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 synchronous and facilitated by trainers?

The BEST Plus 3.0 and TABE CLAS-E Writing Scoring trainings are only offered in a synchronous, online-facilitated format. However, both have online prerequisites. For the BEST Plus 3.0 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 synchronous trainings are posted on the SABES calendar.

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

All 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 3.0 training, there are a few official requirements from the test publisher:

– An excellent command of the English language
– Experience and comfort interacting with non-native English speakers
– Basic comfort level with computers
– Completion of an Assessment Basics webinar

Additionally, click here to see a list of skills that support success as a BEST Plus 3.0 test administrator.

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.

TABE CLAS-E Writing Scoring

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 Zoom remediation and the CEA will contact them to arrange for this remediation. These practitioners cannot score any CLAS-E tests until they have completed and passed 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.

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.