Welcome!

Please use the menu above to find out more about each online training and download training resources.

This blog was created to serve as a “one-stop shop” for all materials related to the online assessment trainings prepared by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Educational Assessment (CEA) for Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS).

If you have any questions, please email the CEA at aclstesthelp@educ.umass.edu.

BEST Plus 3.0: What Do I Do Now?

If you successfully completed CAL’s BEST Plus 3.0 transition training, here are some steps you can do now to prepare for the upcoming testing season:

  1. Make sure you submitted proof that you completed CAL’s transition training to UMass CEA. That can still be done here.
  2. Order test administrations and test administrator guides (TAGs) from CAL here.
  3. Get familiar with the test administration application and the test management online portal here. The three blue buttons across the top of that page allow you to do the following:
    • Carefully watch the CAL Test Platform Demo to see how the application and portal work. This is the third button on the page, but it is highly recommended that you watch this first.
    • Download the CAL Test Platform App. This will need to be installed on your computer and can only be installed on Windows right now. Please work with your IT department as appropriate.
    • Login to the CAL Test Platform Web Portal. You can do this from any web browser.

Trainings for new BEST Plus 3.0 test administrators will begin in August and can be found on the SABES calendar.

You can find a flowchart of the steps practitioners will be expected to complete here.

News and Updates:

NRS Assessment Transition Webinar – Slides and Recording Now Available! (2.10.2025)
On February 6, 2025, UMass CEA and ACLS hosted an informational webinar to share updates and reminders regarding the upcoming transitions of the BEST Plus and TABE assessments. See below for the recording and slides from that webinar, as well as other helpful resources to support you through the transition:

Presentation slides (PDF)
Video recording of webinar
Audio recording of webinar (Audio only)
ACLS State as a Partner transition reminder slides (PDF)
TABE FAQs and answers
BEST Plus FAQs and answers
Visual of the 5 Steps of the BEST Plus certification process (PDF)

Reminder: TABE CLAS-E form transition in July 2025! (12.03.2024)
On July 1, 2025, TABE CLAS-E forms A&B will be retired and forms C&D will be used for NRS pre-and post-tests, for ESOL Reading and Writing. CEA staff are gathering more information about the new forms and will hold an informational webinar in January 2025 (not yet scheduled). Stay tuned!

BEST Plus 3.0 Transition Memo from ACLS (10.28.2024)
On 10/28/2024 ACLS sent an updated memo to the field with the latest information regarding the transition from BEST Plus 2.0 to 3.0. The memo includes steps for transitioning current certifications, helpful links, and additional resources. Please visit the link below to read the memo:

View the 10/28/2024 memo from ACLS here.

This website provides information relating to adult education assessment in Massachusetts and beyond, and is the collaborative product of Public Adult Education in Massachusetts and the Center for Educational Assessment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.