172.00.10 Ark. Code R. 001
Subject: Standardized Testing Instruments
POLICY: Only the following state, National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS), and Division of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL) approved standardized tests will be utilized for pre-test, post-test, and continued student assessment for adult education students: Test of Adult Basic Education; Basic English Skills Test, and Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (Life Skills Assessment for ESL only). Other NRS/DAEL-approved standardized testing instruments, forms and version may be used with the written approval of the Deputy Director of Adult Education. Different forms of the same test must be used for the pre-test and the post-test. Local programs will pre-test and place all students into an educational functioning level (EFL) at intake or shortly after intake, within the first 12 hours of instruction.
Post-testing of adult learners is to measure performance and completion of an educational functioning level. Within the fiscal year, students should be post-tested after a minimum of 60 hours of instruction, according to the test publishers' guidelines. Students should be assessed within 180 calendar days (defined as weekdays, weekends, and holidays) after the previous assessment to reflect a more current measurement of performance.
A complete description of the adult education assessment procedures can be found in the "Arkansas National Reporting System Guidelines."
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: The levels of performance will be expressed in an objective, quantifiable, and measurable form and will show the progress of the state toward continuously improving in performance. According to the National Reporting System of Adult Education Implementation Guidelines, states must require local programs to measure educational gain with standardized assessments that are appropriate for measuring education gain within the NRS framework and conform to accepted psychometric standards for validity and reliability.
EFFECTIVE DATE: JULY 1, 1991
REVISED DATE: SEPTEMBER 13, 1993
REVISED DATE: APRIL 18, 2003
REVISED DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2006
REVISED DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 2008
REVISED DATE: JUNE 17, 2010
172.00.10 Ark. Code R. 001