Katrina,

I am not sure what state you are from but here in New York, we have just this past year implemented a new state policy for administration of the TABE and a series of validity tables as well.  (I have attached both for you to take a look at)  Larry may remember that it was our state data that prompted us to change the way our programs were using the TABE.  In some cases, based on the score ranges, teachers were actually prohibiting their students from showing enough gain to place them in the next EFL under NRS guidelines by choosing an invalid level of the TABE.  Scores on either the high or low end of each range of scores on the TABE are unreliable because of the large standard error of measurement associated with the extreme ends of any bell curve.  This means that as you suspected, the high and low scores on each of the tests are less likely to be a true indication of the student's ability.  Retesting with a higher or lower level of the test is recommended for these cases.  It was evident to us, based on our state data, that test administrators either did not understand that concept or had differing opinion as to when a test was outside the acceptable range and consequentially when to retest.  

 

We employed the methodology developed by the University of Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Department of Education to establish acceptable ranges for the Reading, Mathematics Computation and Applied Mathematics sections of the TABE 7 & 8 and TABE 9 & 10.  The policy, along with the scoring tables, were then integrated into our data management system such that invalid scores may not even be entered into the data system.  If students score outside the valid ranges, they must be retested on an appropriate version of the TABE.  

 

Strategy is still advised when using these scoring tables.  For example, based on our validity tables, if a student scores a 7.2 GE reading level on an M TABE, they are within the valid range however if a level M is administered for the post test to this same student, the very highest that student may achieve and still fall within the valid range is a 7.7 GE.  This score will not be enough to show education gain.  This student must be given a level D test to open up the possibility of achieving a score high enough to evidence gain.  As long as the administration of the TABE levels is contiguous, the scores are valid and may be used under NRS guidelines.  (So moving from an M to a D is acceptable) 

 

As you can imagine Katrina, a comprehensive staff development was built to accommodate all this information and we rolled it out to all programs through a train the trainer model.  I am pleased to say that our state's performance in the area of educational gain has increased significantly as a result of this work.  I hope this is useful to you and your testing coordinator.

Rosemary

 

 
Rosemary I. Matt
NRS Liaison for NYS
Literacy Assistance Center
12 Meadowbrook Drive
New Hartford, NY 13413
315.798.1026

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Katrina Hinson
Sent: Thu 4/19/2007 7:14 PM
To: assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 774] Re: Using Data for Program Improvement



I don't know if anyone has raised this question but one of the things I
know myself and the testing coordinator at my school are concerned with
is the fact that we don't get to count gains made if a person goes from
the M level TABE to the D level TABE. We use versions 9 and 10.  I had a
student who scored around 9.0 or so on the M level Reading which we
question in and of itself in terms of validity. He's at the point where
we're supposed to retest him. He'd tested on the D level in math the
first time and he's been regularly attending and regulary working on his
goals. He went from the 9.0 on the M level test which is moderately hard
in reading to a 7.7 on the D level test which is difficult. Because he
DROPPED in terms of grade level, it's not counted as a level
completion...even though he actually went from M to D...which one would
think would also qualify as a level.

Has anyone else had this happen and if so, what are your suggestions.

Regards,
Katrina Hinson
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