[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29135-29137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7682]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


List of Approved ``Ability-to-Benefit'' (ATB) Tests and Passing 
Scores

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Update notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides an update to the list of ATB tests 
approved by the Secretary, pursuant to section 484(d) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and the implementing 
regulations in 34 CFR part 668, subpart J.
    This notice extends the Secretary's approval of the Combined 
English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) test, with updated passing 
scores, as an ATB test for students whose native language is not 
English and who are not fluent in English. It also adds the ESL 
Placement (COMPASS/ESL) test as a newly approved ATB test for students 
whose native language is not English and who are not fluent in English.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Morgan, U.S. Department of 
Education, Federal Student Aid, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20202-5345. Telephone: (202) 377-4033.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this document in 
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or 
computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the HEA and 34 CFR part 668, subpart 
J, students who do not have a certificate of graduation from a school 
providing secondary education or its recognized equivalent must 
successfully complete an ATB test as approved by the Secretary, in 
order to be eligible for Title IV, program assistance.
    A student who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized 
equivalent whose native language is not English and is not fluent in 
English, and who is enrolled in a program that is taught in the 
student's native language must take an approved test developed in the 
student's native language. To date, no non-English ATB tests have been 
submitted to the Secretary for approval.
    A student who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized 
equivalent whose native language is not English and is not fluent in 
English, and who is enrolled in a program that is taught in English 
must take an ATB test designed to measure the English language 
competence of a non-native speaker. Students who are enrolled in such a 
program that has an ``English as a Second Language'' (ESL) component 
and who are enrolled in the ESL component, must take an approved ATB 
test specifically for a student whose native language is not English 
and who is not fluent in English. Students who are enrolled in an ESL 
program only also must take an approved ATB test specifically for a 
student whose native

[[Page 29136]]

language is not English and who is not fluent in English.
    Both CELSA and the ESL Placement (COMPASS/ESL) tests as listed in 
this notice are approved by the Secretary for students whose native 
language is not English and who are not fluent in English.
    A student who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized 
equivalent, and whose native language is not English and is not fluent 
in English, who is enrolled in a program that is taught in English 
without an ESL component, or the student does not enroll in the ESL 
component of the program, must take an ATB test in English that 
assesses secondary school verbal and quantitative skills.
    The Secretary amends the list of approved ATB tests and passing 
scores that was published in the Federal Register on March 11, 2005 (70 
FR 12208) by adding the ESL Placement Test (COMPASS/ESL) and its 
passing scores. The ESL Placement Test (COMPASS/ESL) may be used as an 
ATB test for Title IV eligibility purposes consistent with 34 CFR part 
668, subpart J as of the date of this notice. The Secretary is also 
extending the approval of the CELSA test and updating its passing 
scores. The current passing scores on CELSA Form 1 of (90) and CELSA 
Form 2 of (90) will expire on June 19, 2006. The new passing scores of 
CELSA Form 1 of (97) and CELSA Form 2 of (97) are effective on June 19, 
2006.
    List of approved tests and passing scores: For the convenience of 
all interested parties, we list below all approved ATB tests and their 
passing scores.
    1. ASSET Program: Basic Skills Tests (Reading, Writing, and 
Numerical)--Forms B2, C2, D2 and E2.
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Reading (35), Writing (35), and Numerical (33).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT 
Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168. Contact: Dr. John D. Roth; 
Telephone: (319) 337-1030, Fax: (319) 337-1790.
    2. Career Programs Assessment (CPAT) Basic Skills Subtests 
(Language Usage, Reading and Numerical)--Forms B and C.
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Language Usage (42), Reading (43), and Numerical (41).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT 
Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168, Contact: Dr. John D. Roth, 
Telephone: (319) 337-1030, Fax: (319) 337-1790.
    3. COMPASS Subtests: Prealgebra/Numerical Skills Placement, Reading 
Placement, and Writing Placement.
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Prealgebra/Numerical (25), Reading (62), and Writing (32).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT 
Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168. Contact: Dr. John D. Roth, 
Telephone: (319) 337-1030, Fax: (319) 337-1790.
    4. Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA), Forms 1 and 
2.
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: CELSA Form 1 (97) and CELSA Form 2 (97).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: Association of 
Classroom Teacher Testers (ACTT), 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 1 
378, Montecito, California 93108-2794. Contact: Pablo 
Buckelew, Telephone: (805) 965-5704, Fax: (805) 965-5807.

    Note: The CELSA test is approved only for certain students whose 
native language is not English and who are not fluent in English as 
provided in 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2).


    5. Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs)/Accuplacer (Reading 
Comprehension, Sentence Skills, and Arithmetic).
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Reading Comprehension (55), Sentence Skills (60), and 
Arithmetic (34).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: The College Board, 
45 Columbus Avenue, New York, New York 10023-6992. Contact: Technical 
Support, Telephone: (800) 486-8497.
    6. Descriptive Tests: Descriptive Tests of Language Skills (DTLS) 
(Reading Comprehension, Sentence Structure and Conventions of Written 
English)--Forms M-K-3KDT and M-K-3LDT; and Descriptive Tests of 
Mathematical Skills (DTMS) (Arithmetic)--Forms M-K-3KDT and M-K-3LDT.
    Passing Scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Reading Comprehension (108), Sentence Structure (9), 
Conventions of Written English (309), and Arithmetic (506).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: The College Board, 
45 Columbus Avenue, New York, New York 10023-6992. Contact: Technical 
Support, Telephone: (800) 486-8497.
    7. ESL Placement Test (COMPASS/ESL).
    Passing scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Grammar/Usage (64), Reading (70) and Listening (70).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT 
Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168. Contact: Dr. John Roth, Telephone: 
(319) 337-1030, Fax: (319) 337-1790.


    Note: The COMPASS/ESL test is approved only for certain students 
whose native language is not English and who are not fluent in 
English as provided in 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2).


    8. Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST)--Verbal Forms VS-1 & VS-2, 
Quantitative Forms QS-1 & QS-2.
    Passing scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Verbal (200) and Quantitative (210).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: Wonderlic 
Personnel Test, Inc., 1795 N. Butterfield Road, Libertyville, IL 60048. 
Contact: Mr. David Teuber, Telephone: (877) 605-9499, Fax: (847) 680-
9492.
    9. WorkKeys Program--Reading for Information Forms A01AA, A02AA, 
C01AA & D10AA; Applied Mathematics Forms A01BB, A02BB, C01BB, & D01BB.
    Passing scores: The approved passing scores on this test are as 
follows: Reading for Information--Forms A01AA (76), A02AA (75), C01AA 
(77) & D10AA (77);
    Applied Mathematics--Forms A01BB (73), A02BB (74), C01BB (73) & 
D01BB (73).
    Publisher: The test publisher and the address, contact person, 
telephone, and fax number of the test publisher are: ACT, Inc., 
WorkKeys Development, Professional Development Services, 101 ACT Drive, 
P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168.
    Contact: Dr. A. Candace Noble, Telephone: (319) 337-1296, Fax: 
(319) 337-1229.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about

[[Page 29137]]

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    Note:  The official version of this document is the document 
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    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1091(d).

    Dated: May 16, 2006.
Theresa S. Shaw,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. E6-7682 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P