Assessment Policy

All references to the migration necessary for FY25 including the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) (BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0) and the Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) (TABE 13/14 series)

Please see the highlighted edits/updates in the attached 2024 DC Assessment Policy v 5.0.  A summary of the edits/updates is below as well:

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • Minor updates (Pgs. 2 & 3)
  • Added 6B. Entering Student Instructional Hours in LACES
  • Added 8B. Digital Learning Assessments
  • Added 9D. Data Transfer Between WIOA Partners and Providers

• SECTION 1. OVERVIEW
  •  Minor edits to 1F. Purpose (Pg. 9)

• SECTION 2: INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

• Updated NRS Approved Assessments Charts (Pgs. 11-14)
• Updated CASAS Correlation Charts (Pgs. 15 -18)
• Minor edits to 2P. Pushing Forward Assessments (Pgs. 24 & 25)
• Minor edits to 2Q. Disallowable Assessment Instruments and Methods (Pgs. 25 & 26)

• SECTION 5: TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TO ADMINISTER CASAS ASSESSMENTS
  • Minor edits to 5A. CASAS Training Policies (Pg. 31)
  • Minor edits to 5B. CASAS Implementation, eTest Online and TOPSpro Training (Pg. 31-32)

• SECTION 6: DATA COLLECTION, REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
  • Minor edits to 6B. Entering Student Instructional Hours in LACES (Pgs. 34 & 35)

• SECTION 7: DISTANCE EDUCATION ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
  • Minor edits to 6C. Verifying Student Data in LACES (Pgs. 35)

• SECTION 8: OTHER RELATED ASSESSMENTS
  • Minor edits to 8B. Digital Learning Assessments (Pg. 36)

• SECTION 9: IMPLICATIONS FOR WIOA PARTNERS
  • o Minor edits to 9A. CASAS Implementation, eTest Online, and TOPSpro Training and Web-Test Units for WIOA Partners (Pg. 36)
  • o Minor edits to 9B. Pushing Forward Assessments for Individuals Served by WIOA Partners (Pg. 36-37)
  • Minor edits to 9D.  Data Transfer Between WIOA Partners and Providers (Pg. 37)

• SECTION 10: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
  • Minor edits to 10A. Technical Assistance (Pg. 38)

The PY2024 Assessment Policy was updated to include the new tests recently approved for use in NRS and updated expiration policies to reflect sunset period.

Updated CASAS AEFL Reading Goals and Math Goals 2 and added CASAS Reading STEPS and Listening STEPS.

RI's PY 2024 Assessment Policy has the following updates: 

• Naming newly NRS-approved assessments approved for use in RI: BEST Literacy 2.0, BEST Plus 3.0, CASAS Listening STEPS, CASAS Reading STEPS, CASAS Math GOALS 2
• Modifying the post-testing rate calculation to remove students with fewer than 40 hours and increasing the post-testing rate target to 70% from 65%.  

Summary of Changes to AZ Adult Education PY24-25 Assessment Policy

Major Changes:

• Assessment Sequence Overview:
  • Make Language test required in addition to Reading for ELA students (pg. 7 and 9).
• Progress Assessments:
  • Revised verbiage to allow students to progress test with the next higher TABE level when the initial score falls in the maximum NRS level the test level measures. Current policy reads TABE 11&12, and it was changed to TABE assessments to include both 11&12 and CLAS-E (pg. 7, graphic on pg. 12, and Appendix B of the policy).
• New subsection: “Progress Testing Exemption After EFL Gain” (pg. 8).
• New subsection: “Rollover scores” subsection (pg. 9).
• Progress Test Timeframes
  • Revised Progress Test rate, multiple places in policy.

Minor Revisions:

• Updated program year to 2024-2025.
• Appendices references were updated as needed (multiple places).
• Added reference to Blended & Virtual Learning Policy instead of reference to appendix (multiple places).
• Overview:
  • Removed reference to formative assessments as it is addressed in State Mandated Accountability Assessment section (pg. 3).
• Measurable Skill Gains (pg. 2):
  • Replaced MSG diagram with bulleted list.
  • Moved paragraph regarding using OCTAE approved assessments paragraph to later in same subsection.
  • Removed outdated reference of only way for ABE 6 leaners to get MSG.
• Moved ‘Starting a New Period of Participation’ section to later in document, after ‘Rollover Scores’ subsection (pg. 9).
• State Mandated Accountability Assessments:
  • Added definition of POP in this section (pg. 3). Items addressed in Period of Participation subsection were moved to “Starting a New Period of Participation” and “Enrollment with Multiple Programs” sections (pg. 9).
• Validity and Reliability (pg. 4):
  • Revised verbiage on receiving updated guidance from DRC for clarity.
• Monitoring Local Programs (pg. 4):
  • Revised verbiage on desk monitoring for clarity and added reference to Provider Technical Assistance Guide.
• Trainings (pg. 4 and 5):
  • Removed table of trainings and now only reference trainings available.
  • Removed references to INSIGHT access groups, now available in PTAG.
• Assessment Sequence Overview (pg. 7):
  • Added “All Learners” to title of section.
  • Changed sub-section name from “All Learners: Initial Assessment” to “First time adult Education Enrollments.”
    • Reference to Locator test now included as a bullet point.
    • Information on returning students now addressed in “Starting a New Period of Participation” subsection (pg. 9).
    • Added information on provisional EFL, removed appendix.
  • “All Learner: Progress Assessment” subsection name changed to “Progress Assessment.”
• Progress Test Timeframes (pg. 7 and 8)
  • Revised Progress Test rate (pg. 3 and 8)
  • Revised verbiage on requirement to progress test for clarity.
  • Added circumstances in which the Progress Assessment Exception Form can be used (pg. 8).
• TABE Score Import and Approval (pg. 9):
  • Simplified definition of role of Program Data Coordinator.
  • Removed reference of pre-post MSG as it is addressed in Measurable Skills Gain section on pg. 2.
• TABE 11&12 (pg. 9 and 10)
  • Removed reference to Locator as it is referenced in revised ‘First Time Adult Education Enrollments’ section.
  • Removed reference on usage of calculator.
  • Updated reference from appendix B to appendix A.
• TABE CLAS-E (pg. 11):
  • Removed reference to Locator as it is referenced in revised ‘First Time Adult Education Enrollments’ section.
  • Removed Writing and Speaking tables as they are not eligible for EFL MSGs.
  • Updated reference from appendix C to appendix B.
• Required Report Submissions (pg. 12):
  • Removed dates of required quarterly submissions, now addressed in PTAG.
  • Removed minimum requirements of Violation Log, now addressed in PTAG.
• Added DRC’s contact information.
• Removed:
  • Appendix A: COVID-19 and Provisional EFL Guidelines, now addressed in body of policy.
  • Appendix D: Progress Assessment Exception Form, now addressed in body of policy.
  • Appendix E: Resources, now included in PTAG.
  • Appendix F: Blended & Virtual Learning Policy. Requirements for initial and progress testing for students enrolled in Distance Learning are addressed in Assessment Policy.

• Newly approved assessments are added and tests that are no longer approved as of July 1, 2024, are removed. 
• New ESL Educational Functioning Level Descriptors are added, now that tests are approved that use the new descriptors.
• Some distance education terms are revised, added, and removed based on current usage.