Hi Workplace list,
This is a cross-post from the Assessment Discussion List where they are 
having a guest speaker, Mark Kutner on the National Assessments of Adult 
Literacy.  I thought this post contained information you might be 
interested in.  I will cross post Mark Kutner's answers to these questions 
when they come out on the assessment list.

You also could go to the archived messages from their discussion list to 
follow the discussion.  Click on "Discussions" on the Workforce Ed page at 
<http://worklink.coe.utk.edu/>  , then click on "Assessment List" , then 
click "Read Posted Messages -- 2005" .  The messages will be in order of 
the date of posting with the most recent first.

Donna

Donna JG Brian
Moderator, NIFL Workplace Literacy Discussion List, and
Coordinator/Developer LINCS Workforce Education Special Collection at 
http://worklink.coe.utk.edu/
Center for Literacy Studies at The University of Tennessee
600 Henley Street, Suite 312
Knoxville, TN 37996-4135

865-974-3420 (desk phone) FAX 865-974-3857
djgbrian at utk.edu

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>Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 13:08:08 -0500 (EST)

>From: Marie Cora <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>

>Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1000] Upcoming changes to the NRS

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>Hi everyone,

>

>As promised, I'm pasting below the two short documents (which will be at

>the NRS site soon) that outline the changes to the NRS, for this year,

>and for 2006.

>Now is your opportunity to ask Larry any questions you might have about

>these changes.

>

>I notice that one of the changes for this year is to align better with

>DOL's reporting procedures.

>

>Larry, can you explain the reasons for this change?  Folks who work in

>workplace ed programs or work with DOL, or whose program focus is on the

>employment pieces - how might these changes affect your program and your

>reporting?

>

>I note that for 2006, there is emphasis on shifting ESOL levels - looks

>interesting what little I know/understand.  Larry, can you give us a

>little background for the shift?  What do ESOL workers think - looks

>like there's a shift to focus a bit more on the lower levels.

>

>Thanks!

>

>marie cora

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>Proposed Changes for Program Year 2005 (Beginning July 1, 2005)

>1.   Change Reporting for Employment Measures to Align with WIA Title I

>Reporting.

>*         We will change our reporting period for the employment

>measures to match the Department of Labor's reporting period for Title I

>programs.  Adult education's PY 2005 reporting will remain the same, but

>in PY2006 employment measures will be reported again and employment will

>follow Title I.   Survey states will need to begin surveying retained

>employment in all quarters.

>2.   There will be a new required table to record number and types of

>local grantees.

>*         This table will be similar to one that had been used in years

>prior to the NRS.

>3.   Status of Optional Tables.

>*         Optional Table 10 (correctional education) will become

>required.

>

>

>

>Proposed Changes for Program Year 2006 (Beginning July 1, 2006)

>1.   Revise ESL Educational Functioning Levels to Eliminate High

>Advanced Level and Add a New Beginning Level.

>*         The beginning ESL level has about 30 percent of all ESL

>learners and is quite broad, covering 20 points on CASAS, for example,

>which makes it harder for students to advance out of the beginning

>level. The High Advanced ESL level has also been problematic since exit

>criteria have been undefined, and there were only about 43,000 students

>(about 3.6% of all ESL students) enrolled nationally at the High

>Advanced level each year.

>

>ED will split the beginning ESL into two levels (Low Beginning and High

>Beginning) and drop High Advanced ESL. Other levels would remain as they

>are. The table below illustrates the proposed change.

>

>Proposed ESL Educational Levels

>Entry Benchmark CASAS

>Entry Benchmark SPL Speaking

>

>ESL Literacy

>180 and below

>SPL 0-1

>

>Low Beginning ESL

>181-190

>SPL 2

>

>High Beginning ESL

>191-200

>SPL 3

>

>Low Intermediate ESL

>201-210

>SPL 4

>

>High Intermediate ESL

>211-220

>SPL 5

>

>Advanced ESL Literacy

>221-235

>SPL 6

>

>2.   Reporting of Level Advancement for Pre- and Post-tested Students

>and Multiple Advancements (Tables 4a and 4b)

>*         Table 4 remains the same and will still be required.

>*         Table 4a, which measures multiple advancements in educational

>functioning levels, will be discontinued.

>*         Table 4b will be required for reporting. This table is the

>same as Table 4, except only students who were both pre- and post-tested

>are included.

>