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.

Statewide Screening Window Dates

View the screener window guidance

Statewide Screening Window	Window Administration Dates
Fall	August 1 – October 17, 2024
Mid-year	December 1 – January 31, 2025
Spring	March 16 – July 31, 2025

The Fall and Mid-Year testing windows were adjusted to clarify assessment/instruction timelines and to ensure compliance with WI statute.

Scheduling/Assessment Windows

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

Fall Office Hours

September 5 - December 10

Every 1st/3rd Tuesdays at 3:30 PM CST

Every 2nd/4th Thursdays at 11:30 AM CST

Join office hours

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.

FAQs

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?

TestNav set up details

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.

2. Rostering/data management

New - Pearson will be rostering 4k-3rd grade students for all districts that have not yet rostered any students.

This work will begin at 7:00p.m. on Thursday, 9/19. Districts will still need to add class and teacher information. Please see rostering options below.

Pearson and DPI have completed the API rostering process for a few volunteer districts as a pilot.

What’s next? Choose the scenario that applies to your district:

My district has submitted data in WISEdata and has NOT locally rostered into aimswebPlus. Pearson will roster your students. DPI will communicate with your WISEdata coordinator once we have confirmed the rostering date. Once the rostering process has been completed, your district will associate classes and teachers with those students and begin testing.
My district has NOT submitted data in WISEdata and has NOT rostered our teachers, students, and classes in aimswebPlus. You may now roster teachers and students locally and begin testing.
- Additional information creating and importing files can be found here: Data Import_Export and ABI Guide
My district has already rostered our teachers, students, and classes in aimswebPlus. Begin assessing students.

After Fall testing, Pearson will engage districts in further integration with the WISEdata system. The goal is to have all districts using the automated WISEdata/aimswebPlus API by the 2025-2026 school year for 4K-Grade 3 students.

Standard rostering guidance—for either a manual or automated rostering option—is available on the aimswebPlus Help site within the application. We strongly encourage districts to engage IT staff to complete this rostering process.

NOTE: Field matching matters in your rosters! Please ensure these DPI-assigned codes match:

The District UID value in aimswebPlus matches the LEA Code for your district.
The School UID value in aimswebPlus matches the School Identification Code.
The Student UID value in aimswebPlus matches the Local Identification Code you are using.
The SSID value matches the WISEid value assigned for the student.

A final friendly reminder—please share this info with your colleagues in your district. Principals, other administrators, and IT staff will benefit from this information. Thank you!

FAQs

If my district previously or currently used aimswebPlus, how will the state involvement impact my current rosters?

For Fall 2024 administration, you may use your existing roster process as outlined above with the requirement to include correct state student IDs.

If I purchase math licenses or wish to test students in grades 4-12, how will those students be added into my account?

For Fall 2024 administration, you may use your existing roster process as outlined above with the requirement to include correct state student IDs for 4K-Grade 3 students. Districts are responsible for adding any 4-12 students into the platform. Math access will be turned on by our support team once a purchase is made. No additional rostering will need to be completed for students 4K-3.

What WISEdash data will be automatically added into my district account? (Schools? Teachers, Students? Classes?)

Districts and Schools have been set-up and loaded by Pearson with the data from DPI. For Fall 2024 administration, districts will fully roster students, teachers, and classes using the standard rostering options available to all aimswebPlus users.

What will my district be responsible for doing after automated rostering has been set up by the state/aimswebPlus?

This fall, districts that have shared information to WISEdash should have had their students automatically imported into the aimswebPlus platform. After Fall administration and DPI/aimswebPlus API testing is complete, additional guidance will be provided to districts for next steps in preparation for mid-year administration.

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.

3. Training

The WI DPI plans to provide a variety of professional development opportunities this fall at no cost to school districts. As of August 26, all free training opportunities are listed. Pearson recommends that each district take advantage of each of the four free training options below.

On-demand webinars

Watch the recording of the Webinar for Administrators.

Watch the recording of the Webinar for Administrators 9/19.

aimswebPlus Webinar for Administrators- PPT slides

Live webinars

Request a Training Account

Online Learning Curriculum for Teachers

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.

FAQs

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 should be processed within 24–48 hours. As of 9/5/24, all Wisconsin training accounts requests have been processed. If you have not received an email, please contact Customer Support.

4. Content

Reading Readiness Assessment Matrix- English

Reading Readiness Assessment Matrix- Spanish

Printing Material Requirements- English

Printing Material Requirements- Spanish

FAQs

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?

Kindergarten Early Literacy does have a composite score. Two of the five required measures for WI Act 20 screening in kindergarten will be combined in aimswebPlus for an Early Literacy Composite score.

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.

Is ORF the only measure in the Grades 1 Early Literacy composite score?

Yes. Historically, and through the 2024–2025 school year until new norms are complete, Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) is the key predictor of reading ability in Grade 1. Grade 1 students scoring below the 25th percentile on ORF will be flagged as "at-risk" for Act 20 reporting requirements. The standard aimswebPlus composites change at different grade levels based on data analysis during norms development.

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?

There are two reports which families may find most 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.

5. Accessibility and Accommodations

See our Guidance on using this assessment remotely.

FAQs

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 TestNav measure for Act 20, Vocabulary, allows for text-to-speech (TTS) for all students with unlimited timing.

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?

Pearson is working to create braille testing materials for the Act 20 assessments. Updates and timelines will be shared as they are available.

6. Multilingual learners

Coming soon!

FAQs

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 offers 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.

7. Additional products

If you would like to continue or start to use aimswebPlus for other assessment needs, please contact us for ordering and preparation. Pearson and WI DPI will still roster your students in preparation for Fall.

See our complete Assessment Matrix

Welcome Wisconsin Education Professionals

We look forward to working with you!

Welcome!

Statewide Screening Window Dates

Scheduling/Assessment Windows

Questions?

Fall Office Hours

You may have questions about:

1. Access and support

FAQs

2. Rostering/data management

New - Pearson will be rostering 4k-3rd grade students for all districts that have not yet rostered any students.

FAQs

3. Training

On-demand webinars

Live webinars

Request a Training Account

Online Learning Curriculum for Teachers

FAQs

4. Content

FAQs

5. Accessibility and Accommodations

FAQs

6. Multilingual learners

FAQs

7. Additional products

FAQs

SHOP ASSESSMENTS

LEGAL POLICIES

HELP & SUPPORT

ABOUT PEARSON