Performance Accountability and ABE

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Performance Accountability and ABE

• An Update from the Massachusetts ABE Performance
  Accountability Working Group (PAWG)

Increase Accountability
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Our Panel Members

• WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

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WHY DO WE NEED PERFORMANCE STANDARDS?

• The primary purpose of establishing performance
  standards is to help programs improve so that
  students can receive the services that they need
  and deserve.

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Our Goals Today

• Why Do We Need Performance Standards?
• MassInc. Report
• Governors Task Force
• Performance Task Force
• What is PAWG Anyway? The why and how PAWG
  was created.
• Recruitment of Members
• Our Work Together As A Whole
• Launching Our Working Groups
• The Guiding Principles and PAWG
• The Purpose of ABE as Stated by the PAWG

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Our Goals Today continued

• NRS and Core Outcome Measures
• Countable Outcomes
• Learning Gains
• Exploring A Possible Scenario PBA in Writing
• Integrating Feedback from the Field
• The Role of ACLS
• Wrap-up and Evaluation
  

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The Background of PAWG

• Why and How PAWG Was Created
• Recruitment of Our Members
• The Four Sub-Committees
• ESOL Assessment
• ABE Assessment
• Continuous Improvement Systems
• Countable Outcomes

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What is Driving Our Work?

• The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the
  National Reporting System
• The MassInc. Report (New Skills for a New
  Economy)
• The Governors Task Force

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For More Information...

• Workforce Investment Act
• www.massworkforce.org
• National Reporting System
• www.oei-tech.com/nrs
• MassInc. Report (New Skills)
• www.massinc.org
• Governors First Policy Initiative
• www.commcorp.org/bes/WLS/best/default.htm

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The Purpose of ABE

• The purpose of ABE is to assist adults to become
  literate in reading, writing, and numeracy to
  communicate effectively in English and, to
  obtain the level of skills expected of a high
  school graduate.
• The ABE system shall provide high quality
  services that are effective in assisting adults
  to think critically and achieve their goals as
  family members, workers, and citizens, to succeed
  in post-secondary education, and to continue as
  life-long learners.

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NRS CORE OUTCOME MEASURES

• Educational Gains
• Entered Employment
• Retained Employment
• Entered, persisted in, or completed training,
  transitional education, vocational education, or
  other post-secondary education or training
• Receipt of GED or Secondary School Diploma

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UNIVERSE OF ITEMS AND MEASURES

• Learning Gains
• Countable Outcomes

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Exploring One Possible Option

• Performance-Based Assessment in Writing

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What are the trade-offs?

• Authenticity of assessment

• Validity and Reliability
• of assessment
• Costly in both money and time
• Requires staff development

VS
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A List of Finalized Decisions

• Some Emerging Themes

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Getting Feedback from the Field

• Lets hear from you
• E-mail your questions or comments to either
• Rforeman_at_doe.mass.edu
• Janes_at_doe.mass.edu

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Wrap Up

• Evaluation