Hi everyone!

The following announcement comes from Marie Cora, moderator of the NIFL-Assessment discussion list, and may be of special interest to those of you who need to pay attention to NRS reporting for your programs.Enjoy!

Good morning, afternoon, and evening to you all.  I hope this email finds you well.

 

I wanted to let everyone know that during this week, Larry Condelli from AIR (American Institutes of Research), who works with the NRS, and Sarah Young, from CAL (Center for Applied Linguistics) who works with BEST Plus will be available to answer any questions you might have regarding the changes in ESOL Level Descriptors, which go into effect this summer (this month I believe).  I also encourage anyone who has questions regarding other ESOL tests (CASAS or EFF for example) to join in this Q&A.  Because the Level Descriptors have been adjusted, the tests used to track learning gains also have undergone some shifting and it is important that we understand what these changes are.  

 

Larry and Sarah will be present on the List during this week, but perhaps intermittently - replies may not come immediately.  I encourage you to post your question to the List, or to send your question to me for posting, if you prefer that.  

 

Larry, Sarah, and others working with any of the ESOL tests - feel free to jump in and give us a thumbnail sketch of what the changes are and how they might affect our work in programs and with students.

 

The NRS homepage is located at:  http://www.nrsweb.org/ <https://tmail.utk.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.nrsweb.org/> 

To view information on the NRS Level Descriptors, please go to:  http://www.nrsweb.org/reports/NewESLdescriptors.pdf <https://tmail.utk.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.nrsweb.org/reports/NewESLdescriptors.pdf> 

At the bottom of the NRS homepage, see also:  NRS Changes for Program Year 2006

 

Thanks so much - I'm looking forward to understanding this information, and hearing what folks questions are regarding the changes

 
Peggy McGuire, M.A., 
Senior Research Associate, National Consultant, and
NIFL-Program Leadership and Improvement List Moderator
Center for Literacy Studies
The University of Tennessee
111 5th Street, PO Box 16
Mount Gretna, PA  17064
717-964-1341 (landline/fax)
215-888-6507 (cell)
mmcguire at utk.edu
 
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