ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY
Acronyms and Definitions
AAACE - American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
ABE Adult Basic Education - ABE is instruction in the basic skills below the 9th grade level (0-8.9).
ABLE - Adult Basic Learning Exam
AEA - Adult Education Act of 1966. The federal legislation that first established adult literacy as a distinct federal program. In 1991 the National Literacy Act was incorporated into the AEA. Repealed and replaced by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act in 1998.
AELS - Adult Education and Literacy System
ATEPL - Adapted Test of English Proficiency Level
ALRC - Adult Learning Resource Center
ASE - Adult Secondary Education. A component of adult education. ASE is instruction in basic skills at or above the 9th grade level (9-12). Adult High School (AHS) and GED preparation are Adult Secondary Education.
AVL - Adult Volunteer Literacy
BEST - Basic English Skills Test. An assessment designed to test listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills of limited English proficient adults.
BEST Plus - An adaptation of the BEST oral interview. Available in two versions, a computer-adaptive assessment on CD or a semi-adaptive print-based version, both administered as a face-to-face oral interview.
CAELA - Center for Adult English Language Acquisition
CALL - Center for Adult Learning Leadership
CASAS - Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System. A standardized assessment instrument for assessing adult basic skills within a functional context.
CBO - Community Based Organization
CDBG - Community Development Block Grant
CELSA - Combined English Language Skills Assessment
CIAESC - Central Illinois Adult Education Service Center
CFP - Call For Proposal
COABE - Commission on Adult Basic Education
DAEL - Division of Adult Education and Literacy in the U.S. Dept. of Education
EDP - External Diploma Program
EFF - Equipped for the Future
EFL - Educational Functioning Level
EL Civics - English Literacy and Civics Education
ELL - English Language Learner
ES - Even Start
ESL - English as a Second Language
ESLOA - English as a Second Language Oral Assessment
ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages
FL - Family Literacy
FLL - First Language Literacy
FTE - Full time equivalent
FY - Fiscal year
GED - General Education Development
HS - Head Start
IACEA - Illinois Adult and Continuing Educator's Association
ICCB - Illinois Community College Board
INS - Immigration and Naturalization Service, currently USCIS
IRA - International Reading Association
ISBE - Illinois State Board of Education
ISL - Illinois State Library
LD - Learning Disabled
LEA - Local Educational Agency
LEP - Limited English Proficient
LINCS - Literacy Information and Communication System
MELT - Mainstream English Literacy Training
NAASLN - National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs
NAEPDC - National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium
NAEP - National Assessment of Educational Progress
NAAL - National Assessment of Adult Literacy
NALS - National Adult Literacy Survey
NCAL - National Center on Adult Literacy
NCFL - National Center for Family Literacy
NCSALL - National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
NCTE - National Council of Teachers of English
NIFL - National Institute for Literacy
NLL - Native language literacy
NRS - National Reporting System
OERI - Office of Educational Research and Improvement of US Dept. of Education
OVAE - Office of Vocational and Adult Education of US Dept. of Education
RFP - Request For Proposal
SIPDC - Southern Illinois Professional Development Center
SORT - Slosson Oral Reading Test
SOS - Secretary of State
SPL - Student Performance Level
TABE - Test of Adult Basic Education
TANF - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
TESOL - Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
USCIS - United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
VESL - Vocational English as a Second Language
WIA - Workforce Investment Act of 1998
WIB - Workforce Investment Board
WSE - Workplace Skills Enhancement