Instruments
Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES)
The Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES) are questionnaires evaluating social, behavioral, and academic skills related to learning in school. Specifically, ACES measures academic skills in reading, language, mathematics, and critical thinking as well as academic enablers such as motivation, interpersonal skills, engagement, and study skills.
ACES has three versions: ACES-Teacher Form (ACES-TF), ACES-Student Form (ACES-SF), and ACES-College Form (ACES-CF). ACES-TF is for grades K-12 and consists of 73 items using a 5-point Likert scale. ACES-SF is for grades 6-12 and consists of 68 items. The ACES-CF is for students enrolled in colleges or technical schools and consists of 66 items.
As of 2022, ACES-2 is in the process of development and validation, see more details here.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts, Math
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Accuplacer
Accuplacer is College Board’s suite of online tests in reading, writing, and math used for placing college students in coursework that is appropriate for their preparation level. In 2016, Accuplacer was redesigned to align with the content assessed by the SAT exams as well as with the skills important for college readiness.
The Accuplacer suite includes:
1. The Reading test focusing on four domains: information and ideas, rhetoric, synthesis, and vocabulary;
2. The Writing test focusing on two domains: expression of ideas and standard English conventions;
3. The Math test that is aligned with state college and career readiness standards;
4. The WritePlacer and WitePlacer ESL tests evaluating students’ essay writing;
5. The Accuplacer ESL test that helps place ESL and EFL students in appropriate language courses.
All Accuplacer tests except for the WritePlacer are multiple choice.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
ACT
The ACT is a standardized college admission exam. It measures high school students’ readiness for college and career success by focusing on key content areas such as English, math, reading, and science (with the optional writing section). Multiple-choice questions are used in the English, math, reading, and science sections, and scores are converted into a composite score between 1 and 36.
ACT also provides score interpretations based on its College and Career Readiness Standards, which can provide secondary schools with information to improve instruction. Furthermore, ACT scores can be compared against College Readiness Benchmarks to determine whether students meet the minimum requirements for college success.
Year developed: 1959.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 11th Grade, 12th Grade
ACT Engage
ACT’s Engage assessments measure motivational, skill, social engagement, and self-regulatory constructs related to academic performance in college.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
aimswebPlus Math
The aimswebPlus math assessments are sold by Pearson. These online assessments include curriculum-based measures (CBM) and a standards-based assessment designed for screening, progress monitoring, and evaluation of intervention.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
aimswebPlus Reading
The aimswebPlus reading subtests screen and monitor the reading skills of PreK–12 students. aimswebPlus also has add-on screeners for behavior and dyslexia.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
CampusReady
CampusReady is an instrument that examines schools’ strengths and weaknesses in preparing students for college. Originally known as the CollegeCareerReady School Diagnostic when it was first introduced in 2009, CampusReady utilizes David Conley’s Four Keys to College and Career Readiness, which comprise cognitive strategies, content knowledge, academic behaviors, and contextual skills and awareness. CampusReady target respondents are students in grades 6-12, teachers, counselors, and administrators.
CampusReady generates four comprehensive reports: the Participant Information Report, which gathers data on participants; the Aspirations Report, which focuses on students’ future plans; the Four Keys to College and Career Readiness Report, which evaluates college readiness across the four dimensions of David Conley’s model; and the Targeted Recommendations Report, which provides customized recommendations for the school or district that utilized CampusReady. These reports serve as valuable resources for schools and districts seeking to improve their college readiness strategies by fostering students’ knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Additionally, schools gain access to a database of effective interventions targeting college readiness.
Year developed: 2013 in its current version, 2009 as CollegeCareerReady School Diagnostic.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Career and College Readiness Self-Efficacy Inventory (CCRSI)
Initially intended to assess the impact of a career planning program at a gifted and talented baccalaureate magnet high school in a Southeastern city, the College and Career Readiness Self-Efficacy Inventory (CCRSI) is a tool that measures an individual's belief in their ability to enter a career pathway and be successful in higher education settings. The CCRSI contains 14 statements that ask about one's confidence in performing behaviors that are important for college and career readiness, covering four main factors: College Knowledge, Positive Personal Characteristics, Academic Competence, and Potential to Achieve Future Goals. The scale uses a Likert scale ranging from “5: strongly agree” to “1: strongly disagree,” and the CCRSI’s overall score ranges from 14 (low) to 70 (high).
Year developed: 2012.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
CIRP Freshman Survey (TFS)
Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) developed the Freshman Survey for collecting data on incoming college freshmen. The CIRP Freshman Survey focuses on the following domains: established behaviors in high school, academic preparedness, admissions decisions, expectations of college, interactions with peers and faculty, student values and goals, student demographic characteristics, and concerns about financing college.
Year developed: 1966.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES)
The College Academic Self-Efficacy Scales (CASES) measures college students’ self-reported academic self-efficacy. CASES asks respondents to rate their confidence in various college activities such as note-taking, asking questions, writing, and class attendance. CASES has 33 items using a 5-points Likert scale ranging from 0 “very little confidence” to 4 “quite a lot of confidence”.
Year developed: 1988.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
College Readiness Assessment
The College Readiness Assessment (CRA) is a learning progression-based measure of the trajectory of students’ abilities to connect representations of mathematical functions in grades 6-12. As a formative assessment building on cognitive research in mathematics learning, the CRA aims to help students transition smoothly from middle school to college-level math coursework. In contrast to other college readiness tests, which focus on quantitatively scoring the correctness of students’ answers, the CRA uses multi-level items to measure students’ mathematical proficiency from a cognitive perspective. CRA’s six levels of progression intend to show how students’ mathematical understanding and thinking developed rather than how correctly students answered the questions. CRA’s applicability to socioculturally diverse contexts has not been studied extensively.
Year developed: 2011.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
College Readiness for Global Campus Survey
The College Readiness for Global Campus Survey was developed by Lee et al. (2019) to explore the college readiness of US and international undergraduate students. College readiness measures of the College Readiness for Global Campus Survey focus on two domains: academic readiness and sociocultural readiness. The academic readiness domain includes academic competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving, computing skills, note-taking, presentation and test-taking skills, reading, writing, and mastery in subject areas. The sociocultural readiness domain includes 11 sociocultural competencies: collaboration and teamwork, commitment to learning, understanding college and career paths, responsibility, academic integrity, communication, creativity, independence, help-seeking, balancing multiple demands, and multicultural competence. The survey uses Likert-type questions ranging from 1 “none” to 5 “excellent”.
Year developed: 2019.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
College Readiness Scale (CRS)
The College Readiness Scale (CRS) was designed to measure college readiness for teenagers with ADHD. It is a self-report measure focusing on behaviors related to college readiness (Maitland & Quinn, 2011). The 43-item scale has three subscales:
- Self-determination, including self-knowledge, communication skills, and self-management (15 items).
- Daily living skills, including self-care, organization, and time management (13 items).
- Academic skills, including self-knowledge, study skills, and time management for academic tasks (15 items).
The Likert-scale items range from 0 “never/not at all” to 4 “very often/very true.” The internal reliability of the CRS is .95.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
College Survival and Success Scale
The College Survival and Success Scale (CSSC) measures noncognitive college readiness. First designed in 2006 and in the 2nd edition since 2011, the subscales that CSSC assesses include:
- Commitment to education.
- Self- and resource-management skills.
- Interpersonal and social skills.
- Academic success skills.
- Career planning skills.
Items are Likert-type, with response options ranging from “a lot like me” to “not like me.”
Year developed: 2006 (2nd edition since 2011).
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition (CTOPP-2)
The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing Second Edition (CTOPP-2) is an assessment that focuses on measuring the phonological processing abilities of students grades PreK-12. The CTOPP-2 contains several composites: phonological awareness, phonological memory, rapid symbolic naming, rapid non-symbolic naming, and alternate phonological awareness.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, 4th Edition (GMRT-4)
GMRT-4 measures overall reading achievement spanning each important stage along the reading continuum—from oral language to mature reading comprehension. The underlying foundation of GMRT is that it is useful for teachers and schools to know the general level of reading achievement of individual students throughout their entire school careers.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Gray Oral Reading Test | Fifth Edition (GORT-5)
The GORT-5 is an individually administered assessment of oral reading sold by Pearson.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
HMH Math Inventory
The HMH Math Inventory is an assessment that can be used for universal screening and growth monitoring. The adaptive, computer-based test can be taken three to five times per year. The HMH Math Inventory was developed with guidance from the National Math Panel, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and was developed to align with the Common Core State Standards.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
HMH Reading Inventory
The HMH Reading Inventory, an adaptive test of reading comprehension developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), consists of two subtests: the Foundational Reading Assessment and the Reading Comprehension Assessment.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Iowa Assessments - ELA
The Iowa Assessments replaced the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITED) in 2011-2012 to align with the Iowa Common Core Standards. The assessment can be administered to students in grades K-12 and can be used for monitoring student growth, making relative comparisons, predicting future performance, and identifying students who may need intervention. The Iowa Assessments measure students' abilities in reading, language, mathematics, social studies, and science.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Iowa Assessments - Math
Iowa Assessments, Forms E and F from Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa measure student achievement and growth as defined by the Iowa Core. The tests are sold outside of Iowa by Riverside Insights.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 3rd Edition (KTEA-3) - Math
The KTEA-3 is an individually adminstered battery sold by Pearson. Within the battery is an assessment developed to be aligned with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards and also mapped to the Common Core State Standards.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
KeyMath-3 Diagnostic Assessment
The KeyMath-3 DA is an individually administered measure of key math concepts and skills. It was developed to be aligned with the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and Focal Points.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) 3rd edition
The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) measures college students’ learning and study strategies. It can be used for screening to identify students at risk of poor academic achievement and for diagnostics to examine strengths and weaknesses and provide focused remediation.
Now in its third edition, LASSI includes 60 items mapping onto ten scales (Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient in parentheses for every scale): Anxiety (.87), Attitude (.76), Concentration (.85), Information Processing (.81), Motivation (.77), Selecting Main Ideas (.86), Self Testing (.80), Test Strategies (.77), Time Management (.80), and Using Academic Resources (.76).
Year developed: LASSI 1st edition: 1987, LASSI 2nd edition: 2002; LASSI 3rd edition: 2016
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - Mathematics
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment is given every two years to students at grades 4 and 8, and approximately every four years at grade 12. The assessment measures both mathematics knowledge and the students’ ability to apply their knowledge in problem-solving situations. The results present a broad view of students’ mathematics knowledge, skills, and performance over time. The most recent mathematics assessment was given in 2019 to approximately 149,500 students in grade 4 and 147,400 students in grade 8. The instruments used in the NAEP mathematics assessment are composed of blocks of cognitive items from the previous NAEP assessments, as well as blocks that are newly developed for the current assessment.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 4th Grade, 8th Grade, 12th Grade
Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS)
Developed by Hung et al. (2010) and validated on a sample of Taiwanese college students, the Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS) explores five dimensions of readiness to study online: self-directed learning, learner control, motivation for learning, computer/Internet self-efficacy, and online communication self-efficacy.
Year developed: 2010.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) - Math
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, mathematics assessments are assessments based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The PARCC mathematics assessments include a variety of tasks that measure students' learning of the mathematical content and practice standards for their grade level or course of study. As of 2020, 2 states, Washington D.C., the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education were using PARCC.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Perceptions, Expectations, Emotions, and Knowledge about College (PEEK)
Perceptions, Expectations, Emotions, and Knowledge about College (PEEK) is a diagnostic instrument focused on student ideas, attitudes, beliefs, and expectations of college. PEEK’s 30 items use a 5-point rating scale (from “not at all likely” to “extremely likely”) to assess students’ academic, personal, and social expectations. Such measurement could potentially assist students in forming more precise perceptions of their college surroundings and potentially prevent disengagement and dropout from college.
Year developed: 1995.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 12th Grade, Post secondary
Postsecondary education-going access aspirations (PEG-AA) scale
The postsecondary education-going access aspirations (PEG-AA) scale proposed by Martinez et al. (2017) focuses on students’ ability to sustain hopes and dreams for the future despite real or perceived barriers. PEG-AA has 14 Likert-type questions (from 1 “not important” to 3 “very important”) on college aspirations, resilience, and expectations. In a sample of 163 students, PEG-AA’s alpha reliability coefficient was .69 (Martinez et al., 2017).
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Postsecondary education-going knowledge (PEG-K) scale
The postsecondary education-going knowledge (PEG-K) scale developed by Martinez et al. (2017) focuses on the knowledge of various requirements for applying and enrolling in college. PEG-K has 46 true-false questions on three domains: access, preparedness/readiness, and affordability. In a sample of 163 students, PEG-K’s alpha reliability coefficient was .93 (Martinez et al., 2017).
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
ReadBasix
ReadBasix is a web-administered reading assessment for students in grades 3–12. ReadBasix measures foundational reading skills including word recognition & decoding, vocabulary, sentence processing, reading efficiency, and other skills involved in reading comprehension via separate subtests. The assessment has multiple forms and is vertically scaled, allowing it to be used for progress monitoring, measuring student growth, or detecting changes in reading as a result of intervention.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Readiness and Expectations Questionnaire (REQ)
The Readiness and Expectations Questionnaire (REQ) is a researcher-designed instrument for measuring first-year postsecondary students’ expectations and preparedness for studying in college (Jansen et al., 2013; Jansen & van der Meer, 2007).
In the domain of student expectations, the REQ focuses on the expectations to be inducted by teachers, be involved in research or be told about research activities, that university will be similar to high school, and that they need time-management skills.
In the college readiness domain, the REQ measures students’ perceived readiness in information processing, collaborative learning, time management, and writing.
Year developed: 2006.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
SAT
The SAT is a college entrance exam by the College Board. The SAT has three sections: math test, reading test, and writing and language test.
Year developed: 1926.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Smarter Balanced - Mathematics
The Smarter Balanced mathematics assessments test student knowledge and skills in mathematics that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Smarter Balanced tests are commonly used across the U.S. in statewide assessment systems.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Star Math
Star Math is a computer-adaptive test designed for progress monitoring.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Student Athlete Pre-Screening Questionnaire (SA-PSQ)
The Student Athlete Pre-Screening Questionnaire (SA-PSQ) is a tool for evaluating the college readiness of student athletes. It is derived from the CollegeCareerReady™ School Diagnostic, which assesses four key areas of college readiness, including cognitive strategies, content knowledge, learning skills and techniques, and transition knowledge and skills. The SA-PSQ measure is predictive of college GPA and probation status, and it has also been shown to account for a distinct variation in college readiness knowledge and skills beyond typical demographic factors and academic preparation variables such as high school GPA and SAT scores (Lombardi et al., 2012).
Year developed: 2012.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
TerraNova 3 - Math
TerraNova 3 from Data Recognition Corporation includes a range of assessment products that measure math knowledge and skills, including online formats and brief test forms. The testing system was developed to be aligned to NCTM standards. TerraNova is available in Spanish as SUPERA.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
TerraNova3 - Reading
TerraNova 3 reading assessments are designed to measure important higher order thinking skills as well as basic and applied skills. These assessments include norm-referenced achievement scores, criterion-referenced objective mastery scores, and performance-level information.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Test of Mathematical Abilities – Third Edition (TOMA-3)
The TOMA-3 is an assessment designed to identify, describe, and quantify mathematical deficits in school-age children. In addition to the math assessment, there are also measures of attitudes toward math available.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Test of Silent Reading Efficiency and Comprehension (TOSREC)
The TOSREC is a test of silent reading efficiency and comprehension designed for screening and progress monitoring.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2)
The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) was introduced in 2021, replacing the previous version utilized since 2013. As per the Texas State Legislature mandate, all students entering Texas public higher education institutions must undergo TSIA2 or qualify for one of its exemptions. The TSIA2 evaluates students' readiness for college-level coursework by testing them in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and Mathematics.
In ELAR, TSIA2 focuses on two key areas: reading and writing. The reading portion assesses comprehension and analysis of literary, informational, and argumentative texts, including paired passages. Meanwhile, the writing portion evaluates skills in revising and editing sentences, paragraphs, and early drafts of essays.
In mathematics, TSIA2 focuses on four key areas: quantitative reasoning, algebraic reasoning, geometric and spatial reasoning, and probabilistic and statistical reasoning.
Students taking the TSIA2 begin by completing College Readiness Classification (CRC) tests in ELAR and mathematics, comprising multiple-choice questions. If students fail to meet the college readiness benchmarks on these CRC tests, they proceed with the multiple-choice diagnostic tests in ELAR and Mathematics. These diagnostic tests present an additional chance for the students to demonstrate their preparedness for college-level coursework. They also highlight students' strengths and weaknesses in specific content areas, thus facilitating their placement into suitable courses and enabling them to receive the necessary remedial support and interventions.
Year developed: 2021 (TSIA2 replaced TSIA introduced in 2013).
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: Post secondary
ThinkReady
ThinkReady is an instrument measuring the development of cognitive competencies that students need for college success. Previously known as College-Readiness Performance Assessment System (C-PAS), ThinkReady focuses on David Conley’s Key Cognitive Strategies for college and career readiness: problem formulation, research, interpretation, communication, and precision/accuracy. These cognitive strategies are measured via a series of performance tasks.
Year developed: 2009 as College-Readiness Performance Assessment System (C-PAS).
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: College Readiness
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Woodcock-Johnson IV - ELA
The Woodcock-Johnson IV contains three co-normed batteries that measure strengths and weaknesses and diagnose learning abilities. The WJ IV is an individually-administered comprehensive assessment suite that can identify patterns of strength and weaknesses in cognitive, language, and academic abilities. In addition to oral language, reading, and writing, the WJ IV also assesses mathematics.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Woodcock-Johnson IV - Math
Woodcock-Johnson IV, sold by Riverside Insights, includes individually-adminstered tests of achievement designed to measure strengths and weaknesses and diagnose learning abilities. In addition to mathematics, the WJ IV assesses oral language, reading, and writing.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary