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BEST Plus 3.0

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BEST Plus 3.0 is an individually administered face-to-face scripted oral proficiency interview-based assessment that measures adult English language learners’ ability to listen and speak in English in authentic situations in the United States. It is intended for use with English language learners who are 16 years or older and who are enrolled in an educational program in the United States. BEST Plus 3.0 may be administered to individual examinees using a computer or using one of the two semi-adaptive print-based test forms. The testing time typically ranges from five to thirty minutes based on the examinee’s abilities.

BEST Plus 3.0 has been approved by the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education for use by federally funded programs that report data through the National Reporting System (NRS) through July 13, 2030.

BEST Plus 3.0 is aligned with the 2016 English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPs), and examinee performances on BEST Plus 3.0 can be interpreted in terms of the National Reporting System’s 2017 Educational Functioning Levels (NRS EFLs). Programs that need to measure adult learners’ English oral proficiency skills for placement or accountability will find BEST Plus 3.0 to be a valuable assessment tool. Refer to the BEST Plus 3.0 Scale Score and NRS Level Conversions Chart for the conversion chart between a scale score and a corresponding NRS EFL for the print-based and computer-based BEST Plus 3.0 versions. The examinee’s scale score and the corresponding NRS EFL are both reported automatically to BEST Plus 3.0 test administrators.

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There are two components of the CAL Test Platform: Application and the Web Portal.

CAL Test Platform Application: The CAL Test Platform Application is mainly used to administer the computer-based version of BEST Plus 3.0, record scores for the semi-adaptive print-based versions of BEST Plus 3.0, and manage test administrations. It is available for free download at the top of this page. It is run locally on the test administrator’s computer. The following are the steps for accessing and using the CAL Test Platform:

  • Installing the CAL Test Platform
  • Logging in to the CAL Test Platform
  • Managing test administrations
  • Accessing and navigating the test

When you open the CAL Test Platform, you will be prompted to log in. Each program will be assigned a designated program ID and password that will be shared by all BEST Plus 3.0 test administrators within the program. Please contact your program coordinator or other BEST Plus 3.0 to test administrators to obtain this information. Note that the Practice Program within CAL Test Platform Application is available to all users without needing to log in.

For detailed instructions on each one of the steps listed above, refer to Part 4 of the BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrator Guide.

CAL Test Platform Web Portal: The CAL Test Platform Web Portal is a web-based online platform where all of a program’s test score data is stored. Each program can use this platform to access examinees’ test scores that were uploaded as well as view the number of test administrations distributed across all program devices. To access the Web Portal, test administrators should use the same credentials as the ones used to log into the CAL Test Platform Application. It is available for free access via the link at the top of this page.

For detailed instructions on the Web Portal, refer to Part 4 of the BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrator Guide.

BEST Plus 3.0 is available in two versions: computer-adaptive and semi-adaptive print-based.

BEST Plus 3.0 computer-adaptive version: In the computer-based version, the test tasks are delivered in sets via the CAL Test Platform application that can be installed on a computer, laptop, or tablet. The test administrator asks the student a question presented on the screen, listens to the student’s response, uses the BEST Plus 3.0 Scoring Rubric to determine the student’s scores for that task, and enters the scores into the CAL Test Platform on the device. The application then selects the next set of tasks that are most appropriate for the student’s ability according to the scores entered for previous responses. There are at least two forms available to use for the computer-based version at any given time.

BEST Plus 3.0 semi-adaptive print-based version: In the print-based version, a short locator test determines the level of test tasks (Level 1, 2, 3, or 4) that will be most appropriate for the ability level of the student. These tasks are arranged in fixed-form level tests. The test administrator administers each task on the selected level test to the student and scores the tasks using the same BEST Plus 3.0 Scoring Rubric that is used with the computer-based version. The test administrator then enters scores in the CAL Test Platform application after test administration is complete in order to obtain a final score report. There are also a minimum of two forms available to use for the print-based version at any given time.

BEST Plus 3.0 Test Usage Policy
Pricing Schedule BP 3.0 and BL 2.0
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The BEST Plus 2.0 and BEST Literacy tests are approved for NRS accountability reporting through June 30, 2025. Programs are free to choose either generation of BEST assessments during the transition period.

After June 30, 2025, BEST Literacy and BEST Plus 2.0 will no longer be accepted for NRS reporting purposes or offered for purchase by CAL.

Yes. Test administrators and/or scorers are required to read through the BEST Literacy 2.0 Test Manual before beginning administering and scoring the test. An optional self-access, self-paced online training course is also available for purchase as an additional training resource.

No. For scores to be comparable, you should always pre- and post-test with the same generation of test. For example, if you pre-test with BEST Plus 2.0 you should post-test with BEST Plus 2.0.

No. Unfortunately, CAL is not able to provide credit for any remaining BEST Plus 2.0 or BEST Literacy tests. We recommend monitoring your remaining tests (your BEST Plus 2.0 test balance can be accessed on the test activation website) and ordering only what you need until your program transitions fully to the newer tests.

Yes. Please refer to the BEST Plus 3.0 and BEST Literacy 2.0 Pricing Schedule.

No, BEST Plus 2.0 administrations cannot be exchanged for BEST Plus 3.0. Our apologies for this inconvenience

To dispose a large volume of print-based materials, we recommend a professional shredding service. For leftover USBs, we recommend deleting the BEST Plus 2.0 Software from the USB, before disposing of it. Please be sure to keep a record of disposal (date, method, staff) for your program’s records.

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BEST Plus 2.0 is an individually administered, face-to-face oral interview designed to assess the English language proficiency of adult ELLs in the U.S. An adult is anyone 16 years or older who is not in secondary school.

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BEST Plus 2.0 measures the examinee’s ability to communicate in English through questions tied to authentic situations that arise in daily life in the United States such as going to the doctor, getting a job, housing, and community services. The question types range from simple picture description questions to questions that require elaborate and organized discourse.

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BEST Plus 2.0 is administered individually by a trained BEST Plus 2.0 test administrator.

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BEST Plus 2.0 measures the full range of current proficiency levels from Student Performance Levels (SPLs) 0 through 10 and all six National Reporting System (NRS) Educational Functioning Levels. For SPL descriptors, see the Quick Links section on the BEST Plus 2.0 web page.

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The score report contains the following information:

  • BEST Plus 2.0 scale score
  • Student Performance Level
  • NRS Educational Functioning Level
  • Administrative information (student name, registration number, date, time of the test, name of the test administrator, class, site)
  • Average subscale score for Listening Comprehension, Language Complexity, and Communication.

All score reports can be viewed through the included score management software.

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BEST Plus 2.0 is available as either a computer-adaptive version or as a semi-adaptive print-based version. The computer-adaptive version of BEST Plus 2.0 requires one computer for every test administrator. The BEST Plus 2.0 software runs on Windows XP or higher and requires an open USB port for installation. The USB is not required to run the software after installation.

The print-based version also requires at least one computer be available at the time of scoring in order to convert the raw scores from the test booklets into reportable scale scores using the score management software. However, access to a computer is not needed at the time of testing.

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The print-based version is administered in the same manner as the computer-adaptive version except the test administrator writes the scores in the test booklet, uses a Picture Cue Book for the picture description questions, and manually enters the scores into the score management software to get a complete score report. All of the test items in the print-based version are drawn from the same item pool as the computer-adaptive version. The primary difference is the printbased is semi-adaptive in that it has three fixed forms (D, E, and F) and three sublevels per form.

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Yes. You will need at least one computer to convert the raw scores into scale scores using the score management software.

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The first step is to attend a BEST Plus 2.0 test administrator training workshop either through your program, state, or CAL. Once you and your staff have been trained, we can help you order the materials you’ll need to get started. Learn more about BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administrator Training Workshops.

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In order to administer BEST Plus 2.0, you will need the following:

Materials received at training

  • BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administrator Guide
  • BEST Plus Scoring Rubric

Materials to be purchased before testing:

  • Computer-adaptive users
    • BEST Plus 2.0 Software USB
    • Computer test administrations
    • Laptop or desktop computer
  • Print-based users
    • BEST Plus 2.0 Software USB
    • Semi-adaptive print-based examinee test booklets and corresponding picture cue booklets
    • Computer to score print-based test booklets using the Score management software

Test administrators must have the Test Administrator Guide and Scoring Rubric available during testing.

Visit the Resources section of our website to view a complete list of CAL’s Adult ESL Assessment Resources with links to the corresponding page on the CAL Store. You can order online at the CAL Store or call 1-800-551-3709 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time

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No. Performance on BEST Plus 2.0 does not predict performance on BEST Literacy. You may need to check with your state’s assessment policy or program director on how each assessment is to be used within your state.

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Laws such as the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and other related federal, state, and local laws were enacted to guarantee equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities, including those in educational programs. Programs administering BEST Plus 2.0 are responsible for providing accessible services and for ensuring that requests for accommodations are considered and handled in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations. Program and test administrators may provide and allow accommodations in test administration procedures or in the testing environment for individuals with disabilities, provided that the accommodations do not compromise the purpose or results of the test. For example, the test administrator cannot show the prompts on the screen or in the test booklet to a person with a hearing impairment nor may a sign language interpreter be used. A permissible accommodation for BEST Plus 2.0 would be the use of hearing aids. Likewise, a test administrator cannot explain the content of a picture cue prompt to a person with a visual impairment. An appropriate accommodation would be the use of a magnifying glass to enlarge the image. BEST Plus 2.0 is not appropriate for use with individuals whose visual impairment prevents them from seeing the picture cue prompts even when enlarged or otherwise enhanced. Skipping picture questions is not a reasonable accommodation for individuals with visual impairments.

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BEST Literacy 2.0 and all training materials are now available for purchase! This test is approved for NRS accountability reporting through July 13, 2030.

CAL created BEST Literacy 2.0 with the following updates:

  • Alignment to the 2016 English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPs) and the 2017 National Reporting System Educational Functioning Levels (NRS EFLs). BEST Literacy 2.0 measures NRS levels 1-4. View scale score to NRS level conversion chart here.
  • Updated question types and themes that reflect contemporary life in the U.S.
  • A set of sample questions which may be reviewed with examinees at the beginning of the test administration session, to prepare examinees to respond to the Reading and Writing test questions.

Please note: BEST Literacy 2.0 measures examinees’ performances from NRS Level 1 through NRS Level 4. Examinees who are above NRS Level 4 will exit out of BEST Literacy 2.0.

More information can be found in the BEST Literacy 2.0 Test Manual.

Yes. Test administrators and/or scorers are required to read through the BEST Literacy 2.0 Test Manual before beginning administering and scoring the test. An optional self-access, self-paced online training course is also available for purchase as an additional training resource.

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