Avant Assessment

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A Pioneer in Web-based Language Assessment

Avant Assessment designs, develops and delivers Web-based foreign language and second language assessments. Avant combines sound assessment principles with linguistic expertise, and merges them with breakthrough technology to meet our clients’ assessment needs in ways that were never before possible.

A Public/Private Partnership

Avant works closely with its research partner, the Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS), a National Foreign Language Resource Center, at the University of Oregon. This partnership brings the research power of the university together with the focus and resources of a market-driven business entity. In 2005 CASLS was appointed by the National Security Education Program to oversee the Chinese K-16 Flagship Language program in Oregon, under the National Flagship Language Initiative. Avant administers, scores, and reports results from the STAMP test (described below), the Web-based summative assessment that is a central element of the Oregon Chinese Flagship program.

Our Approach

Avant takes a consultative approach, working closely with its clients to develop Web-based language assessments that help them to achieve their language goals. After discovering the language assessment needs of our clients, we work collaboratively with them to custom-design assessments that meet their specifications and provide the specific data they require. Validity, reliability, efficiency and economy drive our work.

Experience

STAMP (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency)

Avant delivers, scores and reports results from the STAMP test (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency), a ground-breaking Web-based, four-skills foreign language assessment based on US national proficiency guidelines. STAMP was developed and statistically validated by CASLS (see Public/Private Partnership, above). 50,000 students take the STAMP test annually in high schools and colleges across 37 states. Avant works directly with Departments of Education delivering STAMP in NJ, WY, DE, LA, KY, SC and HI.

DoDEA

Avant provides the STAMP test to DoDEA, the US DoD agency educating the dependents of US military personnel worldwide.

Oregon Department of Education (ODE)

Avant has worked in partnership with ODE to develop and deliver the nation’s only online four-skills English Language Proficiency Assessment, the Oregon ELPA, that is fully compliant with the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The ELPA has been successfully delivered to over 105,000 Limited English Proficient students throughout the state of Oregon.

STARTALK, The National Security Language Initiative

Avant provides the assessment component for STARTALK, a project of the US National Security Language Initiative. STARTALK is a multi-agency, national effort to expand foreign language education in under-taught critical languages by funding new and existing programs throughout students' learning careers, from kindergarten through university.

Partnership

Avant’s Web-based language assessments are now part of Transparent Language, Inc.’s CL-150 Technology Matrix for Critical Languages. Avant has partnered with Transparent Language, Inc. (TLI), to provide Avant’s Web-based language, translation and interpretation testing, together with TLI’s language learning software, to US Government (USG) agencies. Transparent Language provides language-learning software in over 100 languages to the consumer, education, government, and corporate markets. Avant is TLI’s exclusive partner in providing Web-based language assessments to USG clients.

Over 1.5 million Web-based language assessments delivered nationwide

Avant has successfully delivered over 1.5 million Web-based language tests throughout the world.

Cross-platform compatibility

All of Avant’s tools are accessible on PC, Mac and Linux clients.