CASAS Skill Level Descriptors

The CASAS Skill Level Descriptors show a continuum of skills from beginning through advanced adult secondary. They provide descriptions of adults' general job-related ability in reading, mathematics, oral communication, and writing. The Skill Level Descriptors explain in general terms what most learners can accomplish at the CASAS scale score level in a specific skill area.

Results from most CASAS tests are reported on a common numerical scale. This scale has been verified and validated on more than three million adult and youth learners. The CASAS scale is divided into five levels: A (Beginning Literacy) to E (Advanced Secondary), each encompassing a range of scores. Each level is defined by a CASAS scale score range with corresponding competency descriptors of performance in employment and adult life skills contexts.

The Skill Level Descriptors provide general information on how an adult learner’s numerical scale score on a CASAS test in a specific skill area corresponds to the job-related and life skill tasks this person generally can accomplish.

Student Performance Level (SPL) designations are provided for the ELL levels. The SPLs were developed through the Center for Applied Linguistics for the National Mainstream English Language Training (MELT) Project. They provide general descriptions of adult ESL learners’ ability in two areas of language proficiency: language/oral communication and reading/writing at a range of levels.