Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus (CLA+)
Spring 2014 (Seniors Only)
The CLA+ was developed by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) with various sponsorships (e.g., Lumina, Teagle
Foundations). It incorporates an authentic performance task which is both hand and computer scored to assess
analysis and problem solving, writing effectiveness, and writing mechanics, as well as innovative questions to
assess scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical reading and evaluation, and critique-an-argument skills. The
overall score can be used to indicate how students perform relative to a national sample (percentile), as well as
mastery level (criterion-based scoring).
The Ohio State University (OSU) selected the CLA+ based on prior experience using the CLA, and because the
instrument is designed to assess skills which align with key institutional curricular goals such as analytical
reasoning, critical thinking, and communication. The revised CLA+ adds new assessments of scientific and
quantitative reasoning, and critical reading and evaluation, and offers both institutional and student-level
information. It is used in the Ohio State University College Portrait, required as part of OSU’s participation in the
Voluntary System of Accountability. Findings are shared with institutional leadership, and with relevant faculty
curricular committees in concert with other assessment findings to inform curricular and pedagogical changes as
appropriate. Overall the score provides a broad gauge as to whether soon to be graduates are performing in a
satisfactory and proficient manner on key institutional learning goals, as well as how OSU students perform
relative to others who take the test nationally (percentiles).
For the Spring 2014 CLA+ administration, an invitation to participate was sent from the Vice Provost and Dean of
Undergraduate Education to a stratified random sample of 3,000 Rank Four (i.e., senior) students matched to
population characteristics of gender, ethnicity, academic college, and Pell grant recipients for Columbus campus,
non-transfer students. The first 125 students who scheduled and participated in the testing at monitored
computer testing facilities on campus, and who completed both parts of the 90-minute assessment, were used in
the final sample. Approximately 20 students could not complete both sections of the test due to technical issues
and were not included in the final sample of 105. [A minimum sample size of n=100 was deemed appropriate by
the test’s publisher, the Council for Aid to Education (CAE)].
Findings, shown on the following page, show soon-to-be OSU graduates perform at better than 95% of students
who took the test nationally. Sub-scores further indicate areas in which students perform differentially on various
subcomponents of the test. Finally, student responses regarding their motivation indicate they took the test
seriously.
CLA+ Mastery Standards – Four level: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced
“PROFICIENT:
Students at the proficient level should be able to extract the major relevant pieces of evidence provided in
the documents and provide a cohesive argument and analysis of the task. Proficient students should be
able to distinguish the quality of the evidence in these documents and express the appropriate level of
conviction in their conclusion given the provided evidence. Additionally, students should be able to
suggest additional research and/or consider the counterarguments. Minor errors in writing need to be
defined rigorously.
Proficient students have the ability to correctly identify logical fallacies, accurately interpret quantitative
evidence, and distinguish the validity of evidence and its purpose. They should have the ability to
determine the truth and validity of an argument. Finally, students should be able to know when a graph or
table is applicable to an argument.”
CLA+ Findings – Spring 2014 – Senior Rank
Total CLA+ Score
Performance Task
Selected-Response Questions
Score
Percentile Rank
1249
1230
1268
96
95*
96*
Mastery Level
Proficient
*Reported on College Portrait
Subscores
Performance Task (Range 1-6)
Analysis and Problem Solving
Writing Effectiveness
Selected-Response Questions (Range 200-800) Mean
Scientific & Quantitative Reasoning
Critical Reading & Evaluation
Critique an argument
609
585
597
Writing Mechanics
25th Percentile
535
558
528
75th Percentile
668
619
668
Student Effort and Engagements Survey Responses
Effort:
Percentage of students who responded about the amount effort they put into the tasks
(top three options on a 5-point ordinal scale)
Performance Task
Selected-Response Questions
Engagement:
A moderate amount
24%
30%
A lot of effort
49%
49%
My best effort
27%
20%
Percentage of students who responded how engaging they found the tasks
(top three options on a 5-point ordinal scale)
Performance Task
Selected-Response Questions
Moderating engaging
49%
45%
Very engaging Extremely engaging
34%
5%
27%
2%