[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 217 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71326-71328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24795]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


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

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides an update to the list of ATB tests 
approved by the Secretary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Washington, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 294-12, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-7241. 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: In order for a student who does not have a 
high school diploma or its recognized equivalent to be eligible for 
title IV, program assistance and who first enrolled in any title IV 
eligible postsecondary program on or after July 1, 2012, the student 
must successfully complete one of the ATB alternatives, including 
passing an ATB test as approved by the Secretary, and be enrolled in an 
eligible career pathway program pursuant to section 484(d)(1) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
    Students who first enrolled in any title IV eligible postsecondary 
program prior to July 1, 2012 may establish eligibility for title IV, 
program assistance using any of the following ATB alternatives--
     Passing an independently administered ATB test approved by 
the Secretary;
     Completing at least six credit hours, or the equivalent 
coursework (225 clock hours), that are applicable toward a degree or 
certificate offered by the postsecondary institution; or
     Completing a State process approved by the Secretary.

[[Page 71327]]

    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 pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(1).
    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 language is not English and who is not fluent in 
English, pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2).
    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, pursuant to 
34 CFR 668.153(a)(3).
    List of approved tests and passing scores: The Secretary lists 
below all approved ATB tests and their passing scores. The list is 
updated to reflect revisions to the list of approved ATB tests and 
passing scores that was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 
2006 (97 FR 29135) and updates to the list that were made through an 
Electronic Announcement dated June 24, 2015, at https://ifap.ed.gov/electronic-announcements/06-24-2015-general-subject-approved-ability-benefit-atb-tests.

 
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                                                       Test publisher
          ATB test               Passing scores      contact information
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Wonderlic Basic Skills Test   Verbal (200)          Wonderlic, Inc., 400
 (WBST) Verbal Forms VS-1 &    Quantitative (210).   Lakeview Parkway,
 VS-2, Quantitative Forms QS-                        Suite 200, Vernon
 1 & QS-2 Paper and pencil                           Hills, IL 60061.
 versions and online                                 Contact: Chris
 versions. Effective Date:                           Young. Telephone:
 July 1, 2015.                                       (847) 247-2544.
                                                     Fax: (847) 680-
                                                     9492.
Spanish Wonderlic Basic       Verbal (200),
 Skills Test (Spanish WBST)    Quantitative (200).
 Verbal Forms VS-1 & VS-2,
 Quantitative Forms QS-1 &
 QS-2 Paper and pencil
 versions and online
 versions. Effective Date:
 July 1, 2015.
Combined English Language     CELSA Form 1 (97),    Association of
 Skills Assessment (CELSA),*   CELSA Form 2 (97).    Classroom Teacher
 Forms 1 and 2 Effective                             Testers (ACCT),
 Date: November 1, 2002.                             1187 Coast Village
                                                     Road, Suite 1,
                                                     #378, Montecito, CA
                                                     93108. Contact:
                                                     Pablo Buckelew.
                                                     Telephone: (805)
                                                     965-5704. Fax:
                                                     (805) 965-5807.
**ACCUPLACER Computer-        Reading Test          The College Board,
 adaptive tests and            (233),** Writing      250 Vesey Street,
 COMPANION ACCUPLACER Forms    Test (235),**         New York, NY 10281.
 J and K: Reading Test,        Arithmetic Test       Contact: ACCUPLACER
 Writing Test, and             (230) **.             Program. Telephone:
 Arithmetic Test.                                    (800) 607-5223.
                                                     Fax: (212) 253-
                                                     4061.
** Texas Success Initiative   Reading Placement
 (TSI) Assessment--Computer-   Test (336), Writing
 adaptive tests and            Placement Test
 COMPANION TSI Forms T and     (345), Mathematics
 V: Reading Placement Test,    Placement Test
 Writing Placement Test,       (326).
 Mathematics Placement Test.
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* Note: As provided in 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2), the CELSA test is approved
  as the additional ATB English language proficiency test that must be
  taken by students whose native language is not English and who are not
  fluent in English if the academic program includes an ESL component.
** The ACCUPLACER test has been redesigned since it was listed as an
  approved test in the 2006 notice. TSI is a new addition to the list of
  approved ATB tests. These tests are provisionally approved. To move
  from provisional approval to full approval the test publisher must
  submit additional information as noted in the test agreement signed by
  the test publisher and the Department, no later than two years from
  the effective date of the agreement 6/26/2020. In the event the
  Department denies full approval, we will provide notice of this
  through publication in the Federal Register, pursuant to 34 CFR
  668.150(c)(3).

    List of ATB tests that are no longer approved: The following six 
tests appeared on the list of approved tests published in the 2006 
Federal Register notice, but are not on the current list of tests that 
may be used for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for 
title IV, program assistance. Please note the effective dates for each 
test.
    1. Test: The ACT Career Programs Assessment test (CPAt)--Forms B 
and C.
    Effective Dates: November 1, 2002 through June 30, 2015.
    Passing Scores: Language Usage (42), Reading (43), and Numerical 
(41).
    Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 
52243-0168.
    Contact: Joanna Higgins-Freese; Telephone: (319) 337-1618.
    2. Test: The ACT WorkKeys test--Reading for Information--Forms 
A01AA, A02AA, C01AA, & D10AA; Applied Mathematic--Forms A01BB, A02BB, 
C01BB, & D01BB.
    Effective Dates: May 19, 2006 through June 30, 2015.
    Passing Scores: Reading for Information Forms A01AA (76), A02AA 
(75), C01AA (77), & D10AA (77); Applied Mathematics Forms A01BB (73), 
A02BB (74), C01BB (73), & D01BB (73).
    Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 
52243-0168.
    Contact: Joanna Higgins-Freese; Telephone: (319) 337-1618.
    3. Test: The College Board DTLS and DTMS Forms M-K-3KDT and M-K-
3LDT tests.
    Effective Dates: November 1, 2002 through April 27, 2007.
    Passing Scores: Reading Comprehension (108), Sentence Structure 
(9), Conventions of Written English (309), and Arithmetic (506).

[[Page 71328]]

    Publisher: The College Board, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 
10281.
    Contact: ACCUPLACER Program; Telephone: (800) 607-5223, Fax (212) 
253-4061.
    4. Test: ASSET: Basic Skills Test (Reading, Writing, and 
Numerical)--Forms B2, C2, D2, and E2.
    Effective Dates: November 1, 2002 through October 31, 2015.
    Passing Scores: Reading (35), Writing (35), and Numerical (33).
    Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 
52243-0168.
    Contact: Joanna Higgins-Freese; Telephone: (319)-337-1618.
    5. Test: COMPASS Subtests--Prealgebra/Numerical Skills.
    Passing Scores: Prealgebra/Numerical (25), Reading (62), and 
Writing (32).
    Effective Dates: November 1, 2002 through October 31, 2015.
    Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 
52243-0168.
    Contact: Joanna Higgins-Freese; Telephone: (319) 337-1618.
    6. Test: COMPASS ESL.
    Passing Scores: Grammar/Usage (64), Reading (70), and Listening 
(70).
    Effective Dates: May 19, 2006 through October 31, 2015.
    Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 
52243-0168.
    Contact: Joanna Higgins-Freese; Telephone: (319) 337-1618.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program 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: 20 U.S.C. 1091(d).

Robert L. King,
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2020-24795 Filed 11-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P