ASSESSMENT

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ASSESSMENT REPORTING

• MDCD ASSESSMENTS

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Assessments

• CASAS
• BEST
• BESTEL
• WORK KEYS
• AMES
• ABLE
• SLOSSON
• TABE

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GOALS

• Overview tests in field
• Recommendations

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NRS MAERS

• Federal Law Requirements-the National Reporting
  System (NRS)
• Electronic student reporting system
• Student and Program characteristics
• Outcome measures
• Michigans System is-
• The Michigan Adult Education Reporting System
  (MAERS)
• Web-based database to store records and produce
  reports

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Outcomes Performance Standards

• Examples of Outcome Measures
• Goals
• Employment related-obtain, improve and retain
• HSC GED Completion
• Enter postsecondary education and training

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Key Terms

• Educational Functioning Level
• Educational scale to measure gains
• Six levels for both ABE and ESL
• Gains-complete or advance a level
• Measure by assessments (pre- post)
• HSC is exception-credits toward diploma
• 1 EFL2 grade levels

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Educational Functioning Levels-A B E

• Beginning ABE Literacy
• Beginning Basic Education
• Low Intermediate Basic Education
• High Intermediate Basic Education
• Low Adult Secondary Education
• High Adult Secondary Education

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EFLs-ESL

• Beginning ESL Literacy
• Beginning ESL
• Low Intermediate ESL
• High Intermediate ESL
• Low Advanced ESL
• High Advanced ESL

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ABE Levels Nonwork/Work Goal
Beginning ABE Beg. Basic Education Slosson-lower 3 ABLE-all CASAS (employability)- lowest 3
Low Intermed. High Intermed. CASAS (employability)-all TABE-all Slosson-lowest3
Low ASE High ASE WorkKeys-on scale WorkKeys-highest 3
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ESL Levels Nonwork/Work Goal
Beg. ESL Literacy Beg. ESL BEST Oral-all/Written- 5 levels
Low Intermed. ESL High Intermed. ESL BESTEL- highest 3
Low Adv. ESL High Adv. ESL CASAS (Life skills)-all CASAS (Life skills)-all
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Issues

• Test and Instruction should match.
• If use more than one assessment use lowest level
  for-
• Level at entry
• Level at completion

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Issues

• The BEST, BESTEL and CASAS tests-only
  MDCD-approved ESL test instruments.
• Students who place on Low Advanced EFL on the
  Literacy BEST pre-test will need to post-test at
  74 points or gt in order to demonstrate EFL gain.
• Programs using BEST as only ESL test instrument
  will not be able to test students at the High
  Adv. EFL on the Literacy test-BEST does not
  measure literacy skills at this level.

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Issues

• BEST measures word recognition skills.
• BESTEL measures sentence-level reading skills.
• BESTEL approved at upper 3 levels to address
  limitations of Literacy BEST at High Advanced
  level.
• Inappropriate test instrument for lower-level
  students.
• If student is pre-tested with BESTEL scores lt
  40, they must be retested using BEST or CASAS.

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Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. Involve
me, I understand. Single assessment measures
are not adequate to document program outcomes.
Assessment should be selected or developed based
on learner goals, program goals, and the priority
competencies that give learners the power to
achieve goals. Programs must ensure that
assessment results are meaningful and accessible
to learners charting progress toward goals,
teachers planning instruction, educators working
to improve their programs, and to funding sources
looking for accountability. Several options and
choices are available to programs for meeting
their assessment needs and for reporting
outcomes. Collaboration, dialogue, and
information sharing are crucial.
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Freidrich Nietzsche once said, Whatever does
not destroy me makes me stronger. In the spirit
of such courageous optimism, I will offer a short
introduction to the assessment tests on the
approved list of MDCD. Take a deep breath, relax,
and remember the sage words of Nietzche.
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CASAS Employability Competency System (ABE)

• Math-20 questions, 25 minutes.
• Results place students into levels A-D of
  pre-tests.
• Appraisals not used for pre-or post-testing.

• ECS appraisals-initial assessment instrument.
• Provide information on learners basic
• functional literacy skills in reading math in
  an employability context.
• Includes 2 sections
• Reading-25 questions, 25 minutes.

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CASAS ECS (ABE)

• Basic Skills Assessment in employability.
• Measures learners ability to apply basic skills.
• Integrates assessment with curriculum
  instruction.

• All tests serve as pre-and post-tests.
• After instruction progress measured with
  post-test.
• Reading Math level A-D (2 forms of each
  level).
• No time limit. 1 Hr.

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CASAS Life Skills Assessment (ESL)

• Integrates assessment with curriculum
  instruction.
• Identifies basic skills in reading and
  listening.
• Assesses learning gains.

• ESL Appraisal used to select appropriate pre-test
  to administer.
• Reading-20questions, 20 min.
• Writing-2 dictated sentences.
• Speaking/Listening-6 item oral interview.
• Listening Comp.(ESL).

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CASAS Life Skills Assessment (ESL)

• Beginning Literacy Reading Assessment
• Assesses reading ability of students with limited
  literacy skills.
• 2 forms
• 2 sections literacy enabling (decoding) skills
  life skills.

• Reading levels A-D
• 2 forms
• No time limit. 1 Hr.
• All tests serve as pre-and post-test.
• Listening Comp. levels A-C.

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Functions of Assessment and Instruction (CASAS)

• Place-Learners given appraisal to determine
  appropriate program/instructional level
  identify pre-test.
• Diagnose-Learners take survey pre-test.
• Instruct-Instruction informal assessment occur.
• Monitor-After interval, learners given post-test
  based on pre-test scores.

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BEST Oral Test

• Oral interview section
• Individually administered, face-to-face
  interview.
• 15 min. per examinee
• Consists of simulated real-life listening
  comprehension and speaking tasks.
• Forms B C

• Tasks include
• Telling time
• Asking for directions
• Following directions
• Counting money
• Verifying change
• Conversing socially
• Elementary reading and writing tasks

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BEST Literacy Skills

• May be administered in 1 hr.
• Individually or in group
• Reading tasks include
• Dates on calendar
• Labels on food clothing
• Bulletin announcements
• Newspaper want ads

• Writing tasks include
• Addressing an envelope
• Writing a rent check
• Filling out an application form
• Writing a short passage
• Forms B C

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BEST

• Training Video Guide include
• History of BEST
• Scoring
• Test administration
• SPLs (student performance levels)
• Scoring sheets
• Answer keys

• BEST Plus (Computer-Assisted BEST)
• Face-to-face oral interview
• Administrator enters scores in computer.
• A different set of questions generated for
  pre-and post-testing.

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BESTEL(Better Edition of Structure Tests-English
Language)

• 75 items-4 forms.
• 3 choice multiple choice.
• Each form has 25 items. from beginning level, 25
  from intermediate, and 25 from advanced.
• BESTEL tests grammar structural meaning.
• 45 min. to administer.

• Places students into low-beginning to advanced
  levels.
• In MI the MAERS system only allows testing of 3
  highest EFLs gt or 40 (53).

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WORK KEYS

• Comprehensive employability skills assessment
  tool from ACT.
• Measures progress.
• 4 criterion-referenced assessments.
• Assesses attainment of work-readiness.

• Reading for information (RFI)
• Applied Mathematics (AM)
• Writing (W)
• Locating Information (LI)

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WORK KEYS

• After completion of the scoring process, a set
  of standard reports is generated.
• WIN (Worldwide Interactive Network) Instruction
  Solution for WORK KEYS.
• Computer-based

• Specifically designed for WORK KEYS system.
• Embedded assessments for ongoing analysis of
  skills attainment predicting success.
• State of MI recognizes WORK KEYS as alternative
  assessment for MI merit award.

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WORKKEYS

• Applied Mathematics (Paper)
• Measures skill in applying mathematical reasoning
  to work-related problems, using methods of
  calculation that occur in the workplace.

• Locating Information (Paper)
• Measures skill in using information in workplace
  graphics, such as diagrams, floor plans, tables,
  forms, graphs, charts, instrument gauges.
• Locate, insert, summarize info.

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WORKKEYS

• Passages based on demands at work memos,
  bulletins, notices, letters, policy manuals
  gov. regulations understanding instructions.
• Reading for Info. (Paper)
• Measures skills in reading.

• Writing (Audio)
• Measures skills in writing work-related messages.
  Examinee listens to audio taped messages from
  customers, coworkers, or suppliers composes
  written messages based on what they heard.

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AMES (Adult Measures of Essential Skills)

• No longer available for purchase.
• Each level has 2 forms to accommodate pre- and
  post-testing.
• Levels B-E can be administered individually or in
  groups.
• Locator provided to determine level of
  test-20-min.

• Measures reading, writing, arithmetic,
  information, resource skills.
• Test questions based on experiences adults are
  likely to encounter at home, work in the
  community.
• Norm-referenced, multiple-choice test.

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AMES

• SCORING
• Hand-scored, machine scored, or computer scored.
• LEVEL B-119 items, 2 hours to complete.

• LEVEL C-123 items, 2 hours to complete.
• LEVEL D-123 items, 2 hours to complete.
• LEVEL E-123 items, 2 hours to complete.

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ABLE

• 2 equivalent forms at each level for pre-and
  post- testing.
• Locator available to match learners skill level
  to appropriate test level.

• Tests at all 6 EFLs in Reading Math.
• Tests learners for vocabulary, reading
  comprehension, spelling, number operations,
  problem solving.
• 3 levels corresponding to grades 1-4, 5-8, 9-12.

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SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST-REVISED (SORT-R3)

• Grade equivalents standard scores are
  determined from tables in Appendix of Manual.

• Quick estimate of students level of word
  recognition, word calling, or reading level.
• 200 words in ascending order of difficulty in
  groups of 20 words.

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TESTS of ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (TABE)

• Forms 7/8
• Level L-Grade 0-1.9
• Level E-Grade 1.6-3.9
• Level M-Grade 3.6-6.9
• Level D-Grade 6.6-8.9
• Level A-Grade 8.6-12.9

• Forms 5/6
• Level E-Grade 2.6-4.9
• Level M-Grade 4.6-6.9
• Level D-Grade 6.6-8.9
• Level A-Grade 8.6-12.9

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TABE

• Locator tests
• TABE 5/6 2 locators-1 for mathematics 1 for
  reading/language.
• TABE 7/8 3 locators-1 each for reading,
  mathematics, language.
• Helps choose correct level of TABE (Easy, Medium,
  Difficult, Advanced).

• 35 min. to administer.
• Can not be used for pre-test or post-test
• Total Battery
• 2 Hr. 34 min. to administer.
• Survey
• 1 Hr. 17 min. to
• administer.
• Level L
• 35 min. to administer.

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TABE

• Students performance on TABE 7/8, Levels D or A,
  is predictor of how well they will do on GED.
• 2 forms at each level for pre- post-testing.
• Allow minimum of 6 months between testing if
  using same form.

• TABE-PC
• All questions from Locator Tests through all
  levels forms of TABE.
• Tests scored instantly
• Pre- Post-test reports
• TABE 5/6 published 1985.
• Phasing out 5/6

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TABE

• TABE 7/8 published 1994.
• TABE 7/8 continues to meet MI needs.
• Norm-referenced
• Scores change on TABE from 1 release to another.

• Important to pre-post test with 5/6, 7/8 or 9/10.
• TABE 9/10
• Provides updated content.
• Matches national standards for adult skills.
• Matches 2000 update of GED.

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TABE

• TABE 9/10
• Level L-Grade 0-1.9
• Level E-Grade 2.0-3.9
• Level M-Grade 4.0-5.9
• Level D-Grade 6.0-8.9
• Level A-Grade 9.0-12.9

• Locator- 37 min. to administer.
• Survey-90 min. to administer.
• Complete Battery-2 Hr., 59 Min.
• Published 2003.

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ASSESSMENTWhen it comes to the future, there
are 3 kinds of people-those who let it happen,
those who make it happen, and those who wonder
what happened.
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RECOMMENDATIONS

• CASAS (Life Skills)
• Use as ESL test instrument It measures listening
  reading skills across all 6 EFLs has test
  forms at each proficiency level.
• MDCD (Adult Education) assist in facilitation of
  CASAS training.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• CASAS (Employability) TABE
• Administer CASAS Employability TABE for
  assessment of ABE levels (non-work goals).
• Both assessments measure skills across all 6
  EFLs.
• Administer CASAS Employability for work-related
  goals.
• In future use for all 6 EFLs as on NRS.
• Administer Work Keys for work-related goals at 3
  highest EFLs.
• Consider phasing out for ABE 2004-2005.

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PRICE CASAS TABE 7 8
Initial Cost ESL Appraisal Manual tape-60 Booklets (25)-68 Answer Sheets (25)-30 Beg. Lit. (25)-38 (2 forms)-(consumable) Reading A-D (25)-68 (2 forms) Answer sheets (100)-48 Listening Comp. A-C (25)-75 (2 forms) Training-3,000 TABE Locator (25)-52 Level L (25)-43 (2 forms)-(consumable) Complete battery E,M,D,A (25)-92 (2 forms) Answer sheets Locator (25)-32.50 Reading (25)-32.50 Math (25)-32.50 Language (25)-32.50
Annual Cost ESL Appraisal answer sheets (25)-35 Beg. Lit. (25)-38 (2 forms)-(consumable) Answer sheets (100)-for Reading A-D Listening Comp. (25)-75 (2 forms) Level L (25)-43 (2 forms) Answer sheets Locator (25)-32.50 Reading (25)-32.50 Math (25)-32.50 Language (25)-32.50

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Questions?