Monthly Archives: April 2021

WebXam Releases the April 2021 Newsletter

Released April 14, 2021, the April newsletter featured topics on:

  • 2020-21 Course Grade Substitutions
  • WebXam Tests – retake policy change
  • Testing Updates
  • We Need SMEs for Health Science courses!
  • Baking & Pastry Arts – Validation & Standard Setting Survey

An archived version of this email newsletter is available here.

Correction: The newsletter incorrectly had 2021-2020 written as a date under “Testing Updates”. This should have been written as 2021-2022.

WebXam Tests – 2020-21 Grade Substitution

In response to the ongoing challenges schools face due to COVID-19, the Ohio General Assembly passed an amended version of House Bill 67. HB 67 includes language that allows juniors and seniors to use course grades in place of or in addition to test scores for the 2020-2021 school year to meet graduation requirements. Please review the policy documentation on ODE’s Career-Technical Education Assessment System webpage.

Once details are finalized WebXam will announce and provide data submission templates and grade submission deadlines for participating school districts. School districts must provide the required data during the allowed timeframe to ensure proper reporting. There will be no additional windows for reporting grades.

End-of-course assessments are a way to assess technical knowledge and skill attainment by the students. Teachers can analyze end-of-course assessment data to identify student performance gaps. After identification of student learning gaps, teachers can provide interventions and remediation to students to close the performance gaps. Documentation of technical attainment can allow teachers to better prepare, ultimately improving teacher effectiveness, which is beneficial to the student, the teacher, local programs, and to Ohio business and industry. Schools should post-test juniors and seniors first, and if the grade substitution is advantageous for the student for the 2020-2021 school year, districts may use the grade substitution option.