The Texas Success Initiative Assessment and The Tests of Adult Basic Education: A Comparison of Student Performance And Placement
Date
2021-12
Authors
Guckert, Denise Annette
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Abstract
This study explores the relationship between scores and educational placement levels on two academic mathematics assessment systems: The Tests of Adult Basic Education 11/12 mathematics (TABE-M) and the Texas Success Initiative Assessment mathematics (TSIA-M). The data set consisted of scores, placement levels, and demographic information for 152 students who enrolled in a College Success Academy at a small community college in Texas. With no mathematics instruction between the closely administered assessments, it was possible to correlate student scores and placement levels on the assessments to investigate the convergent validity of the scores and consistency of classification for the placement levels. Fischer's r-to-z transformation tests and calculation of confidence intervals were used to determine if correlations between student performance varied across student demographic characteristics. Findings of convergent validity support the use of TSIA-M for its use in identifying students with mathematic skills below secondary levels but did not support the use of the TSIA-M’s Adult Basic Education (ABE) Diagnostic for accurate student placements into developmental education or ABE instruction. Study results can assist advisors with decisions about placement into various types of college readiness instruction. The TSIA-M ABE Diagnostic overplaced 80% of by up to two ABE levels, making it highly probable that students with level 5 placements were incorrectly placed into DE courses without basic skills support or into corequisite DE and that students with level 3 placements were not advised of options for referral to adult education services.
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Keywords
Texas success initiative assessment, TSIA, Tests of adult basic education, TABE, Developmental education, Developmental math, Remedial education, Adult basic education, National reporting system, College placement testing, Community college, Postsecondary assessment, Postsecondary placement, College assessment, College placement
Citation
Guckert, D. A. (2021). <i>The Texas success initiative assessment and the tests of adult basic education: A comparison of student performance and placement</i> (Unpublished dissertation). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.