2020-17301. Tests Determined To Be Suitable for Use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education

AGENCY:

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Secretary announces tests, test forms, and delivery formats that the Secretary determines to be suitable for use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS). This notice relates to the approved information collections under OMB control numbers 1830-0027 and 1830-0567.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John LeMaster, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 11-152, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7240. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On January 14, 2008, and as amended on August 19, 2016, we published in the Federal Register final regulations for 34 CFR part 462, Measuring Educational Gain in the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS regulations) (73 FR 2305, Jan. 14, 2008, as amended at 81 FR 55552, Aug. 19, 2016). The NRS regulations established the process the Secretary uses to determine the suitability of tests for use in the NRS by States and local eligible providers. We annually publish in the Federal Register, and post on the internet at www.nrsweb.org,, a list of the names of tests and the educational functioning levels the tests are suitable to measure in the NRS as required by § 462.12(c)(2).

On September 7, 2017, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (82 FR 42339) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (September 2017 notice). In the September 2017 notice, the Secretary announced a new test and test forms that were determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with § 462.13.

On February 5, 2018, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (83 FR 5087) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (February 2018 notice). In the February 2018 notice, the Secretary announced a new test and test forms that were also determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with § 462.13.

On September 21, 2018, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (83 FR 47910) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (September 2018 notice). In the September 2018 notice, the Secretary announced a list of English as a Second Language (ESL) tests and test forms determined to be suitable for use in the NRS. The Secretary's previous approval of these ESL tests and test forms was set to expire on February 2, 2019, but the Secretary approved their use for an additional period of time through February 2, 2021. The Secretary also announced the extended approval of tests that were originally approved for States and local providers to use in the NRS through February 2, 2019. These tests were approved for use during a sunset period ending on June 30, 2019.

On March 7, 2019, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (84 FR 8322) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (March 2019 notice). In the March 2019 notice, the Secretary announced a new test and test forms that were also determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with §  462.13.

On May 2, 2019, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (84 FR 18830) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS (May 2019 notice). In the May 2019 notice, the Secretary announced new tests that were determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with §  462.13.

In this notice, the Secretary consolidates the information from the September 2017, February 2018, September 2018, March 2019, and May 2019 notices that announced tests determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with §  462.13. Also, in this notice, the Secretary announces that ESL tests and test forms approved for an extended period through February 2, 2021, are approved for an additional extended period through February 2, 2023, and that an Adult Basic Education (ABE) test and test forms previously approved for a three-year period through March 7, 2021, are approved for an extended period through March 7, 2023.

The Secretary is taking this action with respect to the previously approved tests and test forms, due to the Department's desire to minimize disruption for its grantees caused by the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

Adult education programs must use only the forms and computer-based delivery formats for the tests approved in this notice. If a particular test form or computer delivery format is not explicitly specified for a test in this notice, it is not approved for use in the NRS.

TESTS DETERMINED TO BE SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE NRS FOR A SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD FROM THE PUBLICATION DATE OF THE ORIGINAL NOTICE IN WHICH THEY WERE ANNOUNCED:

The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable for use in Literacy/English Language Arts and Mathematics at all ABE levels of the NRS until September 7, 2024:

(1) Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE 11/12). Forms 11 and 12 are approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: Data Recognition Corporation—CTB, 13490 Bass Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.ctb.com/​.

The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable for use in Literacy/English Language Arts at all ABE levels of the NRS until February 5, 2025:

(1) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Reading GOALS Series. Forms 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, and 908 are approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.casas.org/​.

The Secretary has determined that the following tests are suitable for use at ABE levels 2 through 6 of the NRS until May 2, 2026:

(1) Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test—College and Career Readiness (MAPT-CCR) for Reading. This test is approved for use through a computer-adaptive delivery format. Publisher: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and University of Massachusetts Amherst, College of Education, N110, Furcolo Hall, 813 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.doe.mass.edu/​acls/​assessment/​.

(2) Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test—College and Career Readiness (MAPT-CCR) for Mathematics. This test is approved for use through a computer-adaptive delivery format. Publisher: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and University of Massachusetts Amherst, College of Education, N110, Furcolo Hall, 813 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.doe.mass.edu/​acls/​assessment/​.

TEST DETERMINED TO BE SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE NRS FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD FROM THE PUBLICATION DATE OF THE ORIGINAL NOTICE IN WHICH IT WAS ANNOUNCED AND NOW APPROVED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD THROUGH MARCH 7, 2023:

The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable for use in Mathematics at all ABE levels of the NRS until March 7, 2023:

(1) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Math GOALS Series. Forms 900, 913, 914, 917, and 918 are approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.casas.org/​.

ESL TESTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD THROUGH FEBRUARY 2, 2021, AND NOW APPROVED FOR AN ADDITIONAL EXTENDED PERIOD THROUGH FEBRUARY 2, 2023:

The Secretary has determined that the following tests are suitable for use at all ESL levels of the NRS until February 2, 2023:

(1) Basic English Skills Test (BEST) Literacy. Forms B, C, and D are approved for use on paper. Publisher: Center for Applied Linguistics, 4646 40th Street NW, Washington, DC 20016-1859. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.cal.org.

(2) Basic English Skills Test (BEST) Plus 2.0. Forms D, E, and F are approved for use on paper and through the computer-adaptive delivery format. Publisher: Center for Applied Linguistics, 4646 40th Street NW, Washington, DC 20016-1859. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.cal.org.

(3) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) Life and Work Listening Assessments (LW Listening). Forms 981L, 982L, 983L, 984L, 985L, and 986L are approved for use on paper and through the computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.casas.org.

(4) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) Reading Assessments (Life and Work, Life Skills, Reading for Citizenship, Reading for Language Arts—Secondary Level). Forms 27, 28, 81, 82, 81X, 82X, 83, 84, 85, 86, 185, 186, 187, 188, 310, 311, 513, 514, 951, 952, 951X, and 952X of this test are approved for use on paper and through the computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.casas.org.

(5) Tests of Adult Basic Education Complete Language Assessment System-English (TABE/CLAS-E). Forms A and B are approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: Data Recognition Corporation—CTB, 13490 Bass Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: www.tabetest.com.

REVOCATION OF TESTS:

Under certain circumstances, the Secretary may revoke the determination that a test is suitable (see § 462.12(e)). If the Secretary revokes the determination of suitability, the Secretary announces the revocation, as well as the date by which States and local eligible providers must stop using the revoked test, through a notice published in the Federal Register and posted on the internet at www.nrsweb.org.

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an accessible format (such as braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 3292.

Scott Stump,

Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.