[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 153 (Friday, August 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47952-47954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17301]


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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.

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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 also 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. The Secretary's previous approval of these ESL tests and 
test forms was set to expire on February 2, 2019, but the Secretary 
approved their use for an additional period of time through February 2, 
2021. The Secretary also announced the extended approval of tests that 
were originally approved for States and local providers to use in the 
NRS through February 2, 2019. These tests were approved for use during 
a sunset period ending on June 30, 2019.

[[Page 47953]]

    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 also determined 
to be suitable for use in the NRS, in accordance with Sec.  462.13.
    On May 2, 2019, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (84 
FR 18830) an annual notice of tests determined to be suitable for use 
in the NRS (May 2019 notice). In the May 2019 notice, the Secretary 
announced new tests that were determined to be suitable for use in the 
NRS, in accordance with Sec.  462.13.
    In this notice, the Secretary consolidates the information from the 
September 2017, February 2018, September 2018, March 2019, and May 2019 
notices that announced tests determined to be suitable for use in the 
NRS, in accordance with Sec.  462.13. Also, in this notice, the 
Secretary announces that ESL tests and test forms approved for an 
extended period through February 2, 2021, are approved for an 
additional extended period through February 2, 2023, and that an Adult 
Basic Education (ABE) test and test forms previously approved for a 
three-year period through March 7, 2021, are approved for an extended 
period through March 7, 2023.
    The Secretary is taking this action with respect to the previously 
approved tests and test forms, due to the Department's desire to 
minimize disruption for its grantees caused by the Novel Coronavirus 
Disease (COVID-19).
    Adult education programs must use only the forms and computer-based 
delivery formats for the tests approved in this notice. If a particular 
test form or computer delivery format is not explicitly specified for a 
test in this notice, it is not approved for use in the NRS.
    TESTS DETERMINED TO BE SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE NRS FOR A SEVEN-YEAR 
PERIOD FROM THE PUBLICATION DATE OF THE ORIGINAL NOTICE IN WHICH THEY 
WERE ANNOUNCED:
    The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable 
for use in Literacy/English Language Arts and Mathematics at all ABE 
levels of the NRS until September 7, 2024:
    (1) Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE 11/12). Forms 11 and 12 
are approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery 
format. Publisher: Data Recognition Corporation--CTB, 13490 Bass Lake 
Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311. Telephone: 800-538-9547. Internet: 
www.ctb.com/.
    The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable 
for use in Literacy/English Language Arts at all ABE levels of the NRS 
until February 5, 2025:
    (1) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Reading 
GOALS Series. Forms 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, and 908 are 
approved for use on paper and through a computer-based delivery format. 
Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 
92123-4339. Telephone: (800) 255-1036. Internet: www.casas.org/.
    The Secretary has determined that the following tests are suitable 
for use at ABE levels 2 through 6 of the NRS until May 2, 2026:
    (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, N110, Furcolo Hall, 813 
North Pleasant Street, 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, N110, Furcolo Hall, 813 
North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003. Telephone: (413) 545-0564. 
Internet: www.doe.mass.edu/acls/assessment/.
    TEST DETERMINED TO BE SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE NRS FOR A THREE-YEAR 
PERIOD FROM THE PUBLICATION DATE OF THE ORIGINAL NOTICE IN WHICH IT WAS 
ANNOUNCED AND NOW APPROVED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD THROUGH MARCH 7, 
2023:
    The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable 
for use in Mathematics at all ABE levels of the NRS until March 7, 
2023:
    (1) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Math 
GOALS Series. Forms 900, 913, 914, 917, and 918 are approved for use on 
paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 
5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. 
Telephone: (800) 255-1036. Internet: www.casas.org/.
    ESL TESTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD THROUGH 
FEBRUARY 2, 2021, AND NOW APPROVED FOR AN ADDITIONAL EXTENDED PERIOD 
THROUGH FEBRUARY 2, 2023:
    The Secretary has determined that the following tests are suitable 
for use at all ESL levels of the NRS until February 2, 2023:
    (1) Basic English Skills Test (BEST) Literacy. Forms B, C, and D 
are approved for use on paper. Publisher: Center for Applied 
Linguistics, 4646 40th Street NW, Washington, DC 20016-1859. Telephone: 
(202) 362-0700. Internet: www.cal.org.
    (2) Basic English Skills Test (BEST) Plus 2.0. Forms D, E, and F 
are approved for use on paper and through the computer-adaptive 
delivery format. Publisher: Center for Applied Linguistics, 4646 40th 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20016-1859. Telephone: (202) 362-0700. 
Internet: www.cal.org.
    (3) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) Life and 
Work Listening Assessments (LW Listening). Forms 981L, 982L, 983L, 
984L, 985L, and 986L are approved for use on paper and through the 
computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon 
Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: (800) 255-1036. 
Internet: www.casas.org.
    (4) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) Reading 
Assessments (Life and Work, Life Skills, Reading for Citizenship, 
Reading for Language Arts--Secondary Level). Forms 27, 28, 81, 82, 81X, 
82X, 83, 84, 85, 86, 185, 186, 187, 188, 310, 311, 513, 514, 951, 952, 
951X, and 952X of this test are approved for use on paper and through 
the computer-based delivery format. Publisher: CASAS, 5151 Murphy 
Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339. Telephone: (800) 255-
1036. Internet: www.casas.org.
    (5) Tests of Adult Basic Education Complete Language Assessment 
System-English (TABE/CLAS-E). Forms A and B are approved for use on 
paper and through a computer-based delivery format. Publisher: Data 
Recognition Corporation--CTB, 13490 Bass Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 
55311. Telephone: (800) 538-9547. Internet: www.tabetest.com.
    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

[[Page 47954]]

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.
    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. 2020-17301 Filed 8-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P