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PA DLM AC Bulletin - Edition 5 - February 2026 by Alternate Assessment | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, businesses and more

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PA DLM AC Bulletin - Edition 2 - October 2025 by Alternate Assessment | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, businesses and more

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Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, Licensed Private Academic Schools will no longer submit their PASA-eligible students to the PA Helpdesk via a personalized link, as was done in previous years. Instead, a state-level PIMS PASA DLM Enrollment report will be uploaded in Educator Portal on behalf of all Licensed Private Academic Schools on November 10.

Following the upload, it is the responsibility of the PASA AC to review and confirm the accuracy of the students uploaded from the state-level PIMS PASA DLM Enrollment report. As the PASA AC, follow the steps to identify actions you must take after the state upload is complete:

Review the student list in Educator Portal and email the PA DLM Help Desk at alternateassessment@pattankop.net FOR

Missing students

Incorrect grade levels

Students placed with you, but resident school districts/charter schools have changed

Other corrections are needed

Review the student list in Educator Portal and exit students IF

Student is no longer eligible

Student has moved or exited your program for another reason

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Directions for Reviewing Uploaded Students

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Directions for Reviewing Uploaded Students

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The videos are intended to support ACs. Videos demonstrate various processes in a brief format (1-3 minutes).

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District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps

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The videos are intended to support teachers/test administrators. Some videos may be appropriate for ACs. Videos provide overviews (e.g., writing testlet overview) and demonstrate processes (e.g., completing the First Contact Survey). Videos are short - often 1-3 minutes in length.

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Educator Resource Videos for Year-End States | Dynamic Learning Maps

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DLM videos providing information about assessment format, accessibility, and Educator Portal procedures.

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This manual provides information and guidance to the teacher about end of year testing procedures and also use of the instruction and assessment planner.

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Test Administration Manual YE Pennsylvania

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Guide to Practice Activities and Released Testlets

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Note: Practice activities/testlets within the portal are only available prior to the test window opening. This guide also provides guidance on how to experience accommodations before testing.

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Guide to DLM Required Test Administrator Training

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Guide to DLM Required Test Administrator Training

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Assessment Coordinator Manual YE Pennsylvania

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The manuals, guides, and videos listed here are available on the PA DLM website. They are also included within the numbered AC tasks (to the right) within this Padlet.

Note: Because PA uses PIMS, ACs should follow the guidance for student enrollment in Step 2A within this Padlet. As such, ACs should not view/use the student enrollment video.

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In the June PASA AC Bulletin, PASA ACs were notified of changes associated with the use of Chrome/Chromebooks. To view this information and updates associated with the use of Windows, see the detailed instructions here: Kite Student Portal Updates for 2026.

REMINDER: PASA ACs are encouraged to share the above information with their technologies (IT) department. PASA ACs and IT can find more details about technology requirements at the top of the PA DLM Website under Kite Suite.

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Multi-Factor Authentication Login Now Required

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Multi-Factor Authentication Login Now Required

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To enhance the security of student Personally Identifiable Information (PII), DLM is implementing Multifactor Authentication (MFA) for all users accessing the Educator Portal.

Upon each login to Kite Educator Portal, users will be required to enter a code sent to their email address.

Next, all users must review and attest to the security agreement before navigating further in Kite Educator Portal.

All users are encouraged to review the updated login process: Kite Multifactor Authentication. PASA ACs should inform their test administrators of this change.

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Individual Student Score Report Samples 

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Individual Student Score Report Samples 

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Individual Student Score Report Year-End English Language Arts Sample (pdf)

Individual Student Score Report Year-End Mathematics Sample (pdf)

Individual Student Score Report Year-End Science Sample (pdf)

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Understanding and Using DLM Score Reports -Scoring and Reporting Resources

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Understanding and Using DLM Score Reports -Scoring and Reporting Resources

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DLM provides several short videos to assist educators in better understanding and using score reports. Topics of these short videos include:

How to Interpret and Use DLM Score Reports

What Do Alternate Assessments Measure

What is Skill Mastery?

What Information Is Contained in A Score Report?

How Can Score Reports Be Used?

All videos are available at: https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/score-report-resources-ye

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Electronic individual student score reports are available in Educator Portal on July 1st for PASA ACs. Additional reports include district, school, class and student bundled reports. Directions for accessing reports are available beginning on p. 78 of the Educator Portal User Guide.

Printed student score reports will be mailed to schools beginning the week of August 8. Score reports are mailed to the attention of the Special Education Administrator on file in the Bureau of Special Education database or the PASA AC when no administrator is identified.

Every student receives two score reports: a color copy and black and white copy. The color copy is for the parent/guardian, and the black and white copy is for the student’s record. Ensure parents are provided their copy in a timely manner. Service provider ACs should ensure that LEAs receive student results.

Teachers can view individual student score reports once the student is rostered to them. Prior to rostering, the PASA AC can share the student score reports with the teachers.

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Dear PASA AC, As the 2024-2025 school year comes to a close, the PASA DLM Instruction and Assessment team wishes to extend our gratitude…

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The PASA AC

is a point of contact on behalf of the LEA or service provider to the state and vendor.

must include at least one special education administrator from the LEA or service provider. More than one PASA AC can be assigned in Kite Educator Portal.

receives communications from the PA alternate assessment team.

ensures all PASA eligible students are accurately enrolled and assessed in the Kite Educator Portal.*

enters 'special circumstances codes' in the portal for non-assessed students.

*The entity that employs the teachers who deliver educational services is responsible for all data management tasks in Kite Educator Portal. This includes managing users, requesting/uploading the PASA DLM Enrollment Report from PIMS, rostering students to teachers, entering special circumstance codes, and monitoring timelines (e.g., completion of Required Test Administrator Training and First Contact Surveys).

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This Padlet uses terms Assessment Coordinator (AC) and District Test Coordinator (DTC) interchangeably.

Some locations may utilize a Building Test Coordinator (BTC).

The AC or DTC and the BTC have different permissions within Educator Portal. To learn more about the various roles and their permissions, see "User Roles" in the Data Management Manual.

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If a student moves, the location that will assess the student can now update the accountability district.

Accurate accountability information is critical to feedback and monitoring for locations.

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Field Testing for Science PASA DLM in 2025-2026

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Field Testing for Science PASA DLM in 2025-2026

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As PA DLM transitions to the new science essential elements (EEs) aligned to the PA STEELS standards in 2026-2027, students will be field tested on the new science EEs in 25-26. *Only field testing testlets will include the new science EEs. The science operational assessment will contain the existing science EEs.

Review the frequently asked questions resource to learn about changes to science content and testing.

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Required Test Administrator Training (RTAT) is the required annual training for ACs and all teachers who administer the assessment. In schools with more than one AC, only one AC is required to complete RTAT. New and returning RTAT modules are assigned to users based upon completion of RTAT in the prior school year.

To access RTAT, go to https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/ and log into Educator Portal. Click on the ‘Training’ tab to access RTAT.

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Kite Educator Portal

Are you looking for the DLM Required Test Administrator Training? Log into Educator Portal. Use the Training tab in the main menu to access your training. If the Training tab does not appear, you are either not enrolled or your state's course is not open.

If you are unable to access your account, contact the Kite Service Desk.

DLM Training Portal

Are you a Dynamic Learning Maps ® (DLM ®) event participant? Did DLM staff direct you to the DLM Training Portal? Access the DLM Training Portal.

If you are unable to access your account, contact DLM staff at dlm@ku.edu

DLM Required Test Administrator Training facilitators who do not have access to the Facilitators training course in Educator Portal must log in to the DLM Training Portal to gain access to the facilitator resources.

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Access links and resources related to required test administrator training for educators giving the DLM assessment.

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2025-2026 PASA DLM Instruction and Assessment Calendar

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2025-2026 PASA DLM Instruction and Assessment Calendar

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Follow all start and end dates outlined in the annual calendar. Assessment tasks build on one another and impact other users, therefore, meeting deadlines is key (e.g., a teacher can only complete the First Contact Survey (FCS) after the student is enrolled and rostered to the teacher).

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PASA DLM Instruction and Assessment Calendar 2025-2026

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Activating or Updating the AC Kite Educator Portal Account

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Activating or Updating the AC Kite Educator Portal Account

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Before completing any step outlined in this Padlet, an AC must have an active/current account for the DLM Kite Educator Portal.

New ACs should email the PA DLM Service Desk to request an account.

Existing ACs with changes to their accounts (e.g., change in employment, name changes, etc.) must also email the PA DLM Service Desk.

When emailing, provide:

First and last name

School email address

PPID (if available)

District

*If replacing an existing AC, please let the PA DLM Service Desk know so their account can be deactivated.

PA DLM Service Desk email:

alternateassessment@pattankop.net

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Are you new to your role as a PASA AC? Learn more about the role of PASA AC and other DLM roles (e.g., data manager) in this optional training.

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ACs and others who manage data within the Kite Educator portal should bookmark this Padlet and use it as a guide to complete all data management tasks. Review this Padlet from left to right and follow the steps in order.

New ACs will benefit from viewing the DLM Training for District Roles (below). This brief video explores the roles of AC, Data Manager, District or Building Coordinator and Technology Personnel. Training is role specific. Viewers can choose to view information about their role only or all roles.

Questions about this Padlet should be emailed to the PA DLM Service Desk at alternateassessment@pattankop.net.

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This is the PA DLM website. ACs and teachers can access all assessment and instruction resources on the DLM public website. ACs and teachers can also login with their credentials to the secure Kite Educator Portal to complete assessment related tasks specific to their roles including completion of the annual Required Test Administrator Training (RTAT). ACs should bookmark the PA DLM website.

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Model
Year-End

2022-23 Testing Windows
Instructionally Embedded: 9/12/22-2/22/23
Spring: 3/13/23-5/5/23

Additional Information
Welcome to the Pennsylvania DLM home page!

The 2022-23 PASA DLM opens March 13 and concludes on May 5, 2023.

Is your school ready? 6 steps must be completed before testlets can be released:

The state testing window must be open.

The security agreement must be completed.

The teacher must complete the RTAT (Required Test Administrator Training) which includes the PA Lessons Learned module.

Students must be rostered to a teacher for each subject they will be assessed.

The First Contact Survey (FCS) must be submitted for each student.

Student Portal must be installed on the student computer (see the Kite Suite link for directions).

For more information on timelines and training requirements see PASA DLM Instruction and Assessment Calendar (pdf) and At-A-Glance PASA Instruction and Assessment Calendar (pdf).

Required Test Administrator Training
2022-23 required training for teachers administering the DLM assessment opens on your state's scheduled training date. The Guide to DLM Required Test Administrator Training (pdf) is a great place to start, with information about accessing the DLM training site for your first login.

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Model Year-End 2022-23 Testing Windows Instructionally Embedded: 9/12/22-2/22/23 Spring: 3/13/23-5/5/23 Additional Information Welcome to the Pennsylvania DLM home page! The 2022-23 PASA DLM opens March 13 and concludes on May 5, 2023. Is your school ready? 6 steps must be completed before testlets can be released: The state testing window must be open.

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Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is Pennsylvania's statewide alternate assessment for accountability for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Student participation is determined by the IEP team using six eligibility criteria.

DLM is a computer based adaptive assessment that is administered one-on-one in smaller 'chunks' called testlets. DLM measures students' knowledge of alternate achievement standards for English language arts, mathematics, and science.

For more information about Pennsylvania's assessment, see the BSE PASA webpage and the PA DLM website.

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Directions for Using Special Circumstances Codes

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Directions for Using Special Circumstances Codes

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Special circumstance codes (SCCs) explain why testing may not have been completed and also indicate students who are home-schooled.

SCCs must be entered by the AC/DTC (or BTC in some situations).

SCCs used by PA include:

Medical Waiver

Chronic absences

Home-schooled for assessed subjects

Parent refusal

Student not showing adequate effort

Student refusal

Other

State Use 1 (parent religious opt-out)

SCCs are available here by clicking on the picture. SCCs are also available on the PA DLM webpage under All PA State Specific Resources > Assessment.

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See pp. 101-104.

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Test Administration Monitoring for Year End States’.

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Test Administration Monitoring for Year End States

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Directions for Using Test Administration Monitoring Extract

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Directions for Using Test Administration Monitoring Extract

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The DLM test administration monitoring extract should be checked at the beginning of the testing window.

The extract allows the DTC to see how many testlets are assigned to a student and how many are completed (testlet counts range from 6-9 depending on subject/grade).

Testlets become available when:

the student is rostered

the FCS is completed

RTAT is completed by the teacher

the testing window is open

Note: Recent PNP adjustments sometimes make testlets temporarily unavailable. There may also be a brief delay after the FCS is completed.

Regularly check the DLM Test Administration Monitoring extract to ensure that teachers are progressing with testing throughout the testing window.

The key variables to compare are:

End of Year # Testlets Completed (U)

End of Year # Testlets Required (V)

When the numbers are the same (and not 0) testing is complete.

Note: there can be a short delay before completed testlets are reflected on the test administration monitoring extract.

Use DLM test administration monitoring extract and the DLM On-Demand Special Circumstances File monitoring extract (next section) to evaluate if testing/coding is complete. All students must have testlets completed and/or a special circumstance code entered prior to the close of the testing window on 05/1/25.

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For more details about each data extract, see:

Current Enrollment: pp. 96-98

Student Roster and First Contact Survey Status: pp. 115-117

Training Status: pp. 118-119

Users:  pp. 120-121

Note: data is visible in grid form under Settings for Users, Students and Rosters.

The user can page through the data or use the ‘Export to Excel’ function to download a copy of all records at the location.

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Monitoring the Assessment Using Extracts’.

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Monitoring the Assessment Using Extracts

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Data extracts allow AC/DTCs to evaluate completion status for a variety of data management and training requirements in preparation for assessment.

Key extracts in PA needed to evaluate status at various times in the year include:

Current Enrollment showing:

all students currently enrolled in Kite Educator Portal for a location

Review periodically to ensure that all current PASA eligible students are enrolled and students no longer taking the assessment are removed.

Student Roster and First Contact Survey Status showing:

a list of rostering status for all enrolled students

the teacher to whom they are rostered (if any)

completion status on FCS

Review periodically to ensure students are rostered in all required subjects and that First Contact surveys are being completed in a timely fashion. Use the filters in Excel to identify students not yet rostered in a given subject or those with an incomplete FCS.

Training Status showing:

a list of users with RTAT assigned.

RTAT assigned (New or Returning)

completion status (Y/N)

Review to ensure that all teachers who will administer the assessment are trained as well as one AC/DTC from the location.

Users showing:

a list of all users

indicates all roles

indicates status (Active, Pending, Inactive)

Review to ensure that roles/buildings assigned are accurate and those leaving the location are inactive.

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Preparing and uploading Users: pp. 46-55

Uploading Student Data using PASA DLM Enrollment template: pp. 93-96

Preparing and uploading Rosters: pp. 137-146

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Upload Templates in Educator Portal’.

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AC/DTCs can use the online user interface or a template upload to transfer data into Educator Portal.*

Optional template uploads include Users, Rosters and Test, Exit, Clear (TEC).

Manual entry is preferred for users, rosters and TEC when numbers of students or teachers is low.

* Student enrollment data must be added via an upload of the PIMS PASA DLM Enrollment Report.

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Create, edit and prepare rosters and upload rosters: pp. 135-154

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Adding and Editing Rosters’.

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All PASA-eligible students must be rostered in ELA and in Math in grades 3-8 and 11.

In addition, PASA-eligible students in grades 5, 8 and 11 must be rostered in science.

Rostering must be completed regardless of whether the student is expected to opt out of testing, is a first year EL, etc.

Students must be rostered to the teacher who will assess them.

Rosters must be established to allow teachers to complete First Contact Surveys (FCS) and Personal Needs and Preferences (PNP) Profiles.

The user interface is recommended, but template uploads are available.

PA recommends naming rosters as:

Teacher Last name, Teacher First name - ELA

(e.g., Smith Jane ELA)

Teacher Last name, Teacher First name - Math

(e.g., Smith Jane Math)

Teacher Last name, Teacher First name – Sci

(e.g., Smith Jane Sci)

*If/when students enroll after this date, ensure they are enrolled and rostered to the appropriate teacher.

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Dates: Completed through the year until the close of the testing window on 05/01/26.

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Dates: Completed through the year until the close of the testing window on 05/01/26.

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Manual exiting: pp. 115-119

Preparing and uploading TEC: pp. 125-127

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Exiting Students’.

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If a student is no longer taking PASA DLM at your location (e.g., moved, no longer qualifies for PASA-DLM), they must be exited from Educator Portal.

PA uses the following exit codes:

1 - Transfer to a public school in the same district

2 - Transfer to a public school in a different district

3 – Transfer to a public school in a different state

4 - Transfer to an accredited private school

5 - Transfer to a non-accredited private school

10 – Student death

18 – Student data claimed in error/never attended

30 – Student no longer meets eligibility criteria*

98 – Unresolved exit

* Code 30 – Student no longer meets eligibility criteria should be used when an IEP team determines that the student does not meet all 6 eligibility criteria and no longer qualifies for PASA DLM.

The Test Exit Clear (TEC) template can be used if there are a large number of students being exited.

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The PASA DLM student data must be uploaded into Kite Educator Portal using the PASA DLM Enrollment Report located in PIMS. Manual entry/editing of student data DLM is prohibited in Pennsylvania.

LEAs are responsible for uploading PIMS data for all students including those placed at out of district locations. Some out of district placements have little/no access to PIMS.

PIMS data managers should upload the student template (C1) in PIMS no later than October 31. Failure to enter ALL LEA student level data in PIMS by October 31, impacts enrollment procedures of licensed private academic schools.

The PASA DLM Enrollment report is located in Reports V2 in the Special Ed folder in PIMS.

In order to access the appropriate student enrollment data for eventual upload into the KITE system, ACs must request that the PIMS data manager download and save the PASA DLM Enrollment Report as a CSV file (comma delimited) to ensure that the template format is retained.

The PASA DLM enrollment report contains required PASA DLM data if:

the student is in grades 3-8 or 11

PIMS field 212 (PSSA / PASA Assessment) is coded as ‘A – PASA’

PIMS field 226 (PASA Testing Agency) is the AUN of the service provider**

*If a student is educated by a different organization (e.g., IU, APS) they will only appear on that organization’s PASA DLM Enrollment report. The sending district will not see them on their PASA DLM Enrollment Report.

Verify that:

All PASA-eligible students to be tested by your school/district are listed on the PIMS PASA DLM Enrollment Report

The grade level on the PASA DLM Enrollment Report matches the gade level of the current IEP

Notify the PIMS data manager of any issues so corrections are made in PIMS. It is critical that information in PASA DLM and PIMS match for accurate accountability determinations.

**New students can be added throughout the year. The PASA DLM Enrollment report pulls data from the PIMS student template rather than the snapshot. Isolate the new record(s) and upload only those into Educator Portal.

If you receive a notice that the student is already enrolled, email the PA DLM Service Desk at alternateassessment@pattankop.net.

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This video is also accessible at District Staff Video Resources for YE States | Dynamic Learning Maps. Select 'Adding and Editing Users’.

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See pp. 45-62.

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Managing users includes the ability to add/deactivate/edit/remove users.

*The AC/DTC/BTC can continue to update users throughout the year.

Tips:

Users from last year carry over to the current year.

Only users with the role of teacher can assess students.

The teacher’s PPID must be used as the Educator Identifier.

If the teacher does not have a PPID (e.g., emergency certified), contact alternateassessment@pattankop.net to have a pseudo-ID assigned.

If an AC/DTC needs to be added, contact alternateassessment@pattankop.net.

If there is an error message indicating that the user already exists, contact alternateassessment@pattankop.net to ensure that the user account is transferred properly.