New Jersey Grade Eight Pilot Assessment Project

The STAMP is a criterion-referenced test based on a set of standards consistent with ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. Using computer-adaptive testing technology, STAMP identifies students’ proficiency from the Novice-Low through the Intermediate-Mid range. The key characteristics of STAMP are as follows:

Districts need a recent browser and Internet connection to administer the STAMP. For most students, the amount of time needed to complete the reading and speaking sections of STAMP is 60-65 minutes. When students log on to the test site, they first complete a short biographical questionnaire. They then proceed to the reading section instructions and sample items. Students may answer up to two sample items, and feedback is given for their responses to these samples. After this, they complete the reading assessment. Because STAMP is a computer-adaptive test, the delivery of STAMP test items is different for each student. Initially, all students get mid-level questions. As a student correctly or incorrectly answers the questions, the computer delivers higher- or lower-level test items, eventually establishing the appropriate benchmark level for the student. Throughout the test, the selection of test items is randomized, and the order of the four answer choices in the reading section is also randomized. In this way, students take individual, customized tests at their specific levels of competency.

After the reading benchmark level has been established, the students move on to the speaking section. Again, they begin with instructions and two sample items. The speaking section prompts are dependent on the benchmark level the student attained in the reading section. A speaking item at the student’s level of proficiency is randomly selected and presented to the student. As they speak, students may view the rubrics that will be used to grade their response so that they are aware of the criteria they must meet. This phase of the test does require that students have access to headset microphones to record their responses, which are streamed to an LLS Flashcom server. This technology is inexpensive and negates the need for costly equipment such as tape recorders and audiocassettes, traditionally used to collect student speaking samples. The STAMP test also utilizes voice recognition software that will be used to evaluate elicited response items that students will be asked to repeat and record into the system, thus allowing the system to machine score a certain amount of student speech samples and offer one more level of assurance and accuracy as connected to proficiency levels.

STAMP was developed to measure student proficiency or how well a student can actually use the language in communicative situations. Students interact with authentic and semi-authentic texts in a real world context. An understanding of second language and culture is implicit in the task and text. For instance, a reading item may present students with an actual bus schedule and ask them to select the appropriate route and departure time required to arrive at a particular location in time for a concert. In a speaking task, students may record a phone message to their friends about their plan for the day of the concert. All reading items provide students with a context, a piece of authentic or semi-authentic text, and then a task. Students have a choice of four responses. Speaking items are more open ended but share the quality of providing a culturally authentic context. One of the advantages of Web-based testing is that tasks such as obtaining information from a Web page are highly authentic and well contextualized. The STAMP is currently being used by 6 states, 30 school districts and 15 universities, and the same technology is being used for universal ESL testing in Minnesota and Oregon.

In order to facilitate curricular and instructional improvements, teachers receive detailed feedback on their students’ performance. Reports based on student and class performance are posted online for teachers to access. These reports give teachers concrete feedback on students’ overall proficiency as well as breakdowns of student performance according to topic and task type.

Reading scores are generated automatically by the computer and results are available immediately after the test has been completed. The class or group report shows the demonstrated proficiency of all members in the form of a 1-5 score. In addition, class or group results may be viewed by topic. Teachers or administrators can track how a class is doing by topic and use this information to evaluate curriculum and identify weak spots in connection with specific topic areas. The speaking report, also posted online, shows the speaking prompt and rubrics given. The student’s spoken response to the prompt is accessible via a "play" button that allows the teacher to hear the student’s responses to each prompt and view the scores assigned with the attached rubric. The teacher can also print out individual reports that can be placed in a file or given to the student. These reports detail the reading and speaking levels attained and include narrative descriptions of what students are able to do at each of the levels. The reports are also accessible from several levels, including a state-level view that posts all data in summary formats, as well as drilling down to individual school and student reports to teacher-level views that show only the teachers’ individual classrooms. The data can also be exported into a spreadsheet that allows the user to view and sort the achievement and demographic data in any way that the user wants to manipulate it.