CLEP 101: What Every Test Center Administrator Needs to Know

Marie Maher

The College Board

Associate Director

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Agenda

• Welcome

• What Is CLEP?

• CLEP Overview 2010-11

• Best Practices

• Q&A

What Is CLEP?

• Credit-by-examination program serving a diverse group of students, including adults, non-traditional learners, and military service members

• Validates knowledge learned through independent study, on-the job training, or experiential learning and translates that learning into college credit that is commonly recognized.

• More than seven million exams taken since 1967

• 1,700+ colleges administer CLEP

• 181,500 exams administered in 2010–11, including 54,000 administered to military service members

• Exam fee = $77.00

33 CLEP Examinations

Composition and Literature American Literature Analyzing and Interpreting Literature College Composition College Composition Modular English Literature Humanities

History and Social Sciences American Government History of the United States I History of the United States II Human Growth and Development Introduction to Educational Psychology Principles of Macroeconomics Principles of Microeconomics Introductory Psychology Introductory Sociology Social Sciences and History Western Civilization I Western Civilization II

Business Information Systems and Computer

Applications Principles of Management Financial Accounting Introductory Business Law Principles of Marketing

Science and Mathematics Calculus College Algebra Precalculus College Mathematics Biology Chemistry Natural Sciences

Foreign Languages French Language German Language Spanish Language

About the CLEP Exams

Structure• 33 computer-based exams.• Mostly multiple-choice, essays, and listening sections for foreign languages • Most are approximately 90 minutes in length.

Scoring• “Rights-only” scoring (no penalty for wrong answers).• Immediate score reports (except exams with essays).• Exams are scored on a scale of 20–80. A score of 50 is equivalent to a grade of C.

Development• More than 600 faculty contribute to the development of and standard-setting for CLEP

examinations.• Standing faculty committees oversee ongoing test development, shape content,

review data, set exam policies.• Opportunities to participate in College Board ACES Placement Validity studies.

Age GroupsExams Administered to National Candidates, 2010-11

Under 189%

18-2239%

23-2922%

30-3511%

36 and older19%

Education LevelsExams Administered to National Candidates, 2010-11

High School Student10%

High School Graduate

6%

College Freshman16%

College Sophomore

16%College Junior

11%

College Senior28%

College Graduate12%

EthnicityExams Administered to National Candidates, 2010-11

White62%

Latino19%

Black/Afr Am8%

Asian/Asian Am/Pac Isl5%

Native Am/Am Ind1%

Other4%

Not reported1%

Highest Volume CLEP ExamsNational CBT, 2010-11

Span

ish

Analyzin

g & In

terpreting L

it

College

Composition

College

Algebra

Introducto

ry So

ciology

05,000

10,00015,00020,00025,00030,000 26,000

9,300 8,700 7,600 6,400

College Composition or College Comp Modular?

College Composition College Composition Modular

Timing 120 minutes 90 minutes (multiple-choice only)

Multiple choice Yes Yes

Essays Mandatory: Two typed essays, created by CLEP

Optional: Two handwritten essays, created by CLEP OR essay created by your college OR no essay

Essay scoringCLEP scores the essays every two weeks, student receives score within 2-3 weeks

College scores the essays

College Comp Modular:• Students can take the optional essays on a different date

• Essay order form available in the Resource Center and in the TCA Handbook.

Promoting CLEP and Your Test Center

• BEST PRACTICES– Post information about test center on your institution’s

website; keep information updated– Keep College Board informed of change in test center

information, i.e. change in phone number, temporary closing due to relocation, etc.

– Work with your regional Senior Assessment Manager (SAM) for strategies to promote CLEP

– Keep an ample supply of CLEP brochures available at your test center

– Work with administration to ensure that CLEP policy information on your website is current

Print Marketing

• Spanish Brochure

• Business Exam Brochure

• College Composition Brochure

• Take One brochures

• Posters• National • Military

• Information for Candidates

• Veteran’s Flyer

• CLEP in Higher Education

CLEP Software

• Once software is received and installed, the following best practices must be followed:– CD must be kept in a locked location at all times– Master Site Administrators and Test Center Administrators

must have access to the CD at ALL times– Upon installation or re-installation of the software, it is the

MSA and/or TCAs responsibility to ensure that the software CD is returned by IT and locked in a secure location

– If the software CD cannot be found, the MSA/TCA must report the loss to CLEP Technical Support immediately

– Consult with CLEP Technical Support prior to upgrading test center PCs

Creating MSA/TCA Passwords

• MSA is the only staff member who can create accounts for TCAs

• Any login IDs and passwords should be kept in a secure area

• Passwords are confidential• BEST PRACTICES

– Change your password every 30 days– Notify College Board of any changes in staff-via CLEP

Resource Center-Update My Contact Info

Hiring Test Center Staff

• BEST PRACTICES– Must be at least 21 years of age and hold an

undergraduate degree

– May not be involved in courses, workshops or tutoring activities or other coaching activity that involves the content of secure CLEP exams

– Have new employees sign a confidentiality agreement

Required Identification

• Test takers must bear two forms of ID – Photo, government issued– Secondary form, i.e. student ID, Social Security card

• Test takers without proper ID may be turned away

• BEST PRACTICES– Have test takers sign in/out on signature logs;

recommended retention period-18 months– If in doubt about validity of student’s ID, contact CLEP

Services immediately

Monitoring and Proctoring Test Takers

• Test takers must remove all electronic devices prior to entering the testing room and return to storage area upon returning from break– Cell phone, Blackberry, IPad, IPod, IPhone, PDA, watch,

calculator

• The test center must be a distraction-free environment

• Provide a clear glass viewing window or wall, video surveillance and audio monitor, or seating for a test administrator within the testing room.

-Whichever surveillance method is used, it must allow a continuous unobstructed view of each candidate within the testing room.

Monitoring and Proctoring Test Takers

• If video and audio monitoring is used, a staff member must periodically walk through the testing room in at least 10 minute intervals, and must be able to respond to enter the room within 10 seconds of a problem.

• BEST PRACTICE– Aside from testing students, no other activities are

permitted in the test center.– If you notice any suspicious activity from a test taker,

contact CLEP Services immediately and complete an EIR.

General Best Practices

• When in doubt, refer to the eCBT Administrator’s Handbook– Latest version, updated July 2011, is available on the

CLEP Resource Center• Username-CLEPadmin2• Password-CLEPmsa22# (case sensitive)

– Chapter 9-CLEP policies– Contact CLEP Services or Tech Support

• Observe program policies and procedures at all times– Periodic visits are conducted to test centers by

College Board and ETS

CLEP Notes

Professional Development Web Series

• Monthly sessions beginning September 2011• Number of maximum participants increased from 20 to 30• CLEP webinars:

– CLEP Overview– Adopting CLEP On Your Campus– Advising Students About CLEP– Test Center Operations– CLEP College Composition Exams– CLEP Reliability and Validity-NEW– CLEP For Military Members and Veterans-NEW

• Register at http://clep.collegeboard.org/professional

Professional Development Series – Fall FY 12

1st Monday 1st Tuesday 1st Wednesday 1st Thursday

10:30 Eastern New Regulations for ATB Testing ACCUPLACER Overview ACCUPLACER for College

ReadinessSetting Up Branching Profiles and Placement Rules

1:00 Eastern Exporting Data from ACCU into Student Info Systems

2:30 Eastern ACCUPLACER//MyFoundations Lab Planning for ACCUPLACER ACCUPLACER Diagnostics Adopting CLEP on Your

Campus

4:30 Eastern

2nd Monday 2nd Tuesday 2nd Wednesday 2nd Thursday

10:30 Eastern CLEP Test Center Operations ACCUPLACER Reporting Methods for Setting Cut Scores

1:00 Eastern ACCUPLACER//MyFoundations Lab

New Regulations for ATB Testing

2:30 Eastern ACCUPLACER Platform Functional Enhancements CLEP Overview ACCUPLACER Computer Skills

Placement Advising Students about CLEP

4:30 Eastern

Professional Development Series – Fall FY 12

3rd Monday 3rd Tuesday 3rd Wednesday 3rd Thursday

10:30 Eastern New Regulations for ATB Testing

Refining Placement with Multiple Measures WritePlacer Planning for ACCUPLACER

1:00 Eastern CLEP for Military Members and Veterans

2:30 Eastern CLEP for College Faculty Setting Up Branching Profiles and Placement Rules ACCUPLACER Overview

4:30 Eastern ACCUPLACER//MyFoundations Lab

4th Monday 4th Tuesday 4th Wednesday 4th Thursday

10:30 Eastern ACCUPLACER//MyFoundations Lab ACCUPLACER Diagnostics ACCUPLACER Reliability and

Validity CLEP Overview

1:00 Eastern

2:30 Eastern CLEP College Composition Exam Creating Local Tests ACCUPLACER ESL

4:30 Eastern New Regulations for ATB Testing

Senior Assessment Managers

Support for CLEP

• CLEP Services– Phone: (800) 257-9558 or (609) 771-7865– Fax: (609) 771-7088– E-mail: CLEP@info.collegeboard.org– Web site – www.collegeboard.com/clep– General inquiries, Candidate inquiries, publication orders

• CLEP Technical Support– Phone: (800) 241-5357 or (609) 406-5620– Fax: (609) 406-5600– E-mail: CLEPCenter_Establishment@ets.org– Do not share with students, potential CLEP candidate, or CLEP

candidates• CLEP Resource Center Web Site

– www.collegeboard.com/CLEPResourceCenter– Secure web site. Contact CLEP Services for username and password.

Additional Support for CLEP

Marie Maher

Associate Director

CLEP Test Center Operations

Phone 212-520-8563

mmaher@collegeboard.org

Questions?