FY2020 Adult Education Assessment Policies · Web viewAuthor: DESE Created Date: 10/04/2019...

FY2020 Adult Education Assessment Policies

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Page18

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Assessment Policies, Fiscal Year 2020

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Massachusetts Adult Education Assessment Policies

Program Year 2019-2020

Contact Information

Policy-related questions

Dana Varzan-Parker, Curriculum Instruction and Assessment Specialist, ESE/ACLS

[email protected]

781-338-3811

Standardized assessment training related-questions

Francis O’Donnell, Research Fellow, Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst

[email protected]

April Zenisky, Research Associate Professor, Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst

[email protected]

413-577-2180

Important Resources

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) Assessment

http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment/

Assessment Training Calendar

http://www.sabes.org/

ACLS Test Help Blog

http://blogs.umass.edu/aclstesthelp/

MAPT-CCR Online Web-Based Learning Help Desk

[email protected]

Center for Educational Assessment-College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst

https://www.umass.edu/education/research/centers/center-for-educational-assessment

National Reporting System (NRS) for Adult Education

https://www.nrsweb.org/

ContentsChapter 1: Introduction1General Context1Massachusetts Measurable Skills Gains (MSG) Standard1Required Adult Education Assessments in Massachusetts2NRS Levels and Score Ranges for Assessments Used in Massachusetts3Chapter 2: ACLS Assessment Policies5Assessment Policy 1: Three Assessments in a Fiscal Year6Assessment Policy 2: Initial Placement6Assessment Policy 3: Pre- and Post-Testing7Assessment Policy 4: Moving Assessments Forward9Assessment Policy 5: Pre- and Post- Assessment Targets9Assessment Policy 6: Test Administrators and Test Scorers10Assessment Policy 7: Student Placement10Assessment Policy 8: Reporting Assessments in the LACES Database10Assessment Policy 9: Training and Certification of Test Administrators10Chapter 3: Assessments in the LACES Database23How to Add an Assessment23Fields on the Assessment Card23Subject Area24General Assessment Notes and Information24Editing and Deleting Assessments25Chapter 4: Test Conditions, Test Accommodations, Test Security27Test Conditions27Test Accommodations27Test Security29Chapter 5: Test Administration Procedures30Administration of MAPT-CCR30Administration of TABE 11/12-General Overview36Administration of TABE 11/12-Literacy Level37Administration of TABE 11/12-Levels E, M, D, A40Administration of BEST Plus 2.045Administration of CLAS-E Writing48Administration of CLAS-E Reading54

Chapter 1: Introduction

General Context

Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) is mandated by the U.S. Department of Education (US DOE) to use valid and reliable assessments to report students’ completion of NRS Educational Functioning Levels (EFL).

NRS stands for the National Reporting System for Adult Education and is an outcome-based reporting system for the state administered, federally-funded adult education programs.

Educational Functioning Levels (EFL) are outcome measure definitions for what students should know at each level and are based on descriptors. These descriptors were developed by the Office of Career and Technical Adult Education (OCTAE) at the US DOE for all states to use.

ACLS receives state and federal funds to run Adult Education programs throughout the Commonwealth and is therefore accountable to US DOE performance measures. ACLS reports to the NRS student outcome data related to academic performance and employment measures.

Whether ACLS-funded programs are state or federally-funded, all programs must adhere to federal measures and state standards.

More information on the NRS, federal measures, EFL and current and revised EFL descriptors is available here.

Massachusetts Measurable Skills Gains (MSG) Standard

In Massachusetts, adult students’ academic performance is measured through a performance standard called Measurable Skills Gains (MSG). An MSG outcome can be achieved in one (or more) of the following ways: EFL progression, obtainment of high school equivalency (HSE) credential, enrollment into post-secondary education or training (PSE/T).

Each fiscal year, after all pre-testing is completed, programs will be assigned an MSG target by ACLS based on: 1) the number of students who pre-test into each of the program’s NRS EFLs and 2) federal targets that the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) assigns to states.

The targets will be adjusted upward because of the opportunity for multiple outcomes for individual students. ACLS will use the most recent fiscal year MSG to calculate how much to adjust the twelve targets. OCTAE has raised Massachusetts’ target each year since the start of WIOA. As OCTAE raises Massachusetts’ targets, ACLS will raise program targets.

More details on the MA MSG standard are available on the ACLS performance standards webpage.

Required Adult Education Assessments in Massachusetts

ACLS requires Adult Education programs use six standardized assessments, depending on the services and NRS levels they offer:

· The Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test (MAPT)-CCR

· TABE Forms 11/12, Levels E, M, D, A

· TABE 11/12, Literacy Level

· BEST Plus 2.0

· TABE CLAS-E Writing

· TABE CLAS-E Reading

Table 1 below details the skills tested by each of the assessments used in Massachusetts and which type of programs are required to use these assessments.

Table 1

Required Assessments

Skills Tested

Which Programs Use

MAPT-CCR

ABE Reading and Math

Adult Education (AE) Programs, Integrated Education and Training (IET) Programs, Workplace Education Programs

TABE 11/12, Levels E, M, D, A

ABE Writing (Language subtest)

Adult Education (AE) Programs, AE Programs in Correctional Institutions (CI), Workplace Education programs

ABE Reading and Math

AE Programs in Correctional Institutions (CI), Workplace Education Programs

TABE 11/12, Level L

Literacy Level Reading

ABE learners below GLE 2 in AE programs or CI, Workplace Education Programs

BEST Plus 2.0

ESOL Speaking and Listening

AE programs offering ESOL services, Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Programs

TABE CLAS-E Writing Assessment only

ESOL Writing


TABE CLAS-E Reading Assessment only

ESOL Reading


NRS Levels and Score Ranges for Assessments Used in Massachusetts

There are twelve NRS levels, six levels for Adult Education and six levels for ESOL. A student’s NRS initial entry level is determined by the pre-test score on one of the above six assessments approved in Massachusetts.

Placement tests developed by programs in-house cannot be used to determine a student’s NRS level. Programs will not necessarily have students placed in all twelve NRS levels.

Programs may design classes with students functioning at a range of NRS levels (for example, a level 1 ESOL class may have students functioning at both the beginning ESL literacy level and low beginning ESL level), however, programs should be cautious to not have classes of students functioning at a wide range of NRS levels.

Tables 2 and 3 below show the NRS EFL, Grade Level Equivalencies (GLE) and Score Ranges for the Adult Education assessments approved in Massachusetts

Table 2-MAPT-CCR

NRS EFL

GLE Range

Score Range

Adult Basic Education Level 1 (Beginning Literacy)

0-1.9

N/A

Adult Basic Education Level 2 (Beginning Basic)

2-3.9

200-299

Adult Basic Education Level 3 (Low intermediate)

4-5.9

300-399

Adult Basic Education Level 4 (High intermediate for ELA, Middle Intermediate for Math)

6-8.9

400-499

Adult Basic Education Level 5 (Low Adult Secondary for ELA, High Intermediate for Math)

9-10.9

500-599

Adult Basic Education Level 6 (High Adult Secondary for ELA, Adult Secondary for Math)

11-12

600-700

Table 3-TABE 11/12

NRS EFL

GLE Range

TABE 11/12 Reading

TABE 11/12 Math

TABE 11/12 Language


0-1

300-441

300-448

300-457


2-3

442-500

449-495

458-510

Adult Basic Education Level 3 (Low Intermediate)

4-5

501-535

496-536

511-546

Adult Basic Education Level 4

(High Intermediate for ELA, Middle Intermediate for Math)

6-8

536-575

537-595

547-583

Adult Basic Education Level 5 (Low Adult Secondary for ELA, High Intermediate for Math)

9-10

576-616

596-656

584-630

Adult Basic Education Level 6 (High Adult Secondary for ELA, Adult Secondary for Math)

11-12

617-800

657-800

631-800

Table 3 shows the NRS EFL and the score ranges for the ESOL assessments approved in Massachusetts.

Table 3

NRS EFL

BEST Plus 2.0

CLAS-E Writing

CLAS-E Reading

ESL Level 1 (Beginning ESL Literacy)

88-361

200-396

250-392

ESL Level 2 (Low Beginning ESL)

362-427

397-445

393-436

ESL Level 3 (HighBeginning ESL)

428-452

446-488

437-476

ESL Level 4 (Low Intermediate ESL)

453-484

489-520

477-508

ESL Level 5 (High Intermediate ESL)

485-524

521-555

509-557

ESL Level 6 (Advanced ESL)

525-564

556-612

558 and above

The exit criteria from NRS are: for BEST Plus 2.0-a score of 565 and above, for CLAS-E Writing-a score of 612 and above, and for CLAS-E Reading-a score of 588 and above.

Note that in the LACES database a completed score is the same as the exit score.

Note that the BEST Plus 2.0 NRS score ranges no longer correlate with the BEST Plus 2.0 SPL ranges. Programs must always use the NRS score ranges, not the SPL ranges to determine a student’s EFL gain on the BEST Plus 2.0.

Chapter 2: ACLS Assessment Policies

Periods of Participation (PoP)

A Period of Participation (PoP) begins when a student enters the program and has activity, and ends when the student leaves, or does not have additional activity 90+ days after the last activity date.

In order for a PoP to populate in the LACES database, the student must have:

· At least one of the MA required assessments

· At least 12 instructional hours

For example, a student who is assessed, enrolled, earns six instructional hours, leaves, comes back after 90 days, and earns six more instructional hours in the FY will not be in a PoP because there is a 90+ day gap in activity. Because this student did not have at least one PoP, the student will not count on any of the NRS tables, even though the student was assessed and earned 12 instructional hours.

It is considered a new entry if the student returns in the current program year or returns from a previous fiscal year after a gap of 90+ days since the last activity. This does NOT mean that programs have to enter a new student record or update the student's original intake date. Once a student record is entered, programs will continue to add data to that record regardless of when the student entered the program. If the student returns after a 90+day gap in activity, programs will simply begin entering the new data (assessments, enrollments, and hours). At that time a new PoP will begin. While it is possible for a student to have up to four PoPs within a FY, most students will have one or two.

PoPs can also cross the fiscal year boundary. For example, a student who is in a PoP that continues into the next FY without a 90+ day gap is considered to be in one PoP that happens to cross FYs.

In LACES, a read-only PoP summary record will populate at the student Outcomes tab/PoP Summary/Measurable Outcomes panel once a level defining assessment AND 12 instruction hours have been entered in the student record without a 90+ day gap. Students will not count on any NRS tables until they have at least one PoP.

Each PoP summary record has columns that display PoP information, and columns that align with the Measurable Skill Gain rows on Table 4, and the Outcome Measure rows on Table 5 in LACES. This allows programs to look at the PoP Summary/Measurable Outcomes record on the grid and get an idea of how a student will count on those tables.

For more information on periods of participation in LACES, click here: https://sites.google.com/a/literacypro.com/wioa-laces-updates/periods-of-participation#TOC-Period-of-Participation-PoP-

Assessment Policy 1: Three Assessments in a Period of Participation

Programs may administer no more than three NRS approved assessments per content or skill area in one PoP.

EFL progression is based on the first test score (pre-test) and best post-test score achieved in a PoP.

EFL progression must be achieved within the duration of a fiscal year in order for the EFL outcome to count towards the program’s MSG target. Students must be tested with a NRS approved standardized assessment no more than three times in a content area in a PoP.

For example, if a student is pre-tested in September and then post-tested in December, EFL progression is determined by the December test score compared to the September pre-test score.

However, if the student is continually enrolled from September to April (i.e. one PoP) and pre-tested in September, post-tested in December and again post-tested in April, the student’s EFL outcome is determined by the higher post-test score compared to the September pre-test score.

Exception to Assessment Policy 1:

Students at GLE 0–2 who max out of the TABE Literacy test can (when appropriate) be assessed with MAPT-CCR for Math and/or MAPT-CCR for Reading in the same PoP.

Assessment Policy 2: Initial Entry Level

Important Note: This policy replaces the former policy related to Primary Assessment Area (PAA)

The initial entry level is determined by the first assessment in the fiscal year, regardless of the number of POPs. The initial entry level is used to place the student on the correct EFL row on the NRS tables.

When two or more pre-tests are administered in different content/skill areas, the test with the lowest score is, by default, indicated in LACES as the student's initial entry level if the two (or more) pre-tests are administered on the same date. If the two (or more) pre-tests are administered on different dates, the earliest pre-test becomes the initial entry level.

Programs no longer need to choose the student's initial placement test (formerly known as the primary assessment area or PAA) based on the skill or content area (reading, math, writing, speaking, listening) in which the student needs to improve as expressed by the student or as determined by the program.

The content area for the initial entry level is determined by either:

a) administering only one NRS-approved test within a seven-day period

or

b) administering two or more within that seven-day period, where the lowest NRS-approved test administered is automatically selected by LACES as the initial placement test.

This policy will not affect program performance. EFL outcomes in the initial placement test and any additional tests all count for program MSG. Programs can get 1.0 credit for an Educational Functioning Level (EFL) completion in either a student's initial placement test or in the non-initial placement test. More details on partial credit as part of the MSG standard can be accessed here: ACLS: Performance Accountability.

Initial Placement vs. Class Placement

Initial placement as defined in the above policy is different from class placement. A NRS initial placement test assigns the student to one of the twelve NRS levels (six for ESOL and six for ABE). Student placement in various program class levels may vary from one program to another and it is up to each individual program to create a rigorous and accurate class placement system that suits the needs of its specific student population.

Assessment Policy 3: Pre- and Post-Testing

Programs should have systems in place to ensure that students understand why they are pre-tested, what kind of tests will be used as pre- and post- assessments, how many times a year they will be tested and how the score results will be explained to them, and for what purposes the program will use these results.

Pre- and Post-Testing Hours

· Pre-testing

The National Reporting System (NRS) requires that all students who have 12 or more hours of attendance in a period of participation (PoP) be included in all federal report tables.

All students must be pre-tested within the first 18 hours of attendance, but students can be pre-tested prior to enrollment (with the exception of MAPT-CCR; see MAPT-CCR section in Chapter 5-Test Administration Procedures).

Exception to the 18 attendance hour pre-testing policy

Due to the time-consuming re-testing requirements of the CLAS-E Reading and the CLAS-E Writing assessments (see Chapter 5-Test Administration Procedures below), programs using these two assessments can administer these pre-tests after students have reached 18 attendance hours.

It is, however, in the best interest of programs to re-test students (if applicable as per the CLAS-E Writing and CLAS-E Reading re-testing guidelines) as soon as possible to ensure that 65 hours of instruction (see post-testing policy below) occur between pre-tests and post-tests.

All students with a pre-test must be enrolled in the LACES database (see assessment policy # 7 below).

· Post-testing

Students in CALCs must have 65 hours and students in CI must have 40 hours before they are administered a post-test.

Programs are required to post-test students at least once, but students must not be tested more than three times in a Period of Participation in the same content or skill area.

Programs have the option of administering a mid-year test if this aligns with the instructional and assessment needs of the student. Programs may not test students with less than 65 hours between their pre- and post-tests, with the exception of students enrolled in Adult Education in Correctional Institutions (AECI). These students may be post-tested at 40 hours. For additional specific MAPT-CCR post-testing instructions, see page 25.

Exception to the 65-Hour Post-Testing Policy

ACLS understands that there are valid reasons for occasionally post-testing earlier than the policy allows. For example, a student leaving the program earlier than expected or teachers determining that a student is ready for a post-test earlier. Therefore, while the policy still mandates 65 instructional hours between tests (40 h for students in CI), programs (including CI) can test at fewer hours when the justifications for those exceptions are realistic, within reason, and rare.

ACLS tracks the following exceptions in LACES: .

· Class ending

· Completed Educational Learning Plan (ELP)

· Exiting with evidence of readiness

· Exiting for personal reasons

· Late starting classes

· Late starting student

· Transfer to IET/IELCE

Programs that consistently have a high volume of exceptions will be contacted by their program specialist to discuss their rationale.

Pre- and Post-Testing of ABE Students at Levels 3, 4, and 5

ABE students at levels 3 (GLE 4-5.9), 4 (GLE 6-8.9), and 5 (GLE 9-10.9) are no longer required to be pre- and post-tested tested in both reading and math.

These students must be pre- and post-tested with either the MAPT-CCR for Reading or MAPT-CCR for Math. For programs in correctional institutions and workplace education programs where students may not have access to internet-connected computers, the TABE 11/12-forms E, M, D, A, Reading or Math subtests may be used.

However, programs are encouraged to pre- and post-test students at these levels in both reading and math to increase the likelihood of measurable skill gains (MSG) outcomes.

Students enrolled in STAR classes must be pre- and post-tested in reading.

Post-Testing of ABE Level 6 Students

Students placing into ABE Level 6 (GLE 11-12) are not required to take a post-test.

Because these students’ pre-test score is already high and therefore does not allow them to advance any further, the only educational outcome for students at this level is obtaining their high school equivalency credential.

Pre- and Post- Testing of Advanced ESOL Students

Students placing at the Advanced ESOL level with a pre-test score below the exit score of 612 for CLAS-E Writing and 588 for CLAS-E Reading but at SPL 6 can still make EFL gain their if post-test score is 612 or above in writing and 588 or above in reading.

Important Note: In LACES the completed score is the same as the exit score. Students pre-testing at the completed/exit score should not be enrolled in ESOL services.

Assessment Policy 4: Moving Assessments Forward

Any assessment administered after April 30 may be moved forward into the next fiscal year and used as a pre-test until December 31 of that calendar year. Any test administered within a fiscal year (July 1-June 30) may be used as a pre-test for students who leave and return during that year

For example, a student’s test administered on May 2, 2018 (FY 2018) can be moved forward and used as a pre-test into the next fiscal year starting July 1, 2018 (FY 2019) until December 31, 2018. If the student leaves before June 30 and returns after December 31, the student must be pre-tested again.

However, for a student who was pre-tested any time during the fiscal year (July 1-June 30), leaves the program and returns within the same fiscal year, administering another pre-test upon the student’s return is not necessary as the student’s previous pre-test may be used again. LACES Student Alerts will identify students who require a new test.

When an assessment is moved forward, the Date Assessed in LACES does not change on the moved forward record.

Additionally, when an assessment is moved forward, any previous fiscal year hours that were on or after the date of the moved forward assessment are included in the Instructional Hours Since Last Assessment in Subject Area field and count toward when the student will be eligible to be post-tested.

Detailed information can be found at https://sites.google.com/a/literacypro.com/wioa-laces-updates/assessments#TOC-Assessment-Rules .

Assessment Policy 5: Pre- and Post- Assessment Targets

ACLS requires that programs pre- and post-test a minimum of 80% of their students.

Pre- and post- percentage is no longer a performance standard and ACLS no longer assigns points to this target as per the performance standard memo issued on November 2, 2016. ACLS will, however, continue to track pre/post assessment data through LACES.

Programs should continue to employ best practices for attendance and retention in order to aim for 100% pre/post testing rate and to ensure that students progress in their academic goals.

Assessment Policy 6: Test Administrators and Test Scorers

ACLS requires that certified test administrators (see assessment policy 9 below) do not score their own students’ assessments. See test-specific details below.

Certified test administrators can administer the MAPT-CCR, TABE Forms 11/12-Levels E, M, D, A, TABE 11/12-Literacy Level, TABE CLAS-E Writing and TABE CLAS-E Reading to their own students.

Certified test administrators must not administer BEST Plus 2.0 to their own students.

Certified TABE CLAS-E Reading test administrators can score their own students’ TABE CLAS-E Reading tests. Certified CLAS-E Writing test administrators must not score their own students’ CLAS-E Writing expository writing folios, but may score the multiple-choice part of the test for their own students. Certified administrators may also score their own students’ TABE 11/12 Literacy Level and TABE 11/12 Levels E, M, D and A tests.

Assessment Policy 7: Student Placement

Programs may use any placement tests they choose. Programs may not use the MAPT-CCR as a placement test. Programs using the TABE 11/12 for pre- and post- testing purposes may not use the TABE 11/12 Locator as class placement test. Only the paper TABE 11/12 can be used for pre- and post-testing purposes.

Programs using the MAPT-CCR for Reading and/or the MAPT-CCR for Math for pre- and post-testing purposes can use the TABE 11/12 for class placement. In this case, the TABE 11/12 paper or online versions may be used. If the online version is used, programs are responsible for providing their own technical support. ACLS and UMass CEA will not provide technical support when TABE 11/12 online version is used for class placement purposes.

The BEST Plus 2.0 may be given at intake and may be given as both placement and pre-test. The CLAS-E Writing assessment and the CLAS-E Reading assessment may be given at intake and may be given as both the placement and pre-test.

Assessment Policy 8: Reporting Assessments in the LACES Database

All administered tests must be entered into the LACES database whether or not students made EFL gains and no exceptions are allowed. Assessment results must be reported accurately and entered into the LACES database as soon as possible. ACLS is currently developing data entry deadline requirements.

Assessment Policy 9: Training and Certification of Test Administrators

All test administrators are required to be trained and certified by the Center for Educational Assessment University of Massachusetts Amherst (CEA-UMass Amherst) before administering any of the standardized assessments used in Massachusetts. ACLS recommends that programs maintain at least two certified test administrators for each test the program administers.

Information regarding all online and face-to-face standardized assessment trainings can be found through the SABES Calendar.

Initial Certification Pre-Requisites

Starting FY2019, any practitioners seeking certification to administer and/or score any of the standardized assessments used in Massachusetts (BEST Plus 2.0, CLAS-E Reading, CLAS-E Writing, MAPT-CCR, TABE 11/12 and TABE L) are required to take an online pre-requisite.

Practitioners currently certified do not need to re-take the training nor do they need to take any of the pre-requisites.

There are two types of pre-requisites:

1. An online Assessment Basics webinar (recorded), approximately 35 minutes in length: this webinar consists of two videos. The first video describes what assessment is, how assessment fits into curriculum and instruction, and how to interpret different types of test scores. The second video explains what assessments are required in Massachusetts for NRS reporting purposes and provides an overview of the ACLS assessment policies.. Assessment Basics is a required pre-requisite for each of the five trainings for a specific assessment, but only needs to be completed once by each individual. In order to successfully complete this webinar, practitioners are prompted to take a short quiz after watching each video (six questions in total)

2. CLAS-E Writing Administration, online self-paced modules: this is a required pre-requisite for practitioners seeking certification in scoring the CLAS-E Writing. Prior to attending the face-to-face CLAS-E Writing Scoring training, practitioners must complete both the Assessment Basics webinar and the online self-paced CLAS-E Writing Administration modules as mandatory pre-requisites.

Please note that admission to the face-to-face trainings (BEST Plus 2.0 and CLAS-E Writing Scoring) will be denied if pre-requisites are not completed prior to these trainings.

The table below describes what pre-requisite(s) are required for each of the seven assessment trainings:

Table 4

Standardized Assessment Trainings

Training format

Required Pre-Requisites

BEST Plus 2.0

Face-to-face, 6.5 hour

Online recorded webinar on Assessment Basics, 35 minutes

CLAS-E Reading Administration and Scoring

Online self-paced modules


CLAS-E Writing Administration



CLAS-E Writing Scoring

Face-to-face, 5.5 hour


CLAS-E Writing Administration online self-paced

MAPT-CCR



TABE 11/12-Level L (Literacy)



TABE 11/12, Levels E (Easy), M (Medium), D (Difficult), A (Advanced)



Initial Certification for MAPT-CCR Administration

The MAPT-CCR administration training is available as an online training only and can be accessed at https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cOzTFuhOmYmilX7 (also posted on the SABES Calendar).

Program staff who were previously trained through SABES or through a practitioner-led training do not have to complete the online MAPT-CCR administration training but are strongly encouraged to take the new online training as a refresher and the Assessment Basics webinar.

Program staff who have never received the MAPT-CCR training and will be administering the MAPT-CCR must complete the online Assessment Basics webinar and the MAPT-CCR administration training first. The MAPT-CCR training is designed to be completed within 1.5 hours. ACLS recommends that practitioners complete it in one sitting. No annual recertification is required.

The online MAPT-CCR administration training consists of seven modules with five questions for practitioners to answer at the end of each module. The training is not timed and practitioners are given the opportunity to answer the questions multiple times until a correct answer is provided for each question. Practitioners will not be able to move on to the next module until all the questions in the current module have been answered correctly.

Once all seven modules have been completed, practitioners will receive an email confirmation that they have completed the training. Practitioners are encouraged to keep that email for their records and forward to their program director as needed. CEA-UMass Amherst and ACLS will receive notification of completion of the training automatically as well, so practitioners do not need to contact either CEA-UMass Amherst or ACLS.

CEA-UMass Amherst will not provide paper copies of the MAPT-CCR Teacher and Test Administrator Manual. An electronic link to this manual is included in the online training and practitioners are strongly encouraged to save and/or print their own copy. The manual can also be accessed on the ACLS Assessment page.

Initial Certification for TABE 11/12 Level L Administration and Scoring

The TABE 11/12 Level L Administration and Scoring Training is available as an online training (it is available through the link and also posted on the SABES Calendar). Any program staff who will begin administering the TABE 11/12 Level L (Literacy) must complete the Assessment Basics webinar pre-requisite and the online training provided by CEA-UMass Amherst.

Staff who were previously trained through SABES or through a practitioner-led training do not have to complete the online training, but are strongly encouraged to take it as a refresher and to watch the Assessment Basics webinar.

The online TABE 11/12 Level L training consists of four modules with three to four questions at the end of each module. The training is not timed and practitioners are given the opportunity to answer the questions multiple times, until a correct answer is provided. Practitioners will not be able to move on to the next module until all the answers in the current module have been answered correctly. At the end of the four modules, practitioners have to pass a final ten-question quiz.

Once all four modules have been completed, practitioners will receive an email confirmation that they have completed the training. Practitioners are encouraged to keep that email for their records and forward to their program director as needed. CEA-UMass Amherst and ACLS will receive notification of completion of the training automatically as well, so practitioners do not need to contact either CEA-UMass Amherst or ACLS. Certified staff may not train fellow staff members at their programs to administer the TABE 11/12 Level L.

Initial Certification for TABE 11/12 Administration and Scoring, Levels E through A

The TABE 11/12 Administration and Scoring Training (for Levels E, M, D, and A) is available as an online training only (it is available through the link and also posted on the SABES Calendar). Any program staff who will begin administering the TABE 11/12 (Levels E through A) must complete the Assessment Basics webinar pre-requisite and the online training provided by CEA-UMass Amherst.

Staff who were previously trained through SABES or through a practitioner-led training do not have to complete the online training, but are strongly encouraged to take it as a refresher and to watch the Assessment Basics webinar.

The online TABE 11/12 training consists of six modules with three questions at the end of each module. The training is not timed and practitioners are given the opportunity to answer the questions multiple times, until a correct answer is provided. Practitioners will not be able to move on to the next module until all the answers in the current module have been answered correctly. At the end of the six modules, practitioners have to pass a final ten-question quiz.

Once all six modules have been completed, practitioners will receive an email confirmation that they have completed the training. Practitioners are encouraged to keep that email for their records and forward to their program director as needed. CEA-UMass Amherst and ACLS will receive notification of completion of the training automatically as well, so practitioners do not need to contact either CEA-UMass Amherst or ACLS. Certified staff may not train fellow staff members at their programs to administer the TABE 11/12 Levels E through A.

Initial Certification for BEST Plus 2.0 Administration and Scoring

In order to receive competency status and be certified to administer the BEST Plus 2.0, practitioners must first complete the Assessment Basics webinar pre-requisite and attend a 7-hour BEST Plus 2.0 training. Directly following the training, practitioners must be approved to continue the certification process by the BEST Plus 2.0 initial trainer and/or CEA-UMass Amherst.

Participants either will be told the day of the training or contacted within one week regarding their status in order to continue the path to full certification. They must then complete the steps outlined below by the deadline provided at the training in order to become fully certified.

To ensure alignment with the BEST Plus 2.0 scoring rubric, trainees must complete a Scoring Activity (version to be determined each year) using a copy of the score sheet in the BEST Plus Refresher Workbook – Test Administrator’s Edition, and the red DVD entitled BEST Plus Scoring Activities from the Scoring Refresher Toolkit (program directors should have these items). Trainees must complete the Scoring Activity with no help or discussion from others. They must then input their scores online using the Scoring Activity submission page. More detailed directions will be supplied during the training.

To become comfortable with actual assessment administration, trainees must also perform 10 practice test administrations using the “practice” option of the BEST Plus 2.0 program (there is no cost to administer tests in practice mode). These free 10 practice test administrations are available on the BEST Plus 2.0 USB. Trainees should ask their program director for the USB as this is not included in their training material. Once the test administrators have been certified and registered with CAL, 10 actual test administrations will be given to the test administrators’ programs by CAL so that the newly certified test administrators can use them for further practice.

The practice administrations may be done with colleagues, family, friends, or students who volunteer to help. At least 5 of the initial 10 practice administrations must be done with adult non-native English speakers, but none of the practice tests should be administered to students who take the BEST Plus 2.0 to measure their NRS EFL gains.

Trainees must fill out a Practice Administrations Form with the names of the 10 people tested, date it, and have it signed by their program director or ESOL assessment coordinator. The Practice Administrations Form should be scanned and emailed to the CEA-UMass Amherst by the deadline provided at the training. Both the Practice Administrations Form and the contact information for its submission will be communicated to the trainees during the training.

If a test administrator does not turn in a scoring activity and Practice Administrations Form by the deadline, he/she will not meet the requirements for certification and may not administer the BEST Plus 2.0 assessment.

If the practitioner passes the initial Scoring Activity and performs the 10 practice test administrations, she/he will receive notification of competency status and then be certified to administer BEST Plus 2.0 assessments.

The CEA-UMass Amherst will send an email confirming their certification and indicating how long it remains valid. Test Administrators must save this email as no paper certificate will be given. The Center for Applied Linguistics will be notified of certification so programs may now purchase BEST Plus 2.0 test administrations.

If a practitioner does not pass the Scoring Activity, a BEST Plus 2.0 trainer will make contact regarding remediation or retraining within two weeks.

A passing score for the Scoring Activity is determined by the accuracy with which the practitioner uses each of the three sections of the BEST Plus 2.0 scoring rubric. The possible combinations of scores for the three sections are:

· R-R-R: no remediation required

· R-R-A in any combination: no remediation required

· R-A-A in any combination: no remediation required

· A-A-A: remediation required

· Any combination of U, A and R in any area: remediation required

· Any combination of U and A without R: retraining required

(R = recertification recommended; A = acceptable but may need remediation; U = unacceptable)

If the practitioner does not improveafter phone remediation, the CEA-UMass Amherst will inform the practitioner and her/his Program Director that the practitioner must retake the initial training.

Initial Certification for CLAS-E Reading and CLAS-E Writing Administration and Scoring

Initial Certification for CLAS-E Reading Administration and Scoring

Practitioners seeking initial certification in the administration and scoring of CLAS-E Reading must complete the Assessment Basics webinar pre-requisite and the online CLAS-E Reading Administration and Scoring Training provided by CEA-UMass Amherst. The online CLAS-E Reading training consists of five modules with five questions for practitioners to answer at the end of each module. The training is not timed and practitioners are given the opportunity to answer the questions multiple times until a correct answer is provided. Practitioners will not be able to move on to the next module until all the answers in the current module have been answered correctly. Practitioners have to take a ten question quiz at the end of the five modules.

Once all five modules and final quiz have been completed, practitioners will receive an email confirmation that they have completed the training. Practitioners are encouraged to keep that email for their records and forward to their program director as needed. CEA-UMass Amherst and ACLS will receive notification of completion of the training automatically as well, so practitioners do not need to contact either CEA-UMass Amherst or ACLS. Certified staff may not train fellow staff members at their programs to administer and score the CLAS-E Reading.

Initial Certification for CLAS-E Writing Administration and Scoring

Practitioners seeking initial certification in the administration and scoring of CLAS-E Writing must first complete the Assessment Basics webinar pre-requisite and the online CLAS-E Writing Administration Training provided by CEA-UMass Amherst, then attend a face-to-face training. The online CLAS-E Writing administration training consists of five modules with five questions for practitioners to answer at the end of each module. The training is not timed and practitioners are given the opportunity to answer the questions multiple times until a correct answer is provided. Practitioners will not be able to move on to the next module until all the answers in the current module have been answered correctly. Practitioners have to take a final ten question quiz at the end of the five modules

Once all five modules and final quiz have been completed, practitioners will receive an email confirmation that they have completed the training. Practitioners are encouraged to keep that email for their records and forward to their program director as needed. CEA-UMass Amherst and ACLS will receive notification of completion of the training automatically as well, so practitioners do not need to contact either CEA-UMass Amherst or ACLS. Certified staff may not train fellow staff members at their programs to administer the CLAS-E Writing.

Following their online training in CLAS-E Writing administration, practitioners seeking certification in the scoring of CLAS-E Writing must attend a face-to-face, 6-hour CLAS-E Writing Scoring training session with CEA-UMass Amherst.

Practitioners will need to pass a test before they receive a CLAS-E scoring competency status and are approved to score. Note: no certificates will be given; program staff must retain their email notification.

The initial certification test consists of 20 items (writing samples that must be scored). Practitioners must have a minimum score of 70%, with six or fewer items incorrect, in order to pass the test. If the score is between 60%-65%, with seven to eight items incorrect, practitioners must go through a phone remediation and the CEA will contact them to arrange for this remediation. These practitioners cannot score any CLAS-E tests until they have gone through the remediation process. Practitioners who score 55% or less, with nine or more items incorrect, must retake the training and cannot score any CLAS-E tests until they have completed the training again and passed the initial certification test.

Annual Recertification

MAPT-CCR, TABE 11/12 Levels L through A, CLAS-E Reading

No recertification is required for the MAPT-CCR, TABE 11/12 Levels L through A and CLAS-E Reading and Writing Administration.

Annually, ACLS and UMass-Center for Educational Assessment, the provider of standardized assessment trainings and publisher of the MAPT-CCR, release specific details about the required BEST Plus 2.0 and CLAS-E Writing recertification process. Below are some general expectations around the annual recertification process:

· TimingThe BEST Plus 2.0 and CLAS-E Writing annual recertifications are conducted concurrently to provide more time and flexibility.

· Determining who needs recertificationUMass circulates a link to a Google form for both tests to program directors to help identify practitioners who need to undergo recertification, eliminating the need to download two PDFs, complete them, and email them back. After the form is submitted, UMass-CEA emails program directors to indicate which practitioners are exempt from BEST Plus 2.0 recertification.

· Delivery of materialsRecertification materials are emailed to program directors as well as practitioners, and are available on the ACLS Test Help Blog.

· BEST Plus 2.0 RefresherPractitioners have the option to participate in a BEST Plus 2.0 Scoring Refresher webinar facilitated by a BEST Plus 2.0 trainer. The webinar is recorded for viewing at a later date. The specific date of the webinar and related information is announced every year in December. Programs can also carry out their own refresher sessions as has been done in the past.

· TABE CLAS-E Writing Scoring RefresherA CLAS-E Writing Refresher packet is provided, and practitioners have the option to participate in a CLAS-E Writing Scoring Refresher webinar facilitated by a TABE CLAS-E Writing trainer. The webinar is recorded for viewing at a later date. The specific date of the webinar and related information are announced every year in December.

BEST Plus 2.0 Recertification-PART A

(for BEST Plus 2.0 administrators and ABE Program Directors/Assessment Coordinators)

To ensure scoring accuracy statewide, all BEST Plus 2.0 test administrators need to be recertified by:

· Taking part in a scoring refresher

· Successfully completing a 30-minute scoring activity

· Administering a minimum of 10 BEST Plus 2.0 tests within the last fiscal year.

To recertify, test administrators need the following materials:

· The BEST Plus Scoring Refresher Toolkit

· The BEST Plus Scoring Refresher Workbook, Test Administrator’s Edition (one workbook for each BEST Plus 2.0 administrator)

Test Administrators must use the Toolkit to review and recalibrate their scoring within a structured forum to share their insights and questions about administering and scoring the BEST Plus 2.0. It is also an important way to review and recalibrate their scoring in order to ensure reliable assessment data statewide.

· The Scoring Refresher

The Toolkit and Workbook must be used by an individual test administrator or by a large or small group led by a facilitator. Participating in a group is preferred, since test administrators benefit from each other's questions and experience. If a group Scoring Refresher is done, a facilitator is required. If the Refresher is done individually, the BEST Plus 2.0 administrators need to read the Toolkit and accompanying facilitator's edition of the Workbook prior to the Refresher. The Toolkit contains helpful information and a Workbook with extra information for the facilitator.

The Refresher Facilitator's Role

Facilitators need to be experienced with using BEST Plus 2.0 and in working with the adult ESOL learners, and be:

· comfortable and confident with the scoring rubric and all three language components tested (Listening Comprehension, Language Complexity, and Communication),

· able to use the scoring rubric to justify scores used as benchmarks on the video,

· experienced with facilitating discussions and be able to summarize information presented in the Scoring Refresher Video,

· empathetic and able to judge when participants need a break or a question answered,

· available to review all Scoring Refresher materials carefully before facilitating a Refresher session.

Facilitators may be a staff person who is in charge of assessment at the program’s site, an on-staff certified BEST Plus 2.0 trainer or a certified BEST Plus 2.0 trainer hired by the program to facilitate.

Facilitators must read the Toolkit and facilitator's edition of the Workbook prior to leading the Scoring Refresher. They must also make clear to test administrators that, although their personal ideas and concepts of language proficiency and assessment can differ from those represented in BEST Plus 2.0, these differences must be set aside for the purposes of BEST Plus 2.0 scoring accuracy.

The Toolkit or DVD/Videos should not be taken home by staff and is the property of the program. The Toolkit materials must be kept in a secure place when not in use. Programs that lose their Refresher Toolkit must purchase another through the CAL online store.

How and When to Use the Toolkit

· Facilitators must follow the procedures outlined in the Toolkit for conducting the Scoring Refresher. Individuals using the Refresher by themselves must follow the Agenda for self-study in the Toolkit.

· The Refresher will take 2.5 to 3 hours to complete. The Refresher can be separated into two sessions, but not broken into more sessions than that.

· Facilitators must use the Needs Assessment, Self Assessment, Refresher Planning Worksheet and Checklist materials in the Toolkit. All test administrators must complete the Self Assessment in the Toolkit prior to the refresher. A detailed agenda for a facilitator-led Scoring Refresher session is also in the Toolkit.

· Additional helpful materials, including considerations for when to score, are available in the Toolkit.

· The Toolkit instructions state that test administrators may read the sections of the Workbook either now or later while watching the video. There is important information in the Workbook that is not gone into as much detail in the video. Test administrators must read the entire Workbook at the same time as they are going through the video. Particular attention should be paid to the Summary sections in the Workbook.

· Submission of Recertification Scoring Activity

Practitioners who are due for annual recertification must submit their scoring activity scores online. ACLS sends out detailed instructions for online submission each year. To protect the integrity of the recertification process, practitioners must not share the log-in information with anyone.

This web-based submission system makes the BEST Plus 2.0 annual recertification process less time- consuming and more efficient.

Practitioners will be able to see their results in each section of the BEST Plus 2.0 scoring rubric immediately. Using the PASS/FAIL key below, practitioners can determine their PASS/FAIL recertification status.

With a PASS status, practitioners may continue administering BEST Plus 2.0 tests. With a FAIL status, practitioners must wait to be contacted by CEA-UMass Amherst for further instructions about the remediation or retraining rocess.

Note that CEA-UMass Amherst will not issue any paper certificates. The BEST Plus 2.0 Recertification form (see part B below) will be sent by CEA-UMass Amherst to the program directors within two weeks after the end of the recertification period with the names of the practitioners who passed or failed the annual recertification. This form will serve as the official CEA-UMass Amherst notification regarding the practitioners' BEST Plus 2.0 annual recertification status.

PASS/FAIL Key

A recertification score for the Scoring Activity is determined by the accuracy with which the practitioner uses each of the three sections of the BEST Plus 2.0 scoring rubric, which assesses for students' basic listening comprehension, language complexity, and communication. The possible combinations of scores for the three sections are:

· R-R-R: PASS status, no remediation required;

· R-R-A in any combination: PASS Status, no remediation required;

· R-A-A in any combination: PASS status, no remediation required;

· A-A-A: FAIL Status, remediation required–wait to be contacted by CEA-UMass Amherst;

· U in any area: FAIL status, retake training;–wait to be contacted by CEA-UMass Amherst;

· Any combination of U and A without R: FAIL status, retraining required.

(R = recertification recommended; A = acceptable but may need remediation; U = unacceptable).

Those passing the scoring activity will also have their name and certification status entered into the LACES database by the CEA-UMass Amherst. ACLS and Literacy Pro are stil working on the development of this specific feature of the LACES database and will notify practitioners when the development work has been completed.

However, with a fail status, practitioners must not score in the new fiscal year until they have received and successfully passed the remediation administered by the CEA-UMass Amherst or attended the BEST Plus 2.0 training again (depending on which was required). The CEA-UMass Amherst will contact those practitioners who have failed the recertification and provide guidance on next steps.

Note: Test administrators who receive a score of R-R-R for three consecutive years are exempt from the annual recertification for two years following the third year of a R-R-R recertification score. These test administrators are still required to administer a minimum of 10 BEST Plus 2.0 tests annually.

For example, if a test administrator received a score of R-R-R in FY15, F16 and FY17, he/she would not have to recertify in FY18 and FY19, but would have to recertify in FY20.

BEST Plus 2.0 Recertification-PART B

(for ABE Program Directors/Assessment Coordinators)

ABE program directors/assessment coordinators must complete and submit the Recertification Form (to be sent out by ACLS each year) listing the names of all BEST Plus 2.0 test administrators. CEA-UMass Amherst will inform ABE directors if any of their practitioners are exempt.

When completing the Recertification Form, program directors must ensure that they list the names and contact information of their program's practitioners as they appear in the LACES database.

The deadline for completing the Recertification Form is sent out by ACLS each year. The form must be completed and submitted online. No paper or email submissions will be accepted.

After the end of the recertification period, the CEA-UMass Amherst will send program directors a list with the pass/fail status for each practitioner at their program. This will be the official notification from CEA-UMass Amherst. BEST Plus 2.0 administrators will be notified of their individual result via email.

CLAS-E Writing Recertification-Part A: Refresher (Optional)

ACLS and CEA-UMass Amherst strongly encourage that CLAS-E Writing test administrators take a practice test before they recertify. ACLS sends out a Refresher Packet to the field together with the recertification instructions in Januaryeach year. The Refresher Packet contains 20 questions from the previous year's recertification. CLAS-E Writing administrators may use these to conduct a Scoring Refresher session. They may take the "practice test" individually or as a group to test themselves using the 20 sample questions, and check their answers using the scoring rationale.

To prepare for scoring this Refresher session, practitioners must first review the following materials:

1. The CLAS-E Expository Writing Rubrics with the embedded Notes to the Scorer

1. The Supplementary Scoring Guide for the CLAS-E Expository Writing Assessment

1. The TABE’s CLAS-E Writing Scoring Guide, which includes the Summary Chart (page 3), Glossary (pages 69-70), and Sample Responses (pages 13-61)

When determining the score for a writing sample, the Rubrics are the most important item to use. The Supplementary Scoring Guide is meant to support scorers’ understanding of the Rubrics and should also be considered.

Practitioners must ensure that the correct rubric is used for each item being scored.

CLAS-E Writing Recertification-Part B (Required)

Recertification for CLAS-E Writing is required annually. Program directors or assessment coordinators must complete the Recertification Form, which is sent out by ACLS in January each year. The form must be completed and submitted online by a deadline communicated by ACLS each year.

Program Directors/Assessment Coordinators listed on the form will be notified by the CEA-UMass Amherst via email of their test takers' recertification status in early April each year. CLAS-E Writing scorers will be notified of their individual recertification result via email.

Test administrators who wish to continue to administer and score the TABE CLAS-E Writing assessment need to complete a recertification exam which uses actual Massachusetts ESOL student responses to CLAS-E Expository Writing items. The examination packet is emailed to the field by ACLS in late January each year. Each test administrator needs to go online to enter scores and rationales. Paper documents are not accepted.

It is imperative that practitioners use the correct CLAS-E Expository Writing Rubrics with the embedded Notes to the Scorer and The Supplementary Scoring Guide for the CLAS-E Expository Writing Assessment when scoring the items in the Recertification Packet. The scoring rationale provided should reflect the wording in the Rubrics.

Scoring Process

Test administrators pass if they score 70% or better, with six or fewer items incorrect.

Their passing status is sent to the program director and test administrator by email, and will also be logged into the LACES database when this LACES feature becomes available. All recipients of the notification email should retain a copy for their records.

Test administrators need to go through a remediation by phone if they score 60–65%, with seven to eight items incorrect.

CEA-UMass Amherst will set up a time for a remediation session by phone. Once the phone remediation is complete and has been determined to have been successful by the CEA-UMass Amherst, test administrators may score tests in the new fiscal year. Notification of their status is sent to the program director and test administrator and then is logged into the database.

If they score 55% or less, with nine or more items incorrect, test administrators may not score in the new fiscal year until they take another face-to-face training. Trainings for this purpose are scheduled by the CEA-UMass Amherst. Once they complete the training, their status is sent to the program director and test administrator and then logged into the database. All recipients of this notification email should retain a copy for their records.

Recommended Preparation for Taking the Annual CLAS-E Writing Recertification

To prepare for scoring the recertification test, the following materials should be reviewed first:

1. The CLAS-E Expository Writing Rubrics with the embedded Notes to the Scorer

1. The Supplementary Scoring Guide for the CLAS-E Expository Writing Assessment

1. The TABE’s CLAS-E Writing Scoring Guide, which includes the Summary Chart (page 3), Glossary (pages 69-70), and Sample Responses (pages 13-61)

Reminder

When determining the score for a writing sample, the Rubrics are the most important item to use. The Supplementary Scoring Guide is meant to support scorers’ understanding of the Rubrics and should also be considered.

Practitioners must ensure that the correct rubric is used for each item being scored.

Chapter 3: Assessments in the LACES Database

The following instructions were extracted verbatim from the Beginner LACES Manual. This manual can be accessed in the LACES User News page: https://laces.literacypro.com/laces/UserNews/Index

How to Add an Assessment

To add an assessment to the student record, go to the Assessments panel:

· Click the down arrow on the Add Assessment dropdown list.

· Only MA and federally approved assessments will appear in the NRS Approved list. If assessments are sunset, they may continue to display for a brief period of time after sunset, but will produce an error message indicating they can only be entered through their final approved date if selected.

· Click the arrows to expand the list. Assessments are organized in a ‘tree’ display. You must click the arrow for the instrument selection and form selection to expand and view the available options. Once at the difficulty level selection, you may then click the select the assessment. Even assessments that do not have or only have one difficulty level must have the level selected. Do NOT double click to expand the instrument, form, and level selections; click on the arrows. Double clicking often results in the assessment drop-down list freezing on your screen, making it difficult or impossible to see the assessment card to enter scores.

· Once you have expanded the list to display the assessment instrument/form/level you wish to enter, click the final display of the “tree” format to view the assessment card.

· The assessment card allows you to enter the date(s), staff (if applicable), Site (if applicable) and scores.

· Assessments cannot be entered with future dates!

LACES will only populate Educational Functioning Levels based on scaled score or GLE, it does not have a column for number correct.

Fields on the Assessment Card

· Assessment Card: Indicator of the assessment instrument, form, and level selected on the previous page.

· Date Completed for All: Checkbox to indicate the date all assessment subject areas were completed, if multiple subject areas were administrated on the same day.

· Staff: Optional field for the name of the staff member administering the assessment, or the instructor for the student.

· Site: The site within the program where the assessment was administered or should be associated with. Must be entered for programs with multiple sites to allow assessment data to be searched by site.

· Subtest Name or Measure: Subtest/subject area indicator. For assessments with multiple subject areas, be aware that not every subject area will result in an EFL, if not NRS approved.

· Raw Score: The raw score may be entered for some assessments, but a raw score by itself will not populate an EFL.

· Scaled Score and SPL/GLE: You can enter either the Scaled Score for the subtests, or the Student Performance Level/Grade Level Equivalent, or both. Follow the state assessment policy. If you enter both and there is a conflict in the EFL that would be produced for the two data points, the database will default to using the EFL generated from the Scaled Score. The Level field will automatically populate based on either the Scaled Score or the SPL/GLE.

· Level: Auto-generated educational functioning level based on the assessment scores and NRS Benchmarks. Non-editable. LACES programs based on the NRS Test Benchmarks, not the test manufacturer scores. See this link: http://www.nrsweb.org/docs/NRSTestBenchmarks.doc for additional information.

· Select Subject: Check to manually override the subject area, if appropriate. Not used for Period of Participation subject override!

· Date Completed: Dates for individually completed subtests, if appropriate.

Subject Area

Only NRS approved assessments will display an Educational Functioning Level and Subject. Non-NRS assessments will display GLE and Scaled Score information. Although LACES defaults to display the subject area and EFL with the lowest EFL, gains will be tracked for any subject area in which there is a valid pre- and post-test.

The database will automatically track in the subject area producing the lowest EFL. If two or more subtests produce the same lowest EFL, the database will track in the one with the lowest scaled score or SPL/GLE. You can manually override the database to track in a specific subject area by clicking the Move Forward icon (circle with an arrow between the Edit and Delete icons) and selecting the option to use this subject area for the period of participation. This option will not be available until the student has established a PoP by earning 12+ hours without a 90-day gap between them. When you are entering assessment data, you cannot navigate to a different tab or panel in the student detail record until the assessment data is either saved or cancelled.

After entering the data in the assessment card, click the Save button in the bottom right hand corner to save the assessment information, or the Cancel button to return to the Assessments grid without saving.

You should receive a confirmation pop-up in the upper left corner of your screen, indicating you have successfully saved the assessment. If, for any reason, the assessment is not successfully saved, you should receive an error message indicating the reason the database could not complete the request.

The process for adding a pre- or post-test is the same. LACES will not show a loss if a student post-tests and goes down a level; only gains are tracked for reporting purposes.

General Assessment Notes and Information

Since LACES updates levels based upon Assessment records, practitioners should regularly insure that all students have a valid assessment. Some areas to review if students show as Never Assessed this FY or if you do not understand something in the assessment panel:

Is the assessment date in this fiscal year? If the assessment is in a prior FY, you may move the assessment forward to count for the new FY, based on your state’s assessment policy, which allows moving forward if the assessment was given within the two months prior to the new fiscal year (May 1 to June 30).

To move an assessment forward, simply click on it once to highlight it, then click the “Move Forward” icon (circle with an arrow in it), and say “Yes” when the pop-up window appears asking if you are sure you want to move it forward. You will get an error message if you attempt to move forward an assessment that is not within the allowed state timeframe for pushing forward.

Moving an assessment forward duplicates the moved-forward assessment, so you do not lose the data from last year, but gain a duplicated record in the new year. Additionally, if you enter a score that is outside of the test manufacturer’s approved range, it could result in an invalid EFL which will show the student as having no level. Adding a post-test to a student is exactly the same process in terms of the data entry. LACES will know it is a posttest due to the date occurring after the pre-test. Please be sure to follow the state assessment policies when adding post-tests.

Areas to be particularly careful with are:

· Alternating forms. NRS policy is that you should use alternating forms for pre- and post-assessments.

· Assess according to ACLS policies (see chapter 2 of this manual). Although there can be exceptions to these guidelines, they should be just that- exceptions. Exceptions should be documented based on the ACLS exception policy (see chapter 2).

Editing and Deleting Assessments

Click the Edit button to open an assessment record for viewing or editing. This will open the assessment card and allow you to make and save changes to the Staff, Scaled, SPL/GLE, Select Subject, or Date Completed fields. When you are editing assessment data, you cannot navigate to a different tab or panel in the student detail record until the edits to the assessment data are either saved or cancelled.

The Delete button will delete the assessment record in that row, after verifying that you wish the delete that record.

Deleting an assessment will affect the Subject Area, Entry and Current Level, and Assessment Status in Subject Area fields.

Please review the following scenarios:

Student Assessment Status of “Assessed Once this FY”

· If the assessment deleted is the only level-defining assessment in the current FY or period of participation, the Subject Area will revert to “No Value Entered,” the Entry and Current Levels will revert to “Level Not Defined,” and the Assessment Status in Subject Area will revert to “Never Assessed this FY.”

· If there are additional level defining assessments available (in other subject areas), the database will automatically select the assessment with the subject area in the lowest educational functioning level from the remaining assessments and convert the Subject Area, Entry and Current Levels, and Assessment Status in Subject Area to this subject area’s information.

Student Assessment Status of “Assessed 2+ this FY”

· If the assessment deleted is the pre-test, the data from the earliest post-test in the FY year will be used to populate the Entry and Current Levels

· If there was only one post-test, the Assessment Status in Subject Area will convert to “Assessed Once this FY.”

· If the assessment deleted is a post-test, any level gains made from that post-test will be lost.

· If there were multiple post-tests, deletion of one post-test will result in the database using the next newest post-test for tracking, and the Subject Area, Entry and Current Levels, and Assessment Status in Subject Area fields will be adjusted according to the data from that post-test.

Chapter 4: Test Conditions, Test Accommodations, Test Security

Test Conditions

The testing location must be quiet and comfortable so learners will not be distracted by their surroundings while taking the test. Learners may be tested in a quiet computer lab, empty classroom, office, or other space. Learners must not be tested in an occupied classroom or space where other students are working or talking.

Test Accommodations

An adult learner with a disability must provide the ABE program with disability-related documentation if he/she requires accommodations. If an advisor or other program staff person determines through a screening that there is a strong possibility the learner has a learning disability or other disability, a formal assessment may be undertaken. A formal assessment of a learning disability must be administered by a licensed professional (e.g., psychologist, school psychologist, or psychiatrist) and is valid for five years from the date of the formal assessment. In some cases, a “licensed professional” may be a speech, vocational, physical, or occupational therapist with verification by a licensed medical doctor, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

An IEP (Individual Education Plan) is not a documented formal diagnosis of a learning disability. “Disability-related documentation” includes educational assessments, or an Individual Education Plan (IEP) developed by the public school system to document a person’s disability for an accommodation in the ABE program.

MAPT-CCR Accommodations

Although the MAPT-CCR was constructed to be as flexible as possible to accommodate learners with various disabilities, there may be many cases in which accommodations are necessary to get a more accurate measure of a particular learner’s knowledge and skills. The issues to consider in granting an accommodation on the MAPT-CCR are:

a) whether the accommodation removes a barrier that may hinder a learner’s performance on the MAPT-CCR;

b) whether the accommodation is consistent with accommodations given to the learner in the classroom;

c) whether the accommodation will change what the MAPT-CCR is measuring.

Given those issues, ACLS recommends the following accommodations be permitted for learners who may want them, because these accommodations are not considered to change the construct (math or reading proficiency) measured on the MAPT-CCR:

· extended time (see ACLS policy regarding resetting a test), including splitting the test up across separate occasions

· separate testing room (away from other learners)

· increase font size (large print)

· Braille version of the test (currently unavailable)

· touch screen technology for answering questions

· read-aloud presentation of instructions

· read-aloud presentation of the MAPT-CCR for Math test

· sign language presentation of instructions

· recording answers for learners

· use of manipulation equipment (e.g., a head-stick) for navigating through test and answering items

The above list of accommodations is not exhaustive and other accommodations may be requested in some circumstances. ACLS should be contacted for approval in such situations. A well-respected resource for learning more about test accommodations is the web site for the National Center for Educational Outcomes (http://www.education.umn.edu/NCEO/default.html), particularly their frequently asked questions and their test accommodations bibliography (http://education.umn.edu/NCEO/AccomStudies.htm).

Note that in some cases, learners may request a read-aloud accommodation on the MAPT-CCR for Reading. This accommodation may change the construct measured (i.e., from reading comprehension to listening comprehension), and so will only be permitted when it represents the typical way in which a learner accesses reading material.

To promote the most valid interpretations of MAPT-CCR scores, the accommodations that are permissible for learners should match their needs. Thus, accommodations should not be provided to anyone who wants one, just because they happen to be available or allowable. Rather, test accommodation decisions should be made in a careful and thoughtful manner, considering the issues of access and validity, and should be consistent with the accommodations a learner uses as part of their normal instruction.

Decisions regarding test accommodations can be difficult to make and should be revisited after learners have had experience taking the MAPT-CCR. One way to help decide whether accommodations are needed is to have learners take the MAPT-CCR Practice Tests and observe how they interact with the material. Interviewing them about their experience on the Practice Tests, and other tests they have taken in the past may also be helpful. Decisions regarding whether to provide an accommodation, and which accommodations will promote valid score interpretation, should be based on a comprehensive evaluation of the needs of specific learners and consideration of valid test score interpretation. Contact [email protected] if there are further questions regarding how to accommodate students with disabilities on the MAPT-CCR.

TABE 11/12, TABE CLAS-E Reading and TABE CLAS-E Writing Test Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations for TABE 11/12 and TABE CLAS-E Reading and Writing are explained in detail on the Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) / test publisher’s website and can be accessed here: http://tabetest.com/PDFs/TABE_Guidelines_to_Inclusive_Testing_2017.pdf .

BEST Plus 2.0 Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations for BEST Plus 2.0 are explained in detail on the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) website and can be accessed here: http://www.cal.org/aea/pdfs/BP2.0-Test-Usage-Policy.pdf .

Test Security

All tests and student test scores need to be kept in a secure place.

Do not file students’ tests in their personal portfolio. Staff and test administrators may not use test booklets or test items to prepare learners for their tests. ACLS reserves the right to immediately terminate the program’s grant if any staff are found to be violating the assessment policy regarding test security.

All BEST Plus 2.0 USBs and BEST Plus 2.0 student test scores must be kept in a secure place. Although students’ test scores are stored on the USB used to administer the test, it is important to back up the hard drive, and/or keep printed copies of the scores in a secure place. After the BEST Plus 2.0 assessment is completed, a score report is generated that can be printed out or saved to the hard drive.

MAPT-CCR test administrators must stay in the room with test-takers at all times so that they may answer any questions related to navigating the computer and to ensure test security. MAPT-CCR tests taken without test administrators present will be invalidated by CEA-UMass Amherst. Student login information (LACES (MAPT) IDs and passwords) may not leave the testing room with students.

Learners must take the MAPT-CCR on site during regular program hours of operation (e.g., between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm), otherwise scores will be invalidated[footnoteRef:1]. Ideally, it is best if learners are not tested during their regular class time so as not to miss instruction. If learners cannot be tested at another time, they may leave class to be tested. [1: Learners at Volunteer Programs, Fund Code 287 may test on the weekends.]

Teachers trained to administer the MAPT-CCR may administer the MAPT-CCR to their own students, but not during regular class time unless there is a substitute teacher in the classroom. ACLS reserves the right to immediately terminate the program’s grant if any staff are found to be violating the MAPT-CCR assessment policy regarding test administration.

Chapter 5: Test Administration Procedures

Administration of MAPT-CCR

Overview of the MAPT-CCR

The state’s assessment policy requires programs to use the MAPT-CCR for Reading and/or the MAPT-CCR for Math for all learners GLE 2-12.9 enrolled in ABE classes, except for those listed below:

· ABE Level 1 Students: ABE students reading below GLE 2 must be tested using the TABE Test, Forms 11/12 Level Literacy Reading and/or Math;

· ABE students GLE 2-12.9 whose goal is to improve their writing skills must be tested using the TABE Language Complete Battery Subtest, Forms 11/12, Levels E, M, D, and A. See specific pre- and post-testing requirements in chapter 1 of this manual.

· Students in ABE Programs for Correctional Institutions (CI) that do not have access to computers must be tested using the TABE Reading, Math or Language Complete Battery Subtest, Forms 11/12, Levels L, E, M, D, and A. See specific pre- and post-testing requirements in chapter 1 of this manual.

· Students in Workplace Education (ABE) programs that do not have access to computers must be tested using the TABE Reading, Math or Language Complete Battery Subtest, Forms 11/12, Levels L, E, M, D, and A. See specific pre- and post-testing requirements in chapter 1 of this manual.

The Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test (MAPT) was developed by the Center for Educational Assessment at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) Unit of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and many Massachusetts ABE practitioners and learners.

The MAPT-CCR consists of criterion-referenced tests that measure ABE math and reading skills. The MAPT-CCR for Math and the MAPT-CCR for Reading are aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE), and the National Reporting System’s (NRS) Educational Functioning Levels (EFLs) ranging from GLE 2.0-12.9.

The MAPT-CCR may be administered individually or in a group setting where each student has her/his own computer. The test is computer adaptive, and delivered via a computer using the Internet. The test is un-timed, but test time averages 60-70 minutes per subject area (reading or math). The MAPT-CCR consists of the MAPT-CCR for Math and the MAPT-CCR for Reading, the MAPT-CCR Sample Questions, MAPT-CCR Practice Tests, and Computer Basics. For more information, please see the MAPT-CCR Test materials at http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment, and the MAPT-CCR Teacher and Test Administrator Manual at the same location.

Before MAPT-CCR Administration

Required Test Materials

Practitioners can access the MAPT-CCR Teacher and Test Administrator’s Manual through the link provided in the new online MAPT-CCR administration training. The manual can also be accessed through the ACLS Assessment page at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment.

MAPT-CCR administrations are provided free of charge by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Programs need enough computers to be able to individually administer pre- and post-tests for learners. Computer System requirements are as follows:

Computer Feature

Minimum Requirements / Notes

Operating System

PC: Windows XP or newer

Mac: OS X

Screen Resolution

1280 x 1084 pixels[footnoteRef:2] is best, though 1024 x 768 also works. Monitors should be at least 19” CRTs or 17” LCDs [2: To check how many pixels the screen is set to on a PC, go to the Windows “Start” button on the lower left section of the computer screen, click on “Settings” and then “Control Panel.” From there select “Display” and then “Settings” and “Screen Area.” Move the pointer to 1280 x 1084, and click okay. A message will pop up that states Windows will apply the new settings.]

Web Browser

Windows: An up to date version of Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer

Mac: An up to date version of Firefox, Chrome, or Safari

Laptops, Desktops, and Hand-held Mobile Devices

System requirements for laptops are the same as for desktops. Hand-held devices are not appropriate for MAPT testing for various reasons, including small screen size.

Computer Readiness Testing

Prior to using a computer for actual testing for the first time:

a) Log into OWL using one of the web browsers recommended above.

Note: An OWL account is needed to log into OWL. OWL accounts are provided to individuals who have completed the online MAPT-CCR Test Administrator training.

To complete the MAPT-CCR Test Administrator training, please access the training at https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cOzTFuhOmYmilX7; once it is completed the online training, practitioners will receive an OWL account within a few days.

b) Review the 'Sample Questions - Reading' and the 'Sample Questions - Math' tests and answer the following questions:

· Are the pages loading within a few seconds?

· Does the calculator on Questions 2 and 3 of the 'Sample Questions - Math' test appear onscreen? It looks like this:

· Are all the rows of buttons that appear in the above image present?

· Is the calculator functioning (try adding 2 numbers, for example)?

· Is the text in the 'Sample Questions - Reading' easy to view (large enough, clear and undistorted)?

· Is it possible to submit answers to the four questions in each of those tests?

· Did everything (including the log in pages) appear to be displaying and functioning correctly?

If the answer to all of the questions above is ‘yes’ and nothing else that would cause concern appears, then the computer setup is most likely fine for MAPT-CCR testing.

When to use the MAPT-CCR, when to use the TABE 11/12

For students below GLE 2.0, programs must use TABE Forms 11/12, Level L (Literacy) test, which includes the Word List, Pre-Reading Skills, and Reading Skills tests. For learners who test at GLE 2.0 and above, programs must use the MAPT-CCR.

Only programs in corrections and programs that do not have access to internet-based computers can use the TABE 11/12. Programs in CALCs whose students’ main goal is to improve writing skills may use the Language subtest of TABE 11/12. However, these programs must ensure they comply with the requirement to pre- and pos-test students at levels 3, 4, 5 with both MAPT-CCR for Reading and MAPT-CCR for Math.

At ABE level 2 where the policy does not mandate pre and post-testing in both reading and math, the program in consultation with the student will select either the reading, math or writing.

Determining the MAPT-CCR Pre-Test Level

Test administrators determine the appropriate level of the MAPT-CCR for each learner’s very first MAPT-CCR ever. The second and any subsequent MAPT-CCR tests will automatically begin at the appropriate test level for the student based on his/her pre-test score. Test administrators must follow the directions in the section entitled Determining the Pre-Test Level for Students of the MAPT-CCR Teacher and Test Administrator Manual.

The chart below and on the following page will help staff to determine the appropriate MAPT-CCR starting level.

MAPT-CCR for Math Scale Scores’ Correlation to NRS (National Reporting System) Educational Functioning Levels (EFL) and Grade Level Equivalents (GLE)

MAPT-CCR for Math

MAPT-CCR Scale Score Range

GLE Range

NRS Level

N/A: Use TABE 11/12 Level L

N/A

0-1.9

Adult Basic Education Level 1 (Beginning Literacy

MAPT-CCR for Math 2

200 – 299

2-3.9


MAPT-CCR for Math 3

300 – 399

4-5.9


MAPT-CCR for Math 4

400 – 499

6-8.9

Adult Basic Education Level 4 (Middle Intermediate)

MAPT-CCR for Math 5

500 – 599

9-10.9

Adult Basic Education Level 5 (High Intermediate)

MAPT-CCR for Math 6

600- 700

11-12

Adult Basic Education Level 6 (Adult Secondary)

MAPT-CCR for Reading Scale Scores’ Correlation to NRS (National Reporting System) Educational Functioning Levels (EFL) and Grade Level Equivalents (GLE)

MAPT-CCR for Reading

MAPT-CCR Scale Score Range

GLE Range

NRS Level

N/A: Use TABE 11/12 Level L

Use TABE Level L scale scores

0–1.9


MAPT-CCR for Reading 2

200 – 299

2-3.9



300 – 399

4-5.9



400 – 499

6-8.9

Adult Basic Education Level 4 (High Intermediate)


500 – 599

9-10.9

Adult Basic Education Level 5 (Low Adult Secondary)


600 – 700

GLE 11–12

Adult Basic Education Level 6 (High Adult Secondary)

Pre- and Post-Testing Interval

Programs need to pre- and post-test enrolled students each fiscal year in their PAA in order to capture student educational gain. The general recommendation is to post-test after an interval of 65 hours of instruction with the exception of students in Correctional Institutions who can be tested at an interval of 40 hours.

After a student takes a MAPT-CCR, the test automatically becomes available again for post-test in the OWL system after two months/60 days. However, for students in programs with intensive instruction, if a student receives at least 65 hours of instruction before two months/60 days have passed, test administrators can send a message to UMass-OWL Technical Support to request that the test be made available.

To request that a student’s MAPT-CCR be made available because 65 hours of instruction has accrued before 60 days have passed, please contact OWL Support using a MAPT-CCR test administrator account, and give the following information:

· student’s first and last name

· student’s LACES (MAPT) ID

· site

· hours of attendance

· person requesting the test reset

· email address of the person requesting the reset and

· reason (e.g., student has 65+ hours of attended hours and needs to be post-tested.

During MAPT-CCR Administration

Following Test Administration Procedures

Test administrators must follow the test directions in the MAPT-CCR Teacher and Test Administrator Manual, accessible, with the MAPT-CCR materials, at http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment.

In order for test adminis

FY2020 Adult Education Assessment Policies · Web viewAuthor: DESE Created Date: 10/04/2019...

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