Hi Aaron, 
Thank you for the great questions.
Q1 - In addition to the content standards for CA, NY, MA, AZ, MD, and FL that you mention reviewing as part of this project, can you tell us what other state and National adult education content standards were reviewed? 

Answer: We reviewed many additional adult education standards including but not limited to those developed in: Canada, England, Australia, National Skills Standards Board Skill Scales Companion Guide (2000), National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) Equipped for the Future (EFF) Content Standards, OH, NY, the Pennsylvania (PDE/WERC) Workforce Foundation Skills, and WA Adult and Family Literacy Competencies and WA ABE Mathematics Competencies. 
We also reviewed TESOL ESL Standards for pre K-12 as well as K-12 standards from many states.

Q2 - Are the Consortium partners planning to adopt a common set of content standards? 

Answer: The Office of Vocational and Adult Education's Blueprint for Preparing America's Future (2003) provided the primary impetus for the CASAS National Consortium Basic Skills Content Standards Project. The Blueprint asserted that states could either "develop or adapt" content standards in reading and language arts, mathematics, and English language acquisition. Based on requests from the National CASAS Consortium states, the project was designed to provide assistance in developing state standards aligned to CASAS competencies and CASAS assessments. The intent continues to be that CASAS Consortium states are free to adopt or adapt these standards to reflect the unique learning needs of each state. 

Q3 - Based on the outcomes of this project, will the CASAS assessments need to be updated or modified?

Answer: We'll address CASAS assessments in three areas: reading, listening and math.

With respect to reading, the Life Skills Reading test series was recently replaced with the Life and Work Reading test series which was developed based on both CASAS Competencies and content standards. The CASAS Reading Content Standards have been revised and refined over the past two years, based on input from the Iowa and California pilot projects, as well as from insights drawn from the detailed process of coding the content standards to items in the Life and Work test series. Items in other CASAS reading series, including ECS (Employability Competency System) and WLS (Workplace Learning Systems) will soon be linked to the Reading Content Standards, with updated diagnostic reports available in TOPSpro software and in revised test support materials.

The new Life and Work Listening test series is still in development. Its content is drawn from the Listening Content Standards, as well as CASAS competencies. It is expected to be completed in 2007.

Development will begin shortly for a new Life and Work Math test series which will be based on the new CASAS Math Standards. These standards are in the initial stages of pilot testing in Kansas.

Jane Egüez (jeguez at casas.org), Jim Harrison (jharrison at casas.org), and Linda Taylor (ltaylor at casas.org)
www.casas.org
800-255-1036 x125

-----Original Message-----
From: contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:contentstandards-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kohring, Aaron M
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 11:00 AM
To: contentstandards at nifl.gov
Subject: [ContentStandards 212] Questions on CASAS Basic Skills ContentStandards Project

We have over 50 new subscribers to the list- so welcome to you all.
Hopefully to get us started as I know it's not fun to be the first
poster! - I have some of my own questions for the CASAS team with us for
this week's discussion.

In addition to the content standards for CA, NY, MA, AZ, MD, and FL that
you mention reviewing as part of this project, can you tell us what
other state and National adult education content standards were
reviewed?  Are the Consortium partners planning to adopt a common set of
content standards?  Based on the outcomes of this project, will the
CASAS assessments need to be updated or modified?

Thks,
Aaron


Aaron Kohring
Coordinator, LINCS Literacy & Learning Disabilities Special Collection
(http://ldlink.coe.utk.edu/)
Moderator, National Institute for Literacy's Content Standards
Discussion List (http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Contentstandards)
Coordinator, Equipped for the Future Websites (http://eff.cls.utk.edu/)

Center for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee
EFF Center for Training and Technical Assistance
Phone:(865) 974-4109 main
      (865) 974-4258 direct
Fax:  (865) 974-3857
e-mail: akohring at utk.edu 
----------------------------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Adult Education Content Standards mailing list
ContentStandards at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/contentstandards