Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

ACLS Policy Memo #01-2020: Recent Policy Changes

To:Program Directors and SABES Directors
From:Wyvonne Stevens-Carter, Adult Education State Director
Date:February 26, 2020

The purpose of this memo is threefold:

  1. To summarize policy changes put into effect between May 22, 2019 and January 31, 2020 in a single place, thereby facilitating understanding of and compliance with said policies. The changes are listed in chronological order.
  2. To provide definitions for a limited number of terms (e.g., continuous improvement planning, corrective action plan) that will be integrated into the Adult Education Glossary posted on http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/otherrl.html.
  3. To notify the field how future policy announcements and changes will be announced.

Policy Changes:

These policy changes are list chronologically by date announced with each individual change linked to the URL where it is posted.


Assessment (See June 17, 2019 monthly mailing).

  • Starting July 1, 2019, ACLS will allow the use of both paper and online TABE 11/12, Reading and Math sub-tests for NRS pre- and post-testing of students in correctional institutions and the TABE 11/12 Language sub-test for NRS pre- and post-testing of students in correctional institutions and community adult learning centers who want to improve their writing skills.
  • The TABE 11/12 Administration and Scoring training has a new module about the TABE 11/12 Online. All practitioners who complete the updated training will be certified to administer and score the paper-based TABE 11/12 and administer the TABE 11/12 Online (scoring is done automatically). Previously certified practitioners who will be responsible for online administration should peruse the new module (Module 6) or retake the training. All modules from the training are available for download as PDF files in the TABE 11/12 section of the ACLS Test Help Blog.

LACES Desk Review and Data Entry (See September 6, 2019 special mailing).

ACLS requires that:

  • All LACES users, including teachers, have unique credentials.
  • All students are enrolled in LACES even if they did not attend 12 hours.
  • Attendance is entered at the daily level (i.e., attendance is recorded for each day that a student attends).
  • Attendance is entered within one week.
    • Note: ACLS recommends entering attendance every day during class.
  • Students are enrolled in class in LACES within one week of starting.
    • Note: ACLS recommends enrolling students before they start classes to ensure that teachers can enter students' attendance in up-to-date rosters on their first day of class.
  • NRS assessment scores are entered within four (4) weeks of administration.
  • Supporting documentation for all LACES data is maintained, except when teachers enter attendance during class.
  • Programs have written data collection and entry policies and procedures.

Desk Review Workbook and Process (See October 9, 2019 special mailing).

ACLS requires that:

  • Programs complete and submit desk review workbooks five times per year via an online portal.
  • In February 2020, programs will submit all sheets in the workbook except the Employment sheet.
  • In April 2020 and June 2020, programs will submit all sheets in the workbook.
    • Note: In FY21 and going forward, programs will submit all sheets in the workbook.
    Program specialists will log desk review submissions, review them for accuracy, identify areas of concern (e.g., low enrollment), and contact programs if necessary.)

Assessment (See October 11, 2019 monthly mailing).

  • ABE students at Levels 3 (GLE 4-5.9), 4 (GLE 6-8.9), and 5 (GLE 9-10.9) are no longer required to pre- and post-test in both reading and math.
  • ACLS is relaxing the pre- and post-testing policy of ABE Students at Levels 3, 4, and 5.
  • Currently this assessment policy states: ABE students at levels 3 (GLE 4-5.9), 4 (GLE 6-8.9), and 5 (GLE 9-10.9) must be pre- and post-tested tested with both MAPT-CCR for Reading and MAPT-CCR for Math. For programs in correctional institutions and workplace education programs where students may not have access to internet-connected computers, the TABE 11/12-forms E, M, D, A, reading and math subtests may be used.
    • Note: What HAS changed: ABE students at levels 3 (GLE 4-5.9), 4 (GLE 6-8.9), and 5 (GLE 9-10.9) must be pre- and post-tested tested with either the MAPT-CCR for Reading or MAPT-CCR for Math. For programs in correctional institutions and workplace education programs where students may not have access to internet-connected computers, the TABE 11/12-forms E, M, D, A, reading or math subtests may be used. However, programs are encouraged to pre- and post-test students at these levels in both reading and math to increase the likelihood of measurable skill gains (MSG) outcomes. Note: What HAS NOT changed: Students enrolled in STAR classes must be pre- and post-tested in reading.

LACES (See January 17, 2020 monthly mailing.)

Students entrust programs with personally identifiable information (PII). Toward protecting PII, ACLS requires that:

  • All LACES users have unique LACES logon credentials.
  • Programs immediately deactivate LACES accounts for users who leave the program.

Definitions:

These definitions will be integrated into the Adult Education Glossary posted on http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/otherrl.html.

  • Continuous improvement planning (CIP) is used to adjust program processes, methods, and practices for efficiency and effectiveness. Indicator 8 of the Indicators of Program Quality (IPQs) describes CIP: The program leadership (e.g., executive director, director, program manager, program coordinator, principal) ensures that the vision for academic success is shared by staff and students and that the program engages in a continuous improvement planning process with the goal of improving student outcomes.
  • A corrective action plan (CAP) is a detailed plan of action developed to achieve outcomes that resolve areas of underperformance and/or non-compliance with the Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions. Such areas can be identified a number of ways but are most commonly identified in desk reviews and program quality review (PQR) and site visit (SV) reports.

Future Policy Announcements and Changes:

Pease note the new ACLS procedure for policy announcements including new policies, policy clarifications, and policy changes.

  • Subsequent to this policy memo and, as needed, annually prior to the Directors' Meeting, ACLS will release an updated version of the Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions (i.e., the policy manual).
  • Subsequent to releasing the updated policy manual, policy announcements will be distributed in dated, numbered, and labeled policy memos, generally in a monthly mailing or a special mailing, and links to the announcements will be provided in chronological order below the online policy man
    • ual.
  • The naming convention will be ACLS POLICY MEMO and include:
    • The date issued and an identification number: For example, policy number #3-2020 would be the third policy memo released during calendar year 2020.
    • A descriptive title: For example, if the announcement provides a clarification regarding allowable uses for adult education funds (e.g., use of grant funds for space), the memo might be named Clarification on Use of Grant Funds for Space.
    • The above policy clarification might be named: ACLS POLICY MEMO #03-2020: Clarification on Use of Grant Funds for Space.




    Last Updated: February 28, 2020