Center for Applied Second Language Studies - The Northwest National Foreign Language Resource Center
STAMP provides affordable and accurate proficiency assessment for language programs across the country.
STAMP provides affordable and accurate proficiency assessment for language programs across the country.
Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP)

Assessments provide a valuable opportunity for teachers to monitor their students' progress toward proficiency. Effective assessments like the Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) can play an even larger role: allowing teachers to easily evaluate their course's curriculum based on how students perform. With easy-to-read reports, STAMP can help teachers make adjustments in their classroom to improve student outcomes.

STAMP Features

  • Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish
  • Available in reading, writing, and speaking
  • Measures proficiency ranging from Novice-low to Intermediate-mid
  • Age appropriate for grades 7 through 16
  • Web-based
  • Based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
  • Textbook independent
  • Available at an affordable cost through CASLS' partner company, Avant Assessment
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Benefits for Teachers

  • Provides validated, easy-to-use data
  • Perfect for checking progress, placement, program and standards review, staff development, and instructional planning
  • Access to longitudinal individual speaking and writing samples
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Benefits for Students

  • Engage in real-world language situations
  • Emphasis on what students can do with the language
  • Facilitates goal setting
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STAMP Enhancements in Progress

CASLS works to continually improve STAMP's test design. Future versions of STAMP will include:

  • Advanced and Superior levels
  • Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, Urdu, and Yoruba
  • Listening and contextualized grammar sections
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Teachers may try out these enhancements free of charge by participating in our pilot assessments.

The following grants and partnering institutions sponsor STAMP development: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), Institute of International Education, The Language Flagship (through the National Security Education Program), New York University, University of Chicago, University of Hawaii, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin, and U.S. Department of Education Title VI. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSEP.