Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906
Telephone: (781) 338-3000
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
Adult and Community Learning Services
TO:
ABE Directors, SABES Coordinators, WIA Administrators, Career Centers, LWIB,
Teacher/All Staff
FROM:
Jolanta Conway, ABE State Director
DATE:
December 22, 2015
RE:
What's in this Mailing?
The monthly mailing for December will be posted to our website shortly. Please review the information and share with your staff.
Happy Holidays from ACLS!

SAVE THE DATES: ABE Directors’ Meeting, May 24, 25, and 26, 2016. The Directors’ Meeting will be a *one-day
only* meeting. More information to follow.

Updating the ACLS Website: ACLS has begun the process of updating its website. We have renamed some sections
(e.g., Program Development is now ACLS Services, Curriculum is now Curriculum and Instruction) and removed some
out-of-date content (e.g., deleted references to the GED). Over the next few months, look for new content and resource
links that will make the ACLS website even more valuable and useful.

ABE Transition to Community College Programs:
Do you have students graduating this month? Consider referring them to an ABE Transition to Community College
Program. ACLS funds ABE Transition Programs in 11 Massachusetts community colleges (see attached list).
Transition Programs ensure the successful transition of adult students into postsecondary education. Transition
students have access to all of the college’s resources, are issued college ID’s, and earn college credits. College for
Success and Technology for College courses equip them with the skills needed to be successful in their postsecondary
courses and in their careers. Intensive advising and wraparound services are provided to ensure students meet with
success in college. Don’t wait! Contact your community college’s Transition Coordinator today!

Curriculum Update:
-Post-College and Career Readiness Conference: What are the next steps?
-Still Need to Learn More about the CCR Standards?
-Post-College and Career Readiness Conference: ELA Resources for Programs
-Exemplar Scope and Sequences in Process of being Posted – More to Come!

HiSET® Updates:
-The 2016 Reading Subtest
-The 2016 Essay
-The 2016 Math Subtest
-Practice Tests
-Test at a Glance
-Career Builder
-Khan Academy Math Videos
-Issues with Evaluating Practice Test Scores
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
Licensure Update:
As some of you may know, Sheryl Lovit, a member of the ABE licensure review panel, passed away in late October.
Until a new panel member is hired, review of ABE performance portfolios will be suspended. ESOL portfolios, however,
will continue to be reviewed by the ESOL panel. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.

LMI and WBLP Regional Training Schedule - Professional Development Opportunity:
Attend the “Labor Market Information 101” and the “MA Work-Based Learning Plan” workshops and learn how you can
help your students become college and career ready.
For more information: http://skillslibrary.com/workshops/FY2016_Regional_Training_Series.pdf

Professional Development Announcement:
ACLS requires all ESE-funded ABE teaching staff to complete the SABES Foundations for New Staff: The Art of
Teaching course in the first 12 months of employment. This is a 10-hour course that is typically held over two days or
three evenings.

SMARTT Update:
-Wait List Verification – Due January 15, 2016
-NRS Cohort Follow Up
-SMARTT/Cognos Trainings and Support

ACLS Monthly Mailing Schedule
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Curriculum Update
Post-College and Career Readiness Conference: What are the Next Steps?
In response to feedback from the field, ACLS is reconsidering the curriculum requirements for FY16. Guidance will be emailed to
program directors detailing these modifications.
Programs seeking curriculum development support should contact the SABES PD Centers for Math, ELA, or ESOL. Contact
information is found at http://sabes.org/.
Still Need to Learn More about the CCR Standards?
The links below come from the Student Achievement Partners’ website, http://achievethecore.org/. Each link provides ready-touse professional development trainings, complete with PowerPoint, facilitator notes, and handouts for activities. They may be
used by individuals or groups of teachers or used at a staff meeting to stimulate discussion around how the standards can be
effectively implemented in instruction.
 Professional Development: Why the Common Core? How these Standards are Different
 Professional Development: Instructional Leadership and the Common Core
 Professional Development: Introduction to the ELA / Literacy Shifts
 Professional Development: Understanding Text-Dependent Questions
 Professional Development: Introduction to the Math Shifts
 Professional Development: Deep Dive into the Math Shifts
Post-College and Career Readiness Conference: English Language Arts Resources for Programs (Also Helpful for
ESOL Teachers)
Thank you to the 350-plus teachers and directors who attended the Implementing the CCR Standards in the ABE and ESOL
Classroom conference. Resources from the SABES PD Center for English Language Arts (ELA) are available on the Center’s
website. Among all the great resources, selected below are ones that both ABE and ESOL teachers may find especially useful in
developing or refining a scope and sequence or units:
 Production Standards: ELA Standards used to frame Culminating Unit Projects
 General Feedback for all August 2015 ELA Scope and Sequence Submissions (useful for those who have yet to tackle
an ELA scope and sequence)
 Two versions of a one page document of all the ELA Anchor standards for easy reference (horizontal layout and vertical
layout)
 Sample Unit Purpose Statements from Exemplar ELA Scope and Sequences
 Research-based Instructional Practices in Writing from Teaching Excellence in Literacy. The TEAL website is a great
resource in itself.
Exemplar Scope and Sequences in Process of being Posted; more to come
Jane Schwerdtfeger and the SABES PD Center directors for Math, ESOL, and ELA identified exemplary samples from all three
content areas. Excerpts from two exemplar scope and sequences for ELA, from Cambridge Community Learning Center and
New Bedford Public Schools, are available now on the website of the SABES PD Center for ELA. ACLS is in the process of
posting additional samples for Math and ESOL. We are grateful to the directors of these programs for sharing their work with the
field. Any program staff borrowing from these exemplary materials must cite their source within their own materials.
Shortly, programs will be able to access these materials from the ACLS Curriculum Resources web page and the appropriate
SABES PD Center. Additional terrific examples will be posted over time for programs to view and use.
Questions? Contact Jane Schwerdtfeger at janes@doe.mass.edu
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HiSET® Updates
The 2016 HiSET® will contain subtle but significant differences from the current test. Since this is the final Monthly Mailing before
the new test is rolled out, below is a review of the key changes in certain subtests, along with information on selected materials
which may be useful to inform preparation.
The 2016 Reading Subtest


Includes a set of paired passages and related questions
Greater emphasis is placed on close reading: the interpretation of individual words, phrases, and sentences.
The 2016 Essay



The 2016 essay will be based on “evidence from text”: paired passages plus a related prompt
The Scoring Rubric has been rewritten but not essentially changed – a “2” will still pass
The average score of the two Readers will be averaged down, not up. In 2015, a “1” and a “2” from the two Readers
would have earned a “2”. In 2016, that same scenario will result in a score of “1” and the examinee will not pass.
Two documents are now available to assist teachers and students in adapting to these changes.


The 2016 Scored Sample Writing Responses document includes an evidence-based writing prompt and six sample
essays with commentary, one for each of the six essay scoring points.
The 2016 Writing Response Scoring Guide is the updated scoring rubric for the 2016 essay.
Both of these documents may be accessed through the HiSET ® website,
http://hiset.ets.org/states_educators/resources/downloads/
Two other important points of consideration for the 2016 Essay:


The Essay must have evidence from at least one of the paired passages. If not, the examinee will receive a “0”.
The Essay must make reference to the opposing viewpoint of the examinee. If the examinee is arguing ‘Yes,” she
must at least acknowledge the possibility of “No.”
The 2016 Math Subtest


Items involving imaginary/complex numbers, added to the 2015 test, have been removed for 2016.
The 2016 Formula Sheet has been re-formatted and will contain trigonometric ratios.
The 2016 Science and Social Studies subtests contain completely new items but the Content and Process Categories remain
essentially unchanged.
Practice Tests
Updated practice tests are now available, reflecting the changes to the 2016 Language Arts-Writing, Language Arts -Reading,
and Mathematics subtests. The new releases include evidence-based writing prompts, a set of a paired passages, and new
mathematics items. There are no new practice tests in Social Studies and Science for the reasons stated above. For a
breakdown of the updates and for methods of purchasing the new practice tests, please see the Quick Reference Guide (PDF).
Test at a Glance
Test at a Glance (TAAG) is a document that provides an outline of the Content and Process Categories for each of the five
subject areas on the HiSET®.
The Math section of the 2016 TAAG has been updated to include:
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



descriptions of the topics covered in the basic content categories;
a list of the High School College and Career Readiness Statements that are included in the Mathematics test;
the calculator policy; and
a list of formulas students should know but which are not on the formula sheet.
The 2016 TAAG contains College and Career Readiness Standards for Reading, Writing and Mathematics. All subtest areas
have been updated to include approximate percentages and new content areas.
In addition, new 2016 Sample Questions for each of the five subtests, with Depth of Knowledge levels, are now available.
Each of these documents may be accessed through the HiSET ® website,
http://hiset.ets.org/states_educators/resources/downloads/
Career Builder
CareerBuilder provides labor market intelligence, talent management software, and other employment recruitment solutions,
including online career search services. Interested individuals may now launch CareerBuilder directly from the HiSET® website,
http://afterhiset.ets.org/
Khan Academy Math Videos
In collaboration with Khan Academy, the HiSET® program has identified videos and exercises that can assist examinees in
preparing for the HiSET® math test. These training videos can improve the procedural skills in Numbers and Operations,
Geometry, Data Analysis and Algebra that are needed to be successful on the HiSET® math test. These videos can be accessed
either from the HiSET® website, http://hiset.ets.org/s/pdf/list_free_videos.pdf, or from the Khan Academy website,
https://www.khanacademy.org/
Test Preparation Providers
The HiSET® website now contains a list of products and publishers of HiSET® test prep materials for educators and test takers.
This list can be accessed at http://hiset.ets.org/states_educators/about/test_prep/providers/?WT.dcsvid=NjQ0Njg2MjA3NDkS1.
These products were reviewed by third parties for alignment with the HiSET® exam, but are not endorsed or approved by either
ETS or ACLS.
Issues with Evaluating Practice Test Scores
The Educational Testing Service has recently brought to our attention certain inaccuracies in the math range tables in the
document Are You Ready to Take the HiSET® Exam? This is the table that allows you to determine, based on HiSET ® Practice
Test scores, whether an individual is likely to succeed on the official HiSET ® Exam. Due to a glitch in the system, the math
tables reverted to pre-2015 levels when the newest editions of the HiSET ® Practice Tests were released in September, 2015.
Therefore, the math tables published between September 1, 2015, and December 18, 2015 were inaccurate. If you downloaded
and/or printed this document between these dates, please discard it. The Are You Ready to Take the HiSET® Exam? document
is now accurate and can be accessed at http://hiset.ets.org/s/pdf/practice_test_results.pdf.
5
Professional Development Announcement
ACLS requires all ESE-funded ABE teaching staff to complete the SABES Foundations for New Staff: The Art of Teaching
course in the first 12 months of employment. This is a 10-hour course that is typically held over two days or three evenings.
During this course, practitioners explore many facets of ABE teaching such as: the adult learner, fostering a critically reflective
practice, adult learning theories, writing learning objectives aligned with the CCR Standards and MA ESOL Curriculum
Framework, effective teaching approaches, and incorporating a range of assessments. Participants must have successfully
completed the online SABES Foundations for New Staff: Overview of the ABE Field to register for this course. Note that teaching
staff do not need to take this course if they were previously employed at an ESE-funded ABE program and already possess a
Certificate of Completion from the Foundations course or from its predecessor, the New Staff Orientation. The Art of Teaching
course schedule for Winter/Spring 2016 is as follows:
ART OF TEACHING Winter/Spring 2016 Course Schedule
January 23 and February 6, 2016
Quinsigamond Community
Saturday day
(snowdates: January 30 and February College, Worcester
20, 2016)
March 5 and April 9, 2016
Plymouth Public Library,
Plymouth
Saturday day
March 19 and April 2, 2016
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood
Center, Quincy
Saturday day
March 9, March 23, and April 13,
2016
(snowdate: April 20, 2016)
Northern Essex Community
College Riverwalk, Lawrence
Wednesday evening
April 9 and April 23, 2016
Picknelly Adult and Family
Education Center
(PAFEC), Holyoke
Quinsigamond Community
College, Worcester
Saturday day
April 30 and May 14, 2016
Saturday day
For Saturday trainings, Day One is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Day Two is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30
p.m. Wednesday evening trainings are scheduled from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. For more information about these course offerings, visit
the SABES calendar.
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SMARTT Update, December 2015
1) Wait List Verification - Due January 15, 2016
The Waitlist Verification as listed in the ACLS Guidelines is due annually by December 1. The deadline for this year is
extended to January 15 since the reminder was not sent out earlier. The wait list verification screen can be accessed by
clicking on “Waitlist” and then on “Waitlist Verification” on the left menu. The screen lists a checkbox to verify that you have
reviewed the wait list data by length of time:
* less than 1 year
* 1- 2 years
* 2 - 3 years
* more than 3 years
The signature verification box is similar to the site rollover request indicating that the program coordinator assures that the
information is accurate. When you check the box you are indicating that: “The wait list information contained within this
report is true and accurate and does not need to be updated or corrected”.
The Waitlist search screen provides the capability to search students by Site, Period on Waitlist (less than 1 year, 1-2 years,
2-3 years, more than 3 years), Last Name, Status, (current, all, removed, intaken) and type (ABE or ESOL).
Please review the Wait List policy below. The policy can also be found in the FY15 ACLS Massachusetts Policies for
Effective Adult Basic Education in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions on page 12 at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abeprogram/GuidelinesCI.pdf.
Wait List Policy
The network of ESE-funded adult education programs is a system, and its students are protected from avoidable
interruptions in their learning. When students in ESE-funded programs change communities, change jobs, are released
from a correctional setting, or lose access to a class for any reason, the system must provide them with the ability to transfer
to another program or to a Distance Learning Instructional Hub without returning to a wait list.

The Department requires its ABE grant recipients to immediately enroll any student in good standing who
seeks to transfer from another ESE-funded ABE program, or place this student at the top of the appropriate
waiting list. This includes students from other ESE-funded ABE programs including workplace education, ABE
Programs in Correctional Institutions, and students enrolled in a Distance Learning Instructional Hub.
Active, updated, and accurate wait lists are essential for community providers to fill available seats promptly, and for the
state to gauge the current demand for adult basic education.

The Department requires Community Adult Learning Center grant recipients to maintain an active wait list for
applicants who are unable to enroll in any instructional classes due to capacity constraints.

Community Adult Learning Centers must keep their wait list up to date. At a minimum, all students placed on
the wait list must be contacted annually to determine whether they are still interested in enrolling in the
program. Any waitlist records older than 18 months should be reviewed and deleted as appropriate so
that SMARTT wait list numbers are accurate.
Wait lists that are not actively maintained, that are out-of-date or inflated, lead policymakers to question the validity of the
demand, and actually do more harm than good.

ACLS requires Community Adult Learning Centers to submit a "Wait List Update" in SMARTT by January 15,
2016, attesting that the wait list information is up to date and accurate. The program must indicate for every
student on the wait list whether the student has been assessed or not. Only applicants for whom such
confirmation is obtained shall remain on the wait list; all others must be removed.
Optional assessment information may also be entered to indicate date assessed, test name, and score. If a student who is
removed from the SMARTT wait list contacts the program again in the future, either the previous or new wait list date may
be entered, at the discretion of the program.
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2) NRS Cohort Follow-Up
Please make sure that you follow-up with students who are listed on the NRS Cohort screen who are exited and require
follow-up. When following up on students who entered post-secondary education, make sure that the date entered is after
the exit date which is shown on the NRS Cohort screen. If you are following up on the employment cohorts, you need to ask
the student when he/she became employed after leaving the program. Note that data matching uses the middle date of the
middle quarter month so we don’t expect the dates to be exact.
 For enter employment, the dates must be in the quarter AFTER the student exited.
 For retained employment, the dates must be in the third quarter AFTER the student exited. You do not want to
follow-up too soon for the retained employment cohort.
For more information concerning the cohort measure definitions, populations, and timeframes for follow up, please see
pages 32-33 within the NRS Implementation Guidelines at http://www.nrsweb.org/docs/implementationguidelines.pdf.
3) SMARTT/Cognos Trainings and Support
The following upcoming trainings are on the SABES website at: http://calendar.sabes.org. Register by clicking the register
icon on the workshop title on the SABES calendar.
Intro to Cognos (Online): January 11-29, 2016
SMARTT New User (Online): February 1-26, 2016
SMARTT / Cognos Update
Reviewing Mid Year Data (Live Webinar):
January 26, 2016 at 10am
January 28, 2016 at 5pm
February 4, 2016 at 1pm
February 5, 2016 at 1pm
For SMARTT or Cognos technical assistance, bookmark http://smartthelp.zendesk.com. At that page, in the upper right, click
"Submit a Request (https://smartthelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)" or just browse the help files there.
Questions? Please contact Brian Newquist at BNewquist@doe.mass.edu
8
ACLS Monthly Mailing Schedule
Electronic Materials Due:
Mailing Goes Out
Friday, January 8th
Friday, January 15th
Friday, February 5th
Friday, February 12th
Friday, March 4th
Friday, March 11th
Friday, April 1st
Friday, April 8th
Friday, May 6th
Friday, May 13th
Friday, June 3rd
Friday, June 10th
Friday , July 1st
Friday, July 8th
Friday, August 5th
Friday, August 12th
Friday, September 2nd
Friday, September 9th
Friday, October 7th
Friday, October 14th
Friday, November 4th
Thursday, November 10th
Friday, December 2nd
Friday, December 9th
Year 2016
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