Meta --  Thank you for your post.  I am always heartened when I hear and 
see that others are fighting the same good fight, and have come to 
similar conclusions as our own.  At my program we have been 
investigating portfolios (we call them folders) as a way of doing (or 
organizing, or collecting) non-NRS assessments, and one that helps 
instructors and learners align curriculum with instruction with 
assessment.  "Alignment" to me means making sure that assessment, 
instruction and curriculum are all relevant and meaningful to all 
participants.  I think the salad analogy holds for any program or class 
where the standards used don't come with ready-made assessments.  States 
that have developed content standards, have programs using the TABE, the 
CASAS, the BEST, even the GED or EDP, and, voila!, alignment issues 
arise.  I truly believe this issue, that of alignment, is the more 
important issue (more important than which set of standards or which 
assessements we decide / are mandated to use), and the issue that most 
of us will confront in our programs, and continually confront since 
staff comes and goes so regularly.

As I read your last paragraph, I appreciate your struggle.  We struggle, 
too.  It is important for me to remember that the portfolios are not for 
the funder (as often the CASAS or TABE or BEST are); they are for 
learner, and the questions that arise with them need answers that are 
learner determined.  The learners should decide how many is enough, how 
good is good enough, what demonstrations are appropriate.  I don't 
believe these decisions need to hold across classes, or sites, or 
programs.  Consistency of form and process is good, of course, it will 
help your administrators to understand what is going on, and help your 
teachers to share thoughts and ideas.  Over the semesters, your teachers 
may find that the rubrics and checklists used each time are pretty darn 
similar -- or not.  And of course, if you find that your portfolio 
assessment indicates better reading but your CASAS score doesn't, then 
you'll need some reflection and re-alignment.  But, by and large, I 
think you'll find you won't, because by and large you have sincere and 
experienced instructors, and you can trust their science and their art.

I hope to hear more about how the struggles go, and what good ideas we 
can share with you as we move ahead.

Howard D.
Project RIRAL


MWPotts2001 at aol.com wrote:


> Regie,

>  

> Thank you for your explanations re: the differences between EFF and 

> CASAS and the cautions about mixing apples and oranges.  I have 

> carried around your former posts on this subject because I work with 

> groups who are mandated to use both EFF and CASAS, and it is not easy 

> trying to help them with assessment problems.  It has become more than 

> a problem; it is now an issue.

>  

> In light of Linda's posting, I am wondering how the two of you might 

> help us find ways to work more satisfactorily so that we are not at 

> odds, rather more in sync as we struggle to include the best of both? 

>  Is it possible, after all, that the fruit salad might be a variety of 

> apples, say Macintosh and Jonathan, rather than apples and oranges?  I 

> confess ignorance and plead for enlightenment.

>  

> In the absence of a twofold assessment design that gratifies the needs 

> of the programs and states who are mandated to use both EFF and CASAS, 

> I have been trying to help people use portfolio assessment, in which 

> they demonstrate mastery of the EFF reading purposes (or Math 

> purposes) and the CASAS competencies, which seem (and I emphasize 

> seem) to be located at the same level of expertise. This has worked 

> for us, and students have accomplished their goals of moving (slowly) 

> along the EFF continuum.  We are at the novice stage, however, with 

> this kind of assessment. 

>  

> Teachers still struggle with questions, such as *How many entries are 

> good enough to demonstrate mastery?*  And *What can we include that 

> will demonstrate the range of fluency, independence, and the ability 

> to perform in a variety of settings?*  And more.

>  

> So help us, please.

>  

> Thanks and All the Best,

>  

> Meta Potts

> FOCUS on Literacy

> Glen Allen, VA

>  

>  

>  

>  

>

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