Test Prep for Idaho TSA's and WRA
There are several documents that must be used for testing. The test site administrator must be sure that all proctors have a copy of the Proctor Guide and the E-SESS Online Test Instructions.
Documentation and information for the testing process:
- CTECS TSA Guide –Guidelines for TSAs.
- CTECS Proctor Guide –Guidelines for proctors and how to have a successful testing experience. Includes troubleshooting testing issues.
- New! Refer to this proctoring information regarding test security and the new Focus Lock feature. Test-Day.pdf
- Using Your E-SESS Admin Account –Step by step procedures for handling errors using the instant enrollment AND generating reports in E-SESS.
- E-SESS Participant Guide — E-SESS login and test navigation instructions.
- IT Checklist for Administering CTECS Assessments –Guidelines for preparing the online testing environment.
How the WRA list changed in SY2021-22: Quick Compare
WRA focus site: Go to Practice for student resources, quizzes, vocabulary, and modules.
Workforce Readiness Incentive (WRI)
- Pass the WRA,
- Pass the Technical Skills Assessment (TSA), and
- Earn all SkillStack® sub-badges in their pathway.
Assessment Resources
See Educator Portal (Assessments) for:
- Assessment FAQs
- TSA Cut Scores and Capstone Courses in ISEE
- Assessment Results
- Statewide Results – WRA/TSA
- Program Standards & Assessment Results – 19/20 results unavailable due to COVID
- Statewide/District Results for each Pathway
- Results by Standards Results for each Pathway
- For test tickets created by schools, follow directions on the CTECS website for instructions.
SkillStack® Resources
- Transition Coordinators’ Contact Information
- Educator Video
- Disregard upload details (helpful for Trimesters in March)
- Educator Portal (SkillStack) for:
- Approver guide
- Lesson plan
- Student Resources
Links
- The Workplace Readiness Skills list with definitions plus resources are available through Virginia’s CTE Resource Center.
- WRA Assessment Blueprint
- The latest sample questions are available in this PDF: Sample Questions but also linked interactively through the “Practice” portion of the WRS site.
- The latest WRS Summary Research Paper from Weldon Cooper Center, Demographics Research Group, University of Virginia
IT Requirements
In order for the testing process to go smoothly, the IT requirements must be met. That said, the IT requirements are standard across today’s popular IT hardware and software tools.
Use this checklist to be sure computer settings are correct: IT Checklist for Administering CTECS Assessments
If there are issues during testing, refer to these troubleshooting documents:
Note: Have one or two students log in and take the WRS Sample Test at each test site well in advance of testing day to ensure that there are no proxy servers preventing access to the site, no software packages preventing cookies/sessions from being stored, or additional local obstacles.
IT System Specifications Details
- Browser: The testing program is supported for participants on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari on currently supported platforms for those browsers. For Administrators – Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari on currently supported platforms.
- Reporting: In some cases, in-browser reports are augmented with spreadsheet and/or PDF documents. Excel (or compatible) and a PDF reader (such as Acrobat Reader) are optional but not required.
- Audio: Using the audio feature requires additional bandwidth; you may notice slower response times during testing. CTECS recommends using hard-wired computer Internet connections. Audio is played using HTML 5 technology.
- Display Properties: The testing program is best viewed at 1024 x 768 display resolution or higher. It will work at 800 x 600.
- Bandwidth: The bandwidth recommendation is a T1 line for every 150 simultaneous users. The T1 may be able to serve additional students; however, student populations greater than 150 per site have not been tested and confirmed by TFI. Bandwidth may be an issue if the connections are not “dedicated.”
- Memory: There are no specific requirements for the CPU, RAM, etc. If the machine will run the browser, the E-SESS application will run.
- Firewalls and server settings: Content is accessed through https://techfluency.org/esess/. Media (images and audio) are served through https://media.techfluency.org/ via the AWS CloudFront service. Please ensure your location is not blocking these domains or services.
Take the Sample Test
This is to ensure your system is compatible and functioning correctly, not to practice the test. Access the sample test by following these instructions:
1. Go to http://www.techfluency.org/esess/
2. Make the following entries into the four blanks:
- Organization: CTECS
- First Name: sample
- Last Name: sample
- Password: sample
3. Click Log In.
4. Check the box to agree to statements.
5. Click Begin.
Click the speaker icon to ensure the audio is working properly. At least one graphic should be visible and the timer should be visible and clearly readable.