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What is the timeline for transitioning to BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0?

On March 18, 2024, the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education has extended the use of the current ESL educational functioning level descriptors and the approval of BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy for use by federally funded programs that report data through the National Reporting System (NRS) through June 30, 2025. Until June 30, 2025, the current ESL educational functioning level (EFL) descriptors and the new ESL educational functioning level descriptors will be in effect, and both generations of BEST Assessments will be accepted. After June 30, 2025, BEST Literacy and BEST Plus 2.0 will no longer be accepted for NRS reporting purposes or offered for purchase by CAL.

The new generation of BEST Assessments – BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0 – are approved for the NRS reporting purposes through July 13, 2030. BEST Literacy 2.0 is available for purchase now!  BEST Plus 3.0 will launch in 2024. Training, tests, and materials will be available for programs at this time. Training for new and existing BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrators will be available as a self-paced self-access online training course which will be free of charge for a limited time.

Programs must use the same generation of assessment for pre-test and post-test.

Read the Federal Register official notice.

How long can I continue using BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy?

The BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy tests are approved for NRS accountability reporting through June 30, 2025. Programs are free to choose either generation of BEST assessments during the transition period.

After June 30, 2025, BEST Literacy and BEST Plus 2.0 will no longer be accepted for NRS reporting purposes or offered for purchase by CAL.

Can I pre-test with the older generation and post-test with the newer generation of the tests?

No. For scores to be comparable, you should always pre- and post-test with the same generation of test. For example, if you pre-test with BEST Plus 2.0 you should post-test with BEST Plus 2.0.

Will I be able to exchange BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy tests for the new generations?

No. Unfortunately, CAL is not able to provide credit for any remaining BEST Plus 2.0 or BEST Literacy tests. We recommend monitoring your remaining tests (your BEST Plus 2.0 test balance can be accessed on the test activation website) and ordering only what you need until your program transitions fully to the newer tests.

Will there be new pricing for the new tests and materials?

Yes. Please refer to the BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0 Pricing Schedule.

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What is the difference between BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Plus 3.0?

CAL created BEST Plus 3.0 with the following updates:

  • Alignment to the 2016 English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPs) and the 2017 National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels (NRS EFLs). The computer-based version of BEST Plus 3.0 measures NRS levels 1-6. The print-based version measures levels 1-4. View scale score to NRS level conversion chart here.
  • A new multi-staged adaptive format underlying the test.
  • A new Part B section of the test with new question types, and a new category in the rubric that measures higher proficiency performances.
  • Updated question types and images that reflect contemporary life in the U.S.
  • A brand new, user-friendly test platform application with cloud-based data storage.
  • An easy-access, cloud-based portal to manage the program’s test data.

Updated training and test materials accompanying these updates will be released soon. More information will be available in the BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrator Guide and the BEST Plus 3.0 Technical Report.

I am not yet a certified test administrator for BEST Plus 2.0. Can I still take the BEST Plus 2.0 training, or should I wait for BEST Plus 3.0 training?

Yes, you may still complete BEST Plus 2.0 training. CAL will be conducting virtual training workshops for BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administrator candidates and will be posting the workshop registration information on the BEST Plus 2.0 Training webpage. You may also contact aea@cal.org to be put in contact with a local trainer. BEST Plus 2.0 training will allow you to administer the BEST Plus 2.0 test as soon as possible, and it will provide foundational knowledge for the BEST Plus 3.0 training. Existing test administrators may choose to skip the first part of the new training which covers existing content and scoring formats, or take it as a refresher. Materials from the entire training will be included in the final certification quiz.

Is training required for BEST Plus 3.0?

Yes, BEST Plus 3.0 includes brand new question types and a new scoring category. Therefore, all prospective BEST Plus 3.0 test administrators are required to complete training, including those currently certified to administer BEST Plus 2.0.

CAL will soon offer a brand-new self-access, self-paced, online training course for BEST Plus 3.0. This training will be free of charge for all users for a limited time for existing BEST Plus 2.0 users and those who are new to BEST assessments.

What are the available training formats?

CAL will soon offer a brand new self-access, self-paced, online training course for BEST Plus 3.0. This training will be free of charge for all users for a limited time. This includes existing BEST Plus 2.0 users and those who are new to BEST assessments. Once local trainers have been certified as BEST Plus 3.0 trainers, they may offer additional training opportunities in your state.

How long is the BEST Plus 3.0 training?

Because BEST Plus 3.0 contains new question types and a new scoring category, BEST Plus 3.0 training will be slightly longer than the current BEST Plus 2.0 training. CAL is currently developing BEST Plus 3.0 training materials, and more information about the training will be available soon.

How can existing BEST Plus 2.0 trainers become certified BEST Plus 3.0 trainers?

CAL will communicate with current trainers about upcoming requirements.

How long after I pre-test with BEST Plus 3.0 can I administer a posttest?

CAL recommends that BEST Plus 3.0 be given as a posttest after a minimum of 40 hours or one semester of instruction following pre-testing. Learner- and program-related factors may warrant varying from these recommendations. For programs receiving federal funding, BEST Plus 3.0 should be administered as a posttest based on the requirements defined in their state’s assessment policy.

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What is the difference between BEST Literacy and BEST Literacy 2.0?

BEST Literacy 2.0 and all training materials are now available for purchase! This test is approved for NRS accountability reporting through July 13, 2030.

CAL created BEST Literacy 2.0 with the following updates:

  • Alignment to the 2016 English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPs) and the 2017 National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels (NRS EFLs). BEST Literacy 2.0 measures NRS levels 1-4. View scale score to NRS level conversion chart here.
  • Updated question types and themes that reflect contemporary life in the U.S.
  • A set of sample questions which may be reviewed with examinees at the beginning of the test administration session, to prepare examinees to respond to the Reading and Writing test questions.

Please note: BEST Literacy 2.0 measures examinees’ performances from NRS Level 1 through NRS Level 4. Examinees who are above NRS Level 4 will exit out of BEST Literacy 2.0.

More information can be found in the BEST Literacy 2.0 Test Manual.

Is training required for BEST Literacy 2.0?

Yes. Test administrators and/or scorers are required to read through the BEST Literacy 2.0 Test Manual before beginning administering and scoring the test. An optional self-access, self-paced online training course is also available for purchase as an additional training resource.

What is the timeline for transitioning to BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0?

Test administrator training will be available to all current and prospective test administrators by January 2024. Tests and materials will be available for programs with qualified BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrators at that time. You may continue to use the older generations of the tests (BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy) through June 2024. After June 2024, only the newer generations of the tests (BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0) will be supported. CAL will release more information in future newsletters and on the AEA website.

Can I continue using BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy during the transition?

The BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy tests are approved for use through June 2024. These tests will expire after June 2024.

Can I pre-test with the older generation and post-test with the newer generation of the tests?

No. For scores to be comparable, you should always pre- and post-test with the same generation of test. For example, if you pre-test with BEST Plus 2.0 you should post-test with BEST Plus 2.0.

Will I be able to exchange BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy tests for the new generations?

No. Unfortunately, CAL is not able to provide credit for any remaining BEST Plus 2.0 or BEST Literacy tests. We recommend monitoring your remaining tests (your BEST Plus 2.0 test balance can be accessed on the test activation website) and ordering only what you need until your program transitions fully to the newer tests.

Will there be new pricing for the new tests and materials?

Yes. The updated pricelist will be available by December 2023.