Sample University Teacher Education
Elementary Education
Assessment #2: Elementary Content Achievement Tests
Narrative
 A brief description of the assessment, project, portfolio and its use in the program. Explain specificity
of the assessment to the standard/s. An assessment may assess several standards at the same time;
A series of content tests form the Elementary Content Achievement Tests. Since Fall 2005, before
admission to teacher education, elementary education candidates have been required to take and pass an
achievement test, the College Academic Subject Examination (CBASE), a criterion-referenced examination
designed to evaluate academic achievement in core college curriculum: English, mathematics, science,
and social studies. Category scores were examined for admission to the elementary education program.
Passing Score: The passing score is set for each category area (English, mathematics, science, and
social studies) at 235. All candidates must meet the passing score in each area before admission to the
elementary program.
 The alignment of the assessment with the specific ACEI standards addressed by the assessment, as
they are identified in Section III;
The CBASE provides a means of determining and tracking student strengths and weaknesses related to
Elementary Standards 2.1-2.4. Table 1 shows the alignment between stated objectives of the CBASE and
the ACEI Elementary Content Standards 2.1-2.4.
Table 2: CBASE Objectives Alignment with ACEI Elementary Content Standards 2.1, 2.2., 2.3, and
2.4.
College BASE
ACEI
College BASE Objective
Category
Standard
English: Reading and Read accurately and critically by asking pertinent questions,
2.1
Literature
Read a literary text analytically, seeing relationships between form and
content. Understand a range of literature, rich in quality and
representative of different literary forms and historical contexts.
English: Writing
Understand the various elements of the writing process, including
2.1
collecting information and formulating ideas, determining relationships,
arranging sentences and paragraphs, establishing transitions, and
revising what has been written. Uses the conventions of standard
written English. Writes an organized, coherent, and effective essay.
Mathematics:
Use mathematical techniques in the solution of real-life problems. Use
2.3
General Proficiency the language, notation, and deductive nature of mathematics to
express quantitative ideas with precision. Use the techniques of
statistical reasoning and recognize common misuses of statistics.
Mathematics:
Evaluate algebraic and numerical expressions.
Algebra
Solve equations and inequalities.
Mathematics:
Recognize two- and three-dimensional figures and their properties.
Geometry
Use the properties of two- and three-dimensional figures to perform
geometrical calculations.
College BASE
College BASE Objective
Category
Science: Laboratory Recognize the role of observation and experimentation in the
and Field Work
development of scientific theories. Recognize appropriate procedures
for gathering scientific information through laboratory and fieldwork.
Interpret and express the results of observation and experimentation
Science:
Understand the fundamental concepts, principles, and theories of the
Fundamental
life sciences. Understand the fundamental concepts, principles, and
Concepts
theories of the physical sciences.
Note: Earth and space science is subsumed by “physical sciences.”
Social Studies:
Recognize the chronology and significance of major events and
History
movements in world history. Recognize the chronology and
significance of major events and movements in United States history.
Social Studies:
Recognize basic features and concepts of world geography.
Social Sciences
Recognize basic features and concepts of the world’s political and
economic structures. Recognize appropriate investigative and
interpretive procedures in the social sciences.
ACEI
Standard
2.2
2.4
 A brief summary of the data findings;
Fall 2010 was a transition semester. It was the first semester when the CBASE became required for
admission for teacher education. The data reported are for those in Core I, the first semester of teacher
education after students are admitted. A total of 42 students entered Core I, the first semester of Teacher
Education, monitored by new admission criteria, one of which was the CBASE. Seven of the students took
the CBase and were cleared on no-fault scores before the beginning of this fall semester but had not yet
taken their first course. These students were admitted without CBASE scores. Reading, Writing and Math
scores on the CBase were not required of one student who was admitted in a previous semester with
sufficient PPST scores. Scores are reported for the remaining 34 students in reading, writing, and math on
the CBase. Additionally, scores are reported for the remaining 35 students in science and social studies.
The Board of Regents allowed 5% of the entering group to be entered by exception. No more than 2
students were entered by exception during Fall 2010.
 An interpretation of how that data provides evidence for meeting standards
The mean scores for all CBase tests were above 310 in Fall 2010. The lowest scores were in the area of
social studies. There is no clear indication of why these lower scores in Social Studies might occur.
However, the CBase has several tests within a 2-hour time frame; social studies is the last. There are no
marks of time between tests. Because candidates take a set of courses identified to meet the standards in
each of these areas, it is thought that the low scores might be due to time constraints. As an admission
requirement, no students enter without successfully completing the CBASE.
Sample University
Elementary Education
Assessment #2 Elementary Content Achievement Tests
Fall 2010 Data Tables: CBase
Fall 2005
CBase
Reading
ACEI 2.1
N=34
CBase
Writing
ACEI 2.1
N=34
CBase
Math
ACEI 2.2
N=34
CBase
Science
ACEI 2.3
235
235
235
235
CBase
Social
Studies
ACEI 2.4
N=35
235
317
224-398
311
236-386
346
262-449
315
223-435
311
206-421
1
0
0
2
2
34/34
100%
34/34
100%
34/34
100%
35/35
100%
35/35
100%
CBase
Reading
ACEI 2.1
N=26
CBase
Writing
ACEI 2.1
N=26
CBase
Math
ACEI 2.2
N=26
CBase
Science
ACEI 2.3
N=33
235
235
235
235
CBase
Social
Studies
ACEI 2.4
N=33
235
315
225-390
309
237-382
330
246-445
310
230-419
304
220-412
1*
0
0
1
1
25/26
96%
26/26
100%
26/26
100%
33/33
100%
33/33
100%
Fall 2006 OK
Numbered Entered
= 59
Enrolled = 61
CBase
Reading
ACEI 2.1
N=42
CBase
Writing
ACEI 2.1
N=42
CBase
Math
ACEI 2.2
N=42
CBase
Science
ACEI 2.3
N=58
Required Passing
Score
Mean
Range on First Take
Number with No
Passing Scores on
First Take
235
235
235
235
CBase
Social
Studies
ACEI 2.4
N=58
235
304
204-420
2
287
146-392
2
315
232-418
1
306
205-424
3
292
142-434
5
Required Passing
Score
Mean
Range on First
Take
Number with No
Passing Scores
Total Number
Passing
(Including
retakes)
Spring 2011 Data Tables: CBase
Spring 2006
Required Passing
Score
Mean
Range on First
Take
Number with No
Passing Scores
Total Number
Passing
(Including
retakes)
*Deaf student entered on exception
Fall 2011 Data Tables: CBase
Fall 2006 OK
Numbered Entered
= 59
Enrolled = 61
CBase
Reading
ACEI 2.1
N=42
CBase
Writing
ACEI 2.1
N=42
CBase
Math
ACEI 2.2
N=42
CBase
Science
ACEI 2.3
N=58
CBase
Social
Studies
ACEI 2.4
N=58
57/58*
98%
Total Number
Passing (Including
retakes)
42/42
100%
42/42
100%
42/42
100%
58/58
100%
CBase
Reading
ACEI 2.1
N=27
CBase
Writing
ACEI 2.1
N=28
CBase
Math
ACEI 2.2
N=22
CBase
Science
ACEI 2.3
N=41
235
235
235
235
CBase
Social
Studies
ACEI 2.4
N=41
235
307
250-394
0
304
238-362
0
328
253-447
0
309
200-408
2
291
227-365
4
27/27
100%
28/28
100%
22/22
100%
41/41
100%
40/41
98%
Spring 2012 Data Tables: CBase
Spring 2007 OK
Required Passing
Score
Mean
Range on First Take
Number with No
Passing Scores on
First Take
Total Number
Passing (Including
retakes)