Question Answer ELIS - Illinois State Board of Education

Questions and Answer Document for Fall 2013 Licensure Officer Training--Webinar 2 Licensure Testing; Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS); and Alternative Licensure

Question

Answer

ELIS

Is the "administrator portal" accessed through ELIS or IWAS Do Licensure Officers log on through IWAS when they need to enter entitlement information or look up students? When I log onto the ELIS portal, all I have access to is the educator or public search. Can we have a specific URL link to the administrative portal? In ECS, we had access to employment history. We need this in some cases to verify 2 years of teaching, etc. Will there be an option to enter a social security number to access the administrator portal? Is a user name and password required to access the administrator portal? Who is able to access the administrator portal? Anyone who has the candidate's name, date of birth and IEIN? Since we cannot access the administrator portal using a SSN, how can we verify the TAP has been passed? How can we easily access a student's IEIN and birth date? How will the system know which students are ours? Our students do not generally know their IEIN. How would we retrieve this information? At what point does a student obtain an IEIN?

Will the system eventually

The administrator portal is accessed through ELIS. Yes. Entitlement work will be conducted using IWAS-ELIS. If a staff member merely wants to look up limited information such as passed tests, he/she can do so through the administrator portal.

The administrator portal should be available by the end of September. It will be located on the same screen as the educator search and public search.

Employment history gathered from TSR/EIS is viewable on ELIS

No. ISBE management determined that one cannot use a social security number to access ELIS through the administrator portal. One will need to enter the last name, IEIN and date of birth for the educator. An LO can, however, use a SSN to access information through IWAS-ELIS. No.

Yes.

You may either use an IEIN and go through the administrator portal or use an SSN and view the test through IWAS-ELIS.

You can look up an individual candidate through IWAS-ELIS to find an IEIN and DOB.

Students should be encouraged to create their own ELIS account once they have either taken an ILTS test or submitted a 73-60. You could also look the student up through IWAS-ELIS using his/her SSN to obtain the IEIN. A student generally receives an IEIN when he/she takes the TAP or first test. Individuals using an ACT Plus Writing or SAT score in lieu of the TAP obtain an IEIN after submitting a ISBE form 73-60. Our testing contractor creates a unique identifier for each examinee based on

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Questions and Answer Document for Fall 2013 Licensure Officer Training--Webinar 2 Licensure Testing; Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS); and Alternative Licensure

allow for a student to use their IEIN when registering for subsequent test attempts? Will licensure officers be able to see all passed tests, regardless of how long ago they were taken on a student's screen in ELIS? Or do we only see passed tests taken since 2010? Where do we find the individual test attempts that show how many times they have taken the test and failed it? Is there some way that ISBE can flag a test score that produces a second IEIN account under the same name/DOB as one already on file (i.e. bad SSN on file).

his/her SSN and birth date. Using an IEIN to register for tests will not be possible in the foreseeable future. If the candidate reported test scores to your institution, you can see his/her entire score history when you enter ELIS through IWAS. If an examinee did not report test scores to your institution, you can view tests taken since 9/30/2010 by accessing ELIS using the administrator portal.

This information is in the download provided by the testing contractor. The test attempt number is now listed along with the "P" or "F".

This is not possible because our testing contractor does not use the IEIN in the registration process.

ACT PLUS

WRITING/SAT

If ISBE does not consider the writing score on the ACT Plus Writing, why does a student have to take the ACT Plus Writing? Why not just the ACT? Will there be a flag or alert on ELIS to let candidates know their ACT score was accepted in lieu of the TAP? ACT is, as far as I know, the same internationally, so a score received from an ACT Plus Writing taken abroad would count? Individuals are pre-empting us and sending their ACT scores to ISBE ahead of us sending the 73-60 forms. Is there a way to retain these for a period of time before discarding them? Must the university keep an

The ACT Plus Writing or SAT may be used in lieu of the TAP because the TAP has a writing subtest. Both the ACT Plus Writing and the SAT have writing subarea scores.

Kellee will confer with the programmers to see if an email can be sent to the individual when his/her ACT/SAT score has been accepted in lieu of the TAP.

It would count if the test is the same. The same is true for any ILTS taken abroad.

We do keep such score reports in a "no find" drawer. We highly encourage submission of the 73-60 first so that an ELIS account can be created.

It is up to the institution as to whether they want to maintain an ACT Plus

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Questions and Answer Document for Fall 2013 Licensure Officer Training--Webinar 2 Licensure Testing; Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS); and Alternative Licensure

ACT score on file? The form requires that we certify that they have applied for full admission to the program. If they send their scores before this has happened, do you want us to send the 73-60 anyway? Can this line be removed so that we are not certifying something that isn't true? Should an LO submit a 73-60 before knowing whether or not a student achieved the minimum required composite score on the ACT Plus Writing? Can a student use 2 ACT tests in place of the TAP? One with writing with a score less than 22 and one without writing but a score higher than 22? On the ACT Plus Writing in lieu of the TAP, why does the slide say "currently"? What changes are you anticipating?

TAP

Can institutions require that a student pass the TAP earlier in the program than required by PA 98-0361? Must candidates wait 60 days between TAP attempts? Can a basic skills score that is over 10 years old be accepted?

What was the reason for changing the deadline for the basic skills test? How does that impact the report indicating how many of our students did not pass the basic skills test? Can students still be conditionally accepted into a

Writing score report on file. Please do not sign the form and submit it to ISBE if the individual has not applied for full admission to your program. Beginning January 1, 2014, a revised form will be available and the test will be required prior to student teaching-- not admission to a program.

You may do so if the individual is seeking full admission to your program. If the score does not meet the requirements it will be recorded as invalid.

No. We can only accept a composite score of 22 on the ACT Plus Writing.

The TAP is required for program admission until December 31, 2013. Beginning January 1, 2014, the TAP is required prior to student teaching per PA 98-0361.

Until January 1, 2014, the TAP is required for program admission. On January 1, 2014, the TAP is required prior to student teaching. Institutions may require the TAP to be passed earlier in the program. Yes. Basic skills test scores over 10 years old may be accepted if the individual received a license based (in part) on passage of that test. For example, if an individual passed the basic skills test in 1995 and was issued an elementary certificate, he/she does not need to take the TAP for entry into a principal program. HB 490 was not sponsored by ISBE, so we cannot speak to why the TAP requirement was moved to a later point in the program. Again, institutions may continue to require the TAP at an earlier point in the program. If you feel clarification is needed within your Annual Program Report describing a change in impact, please feel free to include that information in your Annual Report. No. Students may be conditionally accepted if they have passed at least one subtest of the TAP. Please see 25.720 6 for more information. After January 1,

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Questions and Answer Document for Fall 2013 Licensure Officer Training--Webinar 2 Licensure Testing; Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS); and Alternative Licensure

preparation program if they have not yet taken the TAP? Must an applicant seeking a subsequent endorsement on his/her license pass the TAP?

The change to the 73-60 could be a problem if students learn that they do not need to pass the TAP until student teaching. Might have students who have not passed the TAP and have no other coursework to complete but student teaching. Slide 18--who is responsible for verifying that the student has not failed the TAP five times? IHE's currently receive scores only if the student indicates our institution or self reports. If this will be available in ELIS, are the HE's responsible for checking this or will ISBE check when the form is received?

CONTENT-AREA

2014 this will be moot.

NO if the individual has a teaching endorsement and is adding a subsequent teaching endorsement. YES if the individual is seeking to add an administrative or school service personnel endorsement and has never taken the TAP. This applies to individuals whose basic skills test was waived for the first license. The form has not yet been revised. It will most likely be generic as the TAP will be required at different points depending on the endorsement sought. If you have a suggestion for the format of the form, please send it to ljamali@.

The Licensure Officer must inform a candidate who has failed the TAP five times that he/she can no longer remain in the program. The ILTS registration process will prevent an examinee from registering for the TAP a sixth time. In addition, HE's can access any examinee's test results since September 30, 2010. Please see 25.765 e) for more information.

TESTS

For CBT content-area tests, how long must one wait between tests? Will more content-area tests be moving to CBT?

Will the cost stay the same? If an educator wants to add an LSB I endorsement to their current license, must he/she take the Special Ed General Curriculum Test? Is it possible that examinees can get unofficial results from CBT content-area tests in the

60 days. Please note, however, that the paper-pencil tests do not impact the 60 day period.

Yes. We hope to have several more content-area tests deployed to CBT format in early 2014. As tests move to CBT format, they will become CBT only. For example, in early 2014 when more content-area tests are moved to CBT format, all CBT tests will become CBT exclusive tests. This means that current contentarea tests that are offered in both formats will be offered in CBT format only. The goal is to have all ILTS in CBT only format in approximately 2 years. We are discussing the price point with our contractor. The Special Education General Curriculum Test is required of those completing a Pre K- Age 21 special education program. This test is not required for individuals wishing to add the endorsement at another grade range (i.e. K-9).

Yes. We are working with our testing contractor to provide this information. We hope to have this feature available in 2014.

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Questions and Answer Document for Fall 2013 Licensure Officer Training--Webinar 2 Licensure Testing; Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS); and Alternative Licensure

future? PA 98-0581 (SB 2199) changed the requirement for the content-test for non-teaching endorsements but still requires the content-area test prior to student teaching or serving as a teacher of record. May institutions require the content-area test at an earlier point in the program? Must school support personnel still pass the content-area exam in order to have their stipends released from ISBE to their school districts?

APT

When will the new APT launch?

If an examinee fails the current APT 5 times, will he/she be able to take the new APT up to 5 times? Will the APT move to CBT?

Our institution focuses only on Birth to Grade 3. How will the APT changing to all grades affect the test itself? Will our students be required to have knowledge of middle and high school levels as well? Linda Tomlinson said the APT will be dropped when the new content tests are written. Why didn't we just develop new content tests including the professional knowledge not covered by the EdTPA? Then, we could just drop the APT. This will make it well over $1,000 for tests, background checks, and licensure. What is the timeline for the new content tests?

Yes. Institutions may determine that the content-area test must be passed at an earlier point in any educator preparation program.

No.

September 1, 2014 (or perhaps a bit earlier). The last administration of the current tests will be July 12, 2014. Yes.

Yes. The new APT will be offered in CBT format only. The new APT will not be offered in paper-pencil format. All candidates are required to meet the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. Please review the IPTS Standards at .

As new content tests are developed, standards assessed by the APT will be incorporated. We will begin with the Elementary and Middle level tests and then move to Early Childhood.

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