Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

FY2019 Assessment Policy Memorandum

MAPT Scores Cannot be Copied Over into FY2019

On July 1, 2018, the Center for Educational Assessment (CEA) at UMass will release the new MAPT, the Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Tests for College and Career Readiness (MAPT-CCR).

Although the score scale for the MAPT will remain between 200 and 700, the MAPT-CCR will be aligned with the new Educational Functioning Levels (EFLs) developed by the US Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). Therefore, the cut points along the MAPT score scale have been updated to reflect the new EFLs. As a result, the score scale has changed slightly, and MAPT scores prior to July 1, 2018 will not be directly comparable to MAPT-CCR scores.

Because of this update, MAPT scores from May and June 2018 (FY2018) cannot be copied over and used as pre-tests for FY2019.

Please note that MAPT-CCR will not be available from July 1 through July 8 while the CEA installs new panels, updates OWL with the new cut scores, and tests the system. Programs can resume testing with MAPT-CCR on Monday, July 9.

TABE 9/10 and TABE L Scores Cannot Be Copied Over into FY2019

Starting July 1 2018, programs that have been using TABE 9/10-Levels L (Literacy), E (Easy), M (Medium), D (Difficult), A (Advanced) can no longer use these versions of the test. TABE 9/10 will be replaced with the new version of the TABE test, TABE 11/12-Levels L (Literacy), E (Easy), M (Medium), D (Difficult), A (Advanced).

Due to differences in score scales, the TABE 9/10 all level scores from FY2018 cannot be copied over into FY2019.

Programs who intend to use the TABE 11/12 (programs in correctional institutions where students cannot access Internet-connected computers and programs who use the TABE to test students' writing skills) can purchase the TABE 11/12 directly from the test publisher's site.

In Massachusetts, only the paper versions of the TABE 11/12 will be used. Programs must not administer the online version of TABE 11/12.

Also, programs cannot administer the TABE 11/12 until test administrators have completed the new online self-paced TABE 11/12 training. This training is in its final development stage and will be available starting July 13, 2018.

Standardized Assessment Training Pre-Requisites

As announced in the June 2018 monthly mailing, the training for the administration and scoring of CLAS E-Reading and the training for the administration of CLAS E-Writing will no longer be face-to-face. These trainings will be offered in an online self-paced format.

CEA and ACLS are currently finalizing these trainings and anticipate making these available on July 13, 2018. However, the scoring of CLAS E-Writing will continue to remain a face-to face training.

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

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

There are two types of pre-requisites:

1. An online Assessment Basics webinar (recorded), approximately 20 minutes in length: this webinar describes what assessment is, how assessment fits into curriculum and instruction, what assessments are required in Massachusetts for NRS reporting purposes and what ACLS assessment policies are. This is a required pre-requisite for each of the five trainings for a specific assessment. In order to successfully complete this webinar, practitioners are prompted to take a short test (around six questions) at the end. Note that the Assessment Basics webinar only needs to be completed once by each individual, prior to registering for and completing any one or more of the specific assessment trainings.

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

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

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

For questions related to assessment policies, please contact: Dana Varzan-Parker , Assessment Specialist.

Assessment Resource: Item Writing Webinar

The Center for Educational Assessment (CEA) at UMass Amherst has developed a recorded webinar on Developing Multiple Choice Items to Assess Adult Learners. In this webinar, practitioners have the opportunity to learn about guidelines on how to write multiple-choice (MC) items with specific examples of strong vs. weak MC items.

Practitioners can access the webinar at UMassAmherst: Research, Educational Measurement, and Psychometrics (REMP). This webinar will be posted as a resource for programs on the ACLS Assessment website.