submit a dispute form. The deadline for submitting the dispute form is March 1, 2024. We encourage you to review your scores as soon as they are released and submit any disputes promptly.

Coordinating Your Center's Tests

Test Coordinator To-Do List

Remember to complete the following steps as you prepare for the 2023-2024 testing season:

• Submit any roster changes to the RCU via the Help Desk by Feb. 17.
• Read the Survival Guide that has been created for each national certification exam that you will have and complete any steps that are possible at this point.
• Create your testing calendar. Be sure to consider any retesting waiting periods that are specific to the national certifications that you will have. These can be found in the National Certifications Manual.

Testing Information

If the 2023-2024 academic year is the first year your school district offers a CTE course that requires national certification, please send us a Help Desk ticket so we can ensure we have the proper number of resources and testing inventory on hand for all CTE students in our state.

Please make sure you have reviewed all testing Survival Guides and have followed the steps to ensure your school is ready for testing when the window opens. All Survival Guides have a customer support phone number at the back for help with any issues that might arise.

ASE Testing

ASE testing can now be completed throughout the school year. Please make sure all testing and retesting has been completed by May 17.

NCCER Module Testing

The NCCER Import Template should have been submitted via Help Desk by Jan. 31. You can find this template by logging into the RCU website and going to Assessment > Reports > Testing Tools > NCCER ID Import Template. 

Accommodation forms should be sent in now. You can find this form on the RCU website by going to Assessment > Student Certification > Certification Tools > NCCER Testing > NCCER Accommodation Documentation Form (the fifth link listed under NCCER). Please have all accommodation forms submitted by Jan. 31.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the MDE requires that one of the following options be followed regarding proctoring NCCER module tests:

Option 1: Any NCCER-certified proctor who is not an NCCER teacher can give a module test alone. There is no need for a second person if the proctor is not an NCCER teacher.



Option 2: If an NCCER teacher proctors the module test, a second person must be in the room. This person does not have to be NCCER certified; however, a document provided to the district must be signed and filed explaining the rules of the testing environment. (The second person could be another NCCER teacher.)

ServSafe Testing

All ServSafe scores must be reported to the RCU via Help Desk. To complete the form for submitting scores, log in to the RCU website and go to Assessment > Reports > Testing Tools. > ServSafe Score Import Template. Remember all templates must be accompanied by screenshots of the actual student scores. The deadline to submit those scores is May 31.

Have assessment needs not addressed in this issue?

Create a Help Desk ticket, and we'll get right on it!