FAQ

Which standardized assessment trainings are offered online?

The assessment trainings below are offered online only. Please click on the links to read more about and, if you choose, complete each training.

Links to the online trainings can also be found on the SABES calendar.

Which standardized assessment trainings are offered in person?

The BEST Plus 2.0 and TABE CLAS-E Writing Scoring trainings are only offered in a face-to-face format. However, both have online prerequisites. For the BEST Plus 2.0 training, practitioners must complete the Assessment Basics webinar. For the CLAS-E Writing Scoring training, practitioners must complete the Assessment Basics webinar and the CLAS-E Writing Administration online training.

All currently scheduled face-to-face trainings are posted on the SABES calendar.

Do staff have to be teachers to participate in assessment trainings?

All online and face-to-face trainings are open to practitioners from ACLS/ESE-funded programs who need training to administer or score responses from a certain assessment. While it certainly helps, they are not required to be teachers (with or without bachelor’s degrees).
For the BEST Plus 2.0 training, there are a few official requirements from the test publisher:

– English fluency level of SPL 9 or above
– Experience and comfort interacting with non-native English speakers
– Basic comfort level with computers
– Completion of an Assessment Basics webinar

There are no such requirements for CLAS-E Writing Scoring training participants, but please keep in mind that the holistic rubrics can be complex even for teachers, so participants should have a solid understanding of grammar and familiarity with ESOL writing.

MAPT

I am having trouble logging students into the MAPT with their LACES (MAPT) ID. What should I do?

Please check out our Tips for Logging Students into the MAPT with their LACES (MAPT) ID. If your question is not answered there, please email the Center for Educational Assessment (aclstesthelp@educ.umass.edu).

I completed the MAPT-CCR Test Administrator Training. Will I receive a code to access the MAPT-CCR Practice Tests?

You will receive a test administrator username and password via email within two weeks of completing the training. That username and password will give you access to the MAPT-CCR Practice Tests.

Students may access the MAPT-CCR Practice Tests using their LACES ID (MAPT) Login.

In LACES, is there a way to filter the MAPT student score reports so we are only printing reports for currently enrolled students?

Yes! Please follow the steps below:

  1. In LACES, click ‘More’ in the green bar at the top of the screen and choose ‘All Assessments’ in the dropdown list.
  2. The All Assessments area defaults to displaying only current FY assessments.  If you need to see all assessments, click the X on the green search tile for ‘Current Fiscal Year.’
  3. You can now use the view manager to create a view that includes the field Overall Status in addition to the assessment fields you want to to include.  I suggest copying the default ‘Student Assessment List’ view and modifying it rather than creating a new view.  Once you have created and save the view, it will be available in ‘My Views’ so you don’t have to create it again.
  4. Now that the Overall Status is included in the view, use the column header filter to limit to Overall Status starts with ‘Enrolled.’
  5. In the column header for Instrument, limit to starts with ‘MAPT.’
  6. This will leave you with the MAPT assessments for the Enrolled students.  If you need to further limit by Date Assessed or any other available field, you can do so using the column header filters.

BEST Plus 2.0

How does the CEA choose training locations for BEST Plus 2.0 trainings?

We choose locations based on requests from the field, and also based on which regions have not had a BEST Plus 2.0 training in a while. To request a training, please complete our Assessment Training Request Form.

My staff just went to a BEST Plus 2.0 training. What else do they need to do to become certified?

Read this CEA Answers guide to learn how to support your staff in becoming BEST Plus 2.0 certified after attending a training, including what materials your program should provide.

I went to the BEST Plus 2.0 training. When can I start administering and scoring the BEST Plus?

 Attending a training is a major step in the certification process, but practitioners are not certified until they have submitted their Proficiency Development Form and earned a passing score on a Scoring Activity. Instructions on completing the post-training requirements are provided during the training.

What is the passing score for the BEST Plus 2.0 Scoring Activity?

A passing score for the Scoring Activity is determined by the accuracy with which practitioners use each of the three sections of the BEST Plus 2.0 scoring rubric—Comprehension, Complexity, and Communication.

For initial certification:

  • R-R-R: Pass
  • R-R-A in any combination: Pass
  • R-A-A in any combination: Pass
  • A-A-A: Phone remediation required
  • Any combination of U, A and R in any area: Phone remediation required
  • Any combination of U and A without R: Fail – Retraining required

For recertification:

  • R-R-R: Pass
  • R-R-A in any combination: Pass
  • R-A-A in any combination: Pass
  • A-A-A: Phone remediation required
  • U in any area: Fail – Retraining required

R = recommended; A = acceptable; U = unacceptable.

I am having trouble with the BEST Plus 2.0 flash drive. What should I do?

For technical issues with the USB flash drive, please contact the test publisher, CAL, at aea@cal.org or 1-866-845-2378, option 1 (toll free). CAL’s customer support hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Is there a cost to administer the 10 practice tests required after a BEST Plus 2.0 training?

No. The ten practice tests should be administered using the “practice” option of the BEST Plus program from the BEST Plus USB. There is no cost to administer tests in practice mode. Here are detailed instructions:

Once you install the BEST Plus software on a laptop or computer, you can run practice administrations without needing the USB. After installation, a “Start BEST Plus 2.0” icon will be on your Desktop, and when you click on it you will have the option to select the practice version of the program (the icon looks like a black CD with the word “PRACTICE” underneath).

When you select “PRACTICE” for the first time, the software will ask you to purchase a certain amount of test administrations (don’t worry, you will not actually be purchasing anything). Select any quantity (20, for example) and enter 12345 as the activation code. That is always the activation code for practice administrations, and neither you nor your program will be charged for using the practice version of the software.

On the next few screens, there will be a pre-populated list of students. Select any of them and enter the password mexico (all lowercase). Then, select a level for the student and start the practice administration. The software will not provide a score report—those are only generated in the “TEST” version of the software—, but you will be able to practice administering the BEST Plus questions.

Are the Scoring Activity videos available online?

For now, the videos are only available on DVD (see the next question).

Which DVDs do I need to complete the Scoring Activity after the BEST Plus 2.0 training?

You will need the red DVD found inside the Scoring Refresher Toolkit to complete Scoring Activity 1, 2, or 3 (the handout you received during the training specifies which Activity should be completed). The title printed on the red DVD is “BEST Plus Scoring Activities (1, 2, and 3) October 2006.” Watching the black DVD is recommended but not required for initial certification.

I am having trouble submitting my Scoring Activity answers online. What should I do?

Please try clearing your browser’s cookies and cache, or using a different browser. Also, make sure that you are following the submission instructions exactly as outlined in step 3 of the “FY19 Best Plus 2.0 Training Attendance Confirmation and Next Steps” handout from the training. The login information for the website was updated in July 2018.

I earned RRR on the Scoring Activity. Can I take a break from recertification?

It depends. BEST Plus 2.0 administrators get a two-year break from recertification after they earn RRR for three consecutive years (during initial certification or recertification). For example, practitioners who became initially certified in Fiscal Year 2016 and earned RRR, then earned RRR again when they recertified in Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018 do not have to recertify until Fiscal Year 2021 (they can skip recertification in Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020).

After my two-year break from recertification, I scored RRR on the Scoring Activity again. What happens now?

Congratulations! You can take another two-year break from recertification. For example, practitioners who auto-recertified (i.e., earned a two-year break from recertification) in Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017, then scored RRR when they recertified in Fiscal Year 2018 do not have to recertify until Fiscal Year 2021 (they can skip recertification in Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020).

What do I need to do to recertify as a BEST Plus 2.0 administrator?

Recertification requirements for BEST Plus 2.0 administrators are explained in this CEA Answers guide.

How can I access the BEST Plus 2.0 Recertification Q&A Webinar?

Since the webinar includes in-depth discussion of the rubric, it is in a password-protected section of this blog. Please email aclstesthelp@educ.umass.edu to obtain the password.

TABE CLAS-E Writing Scoring

How does the CEA choose training locations for CLAS-E Writing Scoring trainings?

We choose locations based on requests from the field, and also based on which regions have not had a CLAS-E Writing Scoring training in a while. To request a training, please complete our Assessment Training Request Form.

What is the CLAS-E Writing Scoring initial certification test like? What is the passing score?

The initial certification test consists of 20 writing samples that must be scored using the CLAS-E Writing Rubrics, Notes to Scorer, Summary Chart, Supplementary Scoring Guide, and Glossary.

Practitioners must have a minimum score of 70%, with six or fewer items incorrect, in order to pass the test.  If the score is between 60%-65%, with seven to eight items incorrect, practitioners must go through a phone remediation and the CEA will contact them to arrange for this remediation. These practitioners cannot score any CLAS-E tests until they have gone through the remediation process. Practitioners who score 55% or less, with nine or more items incorrect, must retake the training and cannot score any CLAS-E tests until they have completed the training again and passed the initial certification test.

Do I need to attend a CLAS-E Writing Scoring training to administer the CLAS-E Writing assessment?

No. After completing the CLAS-E Writing Administration online training, practitioners are certified to administer the CLAS-E Writing assessment and score the multiple-choice portion. However, only practitioners who attended a CLAS-E Writing Scoring training and successfully completed the post-training requirements are allowed to score the expository portion of the CLAS-E Writing.

What do I need to do to recertify as a CLAS-E Writing scorer?

Recertification requirements for CLAS-E Writing scorers are explained in this CEA Answers guide.

How can I access the CLAS-E Writing Scoring Refresher Webinar?

Since the webinar includes in-depth discussion of the rubrics, it is in a password-protected section of this blog. Please email aclstesthelp@educ.umass.edu to obtain the password.