CASAS Update

CASAS Issues Change in Listening Test Series (51-56)

The Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) test publisher has notified Florida Department of Education and local adult education agencies regarding a change in its listening test series.  Local adult education agencies that provide adult ESOL classes and use the CASAS test are required to phase out the use of the CASAS Life Skills listening test series (51-56) in the upcoming 2009-2010 academic year.

CASAS has notified the state that it will no longer sell the Life Skills 51-56 listening test forms after June 30, 2009.  In order for local agencies to make the shift to the Life and Work 81-86 listening test forms, agencies will need to order new test forms.

Local agencies must begin using the Life and Work (L&W) 81-86 listening test series during the 2009-2010 school year.  It is highly recommended that local agencies begin using the L&W 81-86 series in the fall of 2009 with all students, incoming and returning.  This will ensure that local agencies can obtain a baseline pre-test score on the L&W 81-86 series for all incoming and returning students.  By administering a pre-test on the revised listening test in the fall of 2009, this will ensure that local agencies will obtain a reliable and valid post-test score on the adult ESOL student population as they progress in the school year.

For more information, contact the CASAS representative for Florida, Linda Taylor, at ltaylor@casas.org., or Phil Anderson, FL DOE Adult ESOL Program Specialist, at telephone (850) 245-9450 or by email at philip.anderson@fldoe.org.

Additional information about the revised listening series is at the CASAS website: https://www.casas.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showContent&MapID=2364.

The costs for purchasing test books can be found in the CASAS catalog at www.casas.org.