[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 85 (Thursday, May 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18830-18831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08938]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Tests Determined To Be Suitable for Use in the National Reporting 
System for Adult Education

AGENCY: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Secretary announces tests, test forms, and delivery 
formats that the Secretary determines to be suitable for use in the 
National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS). This notice 
relates to the approved information collections under OMB control 
numbers 1830-0027 and 1830-0567.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John LeMaster, Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 11-152, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-6218. Email: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 14, 2008, and as amended on 
August 19, 2016, we published in the Federal Register final regulations 
for 34 CFR part 462, Measuring Educational Gain in the National 
Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS regulations) (73 FR 2305, 
Jan. 14, 2008, as amended at 81 FR 55552, Aug. 19, 2016). The NRS 
regulations established the process the Secretary uses to determine the 
suitability of tests for use in the NRS by States and local eligible 
providers. We annually publish in the Federal Register, and post on the 
internet at www.nrsweb.org, a list of the names of tests and the 
educational functioning levels the tests are suitable to measure in the 
NRS as required by Sec.  462.12(c)(2).
    On September 7, 2017, the Secretary published in the Federal 
Register (82 FR 42339) an annual notice of tests determined to be 
suitable for use in the NRS (September 2017 notice). In the September 
2017 notice, the Secretary announced a new test and test forms that 
were determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with 
Sec.  462.13.
    On February 5, 2018, the Secretary published in the Federal 
Register (83 FR 5087) an annual notice of tests determined to be 
suitable for use in the NRS (February 2018 notice). In the February 
2018 notice, the Secretary announced a new test and test forms that 
were determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with 
Sec.  462.13.
    On September 21, 2018, the Secretary published in the Federal 
Register (83 FR 47910) an annual notice of tests determined to be 
suitable for use in the NRS (September 2018 notice). In the September 
2018 notice, the Secretary announced a list of English as a Second 
Language (ESL) tests and test forms determined to be suitable for use 
in the NRS, previously approved for an extended period through February 
2, 2019, and approved these tests and test forms for an additional 
period through February 2, 2021. The Secretary also announced a list of 
tests with NRS approvals expiring on February 2, 2019, which States and 
local providers may continue to use during a sunset period ending on 
June 30, 2019.
    On March 7, 2019, the Secretary published in the Federal Register 
(84 FR 8322) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for 
use in the NRS (March 2019 notice). In the March 2019 notice, the 
Secretary announced a new test and test forms that were determined to 
be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with Sec.  462.13.
    In this notice, the Secretary announces new tests that have been 
determined to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with Sec.  
462.13. These tests measure the new NRS educational functioning levels 
for Literacy/English Language Arts and Mathematics at Adult Basic 
Education (ABE) levels 2 through 6, as described in Appendix A of 
Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult 
Education (OMB Control Number: 1830-0027).
    Adult education programs must use only the forms and computer-based 
delivery formats for the tests approved in this notice or in the 
September 2017, February 2018, September 2018, or March 2019 notices. 
If a particular test form or computer delivery format is not explicitly 
specified for a test in this notice or in the September 2017, February 
2018, September 2018, or March 2019 notices, it is not approved for use 
in the NRS.

Tests Determined To Be Suitable for Use in the NRS for a 7-Year Period 
From the Publication Date of This Notice

    The Secretary has determined that the following tests are suitable 
for use at ABE levels 2 through 6 of the NRS for a period of 7 years 
from the publication date of this notice:
    (1) Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test--College and Career 
Readiness (MAPT-CCR) for Reading. This test is approved for use through 
a computer-adaptive delivery format. Publisher: Massachusetts 
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and University of 
Massachusetts Amherst, College of Education, 156 Hills South, 
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003. Telephone: 
(413) 545-0564. Internet: www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment/.
    (2) Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test--College and Career 
Readiness (MAPT-CCR) for Mathematics. This test is approved for use 
through a computer-adaptive delivery format. Publisher: Massachusetts 
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and University of 
Massachusetts Amherst, College of Education, 156 Hills South, 
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003. Telephone: 
(413) 545-0564. Internet: www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment/.
    Revocation of Tests: Under certain circumstances, the Secretary may 
revoke the determination that a test is suitable (see Sec.  462.12(e)). 
If the Secretary revokes the determination of suitability, the 
Secretary announces the revocation, as well as the date by which States 
and local eligible providers must stop using the revoked test, through 
a notice published in the Federal Register and posted on the internet 
at www.nrsweb.org.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (such as braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.

[[Page 18831]]

    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Program Authority:  29 U.S.C. 3292.

Scott Stump,
Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2019-08938 Filed 5-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P