In addition, most assessments are done for the initial assessment. Far fewer are done at the completion of the learning. The field lacks the tools and the comprehension need to do accurate exit assessments.

Literacy agencies would welcome enhancements and additional structure related to assessing learner success that reflects validity, reliability and management. However, any enhancement to the assessment process needs to consider the following.

• Enhancements need to be developed with clear language for both the learner and practitioner.
• Given the paradigm shift, learner assessment now needs to be linked to the exit criteria or skills required to transition to the next destination. For example, success or skill attainments for learners in the Personal Goals TRP will, in many cases relate more to changes in life skills and self-esteem and less to changes in traditional “skill” levels. At this level, the approach to measuring skill attainment should consider the personal successes. In “higher” skill sets, the personal skills have been attained and the measurement is focused more on skill attainment.
• It is also suggested that the Ministry consider developing a method to measure the percentage change in the critical mass of skills achieved in each TRP. This would most likely involve a pre/post test on a sample of learners in each TRP.
• In addition, we recommend a review and rethink of agency performance measures to create measures that reflect the redefined collaborative/referral role that agencies may have.
• The enhancements need to be underpinned by a common provincial assessment approach: including validating the TRPs over time, performance standards, identification of appropriate tools or creation of same for each TRP, provincially developed examples and demonstrations that reflect each TRP, and assessor protocols to ensure reliable measurement.

Tools

As stated earlier, the literacy field is currently using a variety of tools to measure skill attainment. Depending on the skills being measured, the tools can range from paper-pencil tests to more complex demonstrations. In working through the paradigm shift, and once the exit criteria for each TRP are defined, it will be important to identify the following in relation to measuring skill attainment for the TRPs.

• The modality of the measurement. In other words, what is the best method of measurement to assess this skill or set of skills? Is it a written test, a portfolio, a demonstration etc?
• The tools currently being used. What tools currently being used can accurately measure the skills attained? What are the psychometric properties of these tools?
• Gaps in skill attainment measurement. What are the gaps in measuring learner skill attainment?
• The tools to be discovered or created. Are there tools elsewhere that could fill the gap? If not, what tools need to be created?
• Current Assessment Protocols. How, exactly, are assessment being done? What are the current assessment protocols?