Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
NEBRASKA Department of Education
Adult Education
Effective July 1, 2018
Nebraska Assessment Policy Distance Education Policy
Tate Lauer – State Director Nebraska Adult Education
Nebraska Department of Education
PO Box 94987
Lincoln, NE 68509
402-471-4807
Welcome to Nebraska Adult Education.
As the State Agency administering the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Nebraska Department of Education, Adult Education
section has developed this assessment policy as a guide to the federal and state-imposed requirements
for all local program providers receiving AEFLA funding. Included in this assessment policy is the
Nebraska Adult Education, Distance Education policy.
The Nebraska Assessment Policy is designed to clarify assessment policies for local program providers
(grantees) of Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funding and provide clear guidance for
local program responsibilities specific to the National Reporting System.
The National Reporting System (NRS) is the accountability system for the federally funded,
State-administered Adult Education program. Student assessment data and information are reported
federally through the State’s Management Information System, LACES by all program providers on an
annual basis.
OVERVIEW
_____________________________________________________________________________________
As Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the purpose of Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act is to create a partnership among the Federal Government, States and localities to provide,
on a voluntary basis, adult education and literacy activities, in order to:
Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment
and economic self-sufficiency;
Assist adults who are parents or family members to obtain education and skills that are
necessary to becoming full partners in the educational development of their children and lead to
sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family;
Assist adults in attaining a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and in the
transition to postsecondary education and training, through career pathways;
Assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners in improving their
reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills in English and mathematics skills and
acquiring an understanding of the American system of Government, individual freedom and the
responsibilities of citizenship.
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT _____________________________________________________________________________________
To successfully achieve these goals, consistent and accurate assessment is required. The consistent
administration of test assessment as well as the accurate interpretation of the results is necessary to
improve student retention and promote Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gain. EFL gain is the
method used to measure a student’s progress and success and to ensure that students are learning
effectively.
Adult learners enter Adult Education programs in a wide range of educational functioning levels. The use
of standardized assessments is essential to ensure that all adult education students are placed in the
appropriate EFL and receive the appropriate level of instruction, thus identifying the adult learner’s
strengths and areas of improvement. It is also important that student progress is monitored and
recorded. These types of assessments are also crucial to assist instructors in identifying appropriate and
effective curriculum to meet the learning needs of the student and align with the content standards for
each Educational Functioning Level.
The NRS mandates students’ assessment in Adult Education programs specifically to determine EFL gain.
NRS identifies twelve Educational Functioning Levels in its accountability measures. Four (4) Adult Basic
Education (ABE) levels; two (2) Adult Secondary Education (ASE) levels; and six (6) English as a Second
Language (ESL) levels.
Each Educational Functioning level addressees a general set of standards and competencies that adults
must demonstrate to move to the next EFL; thus making a gain. These standards can be found in
Appendix B: New Educational Functioning Level Descriptors for Adult Basic Education and English as a
Second Language, located in the NRS Technical Assistance Guide and through the Nebraska Adult
Education State Office.
NEED FOR ASSESSMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________________
As a federally funded adult education and literacy program, Nebraska Adult Education must consistently
evaluate whether students enrolled in Adult Education and Literacy programs are learning efficiently
and effectively. To accomplish this requirement, the effective use of standardized assessments is
paramount to success. Nebraska Adult Education, therefore requires the use of the federally approved
standardized assessments outlined in this policy and does not allow or approve the use of any other
assessment tool to determine placement or Educational Functioning Level gain.
Furthermore, to align with regulations and guidance issued by the Office of Career Technical and Adult
Education (OCTAE), approved assessments are an accountability measure to report student data.
Student data is achieved through the initial pre-test and placement of each individual, analysis of the
student’s strengths and areas of improvement, monitoring of progress and determination of learning
and improvement through post-assessment.
Student data is also used as a program evaluation tool to identify areas of improvement in service
delivery. Through student data, instructional strengths as well as areas of improvement can assist the
State Agency in developing and implementing effective professional development training at the local
level.
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Test validity is the degree to which a test or assessment accurately measures the content it was
designed to measure. This is vitally important in Adult Education since the goal is to assist adult learners
learn a wide range of educational subjects.
Test reliability is the degree to which a test or assessment gives consistent (reliable) results each time it
is used. This is also vitally important in Adult Education to ensure that student learning is beneficial and
student data is as accurate as possible.
MEASURABLE SKILL GAIN
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Measureable skill gain (MSG) is used to demonstrate participants’ progress toward achieving a
credential or employment. For adult education programs, participants can demonstrate MSG in two
ways; Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gain and receive of a secondary school diploma (GED®).
EFL gain can be demonstrated in two ways:
1. Comparing a participant’s pretest with the posttest, using an approved assessment for use in the NRS.
2. Enrollment in postsecondary education or training after exit.
Receipt of a secondary school diploma can be demonstrated by achieving a passing score on the GED®
Exam.
NRS - Educational Functioning Levels
Adult Basic Education and Adult Secondary Education
EFL
Grade Equivalent Level
ABE Level 1 0 – 1.9
ABE Level 2 2 – 3.9
ABE Level 3 4 – 5.9
ABE Level 4 6 – 8.9
ABE Level 5 9 – 10.9
ABE Level 6 11 – 12.9
English as a Second Language
ESL Level 1
ESL Level 2
ESL Level 3
ESL Level 4
ESL Level 5
ESL Level 6
SUMMARY
_____________________________________________________________________________________
While standardized tests are required for all students enrolled in Nebraska Adult Education and used to
identify a student’s Educational Functioning Level placement and subsequent gain, it is recommended
that local programs use additional, informal tests such as; chapter tests, assessments found in
instructional curriculum, self-made tests, etc. to further assist in identifying a student’s strengths and
areas of improvement.
Assessment of a student’s abilities should be presented as a motivational and positive practice.
Students should be given clear guidance and instructions during enrollment that assessments are used
to show academic progress and growth and that each student will be assessed at various intervals
through their participation in Adult Education.
With the implementation of WIOA, it is imperative that all Adult Education instructional staff adapt an
educational planning process with students, which will aid in student transition to a secondary
credential and postsecondary education, training or employment.
GENERAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
All students entering a Nebraska Adult Education program must be given both a pre-assessment during
Program Enrollment and Assessment, prior to classroom instruction and a post-assessment at the
designated interval to determine Educational Functioning Level gain.
The only two assessments approved in Nebraska Adult Education are:
TABE 9 & 10
BEST Plus 2.0
Pre-Assessment
A pre-assessment must be given to all students entering Nebraska Adult Education programs during
Program Enrollment and Assessment and before any instructional class hours begin.
The pre-assessment cannot be given prior to the completion of the student Enrollment Form. All
students entering Nebraska Adult Education must first enroll in the program, before being assessed.
The pre-assessment is to be administered for:
1. placement into the appropriate educational functioning level (EFL)
2. placement in the appropriate class within the local program
3. determining appropriate student learning and transition goals
4. determining appropriate instructional materials for the student
All students receiving a TABE assessment must be given the Complete TABE Battery to include: Reading,
Math Computation, Applied Mathematics and Language assessments, with the following exceptions:
1. A student already has a high school diploma or GED® and is a basic skills improvement student in a
specific subject area. A pre-test in the specific subject only is allowable.
2. A student has already passed a subject-specific GED® exam.
English Language Learners will be assessed with the BEST Plus 2.0.
Student will be placed into an Educational Functioning Level that corresponds to the lowest subject area
of the Complete TABE Battery; either reading, math or language or per the score of the BEST Plus 2.0 for
ESL Levels 1-6.
If a student exits the program and more than 180 days pass, a new pre-assessment must be given.
The time spent by students on pre-assessment must be entered as non-instructional time.
Post-Assessment
Students must be administered a post-assessment as soon as the minimum number of instructional
hours have been achieved. Minimum hours of instruction are listed under each approved assessment
section below and in Appendix B.
Programs are responsible for post-testing a minimum of 60% of all enrolled students each program
year.
Early post-testing is only allowed under special circumstances and must be approved in advance, in
writing by the State Office.
Those classes with intensive instruction, such as state corrections where students can achieve the
minimum number of hours to post-test within a matter of weeks, should post-test no more than once
every 90 days. If a student is expected to exit the program (correctional facility), the student must have
the minimum number of hours to post-test, or a request for early post-testing should be submitted to
the State Office for approval.
NOTE: Random and frequent testing will not present a valid gain and could create a practice effect, thus
producing questionable results.
After the initial post-test, continued post-testing is required after the minimum number of contact hours
have once again been attained. Post-testing should be done in all subject areas (Complete TABE
Battery), with the following exceptions:
1. A student already has a high school diploma or GED® and is a basic skills improvement student in a
specific subject area. Post-testing other subject areas would not be required.
2. A student has already passed a subject-specific GED® exam. Continued post-testing in that same
subject area is not required.
3. A student pre-tested into ABE Level 6.
Both pre-and post-tests must take place only in the classroom / learning center, and can be
administered only by qualified personnel. No dictionaries, translators, or other resource materials can
be used by the student during testing. The tests are not to be used as a study tool.
ACCOMMODATIONS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Students entering Nebraska Adult Education with specific accommodation requests must self-identify
and present those accommodations requests at the time of registration or during the course of Program
Enrollment and Assessment. If accommodation requests are identified at a later time during
enrollment, every effort will be made to accommodate the needs of the students.
Documentation of student disability will aid in the delivery of accommodations to the student. Students
should submit documentation related to their disability and/or accommodation request. Adult
Education staff are not required to request disability documentation on behalf of the student. All
documentation received by Nebraska Adult Education program staff will be managed in a secure
manner to ensure that the privacy of the student is maintained. Accommodations used during the
program should be included in the student’s learning plan.
Those persons with a documented disability are allowed to use approved accommodations during pre-
and post-testing, as specified in the testing manual. These accommodations can be used during
instruction as well.
TABE – Assessment accommodations can be found on pages 10-13 in the Complete Battery Test
Directions. The State Office has Levels M and D of the large print, audiocassettes and Braille test
versions available for checkout to programs as needed.
BEST Plus 2.0 – Due to the oral nature of BEST Plus 2.0, screen prompts cannot be shown to a student
requesting accommodations. For hearing impaired students, the use of a sign language interpreter
cannot be used. A permissible accommodation for BEST Plus 2.0 would be the use of hearing aids.
Additional Accommodations
In addition to specific accommodations provided by the assessment publishers during pre- and post-
testing, the following accommodations to students with disabilities enrolling in Adult Education classes
may also be available:
Assistive devices and equipment that enhance visual / auditory response
Flexible scheduling
Flexible seating
Sign language interpreters
Braille format
Test administrators must always verify with the publisher to determine if specific accommodations are
allowable.
When necessary, Adult Education staff should seek additional guidance and support from agencies that
provide additional accommodations support to students entering Adult Education.
Every effort must be made to accommodate students with disabilities. Should an available assessment
accommodation or alternative accommodation offered not be of substantial assistance to benefit the
student, documentation of all attempts should be included in the student’s transition plan, which is
located as part of the Career Pathways Intake Form.
WIOA Core Partner agencies providing accommodations assistance include:
Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation
Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
GED® Testing Service Accommodations
www.gedtestingservice.com
Pearson Vue Comfort Aid List
www.pearsonvue.com/documents/accomodations
DATA QUALITY AND COLLECTION
_____________________________________________________________________________________
All grantee institutions serving Nebraska Adult Education are responsible for accurate data collection.
Each Adult Education program must create a written data collection policy with clear procedures to be
followed in each instructional setting. A copy of the data collection policy for each AEFLA funded
program must be submitted to the NDE State Office.
Programs are required to record daily student attendance through the use of hardcopy student sign-in
sheets with student signatures. Student sign-in sheets will then be used to validate the student
instructional / non-instructional hours entered into LACES.
Student hours will be entered into LACES in a timely manner, with the goal of daily attendance; or at a
minimum, weekly.
Programs will implement policies and procedures with guidance from the State Office to allow
instructional staff the opportunity to enter student attendance directly into LACES to replace the
requirement of an in-house attendance form.
Program Directors are required to verify student data through an established quality control process to
avoid false or duplicate data from being entered into LACES.
TEST ADMINISTRATORS TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
All local program staff responsible for administering a student assessment must attend training prior to
administering any assessment to a student.
The State Office will sponsor local, regional and statewide trainings throughout the program year for
various trainings related to test administration to support the needs of the program.
Assessment Policy training will be conducted with Program Directors annually, with the expectation that
they will disseminate the policy, information and training to local program staff.
Assessment and test administration trainings will be made available via technology whenever possible.
Archives of training will be made available through the State Office.
In addition to assessment training, topics will include NRS reporting and data collection, performance
measures, goal setting, accountability and LACES.
Local program staff members who gather, analyze, compile and report on student data for NRS must be
properly trained on the assessment policy and performance measures related to the collection of data.
Local programs will develop a timeline and procedure for training new staff and maintain a record of
trained staff.
Professional development, to include a review of all available publisher sponsored tutorials and trainings
will also be required as an ongoing measure of accountability with program assessment.
Test administrators for BEST Plus 2.0 must attend trainings sponsored and scheduled by the State Office.
The State Adult Education office will be responsible for scheduling and administering BEST Plus 2.0
training. Only those individuals who have been certified through approved training by the Center for
Applied Linguistics (CAL) may administer the BEST Plus 2.0 Assessment.
It is recommended that local programs include both TABE 9 & 10 and BEST Plus 2.0 education and
training materials during local program staff in-service training.
Local Adult Education programs must have a designated administrator or staff person who can serve as
a TABE trainer and resource for teachers who administer the TABE. TABE training can be done locally by
an experienced TABE examiner.
At least once quarterly, local programs will submit a list of trained staff to the State Office with the
quarterly report. The report will include:
Name of trainer
List of staff who attended the training
the date(s) of training
Summary of the training
Adult Education directors are required to share any testing changes and updates with their program and
instructional staff and must provide a printed copy of the Assessment Policies to instructors in each
classroom.
TABE 9 & 10 ASSESSMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________________
TABE 9 & 10 is the only approved assessment for ABE Levels 1-6 in Nebraska Adult Education. No other
assessment may be used.
The use of TABE Online is highly recommended across all programs. Paper and pencil testing will be
allowable when necessary.
CTB McGraw-Hill developed the Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to assess basic reading, math, and
language for skills usually learned in Grades 1-12.
TABE 9 & 10 are norm-referenced tests designed to measure achievement of basic skills commonly
found in adult education curricula and taught within the instructional programs.
The student diagnostic profile, which tabulates scores for instructional purposes, provides the basis for
demonstrating student educational gains. The tests also provide percentile and scale scores, along with
grade equivalent scores.
Five levels of TABE 9 & 10 assessments are available:
TABE
Test Level Grade Level Range NRS Level
L (literacy)
E (easy)
M (medium)
D (difficult)
A (advanced)
0-1.9
2.0-3.9
4.0-5.9
6.0-8.9
9.0-12.9
ABE Level 1
ABE Level 2
ABE Level 3
ABE Level 4
ABE Levels 5 & 6
Students entering NRS ABE Levels 1-6 must be given the TABE 9 & 10 pre-assessment during Program
Enrollment and Assessment.
Students must be administered the Complete TABE Battery to include: Reading, Mathematics
Computation, Applied Mathematics and Language.
The Complete TABE Battery of tests must be timed and directions for test administration, found in the
Examiner’s Manual, must be followed.
Post-testing is not required for specific subject areas if the following conditions exist:
A student already has a high school diploma or GED® and is a basic skills improvement student
in a specific subject area. Post-testing other subject areas would not be required.
A student has already passed a subject-specific GED® exam. Continued post-testing in that same
subject area is not required.
A student tested into ABE Level 6.
TABE tests for reading, math and language may be administered on different days, but each specific
content area test must be completed during one test session.
Use of the Vocabulary, Language Mechanics, and Spelling tests are optional and have no bearing on EFL
determination or movement.
The TABE Survey Test is not an acceptable assessment.
The use of the Locator Test is optional, but recommended. It helps to define the most accurate TABE
pre-test assessment level; however, it does not count in determining the EFL and is not used for pre- or
post-testing. The Locator Test is especially helpful to new teachers and when testing in a group
situation, such as orientation.
The Locator Test can be administered to help determine the correct level of TABE. It takes
approximately 37 minutes to administer and there are a total of 40 test items in the areas of reading,
applied math, math computation, and language.
According to McGraw-Hill (publishers of TABE), the Locator Test predicts the correct level of TABE to
administer approximately 70% of the time.
Other items to consider when determining the appropriate level of TABE to administer include:
The student’s ability to independently complete intake and registration forms
The student’s writing sample or ability to answer a pre-determined question in writing.
The interview with the student to determine academic strengths and weaknesses, possible
participation in special education/remedial classes, and/or diagnosed disabilities.
The TABE Examiner’s Manual must be available in each classroom for test administration.
Alternate form testing is required; either Form 9 for pre-assessment and Form 10 for Post-assessment or
Form 10 for pre-assessment and Form 9 for post-assessment.
TABE levels E, M, D, & A each take approximately 3 hours to administer. See exact times below:
TABE Forms 9 & 10 – Levels E M D A*
Test Number of Questions Time Limit
Reading 50 50 minutes
Applied Math (may use calculator for this section only) 50 50 minutes
Math Computation 40 24 minutes
Language 55 55 minutes
Total Testing Time: 2 hours 59 minutes
* See Examiner’s Manual for complete test instructions and for administration of the L level test.
The TABE Math assessment is divided in two sections: Mathematics Computation and Applied
Mathematics. The calculator is used for Applied Math ONLY.
The student diagnostic profile must be completed after scoring the assessment and used to determine
the curriculum and materials to be used with the student.
TABE Level L is for non-readers and beginning literacy students; the E level can be used for students with
some basic literacy skills (grade level 2.0 – 3.9).
TABE Level L is appropriate when a student is believed to have very low literacy skills. The test
administrator must follow the Complete TABE Battery test directions to administer the Level L
assessment.
TABLE Level L Reading test is 45 minutes and the Mathematics test is 60 minutes. TABE Level L is not
available in computer-based format.
The A level can be used for those students transitioning to post-secondary education/training.
Student will be placed into an Educational Functioning Level that corresponds to the lowest subject
area of the Complete TABE Battery; either reading, math or language
Scores are most reliable when they are within the content range of each level. Scores that fall within
two content grade levels above or below the content range are acceptable.
If a student scores at the very low or very high end of the range may need to be re-pre-tested to
accurately determine Educational Functioning Level.
If a second pre-test is administered, only that score will be entered into LACES. This score will
determine EFL placement. The first pre-test scores are not entered.
See page Appendix A for the TABE Out-of-Range Scores chart indicating when an alternate TABE test
level should be administered.
If a student exits the program and more than 180 days pass, a new pre-assessment must be given.
TABE is a progressive test, meaning that a person can progress from one level to the next higher level
during post-testing.
If a student pre-tests toward the high range or makes significant learning progress, post-testing on the
next higher level would be appropriate.
Accommodations should be given only to those students who have a documented disability. If a student
has been approved for accommodations because of a disability, these same accommodations apply to
the pre/post TABE assessment. Instructors need to be familiar with the guidelines for providing
accommodations during TABE testing and instruction.
Scale scores, grade equivalent level, and EFL are determined at the time of pre-testing and are then
entered into LACES.
Scale scores or grade equivalent level can be used to indicate an EFL gain to a higher EFL.
In those cases where an EFL gain is not made, but there is some evidence of improvement in the scale
score(s), the improvement should be shared with the student to promote success.
Some incremental gain shows evidence of student learning.
All post-test scores, regardless of result must be entered into LACES.
A student is considered to have made an educational gain when the student’s post-test indicates that
the student has completed one or more educational functioning levels (EFL) above the level in which the
student was initially placed by pre-test score.
A post-test is not required when a student pre-tests into ABE Level 6. The successful completion of the
GED® tests demonstrates the educational movement.
A TABE post-test must be administered as soon as the minimum number of instructional hours have
been achieved. See table below:
*Students in ABE Level 6 will not be eligible for a post-test, however 12 hours of instructional time are
required to federally report on these students.
Early post-testing is only allowed under special circumstances and must be approved in advance, in
writing by the State Office.
Nebraska Performance Standard: Instructors must post-test a minimum of 60% of all enrolled students.
TABE Assessment
Forms 9 & 10
Required Number of Instructional Hours Between Pre-Test and Post-Test
TABE 9 & 10
Alternate Form
Testing
EFL Level
Minimum Hours
ABE LEVELS 1-4
ABE LEVEL 5
ABE LEVEL 6
40 HOURS
30 HOURS
12 HOURS* (NO POST TEST)
TABE 9 & 10
Same Form Testing
Not Allowed
If a learning gain is not achieved after the initial post-test, continued post-testing is required after the
minimum number of hours of instruction has once again been achieved in the required subject areas.
The use of TABE Online is recommend.
GED® Ready Vouchers
Programs must administer post-tests prior to issuing state-funded GED® Ready practice tests. The GED®
Ready is not an approved assessment to determine EFL gain and is not a substitute for post-testing.
Students will be eligible for GED® Ready vouchers paid for with State funding when the student meets
the following criteria:
Enrolled in an AEFLA funded Adult Education program
Have earned a minimum of 12 instructional hours
It is recommended that students receiving GED® Ready vouchers earn a score of 10.0 on TABE Level D.
Students are limited to 3 GED® Ready vouchers per subject area. Additional vouchers will not be
granted.
Program Directors are required to log voucher numbers for each student, to include name of
student, voucher number, date issued, test subject.
A report of vouchers will be submitted to the State Office quarterly.
Students who receive a “Likely to Pass” designation should schedule to take the GED® exam for that
subject.
BEST PLUS 2.0 ASSESSMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________________
BEST Plus 2.0 is the only approved assessment for ESL Levels 1-6 in Nebraska Adult Education. No other
assessment may be used.
BEST Plus 2.0 was developed by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), to be administered individually,
as a scripted oral interview to assess the English language proficiency of adult English Language Learners
(ELL).
The intent of the assessment is to assess communication skills using everyday language to determine the
level of speaking and listening skills of the individual assessed.
All English Language Learners and IELCE students are to be given the BEST Plus 2.0 upon entry into the
program during Program Enrollment and Assessment and prior the start of classroom instruction.
Programs will administer the computer-adaptive version of the test.
Only those individuals who have been certified test administrators may administer the BEST Plus 2.0
Assessment.
Anyone certified may administer a pre-test; however an instructor can never administer a post-test to
his/her own students.
A minimum of 60 hours of instruction are required before post-testing to ensure valid skills gains.
BEST Plus 2.0 Assessment
Required Number of Instructional Hours Between Pre-Test and Post-Test
Computer Adaptive
Testing
EFL Level
Minimum Hours
ESL LEVELS 1-6
60 HOURS
Early post-testing is only allowed under special circumstances and must be approved in advance, in
writing by the State Office.
Random and frequent testing will not present a valid gain and could create a practice effect, thus
producing questionable results.
*Scale scores must be used for both pre-test and post-test reporting.
Students scoring a 565 or higher on BEST Plus 2.0 and students whose post-test scores are 565 and higher will be given the Complete TABE Battery for ABE Levels 1-6 placement.
CORRELATING NRS LEVELS AND BEST Plus 2.0 SCORES
NRS Level
BEST Plus 2.0 Scale Score Range*
ESL LEVEL 1
88 – 361
ESL LEVEL 2
362 – 427
ESL LEVEL 3
428 – 452
ESL LEVEL 4
453 – 484
ESL LEVEL 5
485 – 524
ESL LEVEL 6
525 – 564
BEST PLUS COMPLETION
565 and higher
ESL to ABE TRANSITION
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Students who score 565 or higher on BEST Plus 2.0 are ready for transition to Adult Basic Education.
Students scoring a 565 or higher on BEST Plus 2.0 and students whose post-test scores are 565 and
higher will be given the Complete TABE Battery for ABE Levels 1-6 placement. The Complete TABE
Battery includes: reading, mathematics computation, applied mathematics and language.
English Language Learners must be seamlessly transitioned from ESL Levels 1-6 to ABE Levels 1-6
through pre and post-testing.
NEBRASKA Department of Education
Adult Education
Distance Education Policy
Effective July 1, 2018
NEBRASKA DISTANCE EDUCATION POLICY
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What is Distance Education?
As defined by the National Reporting System (NRS), Distance Education is a formal learning activity
where students and instructors are separated by geography, time or both for the majority for the
instructional period.
Purpose
The purpose of Distance Education in Nebraska is to provide learning opportunities to a larger
population of students across the State. Due to the large geographic area and the often challenging
economic status of adult learners, distance education provides more students with the opportunity to
enroll in basic skills improvement, high school equivalency test preparation and English language
acquisition classes without the burden of traveling to and from class on a regular basis.
The foundations of this policy are designed to improve the program’s services to adult learners. The use
of technology to serve adult learners assures that local program providers are making the best effort
towards reaching more students and improving the lives of adults in the State of Nebraska. Distance
learning materials are delivered through a variety of media, primarily computer software, web-based
applications and other online technology. The flexibility of schedules and the ability to study via
technology in combination with designated classroom and blended learning maximizes learning
potential.
DISTANCE EDUCATION DEFINITIONS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Distance Learning (Distance Education)
A formal learning activity where students and instructors are separated by geography, time or both for
the majority for the instructional period. For the purposes of this policy, Distance Learning and Distance
Education will be used interchangeably.
Distance Learner
Adult learners who receive a majority of their education or learning hours through the use of
technology, thus at a distance from the classroom and/or instructor.
Traditional Learner
Adult learners who receive a majority of their education or learning in-person, in a more traditional,
classroom setting.
Blended Learning
A learning activity where adult learners receive education or learning through both a traditional
classroom setting and through distance learning curriculum via technology.
Contact Hours
Instructional hours spent by the adult learner where direct interaction between the student and the
instructor take place.
Proxy Hours
Instructional study time where the adult learner spends independent time engaged in the learning
activity through online or web-based distance education curriculum.
DISTANCE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Authorized Program
Only those local program providers who notified the State Office and identified themselves as a distance
education provider will be authorized to delivery distance learning to Nebraska adult learners. Any
unauthorized program provider must apply in writing prior to the start of a new program year and
receive written approval before beginning a new distance education program.
Program Enrollment and Assessment
All adult learners enrolled in distance education must first attend enrollment and assessment activities
and the designated classroom where the identity of the student can be established and intake
paperwork can be completed.
Distance Learners will also receive a Career Pathways interview and complete the additional career
pathways assessment requirements.
Additionally, adult learners must receive an in-person pre-assessment before contact and proxy hours
will be recorded as instructional time. Pre and post-assessments that are not conducted through face-
to-face interaction with a trained test administrator in a secure setting are not allowed for NRS
reporting.
Measuring Contact Hours
Students in distance education must have at least 12 hours of instruction before they can be counted for
Federal reporting. Programs are allowed to use a combination of contact and proxy hours to achieve
federal reporting status of the adult learner.
Programs will identify distance education hours by the student and these hours into LACES as such.
Face-to-Face Contact Hours
Under Nebraska Distance Education, contact hours with each distance learner must include two (2),
face-to-face interactions between student and staff per calendar month where the identity of the
learner can be verified and progress can be monitored. Physical contact is required, therefore contact
via telephone or web-based video chat is not approved.
Alternatively, programs with volunteer coordination program sponsored by the Nebraska Department of
Education can utilize instructional volunteers or the volunteer coordinator to meet this face-to-face
requirement.
Documentation of interactions must be logged along with the student’s contact hours.
Proxy Contact Hours
Proxy contact hours allowable through use of an approved distance learning curriculum. See Appendix C
for details regarding each approved curriculum.
Burlington English is a mandated distance education and blended learning curriculum in Nebraska.
Approved Proxy Models
Clock Time
This model assigns contact hours based on the elapsed time the student is connected to or engaged in,
an online or stand-alone software program that tracks time.
Programs are required to print a clock hours report and enter time into LACES for NRS reporting.
Teacher Verification
This model assigns a fixed number of hours of credit for each assignment based on a teacher
determination of the extent to which a student engaged in or completed the assignment.
Programs must develop and submit a report to justify the instructional time entered into LACES for this
model.
Learner Mastery
This model assigns a fixed number of hours of credit based on the student passing a test on the content
of each lesson. Participants work with the curriculum and materials, and when they feel they have
mastered the material, take a test. A high percentage of correct answers earns the credit hours
attached to the material.
Approved Curricula
please see Appendix C for a list of approved distance education curricula.
Programs wishing to recommend additional distance education curriculum for approval may submit a
Distance Education Curriculum Approval Application to the State Director. Applications will be reviewed
by the State Office staff. Applications will be approved or rejected. Upon approval, additional
curriculum will be added and local program providers will be notified of the update.
DISTANCE EDUCATION ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The pre and post-testing requirements for distance education are the same as for traditional students
enrolled in Nebraska Adult Education, therefore the assessment policies contained in this document
must be applied to distance learners. Students must first attend Program Enrollment and Assessment
activities prior to beginning distance learning.
Programs must administer all pre- and posttests used to measure educational gain of distance education
participants for NRS reporting in person, at a proctored program site within the State that meets NRS
assessment policy. Assessments not conducted through face-to-face interaction with a trained test
administrator in a secure setting are not allowed for NRS reporting.
TABE 9 & 10
_____________________________________________________________________________________
TABE pre- and post-testing policies outlined in Nebraska Adult Education’s Assessment policy apply to all
distance education programs. TABE 9 & 10 is the only approved assessment for determining ABE
Levels 1-6 placement and educational gain.
BEST Plus 2.0
_____________________________________________________________________________________
BEST Plus 2.0 pre- and post-testing polices outlined in Nebraska Adult Education’s Assessment Policy
apply to all distance education programs. BEST Plus 2.0 is the only approved assessment for
determining ESL Levels 1-6 placement and educational gain.
NEBRASKA Department of Education
Adult Education
Appendices
APPENDIX A: TABE Out of Range Scores
APPENDIX B: Minimum Time to Post-Test
APPENDIX C: Approved Distance Education Curricula
APPENDIX D: Distance Education Curriculum Approval Application
APPENDIX E: State Office Contact Information
APPENDIX F: NRS Appendix B: EFL Descriptors
APPENDIX A: TABE Out of Range Scores
TABE Test Level
Content Grade Level Range
READING MATHEMATICS LANGUAGE
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Below
the Scale Score Range
Content Range
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Above
the Scale Score Range
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Below
the Scale Score Range
Content Range
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Above
the Scale Score Range
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Below
the Scale Score Range
Content Range
Two Content Grade Level
Ranges Above
the Scale Score Range
L 0-1.9 160-234 253-360 370-457 160 182-348 355-440
E 2.0-3.9 264-366 368-460 462-516 200-345 308-440 438-500 235-389 397-490 491-523
M 4.0-5.9 374-459 464-517 522-549 307-442 440-503 508-548 396-487 492-520 524-546
D 6.0-8.9 463-516 519-561 568-595 442-504 504-572 562-601 492-523 524-556 561-581
A 9.0-12.9 538-565 568-612 619+ 528-572 563-626 613+ 541-559 564-603 613+
APPENDIX B: Minimum Time to Post-Test
TEST NAME MINIMUM TIME TO TEST
BEST Plus 2.0 60 Hours of Instruction
TABE Forms 9 & 10
NRS LEVELS 1 - 4 40 Hours of Instruction
NRS LEVEL 5 30 Hours of Instruction
NRS LEVEL 6 12 Hours of Instruction*
*NRS LEVEL 6 - No Post-Test Required
12 Hours of Instruction for Federal Reporting
APPENDIX C: Approved Distance Education Curricula
Distance Education Curriculum Delivery
Mode Target
Students
Proxy Hour
Model Proxy Credit Recorded
i-Pathways www.i-pathways.org
Online ABE
GED® Clock
Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
Burlington English www.burlingtonenglish.com
Online ESL Clock Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
Aztec www.azteksoftware.com
Online ABE
GED® Clock
Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
GED® Academy www.passged.com
Online GED® Clock Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
My Foundations Lab www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com
Online ABE
GED® Clock
Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
Ed Ready www.edready.org
Online ABE
GED® Clock
Recorded time tracked and validated in the application. Reports must be printed and
archived for verification.
USA Learns www.i-pathways.org
Online ESL Learner Mastery
Print and archive a monthly report of assessments completed for verification.
APPENDIX D: Distance Education Curriculum Approval Application
Submit to: Adult Education Director, Nebraska Department of Education, PO Box 94987, Lincoln, NE, 68509
Program Information
Program Name:
Program Director:
Email:
Date of Application:
Distance Education Curriculum
Product Name:
Delivery Mode:
Proxy Hour Model:
Criteria for Reporting Hours:
Target Population:
Publisher Information:
Full Product Description:
APPENDIX E: State Office Contact Information
Tate Lauer
State Director Adult Education
Nebraska GED® Administrator
402-471-4807
Carla Stucky Shuck
Program Consultant
402-471-4806
TBD
Program Specialist
402-471-
@nebraska.gov
Jan Drbal
Program Assistant
402-471-4830
Shirley Gruntorad
GED® Assistant
402-471-2475
