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WorkKeys® Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants: FAQ


General Information

Administering the Program

Taking the Tests

General Information

What are the requirements for this federal legislation?
States must ensure that teacher aides/paraprofessionals meet at least one of the following qualifications:
  • An associate's (or higher) degree
  • Two years' postsecondary studies, or pass a formal assessment in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics
  • Documentation of ability to assist in instructing (classroom pedagogical skills)
 
Any assessment used to certify teacher aides/paraprofessionals must be valid, reliable, and documented.
 
What solution does ACT offer?
The WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants (PCTA), including a performance-based assessment—Instructional Support Inventory (ISI).
 
Why is ACT's solution the one that school districts should choose?
ACT's system is simple, affordable, flexible, and quick. It offers:
  • Fast, accurate, secure, reliable, and valid assessments
  • An affordable, easy-to-use program
  • Compliance with No Child Left Behind requirements
  • Compliance with EEOC requirements for selection in employment
  • Development by ACT, a recognized leader in testing and research
 
In which states are school districts already using WorkKeys for this purpose?
Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas
 
School districts in California and Montana are permitted to use WorkKeys to test their teacher assistants. These states have opted not to recommend any assessments for paraprofessional testing but are leaving it up to the school districts.
 
Check with your state's Board of Education for more specific requirements.
 
In addition, thousands of schools, businesses, and organizations have been using WorkKeys for more than a decade. WorkKeys is a system developed by ACT to analyze the foundational skills required by employers, assess individuals' proficiencies in those skills, and provide assistance and direction in building those skills.
 
How do I receive a WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants?
To qualify, examinees must take the following WorkKeys assessments, which have been legally validated for high-stakes assessment, via WorkKeys Internet Version or paper-and-pencil version, and receive the following scores:
  • Reading for Information – Level 4
  • Applied Mathematics – Level 4
  • Business Writing (or Writing, available in paper-and-pencil version only) – Level 3
The Instructional Support Inventory must be completed by an objective evaluator, usually a supervisor, while observing the teacher assistant on the job. The Instructional Support Inventory and the WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants are ordered using the WorkKeys Materials Order Form and are sold as a set for $20.00. Both forms are provided in paper format only.
 
What is the price for the PCTA program?
Prices are the same for either paper-and-pencil or WorkKeys Internet Version administration and apply to domestic ACT customers only.
 
Reading for Information – $5.00
Applied Mathematics – $5.00
Business Writing – $10.00
Writing (paper-and-pencil only) – $10.00
Instructional Support Inventory with certificate – $20.00
 
How long is each test?
Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics tests are 55 minutes each for WorkKeys Internet Version (WKIV) and 45 minutes each for the paper-and-pencil version. Business Writing is offered in WKIV and paper-and-pencil; both take 30 minutes to complete. Writing is paper-and-pencil and takes 40 minutes. The Instructional Support Inventory has no time limit; it requires paper-and-pencil completion by an administrator.

Administering the Program

How can I get set up to give the WorkKeys Internet Version (WKIV) assessments?
If you are interested in becoming a WKIV testing site, please review the technical requirements before completing an application or call 1/800-WORKKEY (967-5539).
 
What's the difference between the Writing and Business Writing tests? Is one preferred over the other? Do school districts need to administer both?
Test administrators should check with their State Department of Education or school district for guidance to determine which assessment they recommend.
 
The Writing and Business Writing tests measure two important but separate kinds of writing needed in the workplace. The tests have similarities and differences. Both tests evaluate writing mechanics, grammar, organization, sentence structure, word usage, tone, language and writing style.
 
However, whereas the Writing test measures the ability to accurately retell information delivered auditorily, Business Writing focuses on the ability to create a clear, persuasive composition using original thoughts.
 
The Business Writing test is in WKIV and paper-and-pencil. WKIV Business Writing can be instantly scored via the Internet. The paper-and-pencil version is hand-scored. The Writing test is delivered via audio, and the responses are hand-written and hand-scored.
 
How can a community college offer the WorkKeys assessments to area teacher assistants?
Please call 1/800-WORKKEY (967-5539) for more information.
 
How can a WorkKeys Solutions Provider handle the Instructional Support Inventory?
To complete the Instructional Support Inventory, the site administrator:

  1. Sends the Instructional Support Inventory in a sealed envelope to the person conducting the observation.
  2. The observer completes the Inventory, following the directions on the front.
  3. The observer returns the completed Inventory to the site administrator.
 
To complete the Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants, the site administrator:

  1. Verifies that the examinee has met or exceeded the requirements of:
    Level 4 on Applied Mathematics
    Level 4 on Reading for Information
    Level 3 on Writing or Business Writing

    Has a completed and signed Instructional Support Inventory with an acceptable or above rating.

    Note: The examinee can verify scores for the site administrator by presenting an Official WorkKeys Score Report. If needed, the examinee can obtain Additional Score Reports.
  2. The administrator writes the examinee's name on the front of the certificate and completes and signs the back of the certificate.
  3. The administrator attaches the Instructional Support Inventory (with an acceptable or above rating) to the certificate.
A Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants, when accompanied by an Instructional Support Inventory with an acceptable or above rating, meets the requirements of No Child Left Behind for Teacher Assistants.
 
What are the computer requirements?
You may view the computer requirements on our WorkKeys Internet Version Technical Checklist page.
 
When will I be billed for assessments?
Billing takes place at the end of each calendar month.

Taking the Tests

Where can I take the tests?
Teaching assistants can go to a WorkKeys Solutions Provider or ACT Center that offers the tests. In addition, some one-stop career centers and local schools have been trained to offer the test. Ask your local school district for locations. A school can become a private testing site for PCTA.
 
Do you offer study guides?
No. However, we have two curriculum publishers that provide study guides for WorkKeys assessments. These publishers are:
  • KeyTrain: (877) 842-6205
  • Worldwide Interactive Network: (888) 717-9461
 
Do you have practice tests?
Yes. Online practice tests are available.
 
How can test-takers improve their scores?
If job applicants earn WorkKeys scores that are below the passing level, they can train to improve their skills. Several training companies, including KeyTrain and Worldwide Interactive Network (WIN), have developed training targeted for specific WorkKeys skill levels. Training is also available through our nationwide ACT Center network and WorkKeys Solution Providers.
 
How long does it take to get the scores?
WorkKeys Internet Version test scores are available immediately.
 
paper-and-pencil scoring can take place at a WorkKeys Solutions Provider, ACT Center, or directly through ACT. In general, assessments are scored and reports shipped within 10 working days after the date ACT receives the assessments.
 
Does the certificate meet NCLB requirements?
Yes. The WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants is field proven and ready for immediate implementation. Best of all, the program is affordable and easy to administer.
 
What skill levels are teacher assistants required to meet?
To receive the certificate, you must meet or exceed Level 4 of Reading for Information, Level 4 of Applied Mathematics, Level 3 of Writing or Business Writing, and Acceptable on the Instructional Support Inventory.
 
If test-takers don't pass the exams, do they need to retake the entire WorkKeys battery?
No. If participants don't achieve passing skill levels on one or more of the WorkKeys exams, they can take training and then retake ONLY the skill assessments they did not pass.
 
If teacher assistants have already taken WorkKeys assessments, can they use those scores to get the certificate?
Yes; participants can use scores up to five years old to meet requirements. If the scores are older than that, they must retake the assessments. However, an Instructional Support Inventory must also be successfully completed to qualify for the certificate.
 
Note: The examinee can verify scores for the site administrator by presenting an Official WorkKeys Score Report. If needed, the examinee can obtain Additional Score Reports.
 
What does the certificate represent? Does it mean that the test-taker is certified to be a teacher assistant?
The certificate is a documentation of skills, not a certification. Receiving a certificate means that the test-taker achieved the required scores on the WorkKeys tests and met the standards of the Instructional Support Inventory.
 
After achieving the certificate, do teacher assistants have to retake the tests periodically to update it?
No. However, any change in the requirements is subject to federal legislation.

 

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