The MS-CPAS is the vocational assessment entering its third year of development at the direction of the Mississippi Department of Education, with approximately 8,500 secondary vocational students having been tested during the 1997-1998 school year. Thus far twenty-four secondary occupation-specific tests have been developed, and five more are currently under development. This year will also include the pilot of five performance assessment rubrics designed and developed through a joint effort by ACT, its subcontractors, and Mississippi vocational instructors.

Purpose

• Assess local program performance in producing students with workplace readiness skills
• Create meaningful measure of accountability of the level of instruction and resulting student performance in occupational program areas

• A combination of assessments measuring academic workplace readiness and occupation-specific skills
• Assessments measuring workplace readiness skills are written assessments composed of 30-40 selected response (multiple choice) items
• Occupation-specific assessments are based upon content of curriculum frameworks for selected occupational programs
• Occupation-specific written assessments are composed of 70 selected response (multiple choice) items
• Performance assessments to be developed for most occupation-specific programs
• Assessment to measure level of performance on work-force competencies to ensure the quality of educational programs to maximize student achievement
• Administered to vocational completers at secondary and post-secondary levels

Development/Implementation Schedule

• Conduct curriculum match of MDE curriculum to test item bank of MDE program areas for customized occupation-specific assessments
• Conduct content and fairness reviews of Work Keys assessments
• Finalize curriculum match item development and construction of selected occupation-specific assessments
• Conduct Work Keys and selected occupation-specific pilot administration in all school districts and 16 post-secondary community college sites
• Develop first 10 performance assessments for pilot in Fall of 1998
• Continue development of written and performance assessments for occupation-specific programs according to the schedule printed in the revised (01/01/98) brochure entitled The Mississippi Career Planning and Assessment System (MS-CPAS)

Reporting

• Student performance reported in a manner which shows individual student performance as compared to other group performance and which may be used as an indicator of employment readiness
• Program and state information reported in a format to be used for improved classroom instruction, curriculum modifications, and professional development

Use of Data

• Mechanism for articulation between secondary occupational courses and post-secondary programs which would allow students to obtain advanced standing including possible course waiver(s) in post- secondary programs based upon demonstrated achievement
• Indicator of Tech Prep implementation success by demonstrating linkage between secondary academic subject areas (Algebra I, Biology, etc.) and Occupational Skill Areas
• Resource for developing instructional-specific professional development and program improvement
• Information to be examined as possible performance indicator for new expanded accreditation model

Revised 7/98 

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