List of Approved “Ability-to-Benefit” (ATB) Tests and Passing Scores

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice to remove the CTB/McGraw-Hill Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) from the list of approved “Ability-to-Benefit” tests.

SUMMARY:

The Secretary gives notice that the CTB/McGraw-Hill Ability-to-Benefit Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): (Reading, Total Mathematics, and Language)—Forms 7 and 8, Level A, Complete Battery and Survey test is being removed from the list of approved Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) tests.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Secretary is amending the list of approved ATB tests and passing scores that was published in the Federal Register on September 4, 2002 (67 FR 56539) by removing the CTB/McGraw-Hill TABE test and its passing scores from the ATB list. The list was published under the authority of section 484(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and the regulations the Secretary promulgated to implement that section in 34 CFR part 668, subpart J.

An institution will no longer be permitted to use this test to determine if a student who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent is eligible to receive funds under any title IV, HEA program. The title IV, HEA programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Family Education Loan, William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) programs.

Transition

Institutions are allowed to continue to make ATB eligibility determinations using the tests and passing scores that were listed in the September 4, 2002 Federal Register notice, including the CTB/McGraw-Hill Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): (Reading, Total Mathematics, Language)—Forms 7 and 8, Level A, Complete Battery and Survey Versions until September 8, 2004. After September 8, 2004, only the tests and passing scores listed in this notice may be used.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dan Klock, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20202-5345. Telephone: (202) 377-4026.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain 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.

List of approved tests and passing scores: For the convenience of all interested parties, we have listed the seven approved ATB tests and passing scores that may continue to be used as approved ATB tests.

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: American College Testing (ACT), Placement Assessment Programs, 2201 North Dodge Street, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243, 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: American College Testing (ACT), Placement Assessment Programs, 2201 North Dodge Street, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243, 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: American College Testing (ACT), Placement Assessment Programs, 2201 North Dodge Street, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243, 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 (90) and CELSA Form 2 (90).

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, PMB 378, Montecito, California 93108-2794, Contact: Pablo Buckelew, Telephone: (805) 569-0734, Fax: (805) 569-0004.

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: Ms. Suzanne Murphy, Telephone: (405) 842-9891, Fax: (405) 842-9894.

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: Ms. Suzanne Murphy, Telephone: (405) 842-9891, Fax: (405) 842-9894.

7. 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, and 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.

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: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

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Note:

The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1091(d).