Is this the new TABE CLAS-E she is referencing? I see that it measures
reading and writing. What is the "Functional Writing Assessment"?
 

TABE CLAS-E


Forms A and B


Scale Scores for NRS ESL Educational Functioning Levels

 


 


ESL Educational


Functioning Level

 

Reading

Scale Scores


 


Writing


Scale Scores


 


 


Total Reading and Writing


Scale Scores

Listening

Scale Scores

Speaking

Scale Scores

 

Total Listening and Speaking Scale Scores

 

 

SPL

 
 
"We may now also submit a pre-and post of the Functional Writing
Assessment," which our ESOL teachers do choose to use to show gains, but
that relies solely on writing skills gains."

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Stephanie Moran
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 10:47 AM
To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
Subject: [Assessment 1881] Re: NRS Educational Functioning Levels



For those who may not be aware or seen my earlier posting, the only
"proof of mastery" that the state of Colorado accepts is in the form of
TABE, CASAS, or BEST scores. While we in our own center have done quite
a bit of number comparison (grade equivalent/functional levels) between
the TABE (our current choice for all entering ABE and GED students) and
the GED scores and found a range of  two years' difference between them,
since the State only allows TABE to reflect "gains," we must accept this
"official" policy. We may now also submit a pre-and post of the
Functional Writing Assessment," which our ESOL teachers do choose to use
to show gains, but that relies solely on writing skills gains.

 

Hope this helps-I expect that most states have similar, non-negotiable
expectations for student gains. Good luck!

Stephanie 

 

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Literacy Alliance of Brevard
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 8:43 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 1877] Re: NRS Educational Functioning Levels

 

Thank you, Donna.  I appreciate the wisdom in Donna's reply and the
reminder to us all to use the assessments to determine our instruction
after the assessment.    We don't want to lose sight of that while we
are focusing on documenting the evidence of our students' progress.  

 

I still need for someone to address the situation of accepting a
curriculum-based assessment as proof of mastery of a level when the
student is moving from one adult-literacy level to another.  For
instance, Laubach Way to Reading Book 1 is the equivalent of first
grade.  Beginning ABE Literacy is first grade.  If a student passes the
Check-up for LWR Book 1, is that adequate proof that they are ready to
move from Beginning ABE Literacy to Beginning Basic Education?
Likewise, would the Check-up at the end of Book 3, which is equivalent
to 3rd grade, show that the student is ready to move to Low Intermediate
Basic Education?  

 

Can anyone give me an "official" opinion on this?  I would even be
interested in a consensus of opinion.

 

Margie Kinslow
Executive Director
Literacy Alliance of Brevard/
Brevard Adult Literacy Volunteers
609 Garden Street
Titusville, FL 32796
Cell:  321-917-8952
literacy at cfl.rr.com
www.brevardliteracy.org

 

Please use www.GoodSearch.com as your search engine and
www.GoodShopping.com for your shopping searches and they will make
donations to the Literacy Alliance of Brevard.

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Donna Webster, Executive Director
<mailto:lvnrv at verizon.net>  

	To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
<mailto:assessment at nifl.gov>  

	Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:51 AM

	Subject: [Assessment 1870] Re: NRS Educational Functioning
Levels

	 

	Hi Margie,

	 

	Your note was addressed to Philip, but I hope you are welcome to
other comments.  Our volunteer literacy program serves FOUR rural
counties and one small city in Southwest Virginia so we feel your pain.
We have a part-time employee for our BEST Plus assessments, and a
part-time employee for TABE assessments. Of course, the employees are
charged with other duties as well. The only recommendation I have is to
train some of your senior trained volunteer tutors to help you with
assessments.  I don't see an alternative when you have limited funding
sources.  Also, in order to serve the number of adults in need of your
services and increase your maximum community compact, you have to be
willing to allow volunteers to handle the skill set normally given to
paid employees.  We are now moving towards this model and hope to see
positive outcomes. Remember it's the instruction after the assessment
that's important. I would spend the majority of your time involved in
instruction.  Of course it goes without saying, make sure the volunteers
receive the proper training. 

	 

	God bless,

	~Donna 

	 

	From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Literacy Alliance of
Brevard
	Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 8:15 PM
	To: The Assessment Discussion List
	Subject: [Assessment 1868] Re: NRS Educational Functioning
Levels

	 

	Philip,

	 

	I appreciate you taking the time to share this.  

	 

	I direct a county-wide literacy program that is totally
volunteer.  I am a retired Reading Specialist with no prior knowledge of
the levels of adult literacy.  While I am used to grade and month
levels, it has been difficult for me to get a handle on the levels for
adult literacy.  You would be amazed how many people I have asked to
clarify this for me.  No one could tell me how the adult levels
correlated.  I knew it had to be out there somewhere!  Finally I know
how the adult levels correlate with the grade levels that are familiar
to me. 

	 

	I would appreciate having a copy of the Literacy Skills for
Adult ESOL course.  

	 

	My other challenge is testing students.  We have a county that
is 72 miles long and divided by two rivers lengthwise.  I am the only
trained TABE Administrator.  How do you suggest we test for adult
literacy levels?  We get no government funding, but are trying to get
more competent with data and competitive for grants.  We have been using
curriculum-based testing.  I know how the curriculum levels relate to
the grade-levels.  Is it honest to just translate them to  the adult
literacy levels or must we use CASAS or TABE?

	 

	Thank you for any more help you can give me!

	 

	Blessings,

	Margie Kinslow
	Executive Director
	Literacy Alliance of Brevard/
	Brevard Adult Literacy Volunteers
	609 Garden Street
	Titusville, FL 32796
	Cell:  321-917-8952
	literacy at cfl.rr.com
	www.brevardliteracy.org

	 

	Please use www.GoodSearch.com as your search engine and
www.GoodShopping.com for your shopping searches and they will make
donations to the Literacy Alliance of Brevard.

		----- Original Message ----- 

		From: Anderson, Philip
<mailto:Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>  

		To: The Assessment Discussion List
<mailto:assessment at nifl.gov>  

		Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 1:01 PM

		Subject: [Assessment 1866] Re: NRS Educational
Functioning Levels

		 

		Melinda,

		 

		In Florida, the state office follows the NRS Educational
Functioning Levels (EFLs) for reporting the initial EFL and any
subsequent gains for all students that are enrolled in classes supported
with federal funds.   The 12 levels (4 ABE, 2 ASE, and 6 ESL) are
established by USDOE as the levels that federally-supported grantees
must use to place and report the student's initial EFL and any
subsequent gains.

		 

		Given that, when the highest ESL score of the NRS was
lowered in 2006, it reduced the number of Florida students that would
have otherwise benefitted from federally-supported ESL instruction.  In
order to meet the needs of these students, Florida uses state funds to
offer a course called Academic Skills for Adult ESOL.  Since this course
uses state funds only, so the initial EFL and learning gains for these
students are not reported to the NRS.  It can be downloaded at the FLDOE
adult education Webpage for Curriculum and Standards at
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/dwdframe/ad_frame.asp.  

		 

		Also, Florida has a growing number of students that have
very low literacy skills in any language (their home language is not in
a written form, they didn't attend school for enough time to achieve
reading and writing skills, etc.).   Florida practitioners wrote a
curriculum for these students called Literacy Skills for Adult ESOL.
This course uses state funds only, so the initial EFL and learning gains
for these students are not reported to the NRS.  This course can also be
downloaded at http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/dwdframe/ad_frame.asp,
however, the curriculum has just recently been revised.  The newly
revised version will be on the Website as of July 1.  I can send a copy
of the newly revised standards to anyone that wants them before July 1.
Just email me at Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org and reference the Literacy
Skills for Adult ESOL course.  

		 

		I might be giving you information that you really didn't
need, but I wanted to show how we are finding a way to use the national
framework of levels as a starting point from which we as a state try to
create meaningful pathways for learning to our ESL population.  

		 

		Phil

		 

		Contact Information

		Philip Anderson

		Adult ESOL Program Specialist

		Florida Department of Education

		325 W. Gaines St. Room 644

		Tallahassee, FL 32399

		(850) 245-9450

		 

		 

		
________________________________


		From: Melinda Hefner [mailto:mmhefner at charter.net] 
		Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 7:43 PM
		To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
		Subject: [Assessment 1864] NRS Educational Functioning
Levels

		 

		I'm curious if any states have added to or otherwise
modified the NRS Educational Functioning Levels for NRS reporting
purposes.  I'm such a literalist that the 12 levels listed in the NRS
Implementation Guidelines are, in my humble opinion, the only ones that
should be considered for NRS reporting purposes.  While other levels and
leveling certainly can be helpful for instructional purposes, the 12
levels for accountability purposes seem to me to be sufficient.  Any
thoughts or comments?

		 

		Melinda

		 

		
		
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