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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Ohio decided to implement statewide use of a
portfolio system last year in response to the NRS.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">An overview is available on our website <A
href="http://literacy.kent.edu/NEABLE/">http://literacy.kent.edu/NEABLE/</A> .
Click on ESOL Web page and then ESOL/OPAS Uniform Portfolio System. There you
will find an overview, the content standards the system is based on and the
documentation logs used for the system. (Under ESOL/OPAS Support
Activites is dynamite piece with simple activites and suggestions
correlated to the NRS levels).</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">I can speak for ESOL as that was my area
of expertise and experience.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">We were more fortunate in that we had had
a committee working on standards when the NRS came in to being. The
standards were field driven, we had an NIFL Fellow working on assessment
instruments and we worked very hard to provide support for the
implementation. It requires work and </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">change in approach for many of our
teachers.There was a great deal of grumbling and as we all know, change does
not always come easily.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">But I also think they have welcomed the
opportunity to more fully participate in a more comprehensive </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">approach to adult learning. After a year of use,
people have grown to accept the portfolio system, and many have embraced it,
found it to be an incredibly useful tool. </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Gloria Gillette</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Director</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">NE ABLE Resource Center</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:djrosen@massed.net" title=djrosen@massed.net>David J.
Rosen</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:nla@lists.literacytent.org"
title=nla@lists.literacytent.org>nla@lists.literacytent.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 31, 2001 6:47
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NLA] Discussions: alternative
assessments</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Gloria,
<P>Could you tell us more about Ohio's portfolio system? Is there a Web
site which describes it and gives examples of how it is used? Are all
Ohio adult education programs using this now? Is this a model you would
recommend to other states?
<P>David J. Rosen <BR><<A
href="mailto:djrosen@massed.net">djrosen@massed.net</A>>
<P>Gloria Gillette wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE="CITE">
<STYLE></STYLE>
<FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1> In addition to Equipped
For the Future (EFF), what states, initiatives</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1> or organizations are
developing valid and reliable assessments that fit</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1> adult learners' goals? Is
any state actually using such assessments now?</FONT></FONT>
<P><B><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Ohio is. We have a uniform portfolio
system that is being used statewide and is in the process of being validated
through the Ohio State University.</FONT></FONT></B><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>Gloria Gillette</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>----- Original Message -----</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>From: David J. Rosen <<A
href="mailto:djrosen@massed.net">djrosen@massed.net</A>></FONT></FONT><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>To: <<A
href="mailto:nla@lists.literacytent.org">nla@lists.literacytent.org</A>></FONT></FONT><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2001 12:04
PM</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Subject: [NLA] Cross-post
from NIFL-Assessment on alternative assessments</FONT></FONT> <FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> NLA Colleagues,</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> The NIFL-Assessment post below, a reply to the post below it,
raises an</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> important
policy point (one made before on this list by Massachusetts</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> State ABE Director, Bob Bickerton,)
that current federal policy allows</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> the use of assessments which are not standardized tests if they
can be</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> shown to be
valid and reliable. Few states, however, are taking</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> advantage of that opportunity. And even
if states are developing</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> alternatives, driven by accountability for numbers, limited in
knowledge</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> about these
assessments, and lacking time to use them, practitioners may</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> fall back on the often easier-to-use
standardized tests -- even if they</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> know these are not valid, e.g. not related to their students'
goals.</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> Does this matter?</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> Yes. If programs are held accountable to
results from standardized tests</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> which do not fit with what adult learners and programs are
trying to</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> accomplish,
then the most important learner gains or outcomes may not be</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> measured, and successful programs
will not shine. Eventually, if</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> funding decisions are based on standardized
test results which do not</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> fit curricula designed to meet learner or program goals,
programs will</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> tailor
their curricula to the tests, making adult education and
literacy</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> less relevant
to students. It would be unfortunate and ironic that in</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> the name of increasing standards and
accountability -- because we lack a</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> good set of valid and reliable assessment options for our field
--</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> programs may teach
to these tests and, in doing so, may lower their standards.</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> In addition to Equipped For the Future (EFF),
what states, initiatives</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>> or organizations are developing valid and reliable assessments
that fit</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> adult
learners' goals? Is any state actually using such assessments
now?</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> David J. Rosen</FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>> <<A
href="mailto:djrosen@massed.net">djrosen@massed.net</A>></FONT></FONT>
<BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>></FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>></FONT></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>