Other Important Guidelines for the CASAS Functional Writing Assessment (FWA)

Other Important Guidelines for the CASAS Functional Writing Assessment (FWA)

·  Programs must pre- and post-test using Life Skill Picture Task Prompts (Forms 460, 461, 462, & 463) and/or Workplace Writing Picture Prompts (Forms 464, 465 & 466). Color picture prompts are available through CASAS. They can be used interchangeably with the non-color picture prompts. For example, if pre-test with non-color 460, can post-test with color 461. The same number prompt MUST NOT be used to pre- and post- test.

·  To maintain standardization of the test, all programs must use the CSDE Functional Writing Assessment Picture Scoring response sheet (front and back) dated 9/08.

·  Each district is required to identify and maintain a minimum of one staff member trained in FWA to be the Writing Contact Person (WCP). The WCP must attend one meeting per year to receive updates (materials and/or policies) concerning the writing assessment.

·  Local Examiners (anyone who has taken the 9-hour FWA training) are only qualified to score writing pre-tests informally in order to guide instruction. Local Examiners may train classroom teachers to administer the FWA, but may not train teachers to score writing samples, even informally.

·  Any person administering the FWA to students must have reviewed and signed the CT CASAS FWA Local Test Administrator Agreement form. The signed forms must be maintained by the WCP.

·  Certified Local Scorers (CLS) must maintain FWA Certification and participate in Inter-rater Reliability (IRR) practices. Life Skill and/or Workplace Picture Prompt samples will be used in Review sessions, Inter-rater Reliability (IRR) sessions, and Recertification sessions.

·  Programs MUST report to Susan Pierson at the Bureau which method of scoring (Locally or Utilizing ATDN Scoring Service) will be used no later than September 12th of the school year. This means that every adult education program will:

·  Need to have and maintain a minimum of two CLSs within its program, OR

·  Utilize the ATDN scoring service- paying a $15.00 fee per matched pair for scoring,

OR

·  Make some other arrangement approved by the Bureau. For example:

o  A program might make arrangements with a neighboring program to share the scoring, keeping in mind that each sample must be scored by two CLSs.

o  A program might hire additional CLSs to help score writing samples.

(If you need suggestions about available CLSs with whom your program could collaborate or hire, please contact ATDN: (860) 524-4054.)

·  Original FWA pre- and post-tests are to be retained by the program in a safe and secure location.

·  Scoring rubrics provide an analysis of areas needing improvement and may be shared with classroom teachers and students.

·  Students’ writing samples may not be given to teachers or students to keep or for use as teaching tools. This compromises the security of the test.

8/6/14 ATDN-KBerenson