1. ELPA21 Screener Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE)
Training Module
This training module will introduce you to the ELPA21 Screener Test Information Distribution Engine, also known as TIDE. In this presentation we will cover common tasks performed in TIDE for administration of the ELPA21 Screener.
Copyright © 2017 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved.

2. Objectives Activating your new TIDE account and logging in to TIDE
If you are using a screen reader to view this presentation, please also read the script included in the Notes section.
Activating your new TIDE account and logging in to TIDE
Navigating the TIDE interface
Understanding account permissions
Managing user accounts
Managing student information
Managing student test settings, such as domain exemptions
Manually adding students with a Temporary ID
Managing appeals
TIDE includes tasks that typically take place when preparing for testing and those that take place during test administration. In this presentation we will discuss:
Activating your new TIDE account and logging in to TIDE
Navigating the TIDE interface
Understanding account permissions
Managing user accounts
Managing student information
Managing student test settings, such as domain exemptions
Manually adding students with a Temporary ID
Managing appeals
The TIDE User Guide, which is posted under the ELPA21 User Card in the Resources section of the Portal, includes all the information we will cover here. We recommend that all TIDE users download the TIDE User Guide and refer to it the first time they navigate through the TIDE system.
Appeals will be discussed later in this presentation. TIDE is also used to generate test participation reports, and this function will be covered in a separate training module.

3. Activating a TIDE Account
As part of the TIDE system roll-over for the new school year all user passwords have been reset. Existing users will have to request a new password when logging in for the first time for SY17-18 by following the instructions in the TIDE User Guide, under the Activating Your TIDE Account section. Users will be able to login to TIDE beginning August 14.
If you are being added to TIDE as a new user, you’ll receive a TIDE activation . This contains your user role, an activation link, and a second link to request a new activation . The activation link is only valid for 15 minutes. After that time, the activation link will expire, and you will need to click the second link to request a new activation .
When you click the activation link, the Reset Password page will appear, where you can create a password that you will use to access TIDE and other AIR systems. In the Password and Confirm Password fields, type a password for your account. Passwords have a length requirement and must include different character types; see your TIDE User Guide for details.
After entering your new password, click Submit. Return to the Login Page and log in using your and new password. When you log in, a form for adding a security question will appear. Select a security question and enter an answer. You will be required to add three security questions in order to proceed. You’ll need this information in order to reset a forgotten password.
Please note that if an account is created for an incorrect address, it will need to be deleted, and a new account created for the user.

4. Logging in to TIDE
To log in to TIDE, go to your portal. Click the appropriate user role card. On the next page, click the TIDE system card. Enter the username and password you created when activating your account. Then click Secure Login to choose the test administration from the drop down menu to go to the TIDE home page. 4

5. TIDE Home Page
The TIDE home page appears after you log in. The home page is designed to reflect the stages of the testing process as directly and simply as possible. Each of TIDE’s three sections list menus for the tasks available in that section. For example, the Users menu contains options for viewing and exporting users. To expand a task menu and view its set of related tasks, click the down arrow on the end of that menu. To perform a task, click the name of that task listed in the menu.

6. Overview of TIDE Tasks: Preparing for Testing
Tasks in the Preparing for Testing section are typically performed before testing begins. This category includes tasks for managing records for users, students, test settings, and rosters, depending on your state program.
TIDE can group students into rosters. A roster is a collection of students sharing a similar characteristic who are assigned to a specific teacher. Rosters typically represent classrooms, but can also be used to group students with special needs or students participating in particular activities or programs. Rosters are helpful for users who want to view participation reports for a group of students. Additionally, once scores are calculated, users can visualize how a roster of students performed as a group. However, students do not need to be in a roster to take a test.

7. Overview of TIDE Tasks: Administering Tests
Tasks in the Administering Tests section are typically performed during the administration window.
District Test Coordinators may use TIDE to invalidate a test, reset a test, or reopen a test.
TIDE can also be used to monitor test progress and generate test participation reports.

8. TIDE Tasks: After Testing
The After Testing section allows users to perform data cleanup operations. This section does not pertain to the ELPA21 Screener and is outside the scope of this training module.

9. Banner
A banner appears at the top of each TIDE page showing the current test administration and your current user role. On the left there is a drop-down list for accessing other AIR applications. You will also find a Help button that displays the TIDE User Guide, an Inbox button, a Manage Account drop-down list where you may set up your account details, and a Logout button. The TIDE User Guide can also be accessed through the Resources section of the Portal.

10. TIDE Banner: Inbox
To access secure documents and student data files you have previously exported in TIDE, click the Inbox button in the banner. From the inbox you can download, archive, or delete previously exported files. For more information on this feature, see the TIDE User Guide.

11. TIDE Banner: Manage Account
The Manage Account drop-down list allows you to change the role you are using in TIDE (if you have been assigned multiple roles), update your contact information, or reset your password.

12. Navigation Toolbars
When you enter any task page, a navigation toolbar appears at the top of the page. This toolbar allows you to access each task and action that was available on the dashboard. To view the task menus for a particular TIDE category, click the icon for that category above the toolbar.
Some pages in TIDE are divided into multiple panels. Each panel contains a group of related settings and fields that you can edit. You can click the minus sign in the upper-left corner of a panel to collapse it, or click the plus sign in a collapsed panel to expand it. Additionally, a floating Go To Section toolbar appears on the left side of pages with multiple panels. This toolbar includes a numbered button for each panel in the form. You can hover over a button to display the label of the associated panel and click the button to jump to that panel.

13. Help Text
Most pages in TIDE have help text that describes the page and how to use it. To show or hide detailed help text on a page, click the gray more info link under the page title.

14. Users
Before testing begins, and throughout the school year, TIDE is used to manage user accounts for TIDE itself, the TA Interface within the Test Administration site, the Online Reporting System (referred to as ORS), and other AIR systems.
Every TIDE account has an assigned role, and that role has certain permissions. Permissions define what tasks you can perform in TIDE. Your role also limits the scope of your data access. For example, a district-level user can work with data pertaining to that district, and a school-level user can work with data pertaining to that school. For detailed information on user roles and permissions, consult your TIDE User Guide.
Depending on your role, the Users task menu allows you to add users; view, edit, or export users; and upload users from an external file.

15. Add Users
You can manually add new users from the Add User page. Fill out the information in the form, and click Save. The fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. The new user’s address will serve as their username when logging in to any AIR system. Adding new users permits access for administering the Screener.

16. Upload Users
A second way to add new users to TIDE is to use the Upload Users page to compose an upload file in Excel or CSV format and then upload that file. This method is easiest if you have many new users and you don’t want to add them one at a time from the Add User page.
The easiest way to compose an upload file is to download an available template by clicking Download Templates. You may also access files that you have previously uploaded by clicking the blue plus sign to expand the Upload History panel.
Open the template, enter information for the users you wish to add using Excel or another program, and save the file in Excel or CSV format. Detailed instructions for composing an upload file can be found in the TIDE User Guide.
Once you return to TIDE, click Browse, and select the file you just saved.
Click Next to upload the file. A file preview page will appear, allowing you to verify you uploaded the correct file. If the preview is correct, click Next to continue.

17. Upload Users, continued
Next, TIDE will validate the file and display any errors or warnings according to the legend on the page. Click the orange error icons and blue warning icons in the validation results to view the reason a field is invalid. If a record contains an error, that record will not be included in the upload. If a record contains a warning, that record will be uploaded, but the field with the warning will be invalid.
To complete the upload, click Continue with Upload.
To upload a different file, click Upload Revised File.
To cancel the upload, click Cancel.
If your file contains a large number of records, TIDE will process it offline and send you a confirmation when complete. While TIDE is validating the file, do not press Cancel, as TIDE may have already started processing some of the records.
To view a PDF file listing the validation results for the upload file, click Download Validation Report in the upper-right corner.
When the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear with a message that summarizes how many records were committed and how many were excluded.

18. View/Edit/Export Users
Users with certain roles may use the View/Edit/Export User page to retrieve users who match particular search criteria. The user’s role, district, and school are required criteria. Other criteria are optional, such as the first or last name. Click Search to continue. The search panel will automatically collapse, and your search results will appear below.

19. View/Edit/Export Users, continued
After clicking Search, TIDE will display all the users satisfying the search criteria.
To export user information, mark the checkboxes next to the users you wish to export and click the export button above the search results.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional users, click the plus sign in the Search Users panel, which appears as a blue bar.
For more detailed information on managing users, see your TIDE User Guide.

20. Students
TIDE manages student information and keeps track of which assessments students are eligible to take. The Students task menu allows you to add students; view, edit, or export students; and upload student test settings.

21. Add Students
All students taking the ELPA21 screener must be added to TIDE in advance of being administered the screener. If your student is already listed with an SSID in TIDE, then he/she is ready to take the screener. Otherwise, he or she must be added. If the student does not yet have a permanent SSID and needs to take the ELPA21 Screener immediately, then he/she must be added to TIDE manually using an automatically-assigned Temporary ID. Note that only DC and DA roles can manually add students with Temporary IDs. Districts may use their District Student ID as the temporary ID. This page contains four panels: Student Demographics, Race and Ethnicity, Accommodations, and Designated Supports. The upload student feature does not support the Screener. Students with temporary IDs must be added individually.
Students who have permanent SSIDs may be added to TIDE from the Add Students page. To add a new student, first enter required information in the Student Demographics and Race and Ethnicity panels. The fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory.

22. Add Students, continued
Next, scroll down the page and, in the panels for Accommodations and Designated Supports, select the appropriate settings including domain exemptions, if any, using the drop-down lists. Click Save to add the student.

23. Domain Exemptions
If no domain exemption appears in TIDE, then all domains will be scored for the student, even if no questions are answered. Students who require a domain exemption must have that domain exemption selected and recorded in TIDE prior to beginning testing on any domain.

24. Add Students with a Temp ID
If your student does not have an SSID and needs to be screened, search for him/her by name in TIDE to make sure he or she does not already have a record.
If the student has no record in TIDE, does not yet have a permanent SSID, and needs to take the ELPA21 screener immediately, then the DC or DA must add the student to TIDE using a Temporary ID. Be sure to select Add Students With Temporary ID from the Students task menu. Ensure that all other information is complete and then click Save to save the student.
Note: this add student Temp ID process is used for ELPA21 screening only.

25. Add Students with a Temp ID, continued
After clicking Save, a confirmation window will appear showing the Temporary ID that TIDE has automatically assigned to the student. The student will use this ID as part of the login process for testing.

26. Convert a Temp ID to a Permanent SSID
The SSID field in the student’s record will remain editable in TIDE. Once the student receives a permanent SSID, the DC or DA must update his or her record in TIDE by replacing the Temp ID with his or her new permanent SSID. Once you have made this change, the student’s SSID field will no longer be editable. Make sure that you convert the student’s Temp ID to his or her permanent SSID as soon as possible after the screener test is complete and submitted for scoring.
To convert a Temp ID to a permanent SSID, edit the student’s record in TIDE and click the pencil button next to the SSID field. The field will become editable. Enter the student’s permanent SSID and click Save to update the student’s information.
No student should have multiple records in TIDE. If you do not update the student’s record, and then a duplicate record for the student is created with his or her permanent SSID at a later time, the two records will be treated as separate students. In this case, it will not be possible for you to merge the two records or convert the Temp ID to a permanent SSID. If this situation occurs, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.

27. View/Edit/Export Students
Click View/Edit/Export Students to locate and edit student records. To search for all students who have Temporary IDs, select the Temporary radio button under “Search ID Type” at the top of the page, and then click search. You will retrieve a list of all students with Temporary IDs.
To view students with permanent SSIDs, leave the Default radio button selected as the “Search ID Type.” Then, set additional search criteria. The fields for District and School are mandatory and marked with an asterisk. Other criteria are optional, such as the SSID and the student’s name.
The students you can retrieve on this page are limited by your role’s scope. For example, if you are a district-level user, you can retrieve students enrolled within your district. If you are a building-level user, you can only retrieve students enrolled within your school.
Click Search to continue. The search panel will automatically collapse, and your search results will appear below.

28. View/Edit/Export Student, continued
After you click Search, you’ll see a message asking whether you would like to view the results of your search, export the list of students to your inbox, or modify your search criteria and try again. If you choose to export the results to your inbox, you will receive an when the file is ready for you to download.

29. View/Edit/Export Students Results
When you click View Results, TIDE will display all the students satisfying the search criteria. You can edit a student’s information, including test settings and accommodations by clicking the pencil icon with a green boarder.
Print or export student information or delete students from TIDE by selecting the desired students and clicking the Print, Export, or Delete button above the search results.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional students, click the plus sign in the Search Students panel, which appears as a blue bar. For more detailed information on managing students, see your TIDE User Guide.

30. Frequency-Distribution Reports
A frequency-distribution report pulls demographic and enrollment information based on the selected criteria.
To generate a report from the Frequency Distribution Report page, select a district and school from the drop-down lists (if available). Mark checkboxes in the Select Demographics panel to filter the report for additional demographics and accommodations, as desired.
Click Generate Report to display a frequency distribution report using the selected criteria.

31. Frequency-Distribution Reports, continued
TIDE will display the frequency-distribution report in grid format. This example shows a report by grade and gender.
To display the report in tabular format, click Grid.
To display the report in graphical format, click Graph.
To display the report in both tabular and graphical format, click Grid & Graph.
To download the report as a PDF, click the Printer button.

32. Test Settings and Tools
TIDE keeps track of student test settings, such as font size and text-to-speech. The Test Settings and Tools task menu allows you to view, edit, export or upload test settings and tools.

33. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools
The View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools page includes a form for setting selection criteria to retrieve a student’s test settings and tools. Required criteria, such as the district and school in this example, are marked with asterisks. Other criteria may be optional.
You can further refine your criteria by entering additional demographic information or test settings in the Additional Search panel, if it is available.
The students you can retrieve on this page are limited by your role’s scope. For example, if you are a district-level user, you can retrieve settings for those students enrolled within your district. If you are a school-level user, you can only retrieve settings for those students enrolled within your school.
Click Search to continue. You’ll see a message asking whether you would like to view the results of your search, export the list of students to your inbox, or modify your search criteria and try again. If you choose to export the results to your inbox, you will receive an when the file is ready for you to download.

34. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools, continued
After you click Search, you’ll see a message asking whether you would like to view the results of your search, export the list of student test settings to your inbox, or modify your search criteria and try again. If you choose to export the results to your inbox, you will receive an when the file is ready for you to download.

35. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools Results
When you click View Results, TIDE will display all the students satisfying the search criteria. You can edit a student’s test settings and accommodations, by clicking the pencil icon with a green boarder.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional students, click the plus sign in the Search Students panel, which appears as a blue bar. For more detailed information on managing student test settings and tools, see your TIDE User Guide.

36. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools Results, continued
Print or export student information or delete students from TIDE by selecting the desired students and clicking the Print, Export, or Delete button above the search results. Only state, DC, or DA users can delete students.
State- and district-level users can also move selected students from one school to another by clicking Move to Other School.

37. Upload Student Settings1 2 3
DC, DA, and SC users may also edit test settings and tools in TIDE by using the Upload Student Settings page to compose an upload file in Excel or CSV format and then upload that file. This method is convenient if, for example, you have many students who need domain exemptions, and you don’t want to input them manually by searching for each student. Note that students who require a domain exemption must have that domain exemption recorded in TIDE prior to testing. If no domain exemption appears in TIDE, then all domains will be scored for the student, even if no questions are answered.
The easiest way to compose an upload file is to download an available template, which you can do by clicking Download Templates and selecting either Excel or CSV. AIR recommends that most users select Excel format.
Open the template using Excel or another program, and enter the information for each student you wish to add. Enter the information into each column from left to right, using one row per student, per test setting. Save the file when you are finished. Detailed instructions for composing an upload file can be found in the TIDE User Guide. To see a list of the files you have previously uploaded, click the blue plus sign to expand the Upload History panel.
When your file is ready to upload, return to TIDE, click Browse, and select the file you just saved.
Click Next to upload the file. A file preview page will appear, allowing you to verify that you are uploading the correct file. If the preview is correct, click Next to continue. 4

38. Upload Student Settings, continued
TIDE will validate the file and display any errors or warnings according to the legend on the page. Click the orange error icons and blue warning icons in the validation results to view the reason a field is invalid. If a record contains an error, that record will not be included in the upload. If a record contains a warning, that record will be uploaded, but the field with the warning will be invalid.
To complete the upload, click Continue with Upload.
To upload a different file, click Upload Revised File.
To cancel the upload, click Cancel.
If your file contains a large number of records, TIDE will process it offline and send you a confirmation when complete. While TIDE is validating the file, do not press Cancel, as TIDE may have already started processing some of the records.
To view a PDF file listing the validation results for the upload file, click Download Validation Report in the upper-right corner of the page.
When the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear with a message that summarizes how many records were committed and how many were excluded.

39. Rosters
The Rosters task menu allows you to add rosters; view, edit, or export rosters; and upload rosters from an external file.
Once test scores are calculated, roster information is used to generate reports of how students in the roster performed as a group.

40. Add Roster
You can manually create a roster on the Add Roster page. Rosters are used by the Online Reporting System to group students’ assessment results for users who want categories below the school and district level. The use of Rosters is optional. To add a new roster, select the district and school to which the roster belongs. You can optionally search for students in a specific grade or who have been added to TIDE within a specified period of time.
To search for students with specific test settings enabled, expand the Test Settings and Tools Filters panel by clicking the plus sign. When you are finished entering your search criteria, click Search.

41. Add Roster, continued
In the Add/Remove Students to the Roster section, enter a roster name and select the name of the teacher who should be associated with the roster.
In the table below, the students in the left column are available to be added to the roster, and students in the right column are currently in the roster.
To add a single student to the roster, click the green plus sign next to a student in the left column. You can add multiple students to the roster by marking checkboxes next to the students you want to add, and then clicking Add Selected.
To remove a single student from the roster, click the orange X next to a student in the right column. You can remove multiple students from the roster by marking checkboxes next to the students you want to remove, and then clicking Remove Selected.
When you are finished adding students, click Save to save the roster.

42. Upload Rosters 1 2 3
A second way to add new rosters into TIDE is to use the Upload Rosters page to compose an upload file in Excel or CSV format and then upload that file. This method is easiest if you need to create many rosters, and you don’t want to add them one at a time.
The easiest way to compose an upload file is to download an available template, which you can do by clicking Download Templates and selecting either Excel or CSV. AIR recommends that most users select Excel format.
Open the template using Excel or another program, and enter the information for each student you wish to add to a roster. Save the file when you are finished. Detailed instructions for composing an upload file can be found in the TIDE User Guide. To see a list of the files you have previously uploaded, click the blue plus sign to expand the Upload History panel.
When your file is ready to upload, return to TIDE, click Browse, and select the file you just saved.
Click Next to upload the file. A file preview page will appear, allowing you to verify that you are uploading the correct file. If the preview is correct, click Next to continue.

43. Upload Rosters, continued
TIDE will validate the file and display any errors or warnings according to the legend on the page. Click the orange error icons and blue warning icons in the validation results to view the reason a field is invalid. If a record contains an error, that record will not be included in the upload. If a record contains a warning, that record will be uploaded, but the field with the warning will be invalid.
To complete the upload, click Continue with Upload.
To upload a different file, click Upload Revised File.
To cancel the upload, click Cancel.
If your file contains a large number of records, TIDE will process it offline and send you a confirmation when complete. While TIDE is validating the file, do not press Cancel, as TIDE may have already started processing some of the records.
To view a PDF file listing the validation results for the upload file, click Download Validation Report in the upper-right corner of the page.
When the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear with a message that summarizes how many records were committed and how many were excluded.

44. View/Edit/Export Rosters
The View/Edit/Export Rosters page includes a form for setting selection criteria to retrieve rosters. After selecting your criteria, click Search to display a list of matching rosters.
Print or delete rosters from TIDE by selecting the desired rosters and clicking the Print or Delete button above the search results.
Click the pencil icon next to a roster to view or edit its details. The Edit Roster form will appear. This form is similar to the form used to add rosters, and you may edit the roster name, teacher name, and students in the roster in the same way that you would for a new roster.

45. Appeals
In the Administering Tests section of the TIDE dashboard, the Appeals task menu allows you to view pending appeals. DCs and DAs may create, upload, and export appeals. Appeals are approved only by the state.
In the normal flow of a test opportunity, a student takes the test in the Test Delivery System and then submits it. Next, the Test Delivery System forwards the test for scoring, and the Online Reporting System reports the test scores.
Appeals are a way of interrupting this normal flow. Reasons for appeals can vary. For example, if a student’s test is paused, and then the test is automatically submitted before the student can complete it, an appeal must be created to reopen the student’s test. Not all users may create appeals and approve appeals. These tasks are restricted to certain user roles, as determined by your state. For information on your state’s particular permissions, policies, and procedures, please consult the TIDE User Guide.

46. Create Appeals
The first step to create an appeal is to select the type of appeal you want to create. The TIDE User Guide lists the available appeal types and explains the implications of each.
Next, search for the test result for which you wish to create an appeal. From the drop-down lists and in the text field, enter your search criteria and click Search. TIDE will display the search results below.
Mark the checkbox next to each test result for which you wish to create an appeal, and click Create. A window will pop up asking you to enter a reason for the appeal. To create the appeal, enter a reason and click Submit.
The image on this slide is an example and may not accurately reflect current appeal types.

47. Status of Appeals Appeal Status Description of Status Error Occurred
An error occurred while the appeal was being processed.
Item Information Sent
Information regarding a Report Problem with Item appeal was sent to the designated recipients.
Pending Approval
Appeal is pending approval.
Processed
Appeal was successfully processed and the test opportunity has been updated.
Rejected
Another user rejected the appeal.
Rejected by System
Test Delivery System was unable to process the appeal.
Requires Resubmission
Appeal must be resubmitted.
Retracted
Originator retracted the appeal.
Submitted for Processing
Appeal submitted to Test Delivery System for processing.
After an appeal is created, its status can change throughout its life cycle. This table describes the possible statuses an appeal can have.

48. Upload Appeals
New appeals may also be added in TIDE by using the Upload Appeals page to compose and upload a file in Excel or CSV format. This task is performed by following the same steps used to upload student test settings.

49. Contact Your Help Desk
You can contact the Help Desk for assistance with any technical issues you encounter.
When contacting the Help Desk, please be ready to provide:
Any error messages that are appearing (including codes)
Your operating system and browser information
Your network configuration information
Your contact information for follow-up by phone or
Any other relevant information, such as test names or content areas, student IDs, session IDs, and search criteria
For test administration or policy issues, please contact your District Test Coordinator
You can find the TIDE User Guide and other helpful resources on your state assessment portal. However, if you still require assistance with troubleshooting a technical issue, you may also contact your Help Desk. When contacting your Help Desk, please be ready to provide the following information:
Any error messages that are appearing (including codes)
Your operating system and browser information
Your network configuration information
Your contact information for follow-up by phone or
Any other relevant information, such as test names or content areas, student IDs, session IDs, and search criteria
For questions about test administration or policy issues, please contact your district test coordinator.

50. Thank You!
For additional information, consult your portal’s Resources page, which contains:
Important Announcements
TIDE User Guide
For further assistance, please consult your Help Desk.
Thank you for viewing this training module. If you need additional information, please visit your portal ( where you can find announcements and copies of the TIDE User Guide. For further assistance, please consult your Help Desk