What’s Happening withAccuplacer Diagnostics &My Foundations Lab?Summer Institute 2013

What is ACCUPLACER? Placement test suite used by Minnesota State

Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Reading Comprehension Sentence Skills Arithmetic Elementary Algebra

Computer-based test

What’s the ABE Interest? Poor performance on

ACCUPLACER = Developmental Education requirements =High risk for not completing

Placement Tests vs. Diagnostic Tests Placement Tests – 20 Questions, overall score

used to place students Diagnostic Tests – 40 Questions, scores in 5

content domains, each ranked: Proficient Limited Proficiency Needs Improvement

What is My Foundations Lab? Online learning platform

Specifically designed for older teens and adults

Content mapped specifically to ACCUPLACER Unique learning path for each student based on

ACCUPLACER Diagnostic test results

My Foundations Lab Reading Exercise

Pilot Project Overview Funding made available through Joyce Foundation

Shifting Gears Initiative for MN FastTRAC Open to MN FastTRAC participants and ABE programs

with college-prep classes MnSCU partnership required 23 programs applied & accepted

Active Testing Sites AEOA (Arrowhead) Austin Brainerd Burnsville Central MN – St. Cloud Duluth Fergus Falls & Detroit Lakes Glacial Lakes (Hutchinson/Willmar

area) Minneapolis

Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program

Rochester Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Southwest St. Paul

Who are we serving?College-Bound ABE Students

Test Sessions & Test-Takers by Age Group

18-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

51-65

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

# unique test-takers# test sessions

Prior Education High School Graduates – 59% GED Graduates – 27% No HS Diploma or GED – 8% Still in High School – 2.5% Did not answer – 3.5%

Gender & Employment Status Female - 59% Male - 40.5% Did not answer - .5%

FT Employed – 20% PT Employed – 30% Unemployed – 30% Not in labor force –

9% Did not answer – 11%

Racial/Ethnic Group Self-Description Asian, Asian American, or

Pacific Islander – 13% American Indian – 3% Black or African

American – 25% Mexican or Mexican

American – 11% Multicultural – 1.5%

Other Hispanic, Latino, or Latin American – 8%

White – 34% Other – 1.5% Did not answer – 3%

“What language do you know best?” English only – 51% English and another language about the same –

25% Another language – 22% Did not answer – 2%

Testing Data 2012-2013How are they doing?

Mmm… Crunchy Numbers! With a partner, review the 2012-2013 testing data. For each of the 4 test subjects, identify the

domains where students showed the greatest proficiency and the least proficiency.

Overall, in what area do our students need the most improvement?

Does anything in the data surprise you?

Promising PracticesFinding Success

Classroom Plus MFL shows best results for ABE learners in

combination with classroom instruction Greater intensity of service = faster results More examples More practice

On-site lab time for those without Internet at home

Online Learning for College-Readiness Focus on skills required in college coursework Develop digital literacy skills Develop independent study skills

Diagnostic Testing = Individualized Learning

Test Score Counseling

“Don’t underestimate the value of sitting down for 20 minutes with your students to discuss their test results. Have a conversation about their learning. Give them the chance to practice their metacognitive skills. It takes time but it’s absolutely worth it.”

Teacher – Student = Doctor – PatientTest results need explaining!

How do we get this?The big question

Become an MN ABE Accuplacer Test Site Request by the ABE Manager Identify $$$ - plan for purchasing units Receive training

Questions?