[Assessment 538] Re: Measuring Outside the NRSMarie Cora marie.cora at hotspurpartners.comTue Oct 24 15:30:08 EDT 2006
Dear Grace and Nancy (First a big thank you to everyone who has jumped in I knew that this was important to you all. As your busy time permits, keep on posting!) Thanks so much for your perspectives. Im sure that you are not the only ones whose programs conduct assessment outside of the NRS requirements. You both have hit on a number of extremely important issues. If you do not receive federal dollars, then you do not have to adhere to NRS requirements what types of assessments and tools do you use if this is your case? What sort of schedule or structure do you use for intake, pre-assessment, on-going assessment, post-assessment? Who does the assessing? Do you gauge non-academic skills? If so, how? Do you set up benchmarks such as gaining grade levels or is this not a part of the program? How about timeframes? Is that not as important because you are not bound by the federal system? Nancy you said: I sense that by your colleagues' standards my program would be deemed ineffective. I have many questions: who is to say what is effective if your students stay and keep learning, and improve their skills? How about Nancys question Subscribers: is this true? Do you feel that Grace and Nancys programs are less effective because of their focus and structure? Or do you feel a bit envious that their programs are not bound by the strict requirements of NRS-tied funding? If your program receives federal dollars, do you feel that you can really truly focus on the students goal, or do you feel like you need to figure their goal out for them (with the best of intentions) in order to make sure you can show learning gains across your program and keep your funding? Katrina lamented about this in her post I think. Do you feel that helping the student work on her goal and following the federal requirements are at odds or can they work together? Lets hear from others on the List who are in a similar position to Grace and Nancy. If you are not tied to using the tools, structures, and timeframes required by federal funding, then what does your program look like and how do you feel about that? And for those folks who do receive federal funding, what are your thoughts and questions for folks whose programs work outside of the NRS requirements? Thanks! Marie Cora Assessment Discussion List Moderator -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Grace Temple Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:56 PM To: assessment at nifl.gov Subject: [Assessment 537] Re: peep? A great big AMEN! goes out to Nancy. This echos my position exactly. I too, am a director of our county Literacy Council. I read all the posts but respond to only a few as most don't seem to connect to our program. All post assessment is done by the tutors (volunteers) who have been trained to use the SLOSSON lists. This only gives us a ballpark figure but it is the student's satisfaction that counts the most. Do they feel they have gained? If they feel better about their ability to learn, think they can handle everyday reading better and are willing to continue, then our tutors have done well. Grace Temple Executive Director Sanilac Literacy Council Sanilac County, MI _____ From: Nancy Hansen <sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com> Reply-To: sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com,The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov> Subject: [Assessment 533] Re: peep? Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:56:32 -0700 (PDT) Marie - Without a peep .... I have been lurking ... every once in a while but not regularly on this thread. Part of the reason I haven't replied is the emails that were posted were so loooong. I felt it would require research to read thoroughly and respond, so I didn't. And I'm as always busy with many projects as the only full-time paid staff. It's not that I am not interested personally, but via my scanning the posts I feel The Movement is not taking into consideration one (of a couple) very important factors: Some adult learners cannot commit to the kind of time that many of you speak about. That means their time with their study is also very precious even though elongated. If testing takes away that time, it would be resented. Ours is an adult literacy program driven by volunteer instructors. The focus of the materials includes periodic check-ups built into the lessons. (Note: Not called Tests.) However, I sense that by your colleagues' standards my program would be deemed ineffective. You know .... the learners aren't gaining a grade level every year. Quite frankly the learners don't *care* about that form of measurement. So I lurk. I feel, No. 2, The System places too *little* importance on what it is that the adult learner has brought with them as goals in their need to read, write and spell better. It cannot be measured in many cases ... except, perhaps, in smiles, self-confidence and improved worth. *That* our learners *do* treasure! How do members of the adult education system intend those skill development factors to be measured? Learner Portfolios are part of *our* system, yet unacceptable to the NRS. It used to be that the check-up scores counted. But no longer. Until the answers are clear, this agency director will remain on the perimeters of the assessment discussion ... and *consequently* the agency will continue without funding that is tied to a grade level increase requirement. The kicker is: The learners *like* what they are receiving and that matters more. At least to me. Nancy Hansen Executive Director Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council Sioux Falls, SD Marie Cora <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> wrote: p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;} span.EmailStyle17 {font-family:Arial;color:windowtext;} span.SpellE {;} span.GramE {;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in;margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} Dear colleagues, Are you out there? Is this a bad time for a discussion? Is the topic not of interest? Aside from Virginias post last week, I havent heard from any of the 550 subscribers to the List. Im assuming that the topic (Measuring Education Gains in Adult Literacy, 10/17 and 10/18) is of interest. But you need to let me know if it is or not. I generally gauge interest based on Subscriber responses, so if this is an indication, the topic is not hot (which surprises me). Are there other topics youd prefer to engage in? What are they? The purpose of this List is to provide a forum for discussion that goes well beyond your programs walls, so if Im not hitting on the right stuff, I really do need to hear from you. Membership here continues to climb, but you are all very silent. I really want to hear your thoughts and I want to know how this List can serve you well. Please let me know. Feel free to respond to the discussion on Measuring Gains, but also, feel free to start your own discussion topic, or feel free to send your thoughts to the List or to me personally regarding other discussions that you would like to see happen and Ill make them happen. I value and appreciate your membership highly but a Discussion List is only as good as the discussions that occur. If youve never posted and that makes you a bit reticent, feel free to send me your post and I can do a couple of things like help you compose your message, or I can post your message for you anonymously. The important thing is for your voices to be heard. Thanks! marie Marie Cora <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment Coordinator, LINCS Assessment Special Collection http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/ ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment _____ Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. 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