The framework was built on a set of fair assessment practices drafted by the Project Team. These practices were revisited many times throughout the development process and served to both guide and ground the team. See Appendix C. The practices are specific to the context of the framework and to the assessments identified for measuring learner gains. A set of principles to guide the development of the framework was also developed. See Appendix D.

Assessment Framework Model

Perhaps the best-known, large-scale assessment framework of the past decade is the Equipped for the Future (EFF) framework developed in the United States. This framework is organized by roles that describe what adults need to know and must be able to do as citizens and community members, parents and family members, and workers. The framework is aligned with content standards for adult education which were developed with broad input from learners and practitioners in the field. (Bingman, 2000). The assessment framework phase of EFF involved developing a continuum of performance for each standard with levels that benchmark key performances.

While the notion of learner transition has been in use for some time, the concept of using transition paths as the primary organizing structure of the framework appears to be unique although similar to that of other assessment models such as EFF’s. LBS is goal-directed. Comings, Parrella, & Soricone (1999) identified that goal setting and making measurable progress towards goals are two of four key supports that promote student retention. These supports had been explored with LBS learners in projects such as Retention through Redirection (Jonik & Goforth, 2002). Student persistence increases the likelihood of goal completion. Developing specific pathways that would further enhance goal completion seemed like a logical progression for LBS/AU.

The transition paths would

• provide a clearer understanding of learners’ goals in terms of their destinations
• provide useful information about how learners apply their knowledge and skills to real-life tasks related to their paths
• be structured so that learners know where they are along the path

Like the EFF model, the LSA Framework would promote a more functional assessment approach because it would be based on the Essential Skills. The framework, however, would only assess three Essential Skills. The Project Team was concerned that this narrow accountability focus would compromise good literacy practice and pressure practitioners to “teach to the test” at the expense of other Essential Skills, other key academic skills and non-academic “skills” such as increased confidence and selfawareness.