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Introducing the Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI

™)

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Collect Information for each student

AdministerAssessment

battery

Summarize Results

Teach Skills

Evaluate Progress

The BASI Philosophy: From Assessment to Instruction to

Learning

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Introducing the BASI™

The BASI™ (Basic Achievement Skills Inventory)

assessments are a series of versatile, multi-level,

norm-referenced achievement tests that help

measure math, reading and language skills for

children and adults. The tests also yield criterion-

referenced information.

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• The BASI-Survey (BASI-S) • AGES 8 to 80

The BASI™ series includes

• The BASI-Comprehensive (BASI-C) • Grades 3-12 and adults

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BASI-Survey

• For a detailed description of the BASI-Survey, along with sample reports please open the folder labeled BASI-Survey included on the CD-ROM.

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Measures in-depth academic skills – For students in grades 3-12 – To determine academic strengths– To pinpoint specific learning difficulties– To measure student progress (Form A & B)

BASI™ Comprehensive (BASI-C)

Level 1 3rd- 4th Grade

Level 2 5th- 6th Grade

Level 3 7th- 8th Grade

Level 4 9th-12th Grade

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BASIC ACHIEVEMENT SKILLS INVENTORY-COMPREHENSIVE

BASI-C

Reading Total

VocabularyReading

Comprehension

Written Language

SpellingLanguage

Mechanics

Math

Math Computation

Math Application

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BASI-Comprehensive

• Reading Total• Vocabulary (10 minutes)• Reading Comprehension (30 minutes)

• Written Language Total– Spelling (10 minutes)– Language Mechanics (10 minutes)

• Math Total – Math Computation (20 minutes)– Math Application (30 minutes)

Administration time

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Administration and scoring options

• BASI™ C administration options• Computerized with the Q Local™software• Paper & pencil

• Scoring options• Computer scoring with the Q Local™software

– Immediately upon administration– Immediately with an attached scanner (using scannable

answer sheets)

• Mail in scoring service (using scannable answer sheets)

• Hand-scoring with carbon-less answer sheets

(requires manual for look-up tables-use when a quick estimate of standard scores only is desired or is sufficient).

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BASI-C Features

• Sensitive to Testing Time (less than 2 hrs)

• Variety of Administration and Scoring Options

• Recent Standardization Sample

• Easy to Understand and compare scores

• Comprehensive Content

• Less cost in terms of resources (personnel time)

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Uses and goals

• Determining Academic Strengths and Weaknesses– Normative– Learning objectives level

• Progress Monitoring (Forms A & B)• Special Education

– Low floor– Screening– IEP– Transition planning

• Screening and Evaluation of Gifted Students– Good ceiling

• ESL students• Career Counseling

– College planning– Correctional settings

• Supplemental education Services• Research and Program Evaluation

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Overview of the BASI Subtests

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READING

• Vocabulary• Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension

Vocabulary• Phonological Awareness • Letter/Word Recognition• Word Decoding• Rapid/Fluency-Semantic

and Phonological

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READING

Vocabulary Measures skills in

• recognizing the meaning of words presented in isolation or out of context• identifying meanings of words within the context of a sentence• recognizing synonyms and antonyms• solving verbal analogies

Reading ComprehensionMeasures Skills in

Literal and Inferential comprehension

• Consists of passages that a student must read followed by questions relating to:– the passage’s main idea– sequence of events– details about the setting– cause and effect

relationships– predicting outcomes– drawing conclusions

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WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Spelling • Measures students’ skills in recognizing correctly spelled

and misspelled words• Each list of words per test level includes

– sight words– commonly misspelled words– words with affixes

Language Mechanics• Measures students’ knowledge of various grammar and

syntax rules• Subtest items measure knowledge of skills such as:

– capitalization– punctuation– verb forms– tense agreement

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MathMath Computation • Measures

knowledge of the four basic operations dealing with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals as well as the simplification of numerical expressions and algebraic equations

Math Application • Solving

mathematical problems using all basic operations:– to read and

interpret data presented visually in graphs or tables,

– to solve problems relevant to measurement principles as they relate to length, weight, volume, perimeter, and money

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BASI Development

• Item development• Standardization sample• Psychometric properties

– Reliability– Validity

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Item Development

• Creation of the test blue print or test specification matrix – National standards

• Item writing and review– Individuals with expertise in respective subject

areas.– Teaching experience at various grade levels– Formal item writing training and supervision.

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BASI-CStandardization sample

• 2000 Census (normed on over 4000 students• Form A- Fall 2002• Form B- Spring 2003 • Stratification variables

– Gender– Race/ ethnicity– Socioeconomic level (Parental education)– Region

• No adult norms (only criterion-referenced scores)

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BASI- ComprehensivePsychometric Properties

RELIABILITY EVIDENCE• Internal consistency• Test-Retest stability coefficients • Alternate Forms coefficients

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BASI- ComprehensivePsychometric Properties

VALIDITY EVIDENCE--- QUALITY OF INFERENCES.

• Content • Relationship to:

– group achievement tests– individually administered tests

• Performance of:– Special education students– Bilingual students

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Content validity

• The most important evidence for an achievement test.

• Must be comprehensive – Sensitive to grade levels it assesses – Allow normative and criterion reference

information that will guide further assessments for progress monitoring of targeted interventions.

– Have alternate forms to allow follow up assessments.

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Content Validity- Why bother?

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Content validity

• National standards• Item writers with expertise in respective

subject areas.• Numerous cycles of item reviews• Documentation and detail reporting of

what was included• Content matching analysis with other

tests.

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BASI™-Content validity

Learning Objectives by Level

VOCABULARY

Learning Objective Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Meaning, content, idioms X X X

Similar words, synonyms, antonyms

X X X X

Prefixes, suffixes, roots X X X X

Verbal analogies X X X

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BASI™-Content validity

Learning Objectives by Level

SPELLING

Learning Objective Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Prefixes and suffixes X X X X

Commonly misspelled words X X X X

Spelling rules X X X X

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BASI™-Content validity Learning Objectives by Level

LANGUAGE MECHANICS

Learning Objective Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Grammar

Nouns, pronouns, articles X X X X Subject/verb agreement X X X X Adjectives, adverbs X X X x Double negatives X XSyntax

Capitalization X X Internal punctuation X X X X External punctuation X

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BASI™-Content validity

Learning Objectives by Level READING COMPREHENSION

Learning Objective Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Literal Comprehension Plot, main idea, topic sentence X X X

Order of events, steps in process X X

Relevant details X X

Written directions X X

Inferential Comprehension Theme, plot elements X X X X

Cause, effect X X X X

Compare, contrast X X

Probable outcome X X

Inferences, conclusions X X X X

Purpose, technique, tone X X X

Fact, opinion, persuasion, bias X X X

Figurative language X X

Setting X X

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BASI™-Content validity

Learning Objectives by Level

MATH COMPUTATION

Learning Objective Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Whole numbers X X X X

Fractions X X X X

Decimals, order of operations, percents

X X X X

Integers, absolute value X X X

Algebra X X X

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BASI™-Content validity

Learning Objectives by Level MATH APPLICATION

Learning Objective Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Whole numbers, money X X X

Fractions, proportions X X X

Decimals, percents X X X

Word problems X

Measurement X X X

Algebra, graphs, tables X

Algebra X X X

Statistics, probability X X X

Geometry X X

Word problems, exponents

X

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Norm-referenced scores

Criterion-referenced information

Individual student report sample

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Standard scores have a mean of 100 and a SD of 15 to facilitate comparison with individually-

administered achievement tests and IQ tests.

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Interpretive text

highlights scores to

briefly explain

their meaning.

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Notice what happens to the report when the

test is administered

untimed.

A disclaimer appears at the

top of the report, and all the standard

scores are grayed-out.

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However, if the test is timed,

but administered with special

accommodations, a disclaimer appears but so

do all the standard scores.

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An optional, free Parent’s Report is included with the Student Summary

Report.

This report simply illustrates the percentile score and labels the

performance, and allows space for the examiner’s written comments.

A lengthier narrative explains the scores.

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Q. Why bother studying test content?

– Most essential feature in an achievement test– Linking assessment to intervention

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Ind

ivid

ual

A

chie

vem

ent

Test

s K

12th

BASI- C Extensive Content coverage

BA

SI-

Gra

des

3-4

BA

SI-

Gra

des

5-6

BA

SI-

Gra

des

7-8

BA

SI-

Gra

des

9-1

2

40 items

30 items

30

items30 items

30 items

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Concurrent validity

• Relationship to: – individually administered tests

• WIAT-II• WJ-III

– group achievement tests• ITBS• TABE• BASI SURVEY

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• Individually-administered achievement tests• Woodcock Johnson III (WJ-III)• WIAT-II• WRAT-3

• Good tests, but the BASI™• covers as many or more learning standards and with more

items • correlates highly with these tests• doesn’t require one-on-one administration and therefore more

cost-effective and convenient• is just as reliable and valid (if not more valid due to in depth

content coverage)

BASI™ and other tests

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• Off-the-shelf standardized achievement tests• Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)• Stanford 10 (SAT10)• California Achievement Test, fifth edition (CAT/5)

• Good tests, but the BASI™• is administered in about half the time • has a higher ceiling than the ITBS• is just as valid and reliable• does not require a locator test • collects NCLB demographics for AYP• is a better value (no hidden costs, free Parent’s Report)• can be administered on-screen and scored locally

BASI™ and other tests

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BASI Comprehensive

USE and INTERPRETATION steps within the RtI framework

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Aug/Sept

Form A

InstructionUniversal/Targeted

Dec/Jan

Form A

Form B

InstructionUniversal/Targeted

InstructionUniversal/Targeted

May/June

Form B

State Exams

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Steps • Administer the BASI Form A as early in the year as

possible.• Use the paper or Q-Local administration• Print the individual student reports• Review each student’s performance

– Identify areas in need of… (remediation, enhancement)– Inform the student and parents– Inform other stakeholders (principal, others)

• Create classroom reports– Export the Q-Local data

• Consider intervention or remediation plans– Individual students– Classroom

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BASI™ Comprehensive reports

• Student Summary• Single page report for

– the student & teacher– Standard score– Criterion Referenced

infor.• Parent’s report

– Optional and Free

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Interpretation and inferences

• with data• with procedures commonly used

– Identification of statistically significant differences

– Comparisons with other tests

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BASI Interpretation

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BASI Interpretation

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BASI Interpretation

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Classroom reports

• 1. Export assessment data from Q-Local• 2. Import to a data base • 3. Generate classroom or building reports

– SPSS– Microsoft Access– Microsoft Excel

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NCLB/IDEA reporting

NCLB Subgroup Reporting RequirementsEconomically disadvantaged students

• Students with disabilities (served under IDEA)• Students with limited English proficiency• Students from major racial/ethnic groupsIDEIA 2004• Initial evaluations (administer BASI individually or in

small groups) • Monitor student progress (Form A & B)• Annual and triennial evaluations• New transfers to building or school• Student transition to workplace or college

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WHY the BASI ?

• Ease of administration and scoring• Content coverage• Easy to understand scores• Sensitive reports that link assessment to

intervention• Can assist with NCLB and IDEIA decisions