Welcome Wisconsin Education Professionals
We look forward to working with you!
Welcome!
We are pleased to partner with you in your 4K-Grade 3 Wisconsin effort to improve early literacy efforts. Early literacy and reading measures within aimswebPlus are available at no cost for Wisconsin schools and districts, enabling educators like you to adjust instruction and provide the appropriate interventions crucial for success in later grades.
Consider this your “one stop shop” for information related to ordering, training, and implementation to help you prepare for the upcoming school year.
2025 - 2026 Statewide Screening Window Dates
Statewide Screening Window |
Window Administration Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall | August 1 – October 24, 2025 |
| Mid-year |
December 1 – January 30, 2026 |
| Spring | March 16 – May 8, 2026 |
Questions?
Customer support
Complete this form or +1 (866) 313-6194 option 1
Technical support
aimswebsupport@pearson.com
+1 (866) 313-6194 option 2
Mon. - Fri. | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
Office Hours
Office hours are held every other week on Tuesday. For a complete schedule view office hours.
You may have questions about:
1. Access and support
District Assessment Coordinators,
If you have not received your account information, please click here to contact customer support.
If you are not a District Assessment Coordinator and have not received your aimswebPlus account information, please contact your District Assessment Coordinator for more information.
Are there device recommendations for TestNav use? Can it be used on both iPads and ChromeBooks and if so, do iPads need external keyboards?
- TestNav can be accessed via browser and app on Chromebooks and iPads. An external keyboard is not required for Act 20 measures.
Will students need to use the TestNav app for this assessment, or will they be able to access via a URL and SSO?
- One Act 20 measure, Vocabulary required in grades 2 and 3, requires TestNav, which may be used as a desktop app or via a browser. Customer Support needs to turn browser-based TestNav on for your district if you want to use that.
Do we have to print tickets for TestNav every benchmark session?
- You only have to print student TestNav login credentials (tickets) once per school year. Students will use the same username and password all school year, any time they log into TestNav. If students use SSO, testing tickets are not needed.
How do we set up TestNav on student devices?
Will the District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) unlock student tickets in TestNav or the teacher?
- This can be decided at the school or district level.
Is there a way to generate multiple student usernames and passwords at a time? Or do we have to pull them student by student?
- TestNav student login credentials can be downloaded and printed for groups of students from a roster list from the Account Management tab > Test Assignment List.
How is the Classroom Position field in WISE populated in aimswebPlus?
- Districts who utilize DPI's WISEdata Ed-Fi API for rostering should send one of the following codes for the staff member’s classroom position: Primary Instructor, Instructor of Record, or Lead Team Teacher. The teacher will appear in aimswebPlus regardless of which value the district sends. However, districts should not indicate more than one teacher for one section on any of these values as the system will automatically assign the role of primary teacher to the first one alphabetically. The classroom position is part of the /staffSectionAssociation resource and is displayed in the WISEdata Portal on the School Roster Details screen.
If I have an SSO (Clever, Google, Classlink, etc), how will that impact automated rostering with the state when it happens?
- Your existing SSO will still work, provided that the information sent to your SSO provider is consistent with the data in aimswebPlus across students, teachers, and classes. You can add SSO at any time of the year.
How do you roster a specialist, interventionist, or teacher who needs access to multiple grade levels or classes?
- Users can be rostered at a School Manager or District Manager level to allow access to students across the school or district. Manager access allows these staff to assess students. You can also assign School or District Reporter access - then these users can see data and reports for students but cannot test those students. You can also add access to just specific classrooms for Teacher users to allow more control over access to student data. Student groups can also be created to allow access to specific students.
How do my Grades 2-3 students access TestNav on an iPad using Single Sign On (SSO)?
- Single Sign On (SSO) is not a current option for iPads while using the launched (locked down) TestNav application, please consider using the browser-based version of the assessment platform. To do so, implement the following workflow:
- If browser-based TestNav is not already enabled on your account, please have your Account Manager (DAC) contact Pearson Technical Support to turn this feature on.
- Districts then create a link to Sign In - TestNav within the student’s portal of choice (Clever, ClassLink or Google).
- The student will log into their portal of choice and click on the TestNav link and this will bring them directly to their aimswebPlus Test Assignment screen where the student can then click the appropriate start button to take their Reading Assessment.
- Below are a few considerations:
- The browser-based version of TestNav has the same exact content as the app version. There is no difference in testing experience for a student when taking an assessment in the browser-based version.
- The browser-based version allows usage of a webcam for students to use QR codes or badges to log in via SSO.
- The browser-based version does not lock down like the app version.
- The browser-based version can be used on all web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) and doesn’t require an OS update to utilize.
- The browser-based version does not have the option to stop all other background processes prior to assessment. We recommend that students start with no other programs or web browsers open at the time of testing.
A student transferred into my district from another Wisconsin district. How do I move that student into my district in aimswebPlus?
- The new district will only need to roster the student as they would any other student. No additional action is required for the district. At this time, the student will appear in aimswebPlus after the district has rostered them, but scores from previously completed tests will not appear.
Empowering Individualized Student Decisions through Data Analysis
During this session, you will experience the Data Analysis Protocol using a sample student’s benchmark data. We will model how to use this data to make informed decisions about progress monitoring, goal setting, and ongoing intervention support.
Overview for Administrators
This webinar teaches the essentials of account management in aimswebPlus. During this video you will learn the necessary management responsibilities, information about user types, and options for rostering and user set-up. You also learn more about the literacy assessments that are available in aimswebPlus and how these can fit into your district assessment schedules. This video will also discuss the included training options and supports that are available during this school year to support the WI Early Literacy Administration implementation.
Optimizing Classroom Decisions through Data-Driven Insights
During this session, you will experience the Data Analysis Protocol using a sample classroom's benchmark data. We will model how to use this data to make informed decisions about core instructional planning as well as intervention support.
Coming soon!
Login Details
URL: https://uat-app.aimswebplus.com/
CID: select the CID for your region or state from Table 3 below.
Username: Select an appropriate Username based on role from Table 4 or Table 5
Password for all usernames: Pals2526!
View the Sandbox Account Guide for more information and all of the username options.
Teachers will learn to navigate the aimswebPlus platform and how to easily complete early literacy assessments. Educators will have the opportunity to practice with Digital Record Forms (DRFs) and TestNav in order to gain comfort screening students with fidelity.
Individuals are invited to self register using this link. Please be sure to disable pop-up blockers prior to beginning this course.
Should a district wish to gain additional Pearson provided learning opportunities beyond what is listed on this site, they are encouraged to purchase here. Of the many options to choose from in this list, other WI districts have chosen 1-hour Q&A session, subscription(s) to the on-demand Learning Academy, or one of the new per-seat course offerings to begin. Please contact your sales representative, Sarah Kruse for other purchase consultation.
Do teachers giving the assessments need to complete a certification process?
- Assessment proctors do not need to complete any official certification to administer assessments. However, all examiners are asked to review administration and scoring manuals and are encouraged to complete the aimswebPlus Online Learning course, to ensure they are well-prepared to administer the assessments.
Do teachers need to complete the online learning curriculum on the aimswebPlus WI page, or can they be trained using the videos on the aimswebPlus Help Library pages, as well as direct training from those of us who have been trained already?
- There are a variety of ways to train teachers to administer aimswebPlus. DPI and Pearson allow for local decisions based on available time and the intended use of aimswebPlus (such as screening/benchmark, diagnostic assessment, or progress monitoring). There is no official training requirement, and we encourage you to choose the most efficient training method that prepares educators to meet the requirements of ACT 20.
Do you recommend teachers complete the training course individually or can we train them as a group?
- We encourage teachers to complete the Online Learning course individually.
How long does it take to get a training account?
- Training accounts no longer need to be requested. Below are the login details to the Wisconsin training account.
URL: https://uat-app.aimswebplus.com/
CID: 53100
Username: Select an appropriate Username based on role from Table 4 or Table 5 of the Sandbox Account Guide.
Password for all usernames: Pals2526!
View the Sandbox Account Guide for more information and all of the username options.
What resources are available specifically for 4K assessments?
- 4K and 4K Community Approach educators can use the Wisconsin aimswebPlus Benchmark Administration Checklists found here. This guide shares information such as where to find testing materials and administration guides, how to utilize the Digital Record Forms, and post-administration reports. It can also be found by navigating to the "How can we Help?" page within aimswebPlus, then Manuals and Training, Additional Research and State Resources, Wisconsin Act 20 Reading Screener Files, and finally Administration and Scoring Guides.
2025-26 Update on aimswebPlus Norms
- In Wisconsin, the fundamental reading skills and universal reading screener test is administered to students from 4K through 3rd grade to assess proficiency in key literacy skills. It identifies students needing additional support (bottom 25%) and aids in early literacy remediation plans, ensuring fair allocation of student support. The test used is Pearson's aimswebPlus, which has been "re-normed" for the 2025-26 school year. Additional information explaining re-norming and its importance for understanding student performance can be found on the documents linked below.
When we test students for Reading in Grades 4K–3, do we have to do the required benchmark assessments to get the aimswebPlus Composite or can we just do the requirements for Act 20 to get the scores we need?
- To meet the Act 20 requirements, you need only administer the WI-designated measures at each grade level (found on the AWP-WI-Assessment Matrix). You have access to the full assessment suite and may administer additional measures at your discretion.
Are the diagnostic assessments available for free for WI as well?
- All assessments within aimswebPlus Early Literacy/Reading are available as part of Wisconsin's contract with Pearson. This includes measures that you decide, locally, to use for diagnostic purposes.
Do students that fall below the 25th percentile on the screener need to be assessed in all the areas listed in the law using diagnostics?
- Diagnostic assessment is required for students scoring below the 25th percentile as defined on the WI-specific assessment matrix. The goal of diagnostic assessment is to gather information to write specific goals and benchmarks for a student. You are encouraged to use data from the screener; you do need to investigate all areas of diagnostic listed in the law.
Does aimswebPlus produce a composite for kindergarten and Grade 1?
- Kindergarten Early Literacy does have a composite score. Two of the six required measures for WI Act 20 screening in kindergarten will be combined in aimswebPlus for an Early Literacy Composite score. Grade 1 Early Literacy Composite score is comprised of three of the seven measures for WI Act 20.
Does completing the full battery of measures for a given grade level (as listed on the aimswebPlus Assessment Matrix) count as the diagnostic?
- The WI-specific Assessment Matrix defines which measures are required to complete Act 20 screening, not the diagnostic. DPI recommends you use screener data from these measures to determine which areas to learn more about through diagnostic assessment. Requirements for diagnostic assessment are defined separately. The diagnostic is intended to help you understand a student's exact strengths and needs to write and implement the personal reading plan.
Are Vocabulary and ORF the only measures used to assess skills in Grades 2 and 3?
- Yes, for Act 20 compliance purposes. Wisconsin law requires phonemic awareness, letter sound knowledge, alphabet knowledge, oral vocabulary, and decoding skills. In Grades 2 and 3, Phonemic Awareness (PA), Letter Sound Knowledge (LSK), and Alphabet Knowledge (AK) are precursor skills to Decoding Skills (DS) measured by Oral Reading Fluency (ORF). Therefore, ORF is used to assess grade appropriate reading ability, which relies on PA, LSK, and AK skills in Grades 2 and 3.
Do stimulus books need to be printed per student, or is one set fine for each person administering one-on-one assessments?
- For all measures except one, each proctor can print one set of materials to reuse with each student. Only the Listening Comprehension measure (English and Spanish) requires each student to have their own response booklet
Will WI DPI print our testing materials?
- No, the district is responsible for printing all testing materials. Refer to the English Printing Material Requirements and Spanish Printing Material Requirements documents for more specific details on printing each measure.
Can I test a student using a measure from a different grade level? For example, testing a third-grade student with an off-grade-level measure available for Grade 1?
- Yes. This will not be necessary to complete any of the required screening measures, but you can administer additional assessments to learn more about a student’s off-grade-level skills. Many aimswebPlus measures can be given off-grade-level by using the Survey Level Assessment (SLA) feature in aimswebPlus. Specifically, all measures that can also be given for progress monitoring, including all “fluency” measures, can be administered to students in any grade level as needed. For Digital Record Form (DRF) measures, examiners will need to print off any necessary stimulus books for the specific progress monitoring form assigned to the student. It’s important to know that when a student takes a test via SLA, any percentile rank provided with the student’s score is based on norming data from the grade level of the measure and not the student’s grade level.
What aimswebPlus reports can be used to inform families about a student’s performance?
- aimswebPlus has a Family Report which can be shared with parents or other family members. The Family Report can be downloaded or printed from the Benchmark Comparison page. There are two additional reports which families may find beneficial for Act 20 screener tests: the Individual Scores Snapshot and Individual Benchmark Report. Information about these reports, including examples, can be found on pages 14-15 of the aimswebPlus Sample Reports packet.
For students completing Oral Reading Fluency in grades 1 – 3, what are the typical reading rates (words read correctly per minute) observed in fall, mid-year, and spring?
- Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) scores directly reflect the student’s observed reading rate in terms of the number of words read correctly per minute. Tables displaying the typical ORF scores associated with reading at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile in each grade and across testing periods have been added on the last page of the Reading Readiness Assessment Matrix- English and Reading Readiness Assessment Matrix- Spanish. These tables are based on national norm data currently used in aimswebPlus scoring, which reflect performance with passages adapted for each grade level. Please note that ORF can be a challenging measure for Grade 1 students in the Fall, even with passages written to be easily decodable for emerging readers.
If a student meets the “at risk” criteria for Act 20, how do we move forward to diagnostically assess the student using aimswebPlus?
- To comply with Act 20 requirements for diagnostic reading assessment students identified as at-risk must be evaluated in the following skills: rapid naming, phonological awareness, word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and, when developmentally appropriate, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. Some of these skills will already be assessed when screening measures are completed. For all other skills not assessed, students should first be administered the remaining on-grade-level benchmark screening measures aligning with these skills. Next, use the Survey Level Assessment (SLA) feature to assess students on required diagnostic skills typically assessed at younger grade levels. Lastly, customers can purchase add-on Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) measures to have the option of using either RAN Objects, RAN Colors & Shapes, or both for evaluating students rapid naming skills.
When data about a student’s response to an intervention is used in a comprehensive special education evaluation that considers specific learning disability (SLD), baseline data must be collected prior to starting an intervention. The baseline is to be calculated by administering three probes prior to beginning the intervention progress monitoring. How can we assess the same skill three times in aimswebPlus?
- In the aimswebPlus platform, this could be achieved by using the benchmark and two progress monitoring administrations of the same skill. An average of those scores could be calculated, however this is not done automatically in aimswebPlus and would need to be manually calculated by the school.
More information about identifying a specific learning disability can be found at dpi.wi.gov/sped/program/specific-learning-disabilities
A student completed an assessment but the examiner thinks the student could do better. Can an examiner delete the first attempt and re-test the student again?
- In some instances (e.g. misadministration due to fire alarms, interrupted testing, etc.) it is justifiable to allow the student to re-take the assessment. These are rare circumstances where a specific reason can be identified for a major disruption. Student motivation or effort is not a recommended reason to discard a student's score from their first attempt. If the student does have a legitimate reason to re-test and has already encountered much of the content, wait at least one day for a subsequent administration to mitigate against practice effects. Scores can be deleted by your district’s Account Manager. The District Manager and School Manager roles can also delete scores if the Account Manager has enabled this in the Account Settings window.
How is a composite score calculated? Is this the same during all assessment windows? Does any subtest count more than others in the composite score?
- At a basic level, a composite score is created by adding together the scores from the specific measures that comprise the composite. The specific way scores are calculated together is designed so that each measure has a similar amount of influence on the composite score. Some measure's scores are weighted (e.g. Score * .5) before they are added together. This weighting does not mean that performance on those measures counts less, rather it is a correction to make sure that certain measures don't have more influence over the composite score. Details about the measures that comprise each composite score can be found in Table 3 of the Updates to Norms for Early Literacy and Reading Measures and Composites document.
FAQ's for Assessment Results:
| Situation | Concern | Valid interpretation & Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Student has the same score across two seasons and the national percentile is different. | "How did the student perform the same but also worse?" | National percentile rankings for a measure's scores are adjusted based on how scores increase across the school year as students learn. Norming data shows that scores increase from Fall to Winter to Spring. Therefore, national percentile rankings for a certain score are almost always lower for a testing season later in the year. |
| Student had a perfect score, but national percentile is <99th percentile. | "Why isn't the highest score the 99th percentile?" | National percentile rankings for the maximum score on an assessment will indicate the percentage of peers that their score was higher than. A national percentile ranking less than the 99th percentile for a perfect score means that more than 1% of students in the norming sample achieved a perfect score. This is not uncommon for short screening measures designed for detecting deficits in fundamental abilities, because these abilities are often very easy for high achieving students. For example, if 10 percent of students in a sample achieve perfect scores, we can confidently report that perfect scores tested better than 90% of the sample. But there is not enough information from the results to tell the difference between the top 10%, so we can't assume any one student has abilities that are actually better then 99% of peers. |
| The student had a perfect score in two seasons, and the national percentile went down. | "How can perfect performance get worse?" | The student has shown perfect mastery of the skills assessed by the measure at both times. The student's skills have likely exceeded what the measure can assess (this is known as a ceiling effect). Throughout the year the percent of students achieving perfect scores goes up, so the percent of students scoring with scores less than perfect goes down. This is what the lower national percentile ranking for perfect scores later in the year is saying. |
| The test is showing ceiling effect, and is not capturing differences in performance between the most advanced students. | "Should we still trust screening results?" | When using assessments to screen for students at risk of learning deficits the priority is to observe differences in performance among low achieving students and minimizing testing time. For example, Act 20 reporting requirements care about detecting when students are performing below the 25th percentile. A short assessment that is very easy for high achieving students is still a valid and effective tool for to screening for students with deficits in fundamental abilities. |
Are we able to put the accommodations for students with IEPs/504s into the specific student’s account? When they use TestNav, for example.
You may list the student needs in their Student Profile in aimswebPlus. The for TestNav measure for Act 20, Vocabulary, allows text-to-speech (TTS) for all students with unlimited timing.
Additionally, students taking a DRF assessment may have accommodations indicated in the Student Notes field. The Notes button is displayed before the DRF assessment is started. After DRF administration, the user can add or edit a note on the Assessment Results screen. In the Note Type dropdown, select Accommodation.
Do students need accommodation to have the Vocabulary measure read aloud, or is this available to all?
- Text-to-speech (TTS) is available to and encouraged for all students for the Vocabulary measure; an IEP or 504 plan is not required. Headphones are recommended.
Is there a separate area to find materials for those administering the test virtually?
- There is a separate section on the Help Library in aimswebPlus - in Manuals & Training > Training > Remote Assessment Practices.
Will braille materials be available for testing students?
- Districts may now order materials for the Spring administration using this form. Please note districts may also choose to order a printed copy of the Braille Administration and Scoring Guide, or it can be accessed electronically here.
How do districts and schools request permission to enlarge or braille an aimswebPlus assessment on our own?
Pearson is providing the option for districts to order braille versions of most Act 20 assessments to be shipped to your district. Any other change to testing materials requires written permission from Pearson. This is a necessary step to maintain the integrity of the assessment. The purpose is to ensure the large print accommodation is being used only in situations where there is a true student need, as communicated by the district. It helps mitigate against over-use of the accommodation for students with no IEP/504 plan or other genuine need, which could potentially create an inadvertent advantage for other students. Districts will complete this form for Pearson’s Permissions Team. Please note that once approval is given, this provides your district with permission to enlarge or braille the test material locally.
What should an examiner do when a student does not want to respond to an item when taking a TestNav assessment, and the test will now allow them to proceed to the next item?
When taking untimed TestNav measures like aimswebPlus Vocabulary, students must provide a response to each item before they can proceed to the next item. Students are allowed as much time as they need to provide a response. If a student appears stuck on an item for over a minute, examiners may prompt the student to continue by saying, “Just give your best guess, and move on to the next item.” If a student asks if they can skip the item, examiners can explain, “The test requires a response to each item before moving on to the next item.” In the rare instance, a student refuses to provide a best guess, the assessment should be discontinued and re-scheduled for a new time when the student is willing to complete the assessment. Examiners should not at any time input a ‘placeholder answer’ to allow the student to continue.
A student was given a braille version of a TestNav assessment and the examiner notices afterward that the student did not respond to all the questions. How should the examiner handle this?
Students taking braille versions of TestNav measures follow the same expectations for completing the test as students taking the test on the computer. Untimed TestNav measures like aimswebPlus Vocabulary require a response for each item on the test form, and it is OK for students to resume an incomplete TestNav form in a separate testing session as necessary. Therefore, when an examiner fails to notice during a testing session that a student did not complete all items on a braille version of the measure, they should schedule a time as soon as possible to allow the student to complete the remaining test items.
Who is the Pearson contact to answer questions about Spanish administration that are not in the Spanish administration and scoring guides?
- The WI Assessment Matrix--Spanish will provide further information in this area, and our standard contact information can be used for any further questions.
Will there be a Spanish 4K assessment option?
- Yes, there is a 4K measure for Spanish speakers. Please see the WI Assessment Matrix--Spanish.
Measure-Specific Questions
Where can I find detailed Administration and Scoring information?
- The following Administration and Scoring Guides for Spanish measures can be found in the Wisconsin Act 20 Reading Screener Files section of the aimswebPlus Help library. (How can we help? > Manuals & Training > Additional Research and State Resources > Wisconsin Act 20 Reading Screener Files)
- Spanish Early Literacy Administration and Scoring Guide
- aimswebPlus Comprehensive Manual (Chapter 6: Reading: Administration and Scoring) (includes Spanish Oral Reading Fluency)
- Wisconsin Spanish Listening Comprehension Guide
- Additional information on Spanish assessments in aimswebPlus is available in the Help library.
- Spanish Reading Development and Technical Guide (Help > Manuals & Training > aimswebPlus Comprehensive Manual (Chapter 9: Content Development)
On the Spanish Letter Sounds Fluency (SLSF) it says: "The student must provide the most common sound of the letter." (pg. 11 of administration guide) It gives the example for the letter C (casa) but what is the "most common letter" sound for the G?
- This letter creates two sounds and it varies depending on the vowel that follows. If used with vowels /a/ /o/ /u/, then it has the "g" sound, but if the vowels are /e/ or /i/, the sound is like a "j." The word "gato" has a high frequency rate and is our example in the guide, and that is what we consider the "most common sound" (not letter).
On the Spanish Letter Sounds Fluency (SLSF) it says: "Do not penalize for...second language interference (based on student's responses any prior knowledge of his or her speech patterns)." (pg. 11 of administration guide) Our students are within a dual language program therefore, sometimes they produce an English sound instead of a Spanish sound. Does that mean we don't mark it wrong?
- The note on Page 8 is found within the Scoring Rules for "Spanish Letter Naming Fluency" and it shows up again on page 11 for "Spanish Letter Sounds Fluency".
To understand why this note is added, it helps to start thinking about the measurement goal of these measures. We want to know if young students who are English Language Learners know the names of letters and if they know their common sounds. It is not the primary purpose of these measures to test if students know the difference between the English and the Spanish letter names or pronunciation.
If a student is completing Spanish Letter Naming Fluency and says "Bee" instead of "Beh" it still provides evidence that the student does know that letter name. If the student is in a dual immersion learning program, and it is important to the customer that students be able to accurately to identify the letter names when told to focus on Spanish or English, they can always make a qualitative note to inform future educational support, but to keep scores and interpretation of national percentiles valid, this 2nd language interference should not be marked as an error on the DRF.
It's a similar situation for Spanish Letter Sound Fluency. The test is designed to not include most of the letters that have significant Spanish/English differences in letter sounds (vowels mostly). Still, some letters on the Spanish forms do have known differences, like the letter 'j'. For students who are in a school that primarily teaches English letter sounds, it's a big challenge to ask a kindergartener to not offer an English pronunciation of 'j' during a speeded test. Again, providing the correct sound of a soft English 'j' demonstrates that the student recognizes the letter correctly and has provided evidence that they know one of the sounds that letter makes.
For Spanish Oral Reading Fluency (SORF): When a student is reading, if they don't pronounce a word following the rules of accentuation, is that word wrong? For example, they read papá as papa. Does that apply anytime a student uses an incorrect accent?
- If the accent changes the meaning of the word, mark it wrong. If the accent is a dialectical variation and still understood as the word/concept, it is correct. The flexibility allowed in scoring for Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) and Spanish Oral Reading Fluency is intended to not penalize students who are known to pronounce things differently because their accent or dialect leads to mispronunciations that you would expect.
This letter creates two sounds and it varies depending on the vowel that follows. If used with vowels /a/ /o/ /u/, then it has the "g" sound, but if the vowels are /e/ or /i/, the sound is like a "j." The word "gato" has a high frequency rate and is our example in the guide, and that is what we consider the "most common sound" (not letter).
General Questions
Does aimswebPlus offer reports or resources in Spanish?
- aimswebPlus offers reports for students’ performance with Spanish measures, but these reports are not translated into Spanish at this time. Existing reports that are parent-friendly include the Individual Monitoring Report and the Individual Scores Snapshot. Samples of those reports are in our standard Reports packet on our website, pages 15 and 21. Help > Manuals & Training > aimswebPlus Comprehensive Manual > Chapter 11: Score Interpretation and Reports (Sample Report). aimswebPlus does offer the Shaywitz DyslexiaScreenTM Strategies for Families and Caregivers in both English and Spanish. This document presents activities and recommendations to support students identified with reading difficulties, and is available to all customers even without purchasing the add-on Shaywitz DyslexiaScreen.
Can Spanish and English aimswebPlus measures be used with the same student?
- Yes. Best practice in assessment of bilingual learners encourages assessment in both languages. As such, aimswebPlus allows this. For Act 20 risk status, DPI and Pearson will work together on a methodology for determining at-risk status if/when the English and Spanish ratings don’t match.
If students have a score from both Spanish and English measures, what does this look like in aimswebPlus Reports?
- The Spanish and English measures are separate assessments in aimswebPlus. Scores from either set of measures are reported separately. Assessing a student in either language does not replace or affect how scores from measures in the other language are saved or presented in reporting. For example, administering a measure a second time in English does not preclude viewing results for the first administration done in Spanish, and vice versa.
Specifically, the Scores Snapshot and Individual Benchmark reports can be run for either language's score and presents the scores of the language selected.
Can a district/school choose whether to report a student’s risk status in either language when they have taken both Spanish and English screening measures?
- aimswebPlus can support the reporting of results from measures in English and Spanish. Specific guidance defined by WI DPI regarding Act 20 requirements deciding which must be reported is forthcoming. In general, decisions about whether schools will use the results of English or Spanish measures for identifying a student as “at risk” should be made prior to testing. This decision for a student cannot change throughout the school year. Districts should establish consistent protocols for determining risk that align with best practice for Spanish speaking students. Details regarding how customers will indicate the decision for a student are still being determined.
Can we provide heritage language support (translated & interpreted instructions) when giving the assessment as means to provide equal access if the student doesn't understand the instruction in English?
- Yes, task instructions may be translated into a student’s primary language when there are concerns about a student’s ability to follow instructions presented in English. Translated instructions must not include changes to the content the student is being tested on. For example, when administering Phoneme Segmentation, students must isolate the sounds of target words, and students needs to hear the target word said aloud in English to provide a valid response. Translations of the instructions should be done prior to testing to ensure that all details of the English instructions are accurately included, and no additional details are added. This effort will create a script that can be consistently presented each time translated instructions are needed with different students and across testing periods.
If we want to screen grades four through eight on aimswebPlus is there a best pathway to look at purchasing licenses for those?
- Reach out to Sarah Kruse, your assessment consultant, to discuss additional options. Sarah.kruse@pearson.com
