McLendon and Polis1 An Administrator’s Guide to Assessment: A Menu of Assessment Options for MAERS...

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McLendon and Polis 1

An Administrator’s Guide to Assessment: A Menu of Assessment Options for MAERS and Instructional Guidance

Workshop ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop, you will be able to: Identify the similarities and differences in the

format, content, administration, and scoring procedures of the TABE, CASAS, and WorkKeys assessments.

Use a checklist to determine your program’s current level of compliance with Michigan’s new assessment policy and standardized testing protocol.

Develop a local assessment policy using an electronic, customizable template.

Workshop ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop, you will be able to:Determine appropriate standardized testing

accommodations for adults with special learning needs.

Analyze your program’s assessment data to identify instructional areas needing attention.

Guide teachers in using standardized tests and alternative assessment procedures, including learning styles inventories, to plan and evaluate learning.

Why do we assess?

Compliance– State and federal policy requirements– Consistent way to measure educational gains

Instructional Guidance– To identify student strengths and weaknesses– To guide development of individualized learning

plans– To guide selection of appropriate materials– To help students see the progress they are

making

How do we assess?

Standardized Tests– Norm-referenced– Criterion-referenced

Alternative Assessments– Interviews, self-evaluations, teachers’

reports, portfolio development

Ongoing Assessments of Instruction– Class responses, informal tests

Activity 1: How well do you understand the assessment

policy?

Respond to the questions on the Activity 1 handout.

Examining Michigan’s Assessment Policy

What it says– Policy abstract

What it means– The Assessment Technical Assistance

The Big Three: TABE, CASAS, and WorkKeys

How are they the same?

How are they different?

Why do I need to use locator or appraisal tests?

How do I know which test is best?

TABE CASAS WorkKeysNorm-referenced Criterion-referenced Criterion-referenced

Reading, Math, Language

(Optional: Spelling)

ABE/ASE: Reading, Math

ESL: Listening, Reading

Optional tests available

Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information

Locating Information

Optional tests available

Timed Untimed Timed

Forms: 9 and 10 Forms: 2 forms for each test level

Multiple forms available

Levels: Limited Literacy, Easy, Medium, Difficult, Advanced

Levels: Pre-A, A, B, C, D Levels: no separate leveled tests -5 levels of difficulty within each test; begins at high intermediate

Battery: 3 ½ hours to complete; Survey: 2 hours to complete

Takes about 1 hour to complete each pre-test.

2 hours 15 minutes for AM, RI, and LI

Locator test to determine level

Appraisal tests to determine level

Readiness test available

Scaled scores and GE CASAS scaled scores Levels 3 – 7 plus scaled scores

Training recommended At least one person from program must be trained

Must be an ACT-licensed provider

Locator and Appraisal Tests

Why:– Determine the appropriate level of pre-

test to administer– Must be used to ensure valid test

results– Prevents students from being

frustrated or overwhelmed with test questions that are too easy or too difficult

The Importance of Range

Post-test with different form of same level except…

Example: TABELevel Grade Range L (Limited literacy) 0-1.9 E (Easy) 2.0-3.9 M (Medium) 4.0-5.9 D (Difficult) 6.0-8.9 A (Advanced) 9.0-12.9If pre-test score falls at top of the range,

post-test with next highest levelIf significant progress has been made in

class, post-test with next highest level

Which test is best?

Depends on student goals– GED preparation

– Enrollment in postsecondary

– Job retention or employment

– Focus on life skills

– English as a Second Language

Activity 2: You Be the Judge!

Decide if you like one test better than the other.

Try your skill at the sample math problems taken from TABE, CASAS, and WorkKeys.

Do you notice any differences or similarities?

How is your program doing?Assessment Checkpoints

– Have staff complete the standardized testing checklist and discuss the results.

– Observe staff conducting assessments, using the checklist during your observations.

– Review a sample of student records.– Review program data.

Reviewing Program DataLook for anomalies or things that “don’t

make sense”Examine the:

– Number and percentage of students pre- and post-tested.

– Number of students placed in each level.– Percent of students advancing by level.– Average number of instructional hours it takes

students to advance by level.– Average number of hours of instruction

received by level.

Activity 3: What can you learn from your assessment data?

With your table partners, examine the sample data tables for activity 3. Each set of data has a number of potential problems. See how many you can identify.

Developing a Local Assessment Policy

Why?– To provide clear guidance and expectations– To ensure consistency across all classes– To clarify local assessment decisions

• When should pre-testing occur?• What procedure should be used to review initial

assessment results with students and jointly develop a learning plan?

• What procedure should be used to review student progress and revise learning plan?

Developing a Local Assessment Policy

Activity 4: Examining a Local Policy Assessment Template

Examine the sample template and discuss with your table partners:– Would a similar format work for you?– Is there anything missing?– How would you adapt it to meet your

needs?– How would you communicate the policy

to your staff?

Why do we assess?

Compliance– State and federal policy requirements– Consistent way to measure educational gains

Instructional Guidance– To identify student strengths and weaknesses– To guide development of individualized learning

plans– To guide selection of appropriate materials– To help students see the progress they are

making

Assessment after MAERS

TABE, CASAS, and WorkKeys provide some information

What else will help?– Reading: a complex science– Learning Styles: learners learn

differently– GED Practice Test: pinpointing

learners strengths and weaknesses

Reading

Print Skills (Alphabetics) – Phonemics – Word Recognition

• Sight Words • Word Analysis

– Spelling – Reading Rate & Fluency

Meaning Skills – Word Meaning (Vocabulary) – Background Knowledge – Silent Reading Comprehension

Reading Component

Andrew Barbara Carlos

Silent Reading Comprehension

8.0 8.0 8.0

Word Recognition

10.0 3.0 5.0

Spelling 8.0 3.0 5.0

Word Meaning (Vocabulary)

7.0 8.0 6.0

Reading Assessment Resources

Test Bank http://www.nifl.gov/readingprofiles/MC_Test_Bank.htm

Mini-Course http://www.nifl.gov/readingprofiles/MC_Intro.htm

Learning Styles

C.I.T.E. Learning Styles Inventory– www.wvabe.org/cite.htm– Information gathering: auditory

language, visual language, auditory numerical, visual numerical, auditory-visual language

– Work conditions: alone or group– Expressiveness: oral or written

Learning Styles

Activity 5: What is your learning style?

GED Practice Test

Assess learners skills– Language arts—writing– Language arts—reading– Social Studies– Mathematics– Science

Use to guide development of the student’s learning plan

GED Practice Test

Paper Copies– GED Testing Service, American

Council on Education– www.gedtest.org

Online—Steck-Vaughn– www.gedpractice.com

Workshop ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop, you will be able to: Identify the similarities and differences in the

format, content, administration, and scoring procedures of the TABE, CASAS, and WorkKeys assessments.

Use a checklist to determine your program’s current level of compliance with Michigan’s new assessment policy and standardized testing protocol.

Develop a local assessment policy using an electronic, customizable template.

Workshop ObjectivesBy the end of the workshop, you will be able to:Determine appropriate standardized testing

accommodations for adults with special learning needs.

Analyze your program’s assessment data to identify instructional areas needing attention.

Guide teachers in using standardized tests and alternative assessment procedures, including learning styles inventories, to plan and evaluate learning.

Assessment

Thank You

We are always willing to help

Kathi Polispolis123@adelphia.com

Lennox McLendonllmcl422@netscape.net

McLendon and Polis1 An Administrator’s Guide to Assessment: A Menu of Assessment Options for MAERS...

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