MAPT-CCR in Adult Education Programs in Correctional Institutions

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Starting FY2020, Adult Education programs in Correctional Institutions (AECI) can use the MAPT-CCR for Reading and/or the MAPT-CCR for Math for NRS pre- and post- assessment purposes.

Brief Overview of MAPT-CCR

The MAPT-CCR is the Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test-College and Career Readiness (MAPT-CCR). The MAPT-CCR is a computerized-adaptive test that measures the wide range of knowledge and skills present in the population of adult students in Massachusetts, which ranges from Adult Basic Education Level 2 (GLE 2.0) to Adult Basic Education Level 6 (GLE 12.9). The MAPT-CCR is a multistage adaptive test (MST) delivered over the Internet, and uses adaptive testing technology to select and deliver sets of test items to test-takers. It is called adaptive because the computer selects the item sets to be administered to a specific test-taker based on his or her achievement level and the difficulty of the items.

Benefits of MAPT-CCR

• Can be administered on an Internet-connected computer or tablet.
• Measures the skills of students ranging from the NRS Beginning Basic Literacy and Numeracy levels through High Adult Secondary Education (High ASE).
• Measures the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education, specifically the Reading Standards (the MAPT-CCR for Reading) and the Mathematics Standards (the MAPT-CCR for Math).
• Unlike many traditional tests where everyone takes a single form of an exam, the computer tailors the exam to each student.
• Does not require any human scorers and automatically determines students' scores by the number and the difficulty of the items they answer correctly.
• Does not require manual data entry and students' scores are automatically transferred from the OWL platform into LACES.
• Provides access to Individual Student Score Reports which provide information about how each individual student did on a particular test item and Class Score Reports which are organized at the class level and give adult education teachers insight into the performance of groups of students.
• Is available to ACLS-funded adult education programs at no cost.

For more information about the MAPT-CCR, please see the MAPT-CCR Test Administrator Manual available at ACLS: Assessment webpage.

MAPT-CCR Pilot in AECI

ACLS and CEA have successfully piloted the MAPT-CRR in two correctional facilities during May and June 2019. The results of the pilots indicate:

• AECI students' high interest in and positive response to taking the MAPT-CCR;
• AECI students' preference to take a computerized assessment versus a paper assessment;
• A much quicker time to administer the MAPT-CCR compared to TABE 11/12;
• An unencumbering logistical process to move students from one location to another for testing in a computer lab;
• No reported issues with security and no necessity to add extra security measures.

Based on the above positive feedback from these pilots, ACLS has decided to make the use of MAPT-CCR available in AECI along with the use of TABE 11/12 assessment.

Going Beyond the Pilot: MAPT-CCR in AECI in FY2020

During FY2020, AECI facilities that allow students to access Internet-connected computers or tablets can use the MAPT-CCR for NRS pre- and post-testing of Reading and/or Math content areas.

The MAPT-CCR is not replacing the TABE 11/12 assessments in AECI. Rather AECI programs have the option to use either test for NRS pre- and post-assessment.

However, AECI programs must ensure that the same assessment is administered at pre- and post-testing. For example, a student cannot be pre-tested with TABE 11/12 and post-tested with the MAPT-CCR.

Further, please note that all assessment policies outlined in the ACLS Assessment Policy Manual apply to the use of MAPT-CCR in AECI. To access the ACLS Assessment Policies, please visit ACLS: Assessment webpage.

AECI programs that have not been part of the initial pilot and are interested in using the MAPT-CCR must take the following action:

• Send an email to April Zenisky, and copy Dana Varzan-Parker, and Karen DeCoster to indicate their interest.

April Zenisky will follow up with prospective MAPT-CCR users if any additional information is needed regarding IT personnel, education program personnel, and test administrators.

Interested programs will also be connected with the UMass OWL support team to receive technical information about the whitelisted server and other AECI-specific modifications to MAPT-CCR use, and to respond to any other technical questions.

For any questions related to this memo, please contact Dana Varzan-Parker, assessment specialist, at 781-338-3811.

Last Updated: July 30, 2019