5.2.3lp2 Local Adult Education Assessment Policy

Adopted: June 12 2009
Modified: Decumber 2009, April 2014
Scope: Adult Education Students and Staff
Contact: Associate Vice President of Adult Education
References: SBTCSG Policy 5.2.3, 29 U.S.C. 794 § 504, CFR 34 § 104, Georgia Board of Education (SBE) Rule 160-3-1.07 Testing Programs

Appendix A – National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels

Appendix B – GALIS Test Score, Goal and EFL Matrix

Appendix C – GALIS FY2010 Data Entry Deadlines

Appendix D – Post-testing Exception Request Forms

GED and the GED Testing Service are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education and may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the American Council on Education.

I. Introduction and Overview

This manual outlines the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Office of Adult Education (OAE), assessment policies and guidelines that have been designed to comply with local, state, and federal accountability and reporting requirements. All local adult education programs funded by OAE with federal and/or state dollars are required to adhere to these policies and guidelines to ensure accurate and uniform assessment information. The assessment information gained will be invaluable when setting student goals, evaluating learner progress, providing instruction, appraising program performance, and informing public policy. The policies noted are taken from the comprehensive Office of Adult Education's Policy and Procedures Administrative Manual (http://www.tcsg.edu/adult_literacy.php).

Adult learners should be assessed at specific times during the educational process to:

Help learners understand their basic skill functioning levels and to explore the available educational options;
Determine the appropriate program and instructional level for placement;
Identify learners' strengths and gaps to guide instruction;
Monitor student learning in class and target instruction based on learners' needs;
Assess and monitor learners' educational gains after a period of instruction;
Examine classroom performance for planning and quality improvement purposes;
Evaluate program performance; and
Acquire data that meets local, state, and federal accountability and reporting requirements.

To achieve these aims, the Office of Adult Education mandates that the following programs use approved standardized assessments to determine learner outcomes for the National Reporting System (NRS):

*BEST Literacy* English as a Second Language (ESL) English Literacy/Civics Education(EL/Civics) Health Literacy Family Literacy Workplace Literacy Distance Education	BEST Plus English as a Second Language (ESL) English Literacy/Civics Education (EL/Civics) Health Literacy Family Literacy Workplace Literacy Distance Education
*TABE* Adult Basic Education (ABE) Adult Secondary Education (ASE) Health Literacy Family Literacy Workplace Literacy Distance Education	*WorkKeys^®* Adult Basic Education (High Intermediate Only) Adult Secondary Education (ASE) Health Literacy Family Literacy Workplace Literacy Distance Education

The TCSG administers the Georgia Adult Learners Information System (GALIS), which is a webbased management information system that meets the reporting needs of Georgia's adult education programs while meeting the needs of the NRS. All data related to NRS are captured in GALIS.

A. Need for Assessment Policy

Institutions of higher education, specifically adult education, are required by law, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and by regulation, the NRS, to ensure that the initial and ongoing assessment of adult learners is valid, reliable, and comparable on national and state levels. More specifically the assessments must:

Meet the standards of validity (the ability of a test to measure what it claims to measure, and appropriateness of the conclusions made based on the scores), reliability (the degree to which test scores are consistent) and comparability (providing scores from programs across the state that describe the same levels of performance/educational gain),
Be aligned with the standards in the Georgia Adult Education Curriculum Framework, and
Provide useful program information to instructors and adult learners.

OAE administers the programs for Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), English as a Second Language (ESL), and English Literacy/Civics and Citizenship Education (EL/Civics) via successful grantees identified through a Request for Application (RFA) process. Successful grantees must adhere to policies and procedures identified in the RFA. One of the major requirements is that local programs assess and graduate adult learners according to national and state level policies and procedures.

It is critical that all programs adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in this manual to ensure uniform implementation and comparability across programs. Therefore, OAE will provide targeted technical assistance and staff development activities to ensure compliance with applicable testing policies and procedures, as well as federal and state accountability reporting.

B. Purposes and Uses of Assessments

OAE approved assessments provide local program staff a structure for:

developing rapport with adult learners;
placing learners accurately into appropriate program and instructional level;
analyzing diagnostic information to identify and implement appropriate instructional strategies for the individual;
establishing realistic goals;
creating and implementing Student Education Plans (SEP); Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 6
monitoring pre- and post-testing to gauge progress toward goals; and
certifying level and program completion.

Informal and Supplemental Assessment

In addition to approved standardized assessments, programs are encouraged to use a variety of informal assessments to guide instruction. The use of teacher-made tests, unit tests, portfolios, applied performance assessments, and learner observations can be used to monitor learning and guide instruction. However, programs may only use approved assessments to report learner gains for the NRS.

C. Summary

All (100%) adult learners enrolled in an OAE funded program must be assessed using the state approved assessment instruments:

BEST Literacy¹
BEST Plus
TABE – Forms 9&10 (Complete Battery or Survey)
WorkKeys

¹ Both the BEST Literacy Skills Section and BEST Literacy (2006) are approved for use.

These assessments are to be administered within the first 12 hours of instruction to determine the educational functioning level of students. Scale score ranges for approved assessment instruments are correlated with each educational functioning level in reading and writing, numeracy skills and functional and workplace skills (refer to Appendix A, National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels).

Accommodations may be made for students who are unable to understand or respond to the test due to low literacy, lack of English proficiency and/or due to disability. For more information related to accommodations, please refer to section II D, Accommodations for Assessment, and to the information about accommodations provided for each approved assessment in Section II B.

The purposes of reassessment of adult learners are to measure performance and to ascertain completion of an educational functioning level. Within the fiscal year, a minimum of 60% of all students should be reassessed after a minimum of 60 hours of instruction. For exceptions, please see Section II B, Post-testing Guidelines. GALIS provides "post-test tracker" reports to help local programs verify their assessment data, look for problem areas, and confirm that assessments are being administered in alignment with the assessment policy.

D. Resources for Information and Assistance

For clarification on Georgia's Assessment Policies or for other questions regarding the appropriate assessment of adult learners, please contact the Office of Adult Education, Director of Instructional Services, or the designated Regional Education Coordinator, as appropriate.

II. General Assessment Requirements

A. Students to be Assessed

All (100%) adult learners, including distance education students, enrolled in an OAE funded adult education program must be assessed through face-to-face interaction with a trained test administrator using a state approved assessment instrument. Students in distance education programs must be pre- and post-tested in the same manner and at the same frequency of traditional adult education students.

For adult students who have low literacy skills, lack of English proficiency and/or documented disabilities and are unable to be assessed using an approved assessment to measure their abilities, documentation must be kept showing an attempt was made to assess the student. The results of this attempt must be kept in the student's record for audit purposes.

For GALIS purposes, document the attempt in writing and use the following base scores:

BEST Literacy: enter the form attempted and the scale score of zero (0)
BEST Plus: enter the form attempted and the scale score of 88
TABE 9&10, level L, Reading: enter the form attempted and the scale score of 160
TABE 9&10, level L, Math: enter the form attempted and the scale score of 180

B. Assessments Permitted

From the NRS list of approved assessments, OAE has adopted

BEST Literacy (2006) or BEST Literacy Skills Section
BEST Plus
Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): Forms 9&10 (Complete Battery or Survey)
WorkKeys

Only scores from these adopted tests will be accepted for GALIS data entry by the Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Adult Education.

Pre-Testing Guidelines

OAE requires that students must be assessed within the first 12 hours of instruction. The lowest test level achieved by the student determines the Educational Functioning Level (EFL) and placement in GALIS. Tests administered in sub-test areas are compared and used to determine the placement of the student. A returning student's most recent test from the previous year may be brought forward into the new fiscal year and considered the pre-test if the rollover date is within 180 calendar days of the test administration date. The process of bringing forward assessments from the previous year is detailed in the GALIS User Manual (https://galis.dtae.org/OAL_Portal/Docs/GALISUserManualVersion5.0.doc).

Assessment data must be entered into GALIS by the 10th of the month following the test administration.

Pre-test scores from students who stop-out from the program are valid within the 180 calendar day period.

Post-Testing Guidelines

Recommended Hours between Pre and Post Testing
After the test publishers' recommended hours of instruction, students must be post-tested to determine educational functioning level gains. A post-test is administered in each sub test area where instruction was provided, but a completion of the EFL determines whether a student completes the level and will be shown as a completer on the federal report. Eligible students must be administered a post-test at least once a fiscal year before June 30. If the hours for a course of instruction exceed the recommended hours between pre and post testing, posttesting may most appropriately take place at the end of the instructional session.

Post-Test Percentage
A minimum of 60% of students must be post-tested within the fiscal year.

Post-Test Annually
Programs are required to post-test each eligible student at least one time annually; however, additional post-tests are allowed and should follow the established pre- and post-test guidelines. Programs should be careful to avoid excessive post-testing of students.

Expiration of Assessments
Assessments have an effective date of 180 calendar days (defined as weekdays, weekends, and holidays) from the test administration date.

Exceptions
All exceptions must be documented using the appropriate post-testing exception form and records maintained describing why a student was tested before the completion of the Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 10 recommended contact hours for TABE 9 and 10 or 80-100 hours for BEST Literacy/BEST Plus. The appropriate exception form (see Appendix D) must be completed and approved prior to implementing the post testing exception. Such documentation must be available for review during technical assistance visits, monitoring visits, and program audits.

BEST Literacy/BEST Plus Exceptions
The exception for BEST Literacy and BEST Plus is as follows. Post-testing may occur prior to 80 hours under the following conditions:

ESL or EL/Civics Program Student:
1. has completed his/her course of study.
2. has a minimum of 40 contact hours.
3. is recommended for post-testing by his/her instructor.
4. has completed each assigned skill indicator at a mastery level of 70% on his/her Student Education Plan (SEP).

TABE Exception
The exception for TABE 9 & 10 is as follows. Post-testing may occur prior to 60 hours under the following conditions:

Adult Education Program Student:
1. has completed his/her course of study.
2. has one or more of the following core goals: enter employment, retain employment, obtain GED credential, enter postsecondary education or training.
3. has completed each assigned skill indicator at a mastery level of 70% on his/her Student Education Plan (SEP).
4. has a minimum of 30 contact hours.
5. is recommended for post-testing by his/her instructor.

Assessments for Instructional Purposes
Programs are encouraged to utilize informal assessments, e.g. teacher-made tests, unit tests, portfolios, applied performance assessments, and learner observations, which can be used to monitor learning and guide instruction. Programs are not required to enter the outcomes of informal assessments into GALIS. Programs may only use approved assessments to report learner gains for the NRS.

Federal Report
If more than one post-test is administered and entered into GALIS during the fiscal year, the highest post-test will be used to determine the number of students completing the EFL. Thus, the numbers of adults who complete the level or remain in the same level are subsequently reported in the Federal Tables. States must report the required measures on all students who receive 12 hours or more of service.

BEST Literacy

Description and Eligibility

OAE has approved BEST Literacy for use by local programs to meet the requirements of the NRS. This assessment is administered for placement of ELP students that are enrolling or continuing in an adult education program. BEST Literacy measures reading and writing skills. It may be administered individually or in a group and there are three print-based forms (B, C, and D) available for use.

Additional Pre-testing Guidelines

For adult students who have a lack of English proficiency and are unable to be assessed using an approved assessment to measure their abilities, documentation must be kept showing an attempt was made to assess the student. The results of this attempt must be kept in the student's record for audit purposes. For GALIS data entry purposes, enter the form attempted and the scale score of zero (0).

Students who test into the NRS Educational Functioning Level of Advanced ESL (ESL 6), scores of 76 – 78, must be given another pre-test, as there is no exit criteria established by NRS for BEST Literacy. If this occurs, do the following:

Administrative Action	Pre-test Option #1	Pre-test Option #2
Do not enter into GALIS. Record pre-test attempt in student permanent record.	Use an oral screening tool to determine if student has low oral skills. If so, it is appropriate to administer BEST Plus.	Administer TABE locator. Administer TABE 9/10 Reading and/or Language. TABE Math is not required unless student has a math improvement goal.

GALIS is in alignment with the policy. GALIS will not accept a BEST Literacy pre-test score that results in an Entry EFL of Advanced ESL (ESL 6). If the score is entered, GALIS will display an error message: GALIS ERROR – ESL 6 pre-test using BEST Literacy is not collected; there is no method for testing out of this level.

Additional Post-testing Guidelines

Students who were pre-tested with BEST Literacy must be post-tested with BEST Literacy; however, a different form must be used.

Post-testing provides the opportunity to meet with the student about his/her progress and goals. This conversation should be documented in the conference notes section of the Intake Assessment Form (IAF). The Student Education Plan (SEP) should be reviewed and updated, as needed.

Transitioning from BEST Literacy to TABE

When an ELP student completes Advanced ESL (ESL 6), administer the TABE Locator to determine TABE testing level. Keep in mind that a student's educational functioning level (EFL) is determined by his/her pre-test. Level completions are measured from the student's entry EFL. Students cannot be classified as ESL and ABE for NRS reporting purposes during the same fiscal year.

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Local programs will record and track scale scores in student records and GALIS. The scale score is the primary score for BEST Literacy. GALIS translates the scale scores into NRS levels. Programs may generate reports that portray student educational functioning levels and gains using GALIS. Refer to the GALIS Test Score, Goal and EFL Matrix, Appendix B.

Accommodations for BEST Literacy

Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other related federal, state, and local laws were enacted to guarantee equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities, including those in educational programs. Programs administering BEST Literacy are responsible for providing accessible services and for making sure that requests for accommodation are considered and handled in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Program and test administrators may provide or allow accommodation in test administration procedures or in the testing environment for individuals with disabilities, provided that the accommodation does not compromise the purpose of the test as a measure of reading and writing in English. Permissible accommodations related to test administration procedures include the use of eyeglasses or magnifying glasses, earplugs, color overlays, or rulers. Testing environment accommodations might include frequent breaks or individual administration.

It is not an appropriate accommodation for someone to read the test questions to an examinee with sight impairment, as BEST Literacy is a test of reading (BEST Literacy Test Manual 2008 pgs. 9-10). For more information about accommodations, see section II D.

BEST Literacy Frequently Asked Questions

BEST Literacy FAQs are available at http://www.cal.org/topics/ta/bestliteracyfaqs.html. Some of the most pertinent questions are included below.

Q. Is training required to administer BEST Literacy?
The BEST Literacy Test Manual - 2008 Edition provides comprehensive information about administering and scoring the three forms (B, C, and D) of the test as well as information for interpreting the results and technical information. OAE provides training for test administrators or scorers. Please check with your Regional Education Coordinator for more information.

Q. If all the BEST Literacy forms are parallel, why can't I just use the raw scores to measure a student's progress or level?
Scores attained on one form can be compared to scores attained on a different form only after the raw scores are converted to scale scores. For example, a raw score of 24 on BEST Literacy Form D does not mean that the student displays the same proficiency as a student who scores a raw score of 24 on Form C. Therefore, for the purpose of recording and tracking students' developing literacy proficiency, raw scores must be converted to scale scores. Scale scores, not raw scores, are the true representation of students' proficiency and are the only way that scores can be compared and progress accurately measured.

Q. How do I get a scale score for BEST Literacy?
To get a scale score for a BEST Literacy Examinee Test Booklet follow the guidance in the BEST Literacy Test Manual - 2008 Edition<,i>, using the conversion tables from Appendix B. The BEST Literacy Test Manual also contains student examples for each test section, updated scoring and administration guidance, and new comprehensive writings samples including a writing rubric with clear benchmarks to provide test administrators and scorers with all the information they need to administer and score the test.

Q. What changes have been made to BEST Literacy score interpretations?
BEST Literacy scale score interpretations have recently changed in July 2008. The score range to show gain using BEST Literacy has changed significantly across some of the revised NRS levels and SPLs.

Q. Does BEST Literacy give a score that says a student is ready to take BEST Plus?
No, there is no relationship between scores on BEST Literacy and scores on BEST Plus. BEST Literacy<.i> is a reading and writing competency-based assessment and BEST Plus is an oral proficiency (speaking and listening) assessment. At this time, there is no screening tool on BEST Literacy to determine the examinee's ability to take BEST Plus, or vice versa. However, administering both BEST Literacy and BEST Plus can provide a more complete picture of an examinee's English language abilities than only administering one.

Q. What is the difference between BEST and BEST Literacy?
The Basic English Skills Test (BEST) was developed during the 1980's as a measurement tool designed for adult English learners at the survival and pre-employment skill levels. BEST consisted of an oral interview section and a literacy skills section. BEST Oral Interview Section has been replaced by BEST Plus and BEST Literacy Skills Section has been replaced by BEST Literacy. BEST materials are no longer available for purchase as of September 30, 2006.

Q. Can I continue to score and use the results from the original BEST Literacy Skills Section for testing and NRS reporting purposes?
Yes. BEST Literacy and the original BEST Literacy Skills Section underwent a comprehensive study that verified their comparability. If you have remaining stock of the BEST Literacy Skills Section you may continue to use these forms until your stock is depleted, provided that you use different forms when pre and post-testing. For example, you can pretest with the BEST Literacy Skills Section (Form B) and posttest with BEST Literacy (Forms C or D).

BEST Plus

Description and Eligibility

OAE has approved BEST Plus for use by local programs to meet the requirements of the NRS. This assessment is administered for placement of ELP students that are enrolling or continuing in an adult education program. BEST Plus tests communication, fluency, pronunciation, and listening comprehension skills. It is administered individually and comes in two versions, computer-adaptive and print-based (forms A, B, and C).

Additional Pre-testing Guidelines

Students who pre- test into BEST Plus exit criteria (ESL X), (scores of 541-999), must be given another pre-test as ESL X is not an NRS Educational Functioning Level. If this occurs, do the following:

Administrative Action	Pre-test Option #1	Pre-test Option #2
Do not enter into GALIS. Record pre-test attempt in student permanent record.	Use an oral screening tool to determine if student has low oral skills. If so, it is appropriate to administer BEST Plus.	Administer TABE locator. Administer TABE 9/10 Reading and/or Language. TABE Math is not required unless student has a math improvement goal.

GALIS is in alignment with the policy. GALIS will not accept a BEST Plus pre-test score that results in an entry EFL of ESL X. If the score is entered, GALIS will display an error message: GALIS ERROR – Score is not valid as pre-test. TABE should be given.

Additional Post-testing Guidelines

Students who were pre-tested with BEST And must be post-tested with BEST Plus. When post-testing with the BEST Plus print-based (Forms A, B, C), a different form must be used.

Transitioning from BEST to TABE

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Local programs will record and track scale scores in student records and GALIS. The scale score is the primary score for BEST Plus. GALIS translates the scale scores into NRS levels. Programs may generate reports that portray student educational functioning levels and gains using GALIS. Refer to the GALIS Test Score, Goal and EFL Matrix, Appendix B.

Accommodations for BEST Plus

Accommodations in test administration procedures for BEST Plus include using hearing aids, but do not include allowing students to read prompts from the computer screen. As BEST Plus is not a timed test, no accommodation for testing time is needed. Furthermore, as an oral proficiency interview, students need to hear test prompts and respond orally as well as look at picture cue prompts; therefore, not accommodation can be made for students who cannot hear, speak or see (Center for Applied Linguistics 2008). For more information about accommodations, see section II D.

BEST Plus Frequently Asked Questions

BEST Plus FAQs are available at http://www.cal.org/bestplus/faqs/index.html. Some of the most pertinent questions are included below.

Q. What proficiency levels does BEST Plus assess?
BEST Plus measures performance over the full range of English proficiency levels represented in adult education programs: from Beginning ESL Literacy to High Advanced in the National Reporting System (NRS), and Student Performance Levels (SPLs) 0-10.

Q. What information is included in the full BEST Plus score report?
In addition to the BEST Plus score and National Reporting System and Student Performance Levels, the score report contains the date and time of the test, the name of the test administrator, and general information about how the examinee has been scored on the three components of the scoring rubric: Listening Comprehension, Language Complexity, and Communication.

Q. What type of language is assessed?
Oral English language from personal, community, and occupational domains is assessed using real-life communication tasks such as providing personal information, describing situations, and giving and supporting an opinion.

Q. How are examinee responses scored?
Examinee responses are scored according to the BEST Plus Scoring Rubric, which is based on current research in second language oral proficiency assessment. Each response is scored on three subscales: Listening Comprehension: How well did the examinee understand the setup and question? Language Complexity: How did the examinee organize and elaborate the response? (i.e. simple words and phrases to organized examples, explanations, descriptions, etc.) Communication: How clearly did the examinee communicate meaning? The required 6- hour BEST Plus training workshop covers scoring in detail.

Q. How long does BEST Plus take to administer?
The computer-adaptive version takes from 3 to 20 minutes to administer, depending on the examinee's level of oral proficiency. Higher proficiency speakers (SPL 7-10) usually take longer than lower proficiency speakers do because they are asked more questions and their responses tend to be longer and more complex. The print-based version takes 5 to 20 minutes to administer.

Q. Is training required to administer BEST Plus?
Yes. A six-hour training session, presented by a certified BEST Plus Trainer, is required. If participants meet all of the training criteria, they are approved to administer BEST Plus.

Q. How can I attend one of the required BEST Plus training workshops?
Attend a state-sponsored training in your area. Please contact the OAE Regional Education Coordinator assigned to your program to find out what options will work for you.

Q. What does a training workshop include?
During the 6-hour training workshop, you will learn about the background of BEST Plus<,i>, learn how to administer and score the test, and practice administering and scoring BEST Plus.

Q. Once I am trained, can I train others in my state or program to administer the test?
No. Only a certified trainer can train individuals to become BEST Plus test administrators.

The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): 9&10

Description and Eligibility

OAE has approved TABE 9&10 for use by local programs to meet the requirements of the NRS. This assessment is administered for placement of adult basic education students that are enrolling or continuing in an adult education program The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) is a standardized test of silent reading comprehension, math computation, applied math, and language. TABE can be administered either individually or in a group setting in accordance with approved testing guidelines.

For adult students who have low literacy skills and are unable to be assessed using an approved assessment to measure their abilities, documentation must be kept showing an attempt was made to assess the student. The results of this attempt must be kept in the student's record for audit purposes. For GALIS data entry purposes enter the form attempted and the scale score of 160 for TABE 9&10, level L, Reading. For TABE 9&10, level L, Math, enter the form attempted and the scale score of 180.

Additional Pre-Testing Guidelines

When administering the TABE either TABE Complete Battery or Survey may be used. The TABE Locator is required to be administered as the first part of the pre-test and must be used to determine the appropriate difficulty level of each subject area of the pre-test. Subject area test selection is determined by the student's performance on the TABE Locator and the student's personal goals.

Additional Post-Testing Guidelines

Post-testing necessitates that either a different form (9&10) or level (L, E, M, D, A) be used.

When administering the same level (L, E, M, D, A), use of the alternate form is required. For example, if a student pre-tested using 9E, then the post-test must be 10E.
When administering the same form (9 & 10) a higher level must be used. For example, if a student pre-tested using 9M, then the post-test must be 9D or 9A. 9E, which is lower, cannot be used.

TABE Complete Battery or Survey may be used when post-testing.

Post-testing provides the opportunity to meet with the student about his/her progress and goals. This conversation should be documented in the conference notes section of Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 20 the Intake Assessment Form. The Student Education Plan (SEP) should be reviewed and updated, as needed.

TABE testing guidelines state that random and frequent testing is discouraged, as it will not present valid gain scores and could create a practice effect, thus producing questionable or spurious scores. Instructional intervention between testing periods is strongly recommended to maximize gain. If a test is to be administered as a retest because the initial test session was invalid, there is not a prescribed length of time that needs to occur.

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Local programs will record and track scale scores in student records and GALIS. The scale score is the basic or primary score for TABE, and is used to compute and derive all other scores. GALIS translates the scale scores into NRS levels stipulated by the USDOE. Programs may generate reports that portray student NRS functioning levels and gains using GALIS. Refer to the GALIS Test Score, Goal and EFL Matrix, Appendix B.

Accommodations for TABE

Testing accommodations specific to TABE are included in the TABE Frequently Asked Questions in this policy document. In addition, CTB/McGraw-Hill has developed a document that addresses general testing accommodations for standardized assessments. This document is available online at http://www.ctb.com/media/articles/pdfs/general/guidelines_inclusive.pdf.

TABE Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about TABE 9&10 is published by CTB/McGraw-Hill to address some common questions related to TABE. Some of the most pertinent questions are listed below. The full version of the document is available at http://www.ctb.com/media/articles/pdfs/AdultEducation/FAQ_tabe9101bc1.pdf.

Q. Who is eligible to administer TABE?
Adult educators who have a general knowledge of measurement principles and are willing to abide by the assessment standards of the American Psychological Association may administer TABE. These professional standards require TABE administrators to follow specific guidelines, such as keeping tests in a secure place and administering them only as directed. OAE has enacted training guidelines for the administration of TABE. Please see section II C, for more information.

Q. How will I know which level of TABE to administer?
For adult basic education or other programs that include students at various levels of ability, administer the TABE Locator Test first. The results will indicate which level of TABE to use by content area.

Q. How does the TABE Locator Test work?
TABE 9&10 has a locator test – divided into three sections – one each for reading, mathematics, and language. The entire Locator Test takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. Each locator sub-test will determine the appropriate level of test that the student should take. NOTE: One should not assume that each student arrives to be tested with the same level of performance in each content area.

Q. How can I improve test security?
Always keep tests, manuals, and answer sheets secure. Never allow examinees to leave the test site with answer sheets or test books. Do not show test items (other than those designated as Sample Items) to students or discuss their answers. Make sure your staff understands the procedures necessary to maintain test security when they administer and score TABE.

Q. How long does it take to administer TABE?
It depends on which version of TABE you choose. The TABE 9&10 Survey takes about 2 hours, and the Complete Battery takes about 3.5 hours.

Q. Can I administer different levels of TABE as a pre-test and post-test?
Yes. TABE scales are calibrated across levels so scores from various levels of TABE may be compared to show progress. For example, if a student's initial Locator Test scores placed him at Level E, he or she should be pre-tested with TABE Level E. Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 22 After a program of study, it should be determined if a student has advanced to a new level before he or she is re-tested. Advancement may be indicated by a very high score on the original pre-test, extraordinary progress in class, or a higher score upon re-administration of the Locator. If the teacher judges that the student has advanced from Level E to Level M, a Level M post-test should be administered. Because all levels of TABE are calibrated on the same scale, results may be compared across levels.

Q. If I only need information about certain subject areas, can I just administer certain sections of TABE?
Yes. Any of the sub-tests can be administered as a stand-alone assessment. If you want to "quick screen" a student for basic reading and mathematics application skills, for example, you can administer just the Reading and Mathematics Applications sub-tests from the TABE Survey. This will take less than an hour, yet give a fairly good picture of the student's skills in those two subject areas. A word of caution, however: this use of TABE is not appropriate when detailed diagnostic information is needed, or when extremely valid, reliable data is needed to support a high-stakes decision concerning the student.

Q. When administering TABE, can we offer accommodations for students with special needs?
A testing accommodation is a change made to the test administration procedure to provide equal access for students with disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. If an accommodation is employed, it is important that the selected accommodation minimize any advantage or disadvantage of completing the test. In particular, if the accommodation under consideration is not used in instruction, then it should not be used in the testing situation.

Q. May I administer TABE as an untimed test?
If you use different time limits than were used in the standardization process, it compromises the interpretation of the norms. However, CTB recognizes that time extensions may be warranted to accommodate persons with certain disabilities, or when TABE is being used exclusively to diagnose the learning objectives an individual still needs to master.

Q. Are there special editions of TABE for people with visual disabilities?
Yes. Large-print, Braille, and audio editions of TABE Forms 9&10 are available from CTB/McGraw-Hill and may be ordered by calling Customer Services toll-free at (800) 538-9547 or through our Web site at www.ctb.com.

Q. How should we interpret scores when we administer TABE under non-standard conditions?
Whenever non-standard directions and time limits are utilized, norm-referenced comparisons should be treated with great caution, since the only norms available are those based on test administrations using standard directions and time limits. Nonetheless, CTB/McGraw-Hill believes that information about instructional strengths and student needs can be obtained from a non-standard test administration. This is best done by focusing on the curriculumreferenced or objective mastery information the test can provide. For more information, consult CTB's publication, Guidelines for Using the Results of Standardized Tests Administered Under Non-Standard Conditions.

Q. Can TABE be used as both a pre-test and a post-test?
Yes. TABE 9&10 was designed to serve as a pre-test and post-test for the same group of students. Generally, educators administer different forms of TABE at the same level when pretesting and post-testing. However, if a student pre-tested near the top of the range, has made extraordinary progress in class, or re-takes the Locator and scores at a higher level, you may elect to use the next higher level of TABE as a post-test. This type of multi-level testing will yield valid results because all levels of TABE are on the same scale.

Q. Can I obtain diagnostic information from the TABE Survey?
Yes. Survey results indicate which learning objectives a student has mastered and which still need more work, but the diagnostic information is not as reliable as that obtained from the Complete Battery, which includes more items.

Q. Are TABE scores correlated to GED^� scores?
Yes. CTB/McGraw-Hill conducted a study to determine the relationship between TABE 9&10 (Survey and Complete Battery) and the Tests of General Educational Development (GED Tests). Information on examinees' performance on both tests was collected from over 50 institutions, including schools, GED testing centers, and correctional institutions. Participants took both tests within a 12-week period. In most cases, TABE was taken prior to the administration of the GED Tests. The results show that TABE scores are good predictors of performance on the GED Tests. Correlation tables showing the linkage between specific TABE and GED scores are available in the TABE Norms Book.

Q. Can TABE be used to prepare for the GED Tests?
Yes. Many adult educators administer TABE to see if a student is ready to take the GED Tests. Because items on TABE are linked to specific learning objectives, TABE scores help students focus their study on skills that need the most work.

Q. Is TABE equivalent to the GED Tests?
They are different tests. TABE is designed to test basic educational skills using adult content. It measures performance on reading, mathematics computation, applied mathematics, language, and spelling. The Tests are designed to determine if a person has learned the curriculum that students generally receive in a high school education.

WorkKeys^�

Description and Eligibility

OAE has approved WorkKeys for use by local programs to meet the requirements of the NRS. WorkKeys is a foundational skills assessment system for measuring real-world skills critical to job success. OAE has approved two WorkKeys assessments for use in reporting educational functioning levels and educational gains: Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics. As you will note from the NRS Implementation Guidelines in Appendix A, Locating Information is not an approved NRS assessment.

There are three NRS levels for which WorkKeys scale scores are used: High Intermediate Basic Education (ABE 4), Low Adult Secondary Education (ASE 1), and High Adult Secondary Education (ASE 2).

The primary test for ABE/ASE students is the TABE. WorkKeys is optional and may be used, if appropriate. Eligibility to take the WorkKeys assessment is determined by the local program and includes the student's performance on a screening tool, such as TABE Locator, and the student's personal goals.

Local programs may accept scores from students who were administered the WorkKeys assessment outside of the adult education program. Coordinate with your local WorkKeys test administrator to acquire score reports that include scale scores.

Additional Pre-Testing Guidelines

There are no additional pre-testing guidelines.

Additional Post-Testing Guidelines

Students who were pre-tested using WorkKeys must be post-tested using WorkKeys; however, a different form must be used.

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Local programs will record and track scale scores in student records and GALIS. The twodigit scale score is the basic or primary score and is used to compute and derive all other scores, such as level scores and certificate levels. GALIS translates the scale scores into NRS levels. Programs may generate reports that portray student NRS functioning levels and gains using GALIS. Refer to the GALIS Test Score, Goal and EFL Matrix, Appendix B.

Accommodations for the WorkKeys Assessment

Eligibility
Examinees with documented physical or learning disabilities who cannot complete the WorkKeys assessments in the standard time limits, using standard materials, and under standard conditions may, at the discretion of the test administrator, following review of disability documentation, be tested under special conditions and/or using special testing materials available from ACT.

Responsibility
Assessment accommodations or special testing conditions are the responsibility of the test site. As a test administrator, you must:

make sure, prior to the test date, that examinees who might need and/or request special testing arrangements are aware of the accommodations available to them.
require and evaluate written documentation of the disability for which the examinee is requesting accommodations, following ACT Guidelines for Testing Accommodations on page 6.
keep confidential and maintain disability documentation for a period of three (3) years following the date of submission of the final Financial Status Report (FSR) to OVAE per grant requirements.
enter the correct test Administration Code on the accommodated examinee's answer document for each assessment administered with an accommodation.
complete a Report of Accommodated WorkKeys Assessments for each examinee and return it to ACT.

Written documentation of evaluation and diagnosis of disability by a qualified professional within the past five years should be required for all requests for accommodation. The testing site is responsible for acquiring, keeping confidential, and maintaining such documentation for a period of three (3) years following the date of submission of the final Financial Status Report (FSR) to OVAE per grant requirements.

Documentation should clearly identify the disability for which the accommodation is to be given, i.e., the basis of the claim.
There should be a clear statement of the functional limitations emanating from that disability which are known to impact the person's ability to perform tasks in the assessment.
A statement such as "Examinee has ADHD and therefore requires additional time" is not adequate. The statement identifies the diagnosis but fails to indicate any limitation. A limitation for this individual might be that memory skills are weak and examinee needs to reread questions in order to understand the meaning implied.
There must be a link between the disability, the limitation, and the tasks required for this particular testing situation. A learning disability in math does not imply difficulty with reading or written expression. Individuals with reading difficulties often have difficulty with written expression, but not always, and many individuals who have difficulty with written expression have no trouble with reading (either decoding or reading comprehension).
Although accommodation in school does not necessarily imply the necessity of accommodation in standardized testing, in most cases a current Individual Educational Plan (IEP) prepared by appropriate academic/psychological staff for a student will be acceptable documentation for accommodation.
Test administrators should keep all accommodations documentation for a period of three (3) years following the date of submission of the final Financial Status Report (FSR) to OVAE per grant requirements.

Note: ACT no longer reports accommodations on the score reports; however, that information is stored in the database. Enhanced lighting, special tables or chairs, testing in a separate room, sign interpretation of only the test directions, and signaling for the start and end of the test, do not require either disability documentation or coding on the answer sheet.

Large Print Assessment Materials
ACT offers large-print WorkKeys assessment booklets and answer documents.

Braille Assessment Documents
Braille assessment booklets are available for the following assessments: Applied Mathematics, Applied Technology, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. Do not allow examinees to write in the braille materials. All braille test materials must be returned to ACT within 48 hours of test administration.

Reader/Signer
If an examinee is assisted by a reader, assessments must be administered in a separate room to avoid disturbing other examinees. It is important that readers read the assessment exactly as printed, with no interpretation. Likewise, no additional information may be supplied by the sign language interpreter. Some assessments (e.g., Locating Information) use numerous graphics that do not lend themselves to use of a reader or signer. Also, ACT cautions that using a reader or signer may substantially change the skill being measured in some assessments.

Assistance in Recorded Responses
When an examinee is unable to mark responses on the regular WorkKeys answer document, testing staff may offer one of the following:

Testing staff mark the answer document as the examinee indicates the responses. For Listening and Writing or Business Writing, every word must be spelled out by the examinee and every punctuation mark and capitalization indicated. Testing staff must record exactly what the examinee says and only what the examinee says. If the examinee is giving verbal responses, the assessments must be administered in a separate room.
The examinee records the responses in the assessment booklet. After test time has expired, testing staff must, in the examinee's presence, transfer responses to a standard answer document for scoring.
The examinee marks responses directly on a large-print answer document. After test time has expired, testing staff must, in the examinee's presence, transfer responses to a standard answer document for scoring.
The examinee uses a typewriter or computer – Spell check and grammar check tools must be disabled. After test time has expired, testing staff must, in the examinee's presence, transfer responses to a standard answer document for scoring, with the exception of Listening and Writing and Business Writing responses. For these tests, the typed responses may be attached to the answer document. If extended time is not given when offering this assistance, do not grid an accommodation's Administration Code on the answer document.

Computer-Based Testing
All ACT Centers are required to have ADA-compliant work stations. These consist of a work station with adjustable height and greater width, a standard PC, and an ADA kit including a keyboard with 1-inch square keys, an ergo track ball mouse and Big Shot (magnifier) software. All computer-based tests can be delivered under the same extended time conditions as paper-and-pencil tests (time-and-a-half, double time, 3 hours). The administrator simply selects the proper extension when assigning the examinee to a group.

Accommodations for Examinees for Whom English is a Second Language
Examinees for whom English is a second language may use a foreign language dictionary. The examinee must supply the dictionary. The test administrator must check the dictionary, both before and after testing, to ensure that it does not contain notes or other unauthorized testing aides. If extended time is not given when offering this assistance, do not grid an accommodations Administration Code on the answer document (WorkKeys Test Coordinator Manual pgs. 5-7).

WorkKeys Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about WorkKeys is located on the WorkKeys website: http://www.act.org/workkeys/overview/faq.html. Some of the most pertinent questions are listed below.

Q. What is WorkKeys?
WorkKeys is a job skills assessment system measuring "real-world" skills that employers believe are critical to job success.

Q. What skills does WorkKeys measure?
WorkKeys assessments measure ten foundational workplace skills. Of these, two sub-tests are used in adult education: Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics.

Q. What are the benefits of using WorkKeys?
WorkKeys enables educators to identify gaps between student skills and employment needs, which will, in turn, improve students' success in entry-level and subsequent jobs. WorkKeys enables businesses to reduce turnover, overtime, and waste while increasing morale through effective selection decisions and training processes.

Q. Who uses WorkKeys assessments?
Hundreds of thousands of WorkKeys assessments are administered each year to help individuals assess their current skill levels and to determine how improving their skills can lead to better-paying jobs. Students, businesses, and organizations use the WorkKeys tests to improve skill levels and strengthen communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

Q. Are your tests valid and reliable?
Yes. ACT adheres to the federal standards of Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures and follows the technical and ethical information provided by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing when developing the WorkKeys system.

Q. How are the tests scored?
A person's performance on the WorkKeys assessments is measured against an established scale or standard and is not measured against the performance of other individuals who took the same assessment.

Q. What do my scores mean?
A WorkKeys score provides information about the level of skill an individual has attained in a specific skill area.

C. Training for Administering Assessments

OAE provides professional development and training on NRS policy and accountability policies as well as on all approved assessment instruments. During the fiscal year, local programs funded from OAE must designate personnel to participate in staff development related to NRS policy and accountability policies, administration of assessments, scoring, interpretation of the results, and placement of adult learners. All professional development sessions are recorded in GALIS and Certificates of Completion are awarded to staff that satisfy training requirements. The staff development training opportunities are designed to address the following:

Developing rapport with adult learners to minimize test anxiety and develop testtaking skills.
Administering and interpreting the assessment instrument.
Understanding cultural diversity and the implications for successful student performance.
Providing accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Identifying the appropriate level for placement and completion.
Identifying and implementing appropriate instructional strategies based on assessment results.
Understanding NRS policy and implementing accountability procedures.

Training of personnel administering assessment instruments is required to ensure test security and appropriate testing procedures, including accommodations for students with disabilities. Adult educators and administrators designated to administer the state-approved assessments are required to abide by the assessment standards of the test publishers, the American Psychological Association, and OAE established testing policies and guidelines.

New Personnel

The Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures are included in the orientation and training of new personnel by the local providers. OAE conducts annual training on the assessment policies and the relationship between assessment, goal setting and student placement.

All personnel responsible for the administration of specific assessments receive intensive training on the administration of that instrument. New test administrators receive six hours of training on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of BEST Plus and three hours for Best Literacy. Regional Education Coordinators, trained on the TABE by the test publisher, conduct train-the-trainer sessions to certify trainers on the administration of the TABE. These trainers are responsible for the disseminate training to local program personnel.

Experienced Personnel

Personnel that have experience in the administration of the approved assessments are required to participate in a professional development annually to review the history, test materials, proper administration, scoring and interpretation of test results. These training activities are coordinated and conducted by the Regional Education Coordinators and all training sessions are documented in GALIS.

Local programs are required to keep a record of all persons trained to administer assessments for a period as prescribed by federal and state guidelines. This would include training received from the publishers of the tests and any training updates. These records must be available for review upon request by authorized personnel.

D. Accommodations for Assessment

Students with documented disabilities who require accommodations are responsible for requesting assessment instruments in alternative formats and alterations in test administration procedures. Documented disabilities means that the individual can present a formal document provided by a qualified professional (physician, educational counselor, psychologist, special education teacher, or a rehabilitation counselor) such as a doctor's report, a diagnostic assessment, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or other formal record of disability that includes:

A diagnosis of the disability, whether it be a medical, psychological, learning, developmental and /or attention deficit disorder.
An evaluation of the educational implications of the diagnosis and the impact of the disability on areas of functioning.
Recommendations for the specific strategies and accommodations in education required by the disability which are reasonable and necessary as provided by ADA/Section 504.

The accommodations provided in the assessment should be the same accommodations used during instruction.

Students who are mentally retarded and/or developmentally disabled, served by local programs, are subject to the standardized testing requirements as referenced in the state assessment policy.

A testing accommodation is a change made to the test administration procedure to provide equal access for students with disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. If an accommodation is employed, it is important that the selected accommodation minimize any advantage or disadvantage of completing the test. In particular, if the accommodation under consideration is not used in instruction, then it should not be used in the testing situation.

Testing accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

Flexible scheduling: Several brief testing sessions during a day, frequent rest breaks, testing at a different time of day, additional time.
Flexible setting: Individually or in small groups with proctor, study carrel or separate room, special lighting, equipment, acoustics.
Flexible responding: Oral response, signed response, response on word processor, or Braille response.
Flexible presentation: Mechanical aids, revised formats such as Braille, large print, or signed or oral presentations for directions and items other than reading items. Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 32
Assistive devices: Assistive devices typically used in classroom instruction such as visual magnification or auditory amplification devices, calculators (if authorized in test administration manual).

The accommodations must not alter the underlying content that is being measured by the assessment or negatively affect the assessment's reliability and validity. These testing accommodations must be provided to ensure equal access to programs and activities and in compliance with provisions in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and 34 CFR, part 104, as applicable for adults.

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) and/or Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) should be noted in the student's permanent record. The actual document must be secured in a separate file with the program administrator and a copy secured in a separate file at the site in order to comply with federal and state guidelines.

For specific information about accommodations related to an individual assessment, refer to the individual assessment pages within this document.

III. Guidelines for Each Assessment

OAE has established the state assessment policy to assist local programs with all state-approved assessment instruments. As outlined in Section 2, General Assessment Requirements, the information provides detailed information relating to the target audience, administration procedures, training, pre- and post-testing, and accommodations for students with special needs. This section will address additional implementation guidelines not detailed in Section 2.

A. Electronic Applications for Program Data Quality

Georgia Adult Learner Information System (GALIS)

Programs are required to enter student data into GALIS by the 10th day of each month and to keep data entry current. GALIS provides a robust reporting module. Programs and central office staff are able to run a multitude of management reports for the local program as well as statewide reports that show all programs in the system. The reports are real-time and provide an invaluable tool for program directors to manage their program and to provide off-site monitoring by the Regional Education Coordinators (REC) and other central office staff. The module also contains the reports required by USDOE for the National Reporting System (NRS).

Student Orientation

Student orientation is a required activity for all students entering the program. Contact hours must be documented, entered, and counted in GALIS. Activities may include, but are not limited to:

Providing program information
Discussion of building orientation, class location and schedule
Completion of the Intake Assessment Form
Evaluating current educational levels to include standardized testing
Promoting goal setting
Providing an individualized plan of study through the Student Education Plan (SEP) or a Literacy to Work Plan (LWP)

Placement by Lowest Functioning Level

When multiple skill areas are assessed and the student has differing abilities in each area, National Reporting System (NRS) policy requires that the program place the student according to the lowest skill area for reporting purposes. For example, during pre-testing, if a student assessed at the Beginning Level in Reading and the Low Intermediate Level in Mathematics, the student would be placed in the Beginning Level due to the Reading score performance.

Placement by Targeted Testing

An adult learner may be assessed in the skill area(s) that reflect the student's needs as an exception to the rule of administering all sections of the TABE or Work Keys tests. The NRS level descriptors may be instrumental in assisting students in determining their needs. During student orientation, the skill area(s) most relevant to student needs is determined and the learner is assessed accordingly. For example, if a student's goal is to improve mathematics skills only, the mathematic/numeracy descriptors would serve as the primary guide for placement and the TABE Math would be administered. NOTE: Programs may not decide program-wide to test in one subject area.

Student Goal Setting

Within the NRS framework, all students are presumed to have at least one goal: development of literacy skills. That is, all students are assumed to be in the program to improve their literacy skills, and thus have the default goal of educational gain. This presumed goal is the reason that all students are counted in the educational gain measure. Students often have other goals, but only four are directly relevant to NRS accountability requirements: obtaining employment, retaining employment, obtaining a GED or high school credential, and entering postsecondary education. Note that the default goal of educational gain remains, regardless of whether the student designates any of the additional goals.

Goal-setting process
The procedures for setting goals are as follows:

National Reporting System (NRS) goals are set jointly between the teacher and the learner
Focus on how and when goals are set and focus on goals that are reasonable for a reporting year
Determine short and long term goals
All learners in adult education programs automatically have academic goals of literacy skills development as a default goal
Review additional goal setting information at http://www.nrsweb.org/docs/ImplementationGuidelines.doc , p. 43-44.

Identify Attainable Short and Long-Term Goals
For reporting purposes, it is desirable to identify goals attainable within one reporting year. Programs should not confuse NRS goals with other long-term student goals that could span multiple program years. Establishing adult learner goals defines the areas in which instruction and learning will be focused in addition to providing a benchmark by which programs and students report progress. To serve this dual purpose, it is essential to differentiate between short and long-term milestones. Also, it is essential to update the student's goal selection if their situation changes. At times, it may be appropriate to restrict the choice of certain goals when their selection is inappropriate. Programs must Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 35 provide guidance so that adult learners select reporting goals that are reasonable. Programs are encouraged to use common sense when helping students choose goals. For example:

An adult learner who is unemployed should not select Retain a Job as a reporting goal.
An adult learner who enters the program in a low educational functioning level should not select obtain a GED as a reporting goal.

When a student has one of the follow-up goals, the program is held accountable for helping the student attain the goal. The State must obtain information on whether the student achieved the goal after he or she leaves the program. For this reason, not only is it important that the student attain the goal during the year but also that the program's instruction, services, and referral to another agency for assistance, be oriented toward helping the student achieve the goal. For example, a student with a goal of GED attainment should be at a literacy level that makes passing the GED tests likely within the calendar year. Data matching to determine whether the student has passed the GED and obtained their short term goal takes place from the beginning of the fiscal year, i.e., July 1, through the end of the next calendar year, i.e. December 31, for a total of 18 months.

The student also should receive instruction that helps him or her acquire the additional skills needed for passing the tests. Similarly, if the student's goal is to obtain a job, the program should provide instruction, referral, and/or services to help the student acquire the skills needed to obtain employment.

While setting a realistic goal is important for accountability, students' long-term goals should not be ignored simply because they are not obtainable during the NRS reporting period. Local programs must assist learners with setting goals appropriately and not avoid setting goals because of difficulty in following up with learners.

Secondary Measures

The NRS secondary measures are optional measures of student outcomes and status that local programs are not required to use and should not be used as a basis for assessing performance under WIA. No performance standards are tied to these measures.

The secondary measures are in the areas of employment, community, and family. The employment measure indicates whether the student's public assistance grant was reduced or eliminated due to employment. This measure applies only to students receiving public assistance upon entry.

In the area of community, there are three measures covering citizenship, voting, and community involvement. For students enrolled in EL Civics and citizenship programs, there is a measure of whether students have achieved citizenship skills. Voting for the first time or registering to vote and more involvement in community groups or activities are the remaining measures. The family measures include increased involvement in children's literacy activities and in children's education.

Secondary student status measures of low-income status, displaced homemaker, and single-parent status are included, because these groups are specific target populations under WIA.

Data Collection Policies and Procedures

The federal National Reporting System (NRS) requires an identified set of data to be collected for each individual student by each local eligible program. The Georgia Adult Learners Information System (GALIS) is the database that has been created to collect needed data.

Local eligible programs are required to submit data electronically using the web based GALIS management information system.

Data should be available to be reviewed at all times. Timely data entry will allow staff to analyze data on a regular basis and use it for program planning and continuous program improvements. Failure to comply with the following deadlines may result in the withholding of reimbursement payment:

Local adult education providers shall submit student data (for example, enrollment, and goal attainment) by the 10th of the month for the previous month.
Programs must maintain a secure data system to protect confidentiality and privacy of the students. Data (paper and electronic) must be housed in a secure location, and access to the electronic data must be restricted with individualized user passwords.
Programs must assign dedicated staff to be responsible for maintaining the database. This staff must participate in data-related training each year.
Programs must follow state policy regarding the collection and use of Social Security Numbers (SSN) by:
- Allowing a student to sign or reject a release of information form as required by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and
- Assigning student identification numbers in a consistent and documented fashion to students who choose not to allow use of their SSN.
Programs must collect data elements consistent with federal reporting requirements and Intake Assessment Form data must be entered.
Programs must enter assessment information into the database to document educational gains. Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education Adult Learner Assessment Policies and Procedures 37
Daily individual student attendance shall be entered at least monthly by the 10th of the month for the previous month.
Programs must enter identified core indicator goals into the database to document goal attainment.

Data Quality

It is the responsibility of the local eligible program to review statistical report data on a continuous basis. The data shall be reviewed for:

accuracy;
comparison between quarters or years;
crosswalk numbers between reports and tables;
review patterns that raise a question;
check for missing data;
review numbers that are unrealistically too high or too low; and
review for out of range data such as 0% or 100%.

Each person in the process should practice regular and frequent reviews of data entered into the data system. Data is reviewed for a) patterns that raise a question; b) numbers that are unrealistically too high or too low; c) missing data; d) out of range values such as 0% or 100% and compares data to last quarter and last year.

Data entry procedures, error-checking and quality control system
Programs must have an error-checking and quality control system for identifying missing and inaccurate data. In an activity as complex and stressful as data collection, mistakes and missing data are inevitable. Staff may fail to complete forms fully due to high workload or simple oversight. In addition, the required information may not be available when it is needed. Programs must have procedures for checking data for completeness and accuracy at several times during the process.

Programs should assign one or more staff persons to perform these data checking functions explicitly and make the job of this person known to all other staff in the program. Data checkers should review all data forms as soon as possible for completeness and accuracy and should receive error reports from the database to check immediately after data entry. To do their job, data checkers must have access to all staff – teachers, intake staff, counselors and administrative staff – and the authority to obtain cooperation.

Program procedures for data entry should specify at least one person whose job is to enter the information from forms into GALIS. All staff members should know this person's role and he or she should have the authority to request clarification or resolution of errors. Part of the data entry procedure should also include a prompt, organized way to identify and resolve errors.

Program must have ongoing training on data collection
Data collection procedures will result in valid and reliable data if staff understand and follow them. Therefore, part of the program's data collection process must include training of all data collection staff on their roles and responsibilities, as well as the importance of NRS policy, accountability policies, and the data collection process. Programs must offer training to all staff and it should be offered several times during the year to accommodate new staff and to allow existing staff to take follow-up training. It is also important to have regular meetings or in-service trainings on data issues to give staff opportunities to discuss problems and issues that arise.

Program's use of the student-level, relational database system
For program improvement, look at student outcomes and demographics by student according to such variables as: number of instructional hours received, length of enrollment, the teachers and classes enrolled and by student educational functioning level. This type of analysis is available in GALIS which stores information by individual student and allows programs to link different pieces of data for each student for reports or other output.

Staff must have timely or direct access to information from the database
GALIS has the capability for local program staff to access their data in useful ways. Staff at the local level can query the database to print a report locally.

Staff members regularly review data
The program's data collection procedures should include a regular review of data soon after entry into the database. Regular data reviews allow directors to spot errors, missing data and other data that don't make sense. Programs can use data reviews as a staff development opportunity to examine problems and issues to support program improvement. Data can help programs understand issues such as the impact of instructional arrangements, learner retention, and learner educational gains. Program improvement is fostered by having staff understand and use data. This process will improve data quality, and help staff to see the importance of data collection to aid in continuous program improvement.

Data Matching

Collecting, matching, and reporting GED Obtainment, Entry into Postsecondary or Training, Employment Obtainment and Employment Retention is performed according to the guidelines set up in the National Reporting System. The GALIS team produces a chart (see Appendix C) that shows by program year and quarter when the data is collected, matched, and reported. This information is important to the goal setting process so programs know when a goal will be matched to a central data base.

B. Contact and Purchasing Information

BEST Literacy and BEST Plus
For more information on ordering, please refer to your test manual, call (202) 362-0700, or log on to http://www.cal.org/BEST/.

TABE
For more information on ordering, please refer to your test manual, call 1-800-538-9547, or visit www.ctb.com.

WorkKeys
For more information on ordering, please refer to your test manual, call 1-800/WORKKEY (967- 5539), or visit http://www.act.org/workkeys/assess/price.html.

C. Test Security

The implementation of uniform test security policies is essential to standardize test security for all adult literacy programs funded by OAE. Therefore, all grantees must adhere to the test security policies in this assessment manual as well as any test security policies stated by the test publishers. In addition, school district programs must comply to the Georgia Board of Education (SBE) Rule 160-3-1.07 Testing Programs – Student Assessment, as appropriate to the delivery of adult education services.

Testing Materials

Tests or individual test questions must not be revealed, copied, or otherwise reproduced.
Test materials (current or previous), such as test booklets, answer keys, and answer sheets shall not be used as an instructional tool or for test preparation.
Test materials, such as test booklets, answer keys, and answer sheets, must be inventoried and accounted for in accordance with program inventory procedures. These records should be available for review by authorized personnel.
Test materials must be kept in secure, locked storage prior to and after administration of any test.
In the event that test materials are determined to be missing, the program administrator or other designated personnel must be notified. The director or other designated personnel will determine the appropriate action as needed.
In cases where testing materials need to be destroyed (due to deterioration or damage), the program administrator or designated personnel will completely destroy the test (i.e. shredding) and update the inventory. Further, unopened testing materials may be processed as defined by the test publisher's return policy and within established timelines.

Test Examinees

Examinees must not be assisted in answering test questions by any means.
Examinees' answers to questions shall not be interfered with in any way.
Examinees should not be allowed to leave the test site with answer sheets or test books.

Test Administrators

Test administrators and instructors must not participate in, direct, assist in, or encourage any activity that could result in the inaccurate measurement or reporting of the examinees' scores.
Each person who has access to tests must be informed of the specifications for maintaining test security. Training for administering assessments is coordinated through the Instructional Services Division of OAE and the local program. Refer to section 2C of this document for more information.

Testing Violations

In situations where a person is suspected of a test violation or observed committing a test violation, the program administrator or other designated staff must be notified in order to determine the appropriate action as needed.

IV. Distance Education

A. Definition

Georgia's distance education program is designed to provide educational services to reach and better serve learners who have limited accessibility to adult education classes. Learners will be supported by teachers who will facilitate instruction through a variety of delivery media to include: web-based programs, videotape, software, print-based materials, telephones, postal services, and email. Learners who enroll in classroom programs and distance classes will be classified as distance learners at the end of the fiscal year if 51% or more of the learner's instructional hours, counted as proxy contact hours (PCH), are earned through distance learning classes.

B. Curriculum

The curricula for use at a distance may be selected from the following: GED Integrated Online, GED Illinois, SkillsTutor, KeyTrain, WIN, GED Connection, PLATO, AZTEC, and Pre-GED Connection for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and GED students, and Crossroads Caf� or English for All for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students. Pilot sites will develop evaluation criteria for curricula and will examine and select curricula based upon established criteria. Recommended curricula will be presented to the OAE Distance Education Coordinator for final disposition prior to implementation.

C. Measurement of Contact Hours

Distance learners must have at least twelve hours of contact with the program before they can be counted for federal reporting purposes. The following activities may be included: all face-toface sessions for intake, assessment and orientation; telephone calls designated to counsel students into the appropriate programs; completion of local program online registration, registration and intake forms; completion of self-assessment on distance education readiness; technology training on content and use of distance education curriculum; training on study and time management skills (whether delivered in person or at a distance).

D. Definition of Proxy Contact Hours

Proxy contact hours are defined as the number of instructional hours determined necessary under the Mastery Model for completion of an instructional unit or by Clock Time Model for the amount of actual time spent on an instructional unit, as recorded by the software and described below.

E. Policy on Proxy Hours

Determining Proxy Contact Hours

The Mastery and Clock Time Models will be the manner in which proxy contact hours will be determined based upon the curricula selected. The Mastery Model requires students to take pass a mastery test at the completion of each instructional unit with a score of 70% or better. The number of proxy contact hours awarded for mastery of each unit will be determined by a consensus of a panel of teachers following careful examination of curriculum content and review of data from Project Ideal. The Teacher Verification Model may be used to document work completed by students; however, Master Model will be used to document proxy contact hours.

Under the Clock Time Model proxy contact hours, the curriculum tracks the amount of time the learner works on the assignments. The program will "time out" or shut down if there is a specified period of inactivity. Hours of clock time are counted as proxy contact hours.

The following curricula and proxy contact hour models can be used in the distance education program. Where alternate models are indicated, local programs will determine which method to use and will document the method in student records.

CURRICULUM MODEL	CRITERIA FOR PROXY	CONTACT HOURS (PCH)	PROXY CONTACT HOURS (PCH) CREDIT	VALIDATION SOURCE
ABD/ASE
GED Connection²	Teacher Verification	Video: student self-report; teacher validates whether student viewed.	Video: .5 hrs	Project IDEAL
		Workbook: teacher determines % of work completed	Workbook: = 75% of activities completed = 4 hrs; 50-74% = 2 hrs
		Internet Activities: teacher determines work completed	Internet Activities: 1 hr. per activity; total possible PCH = 43
		Internet Module: teacher validates w/questioning whether student has engaged	Modules: 3 hrs per module; total possible PCH = 15 Tests: 1 hr per; total possible PCH = 22
		Practice Tests: online and print based	Tests: 1 hr per; total possible PCH = 22
GED Illinois	Mastery	Passed unit test = 70%	50 minutes per unit completed	Software developer
MHC GED Integrated Online	Clock Time	System tracks time and logs out students after preset period of inactivity	Time recorded in the system	Software developer
PLATO	Clock Time	System tracks time and logs out students after preset period of inactivity	Time recorded in the system	Software developer
Pre-GED Connection	Clock Time	Video: student self-report; teacher validates whether student viewed.	Video: .5 hrs	No validation studies yet completed
SkillsTutor	Teacher Verification	System tracks time and logs out students after preset period of inactivity	Time recorded in the system.	Software developer
AZTEC	Clock Time	System tracks time and log out students after preset period of inactivity	Time recorded in the system.	Software developer
KeyTrain	Clock Time	System tracks time and logs out students after preset period of inactivity	Time recorded in the system	Software developer
WIN	Clock TIme	System tracks time and log out students after preset period of inactivity.	Time recorded in the system	Software developer
ESL
Crossroads Caf�³	Mastery	Passed unit test @ ≥ 70%	10 hours per unit; total possible PCH =260	North Carolina
English for All	Mastery	Passed unit test @ ≥ 70%	6 hours per unit; total possible PCH = 120	NC, based on research done in CA

² Proxy contact hours (PCH) could also be determined by the teacher verification

³ Proxy contact hours could also be determined by mastery model.

Recording Proxy Contact Hours

Local programs will record classroom and proxy contact hours in separate fields in GALIS. The number of proxy contact hours will be determined by the curriculum and policy as indicated above. Teachers will maintain records of proxy contact hours for both state and NRS reporting requirements following the formulas in Appendix C. Training will be provided on how to record contact hours from classroom instruction and proxy contact hours for distance learning during the annual GALIS training update and through ongoing technical assistance from the Regional Education Coordinators.

F. General Distance Education Guidelines

Assessing Distance Learners

Distance learners must be assessed under the same guidelines as all adult learners in the state. All formal assessments must occur in secure, proctored settings, but it is permissible to arrange for remote testing locations that are more convenient for distance learners as long as all state requirements concerning assessment are met.

Programs are encouraged to assess the suitability of the potential student to use a distance education curriculum. The assessment should determine whether the student has the requisite skills for the distance education course and their level of proficiency in use of technology.

Training for Distance Education Personnel

All personnel participating in distance education must complete the required state training program. The initial course, offered through Project Ideal, will be Distance Learning 101 - Teaching Adult Learners at a Distance. This course will cover all aspects for developing a local distance education plan, including assessing considerations. Three subsequent courses will be provided online to support teachers and administrators with the implementation of distance education.

5.2.3lp2 Local Adult Education Assessment Policy

Table of Contents

I. Introduction and Overview

A. Need for Assessment Policy

B. Purposes and Uses of Assessments

Informal and Supplemental Assessment

C. Summary

D. Resources for Information and Assistance

II. General Assessment Requirements

A. Students to be Assessed

B. Assessments Permitted

Pre-Testing Guidelines

Post-Testing Guidelines

BEST Literacy

Description and Eligibility

Additional Pre-testing Guidelines

Additional Post-testing Guidelines

Transitioning from BEST Literacy to TABE

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Accommodations for BEST Literacy

BEST Plus

Description and Eligibility

Additional Pre-testing Guidelines

Additional Post-testing Guidelines

Transitioning from BEST to TABE

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Accommodations for BEST Plus

The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): 9&10

Description and Eligibility

Additional Pre-Testing Guidelines

Additional Post-Testing Guidelines

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Accommodations for TABE

WorkKeys�

Description and Eligibility

Additional Pre-Testing Guidelines

Additional Post-Testing Guidelines

Use of Scale Scores for NRS Reporting

Accommodations for the WorkKeys Assessment

WorkKeys Frequently Asked Questions

C. Training for Administering Assessments

New Personnel

Experienced Personnel

D. Accommodations for Assessment

III. Guidelines for Each Assessment

A. Electronic Applications for Program Data Quality

Georgia Adult Learner Information System (GALIS)

Student Orientation

Placement by Lowest Functioning Level

Placement by Targeted Testing

Student Goal Setting

Secondary Measures

Data Collection Policies and Procedures

Data Quality

Data Matching

B. Contact and Purchasing Information

C. Test Security

IV. Distance Education

A. Definition

B. Curriculum

C. Measurement of Contact Hours

D. Definition of Proxy Contact Hours

E. Policy on Proxy Hours

F. General Distance Education Guidelines

WorkKeys^�