Testing FAQ

Are there differences in scores between STAMP and other tests like AAPPL?

Because AAPPL is a performance test in which teachers can prepare students for the test by focusing instruction on the topics that ACTFL announces will be on the test every year, it is possible that test scores will be higher than they would be on a proficiency test like STAMP where the specific topics that will be tested each year are not announced and a computer adaptive algorithm challenges each test taker at their highest appropriate level.

Individual factors such as fatigue or personal distractions on test day can also impact an individual test result in a negative or a positive way. There is always a chance that your student had a very good day when he or she took the AAPPL test and a very bad day when he took STAMP. Furthermore, all tests have margins of error associated with them so there is a chance again that he happened to hit the bottom of the range in the AAPPL test (just above I-4) and the top of the range on STAMP (just below Intermediate-Low). Finally, within each sublevel there is a score range. Again it is possible that this test-taker was at the bottom of the AAPPL sublevel and the top of the STAMP sublevel. Avant would be happy to check this individual’s test score if you would like to provide us information about the test taker. Please contact kyle.ennis@avantassessment.com if you would like us to look into this further.