The State and Global Seals of Biliteracy have highlighted literacy as a critical skill for both heritage and second language (L2) learners. Language learners seeking a seal must demonstrate proficiency through testing in all four domains in both English and a second language.
This focus on literacy in LOTE (languages other than English), whether for heritage or L2 learners, when supported by valid test data raises the status of LOTE programs. Avant’s STAMPTM test is research-based with the latest computer-adaptive technology generating data to verify literacy levels. However, it must be able to integrate with school learning management and data systems to be taken seriously by administrators. Avant took the first step in enabling STAMP data to integrate with every school information system by finalizing integration with Clever in September. This allows 95 of the top 100 school districts to integrate STAMP data into their data systems. Avant is now working on Canvas so that they can integrate with nearly 50% of college systems. They plan to continue until they can integrate with every school and college in the country.
During COVID, delivering STAMP in a secure, user-friendly remote-proctoring system is critical for Avant’s educational partners. Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD uses STAMP to place heritage Spanish students in upper-level Spanish courses and award credit by exam that students often need to graduate. As Kathryn Schaeffer, executive director of advanced academic services and world languages at Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, stated, “During the COVID crisis, we reached out to Avant to ensure that our ‘hardest to graduate’ students could earn world language credits using virtual proctoring. Avant’s immediate response allowed each student to graduate on time. Avant’s swift creation of an online-proctored exam was extremely timely.” Now Avant has developed an improved system allowing educators or Avant proctors to conduct secure remote proctoring that is user-friendly, affordable, and Chromebook compatible.
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