TABE Administrator Certification

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TABE Administrator Certification Updated for
New Validity Tables

• Developed by Rosemary Matt, Director of
  Accountability
• Presented by Ann Marie Przybyl, Director,
• ACCES/West RAEN

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Todays Objectives
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Todays Objectives

• Morning session
• Learn proper test administration and effective
  use of the scoring tables
• Clarify the relationship between TABE test scores
  and NRS levels
• Utilize the NYSED Validity Tables
• Afternoon session
• Hands on activities emphasizing how TABE
  assessment scores inform teacher instruction
• Strategizing for effective post testing

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TABE Levels
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Two Forms 9 and 10

• Pre and Post test must toggle the forms
• Multiple Post tests must toggle between the two
  forms
• Form 9 and Form 10 are considered of equal
  challenge
• One is not preferred nor required over the other!

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Two sections required by NYSED

• Math Full Battery
• Reading Full Battery
• Other sections may be provided at the discretion
  of the program administrator

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Activity one Exploring the TABE test levels

• Take 10 minutes to browse through each TABE Level
  test booklet
• What are the commonalities?
• What are the differences?

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Commonalities

• Same number of questions (with the exception of
  the L Level)
• All multiple choice format
• Directions are the same
• Time on each section is equal across all levels

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Differences

• Front cover color on each Level is different
• Font changes as levels increase
• White space decreases as levels increase
• Complexity and length of the text for questions
  increases
• Graphics prominent in Lower Levels

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TABE Locator Test

• Required by New York State under NRS Policy
• Must be entered into student folder
• The cut points are ONLY guidelines
• Use the cut points along with any knowledge of
  the examinees previous performance to help
  determine placement into TABE levels

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TABE Locator Test Tip

• Locator is not recorded in ASISTS
• If Locator places student on the A Level test,
  reconsider especially if student is new to your
  adult education program
• If you know something about the student, base
  your judgment on that knowledge and not just the
  Locator

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TABE Locator Test Tip

• Locator must be timed and administered according
  to the Guidelines on pages 23 32 in the TABE
  Complete Battery Test Directions.

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TABE Locator

• Score of 7
• Recommend an E
• Score of 10
• Recommend a D

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TABE Levels Required by NYSED

• If an L Level is used, it can only show gain from
  Level 1 to Level 2, then the student must
  transition to the TABE Level E test
• If Locator places student on the A Level test,
  reconsider especially if student is new to your
  adult education program

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TABE Levels Need Not Match!

• Students may be tested on one level for Math and
  a different level for Reading

• TABE Online Users the administrator may (and
  should) override the Level chosen if the need
  arises (post test level is chosen by the software
  in TABE Online product)

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Administration of the TABE
Programs should have at least one copy of the
Test Directions/Complete Battery and Locator
Test, All Levels, Forms 9 10
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Administration of the TABE

• Tests must be administered in a contiguous flow
  
• EXAMPLE
• Pre test on an M, then Post may be an M, D, or an
  A (the A Test is not required for NYSED funded
  programs, it is optional)
• Pre test on an M, cannot Post on an E

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Administration of the TABE
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Exception

• Audio version of the TABE is published in only
  one form
• When students are assessed with the audio
  version, the administrator will not have the
  ability to move between forms
• Must send the post test scores to Rosemary Matt
  in the office of accountability so she can
  convert the scores appropriately.

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Testing Times 9 10 Series

• Reading 50 minutes
• Mathematics
• Computation 24 minutes
• Applied Mathematics 50 minutes

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Testing Times 9 10 Series

• Test Administrator must read the directions to
  all test takers
• Regardless of any Level test taker, directions
  are identical

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Administration of the TABE

• Timed Tests
• Test should be scheduled for time frames suitable
  for completing each section of the test
• Breaks should be given between sections of the
  test NOT during the sections

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Administration of the TABE

• If the test is interrupted (ie. a student leaves
  before the section is complete, a fire drill
  interrupts the test, student is taken ill)
• The test results are rendered invalid
• Retest must be scheduled

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Administration of the TABE

• Testing environment must be conducive to student
  comfort

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Calculator Use on the TABE

• Remember to teach your students the proper use of
  the calculator
• If you are using a scientific calculator you must
  provide guided practice
• A four-function calculator (like that from the
  dollar store) functions very differently!

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Calculator Use

• Calculator made available during the Applied
  Mathematics section
• Mandated by the National Reporting System (NRS)
• Program must provide the calculator, must not be
  one the student carries in
• Know in advance the type of calculator that is
  available to the student

Scientific Calculator TI-30 xs as required on the
TASC
Four Function Calculator
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Why is a Calculator Necessary?

• Calculator made available during the Applied
  Mathematics section
• This section is assessing the students ability
  to implement mathematical theory
• No need to assess the students ability to
  calculate numbers
• Cannot be used on the Computational Math Section

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Score Sheets

• Mandatory documentation
• Name
• Examiner
• School
• Test Date
• Test Form

Original score sheet MUST be placed in students
folder
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TABE Modifications for Learning Disabled Students
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Most Important to Remind

• Students must have a DOCUMENTED clinical
  diagnosis of a Learning Disability within the
  past 5 years
• Bear in mind, some modifications, even if
  documented on an IEP, would render the TABE
  results invalid
• Remember, the purpose of the TABE is to ASSESS
  the students SKILLS!

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TABE Modifications for Learning Disabled Students

• Two instances for modifications
• Category 1 Students may take the test alone or
  in a study carrel.
• Category 2 Students may use extra time when
  taking the test or may take sections of the test
  at different times or on different dates.

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TABE Modifications for Learning Disabled Students

• Special note
• Please note that calculators cannot be used when
  taking the mathematics computation section of the
  test
• Calculators may be used by any test taker on the
  Applied Mathematics component only

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TABE Modifications for Disabled Students

• If a student is blind and needs the test read to
  them, you must use the TABE audio test or the
  TABE in braille
• There is only one form of the test (only Form 9,
  no 10) so when you are administering a post test,
  you must notify the Accountability Specialist,
  Rosemary Matt so she can manage the scores
  appropriately in ASISTS

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The Norming Process

• Norm-referenced assessment is the process of
  evaluating (and grading) the skills students
  possess by comparing against the performance of
  peer groups
• When an assessment is normed, the publisher will
  note the reference groups that were used as the
  peer group

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The Norming Process
For the TABE, the following Reference Groups were
used in the Norming Process
Reference Groups
ABE Adult Basic Education Enrollees VO Vocationa
l/Technical School Enrollees A/JO Adult/Juvenile
Offenders COL College Students
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The Norming Process
Acronyms you will see on the Norming Page
Scores
NC Number-Correct Score SS Scale Score SEM
Standard Error of Measurement GE Grade
Equivalent P Percentile Rank S Stanine
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Basic Bell Curve
Most Desirable Scores
NYS Valid Score Range
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• The Standard Error of Measure is the smallest at
  the middle of the score rangethis is the center
  of that Bell Curve!
• This section represents the most reliable scores
  on an assessment

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Next Tool

• New York States Validity Tables

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NRS Levels- 1-4 Grade Level Equivalents -1.3-6.9
NRS Levels- 2-5 Grade Level Equivalents
2.2-9.9  
NRS Levels- 1-4 Grade Level Equivalents -0-6.9
NRS Levels- 2-6 Grade Level Equivalents
-2.2-12.9  
NRS Levels- 1-5 Grade Level Equivalents -1.3-9.9  
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National Reporting System

• Educational Functioning Levels
• To show Educational Gain in the NRS System, the
  student must achieve scores that move them from
  one Educational Functioning Level to the next
• A total of 6 Levels
• Gain is calculated on the lower score ONLY

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NRS Level National Reporting System (NRS) Levels Grade Level Equivalents
1 Beginning ABE Literacy 0 1.9
2 Beginning Basic Education 2 3.9
3 Low Intermediate Basic Education 4 5.9
4 High Intermediate Basic Education 6 8.9
5 Low Adult Secondary Education 9 10.9
6 High Adult Secondary Education 11 12.9
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Educational Functioning Levels
These descriptors are especially useful when
helping students understand their TABE scores.
They outline the skills that are associated with
each of the Grade Levels
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Please note

• The Maximum valid Grade Equivalent on the Level L
  test is a 3.9 GE
• If a student needs to move from NRS Level 2 to
  NRS Level 3, they cannot do that on a Level L
  test!

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Please note

• The Maximum valid Grade Equivalent on the Level E
  test is a 6.9 GE
• If a student needs to move from NRS Level 4 to
  NRS Level 5, they cannot do that on a Level E
  test!

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Cannot use a Level E to move from NRS Level 4 to
NRS Level 5!
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Please note

• The Maximum valid Grade Equivalent on the Level M
  test is a 9.9 GE
• If a student needs to move from NRS Level 5 to
  NRS Level 6, they cannot do that on a Level M
  test!

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Cannot use a Level M to move from NRS Level 5 to
NRS Level 6!
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To Make a Wise Decision Regarding Which Form and
Level of the TABE, the Test Administrator must
have the following tools

• Valid Score Ranges
• NRS Educational Functioning Level Chart

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Remember NRS Rules!

• Students are measured for Educational Gain by
  their LOWEST skill level
• The gain is measured in whichever TABE score is
  LOWER
• Either Math or Reading!

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Measuring Educational Gain

• One Educational Gain per fiscal year per student
• More testing desired?
• Use a non-NRS test
• Recommendation
• Test Ready
• Curriculum Associates, LLC
• LiteracyLink
• McGraw Hill/Contemporary

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Students with invalid test scores
Note When the Scale Score, GE, and NRS Level is
zeroed out (all zeros), the students score fell
outside the valid range
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Students with invalid test scores
Note When an asterisk () appears next to the
TABE Level, this indicates that either the FORM
or LEVEL was an incorrect choice
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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 9, Level E
  with 45 correct.
• Is this a NYS valid score?
• Yes, the range is 0 - 49
• What NRS Level is this score?
• The Grade Equivalent is a 6.2 which is an NRS
  Educational Functioning Level 4
• What NRS Level must the student move into to show
  gain?
• NRS Educational Functioning Level 5

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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 9, Level E
  with 45 correct.
• What Level TABE test should be administered?
• The student must achieve at least at 9.0 Grade
  Equivalent to demonstrate gain, that is not even
  possible on a Level E test so the Post Test must
  be a Level M
• What form of the Post Test?
• The Form must be the opposite of the pre test
  which was a form 9, so the post test must be a
  form 10

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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 10, Level
  M with 30 correct.
• Is this a NYS valid score?
• What NRS Level is this score?
• What NRS Level must the student move into to show
  gain?
• What Level TABE test should be administered?
• What form of the Post Test?

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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 9, Level D
  with 41 correct.
• Is this a NYS valid score?
• What NRS Level is this score?
• What NRS Level must the student move into to show
  gain?
• What Level TABE test should be administered?
• What form of the Post Test?

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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 10, Level
  M with 48 correct.
• Is this a NYS valid score?
• What NRS Level is this score?
• What NRS Level must the student move into to show
  gain?
• What Level TABE test should be administered?
• What form of the Post Test?

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Scenarios

• Student Pre Tests on a TABE Read, form 9, Level E
  with 11 correct.
• Is this a NYS valid score?
• What NRS Level is this score?
• What NRS Level must the student move into to show
  gain?
• What Level TABE test should be administered?
• What form of the Post Test?