A. Pre-Testing and Entry EFL

When starting a new program year or Period of Participation (PoP), learners must be pre-tested in any subject area in which they will be receiving instruction. The learner’s lowest scoring pre-test will be tracked in LACES to determine the learner’s entry Educational Functioning Level (EFL) for the program year or PoP simply for NRS reporting purposes. This assessment will be listed as the “Pre-” test of record in LACES.

The LACES Move Assessment Forward (Pre-Test) window. Grantees will use the Push Forward icon located in each assessment row under the assessment tab of the learner record to manually override the learner's Pre-test in LACES. To do so, grantees will select the Use as subject area for PoPX radio button in LACES. — LACES will automatically identify the earliest test entered as the learner’s “Pre-” test. If this is not the assessment which resulted in the lowest score and EFL, grantees may manually override which test LACES has identified as “Pre-.” Grantees will use the “Push Forward” icon located in each assessment row under the assessment tab of the learner record to manually override the learner’s “Pre-” test in LACES. **To do so, grantees will select the “Use as subject area for PoPX” radio button in LACES.**

Note: The instructions for “selecting a subject area” in LACES on page 34 of the Beginner LACES User Manual are no longer correct. The “select subject” checkbox should NEVER be used.

English Language Acquisition learners with an entry EFL of “Completed ESL L6” must be re-pre-tested on an ABE NRS assessment as this is not a valid entry EFL for NRS reporting purposes. If the learner is not re-pre-tested and/or that test is not entered in LACES, this learner will be excluded from the grantee’s NRS Participant count.