What the Data Says about our Managed Enrollment Program

This year we implemented a managed enrollment program at our main site for the ABE and ESL programs.  We use a variety of data sources to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our new managed enrollment program, including CASAS test results.  In November, we chronicled our Post Test I data results in the blog post:  CASAS ~ Paired [...]

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Using CASAS as a Common Formative Assessment (SAY WHAT?)

Typically, our ESL / ABE professional learning communities (PLCs) meet to analyze data results from our text-based common formative assessments.  Today, however, we meet to analyze the CASAS results from Session 1*.  The purpose of this analysis is to inform instruction for Session 2.  Say, what?  We’re making CASAS into a common formative assessment?  Yep, that’s today’s purpose.

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CASAS ~ Paired Scores & Average Gains are UP!

Today begins the last week of our first session of managed enrollment.  How are we doing?  Our attendance numbers are down…but our persistence rates and average gains are up!  Remember, at NMUSD Adult School, we’re about SUCCESS…not just access!

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CASAS Practice Tests

The CASAS post test is coming! November 3 (BESST) November 4 (Whittier) Here’s how you can help your students prepare: Electronic practice tests are on our Teacher Resources page. Hard copies are in the office’s CASAS cupboard. Extra sample test items are found on the CASAS website.  You must create a login username/password to access them.

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A Therapeutic Journey to the CASAS 2.0 World

I’ll be frank.  Joining the CASAS 2.0 World has not been easy for me.  It may surprise you to learn that I’ve been grieving these past couple of years as I come to grips with the fact that my beloved old 03_R test series is going away.   Now, readers, you have two choices here: 1)  Walk with me through [...]

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CASAS Sample Reading Test PowerPoints

Check out these PowerPoints from CASAS.  Ideas for Use:  You can take your class into our lab, and each student can work through the PowerPoint.  Or, you can project the PPT onto your SMART Board and invite students up to select the correct answers while the rest of the class writes the answers in their [...]

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CASAS Competencies for the 21st Century

CASAS recently revised and revalidated its CASAS Competencies.  Writes CASAS, The changes update the life and work skills needed by youth and adults in today’s society and reflect the increased role of technology in the 21st century.  Competency areas that have been expanded or added include: education health and medical information financial literacy media literacy technology [...]

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Adults + Blogs + CASAS = ABCs of 21st Century Learning

Check out how Teacher Taylor used a couple o’ blogs to prepare his Intermediate ESL students for this week’s CASAS Post Test I.  TeacherT4U Blog – October 31, 2008 Post Scroll down to AFTERNOON CLASS ONLY: CASAS TEST ON TUESDAY SO LET’S PRACTICE FOR  IT.

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Preparing for Paired Scores

One fellow adult ed administrator/blogger emailed me this question today: How does your site obtain paired scores for your students? I emailed him with the steps we take at NMUSD Adult School to get as many CASAS paired scores as possible…plus 5 resources to help with the process.  We hope these ideas are helpful.  Good luck, all!

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Get Your House in Order – CASAS is Coming!

The CASAS pre-test is coming to NMUSD Adult School next week ~ September 16 & 18.  Check the Testing Calendar for your site’s testing date.  Also, please review your CASAS’ Sweet Home to prepare for next week’s pre-test.  In particular, look at the following resources before administering the CASAS pre-test to your class next Tuesday or Thursday.  Good luck [...]

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CASAS’ Sweet eHome

 Newport-Mesa Adult School just created CASAS’ Sweet eHome: a happy home for all your CASAS materials.  The purpose of the CASAS’ Sweet eHome is to organize and easily share documents we have created to make CASAS testing process more efficient and effective at our adult school. Click on Continue Reading » to view, download, and/or edit [...]

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Mis CASAS Son Sus CASAS

CASAS testing is coming to a site near you.  Click here to view/download our second-semester Testing Calendar.  Read on for additional resources to help you prepare your students for the CASAS post-test.

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Multiple Assessments for Next-Level ESL Placement

In our adult ESL program, we use a variety of assessments to evaluate student learning.  During the last week of the semester, our teachers and ESL students work together to review these assessments and jointly determine whether the students have met the exit criteria for their levels.  In this article, you can read about our next-level [...]

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The Point Between Pretest and Post-Test

How do we get our students from Pretest to Post-test with success?  It’s a simple scenario of Point A to Point B, right?  Wrong.  There’s a crucial point between pretest and post-test that we often neglect or shortchange when it comes to CASAS:  teaching the CASAS competencies and test-taking strategies.  This is my point today.  Read on. Lead [...]

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