CAL created BEST Plus 3.0 with the following updates:
Updated training and test materials accompanying these updates will be released soon. More information will be available in the BEST Plus 3.0 Test Administrator Guide and the BEST Plus 3.0 Technical Report.
Yes, you may still complete BEST Plus 2.0 training. CAL will be conducting virtual training workshops for BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administrator candidates and will be posting the workshop registration information on the BEST Plus 2.0 Training webpage. You may also contact aea@cal.org to be put in contact with a local trainer. BEST Plus 2.0 training will allow you to administer the BEST Plus 2.0 test as soon as possible, and it will provide foundational knowledge for the BEST Plus 3.0 training. Existing test administrators may choose to skip the first part of the new training which covers existing content and scoring formats, or take it as a refresher. Materials from the entire training will be included in the final certification quiz.
Yes, BEST Plus 3.0 includes brand new question types and a new scoring category. Therefore, all prospective BEST Plus 3.0 test administrators are required to complete training, including those currently certified to administer BEST Plus 2.0.
CAL will soon offer a brand-new self-access, self-paced, online training course for BEST Plus 3.0. This training will be free of charge for all users for a limited time for existing BEST Plus 2.0 users and those who are new to BEST assessments.
CAL will soon offer a brand new self-access, self-paced, online training course for BEST Plus 3.0. This training will be free of charge for all users for a limited time. This includes existing BEST Plus 2.0 users and those who are new to BEST assessments. Once local trainers have been certified as BEST Plus 3.0 trainers, they may offer additional training opportunities in your state.
Because BEST Plus 3.0 contains new question types and a new scoring category, BEST Plus 3.0 training will be slightly longer than the current BEST Plus 2.0 training. CAL is currently developing BEST Plus 3.0 training materials, and more information about the training will be available soon.
CAL will communicate with current trainers about upcoming requirements.
CAL recommends that BEST Plus 3.0 be given as a posttest after a minimum of 40 hours or one semester of instruction following pre-testing. Learner- and program-related factors may warrant varying from these recommendations. For programs receiving federal funding, BEST Plus 3.0 should be administered as a posttest based on the requirements defined in their state’s assessment policy.
The updated CAL Test Platform V4.0.2 was released on September 9, 2025 to deliver improved user experience. Programs are advised to install the updated V4.0.2 as soon as possible.
The V4.0.2 Installation Guide was released early on August 14, 2025 to help programs prepare for the launch. Please visit https://www.cal.org/aea/bpv30/ to access the V4.0.2 Installation Guide.
CAL Test Platform V4.0.2 addresses several bugs that were previously reported, including the data sync issue. If your program has experienced the data sync issue, it should be resolved after installing V4.0.2.
When installed following the instructions, CAL Test Platform V4.0.2 will retain all local data, which includes your login credentials, number of test administrations, and local test reports. Local data will be automatically synced to the web portal when V4.0.2 is installed.
CAL is implementing a dedicated tech support line for assisting programs with CAL Test Platform. Available starting September 5, 2025, live tech support sessions will be provided where you can connect with CAL staff members via visual sessions. You can visit https://www.cal.org/aea/bpv30/ to sign up for a time that works for you.
In the meantime, you can also reach us via email or phone. Please visit Contact Us - Center for Applied Linguistics (https://www.cal.org/aea/contact/) to get in touch.