The day has arrived – ATI TEAS® is here!
TEAS Overview
The TEAS has proven to be a reliable admissions tool to predict future health science academic success. The TEAS exam was developed based upon the 9-12 grade Science, Reading, Math, and English Language Usage standards identified as important for students to possess upon entry into a health science program. TEAS is normed for nursing and allied health programs, and provides you, your program, and your students with critical information needed to succeed.
A team of subject matter experts and health science educators compared the TEAS V standards and national education standards. The group determined it was time for a TEAS blueprint update. A national survey sent to health science programs confirmed this, and an updated ATI TEAS exam will be released in 2016.
What Remains the Same:
We’ve made the transition to the updated ATI TEAS simple for you.
In September we shared with you that we will be releasing an updated ATI TEAS exam for nursing and allied health programs on August 31, 2016. Thanks to the incorporation of scale continuity on the ATI TEAS, your program can keep your current TEAS cut score when transitioning from TEAS V to ATI TEAS. Because of the introduction of scale continuity, the TEAS V will no longer be available after August 30, 2015 and will be replaced by the updated ATI TEAS. You can learn more about scale continuity and content updates from the ATI TEAS V to the ATI TEAS in our FAQ section.
To assist with your transition from the TEAS V to the ATI TEAS, please read the information below specific to the TEAS assessment your institution provides.
Online TEAS Assessment Users:
- TEAS V assessments will be closed during the early morning hours of August 31, 2016.
- Your TEAS V ids will no longer be valid after your TEAS V assessments have been closed.
- Any unused TEAS V will be replaced by ATI TEAS assessments and dropped into your account.
- Click here to learn how to access your new online ATI TEAS ids
Paper Pencil Assessment Users:
- If you have unused TEAS V assessments, please send them to ATI between now and August 30, 2016 to receive the equivalent number of ATI TEAS assessments.
- ATI TEAS paper pencil assessments will be available for ordering & shipping the week of August 22 onwards.
- ATI will not score any TEAS V assessments given after August 30, 2016.
- Click here to learn how to return any unused TEAS V paper pencil assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What content updates will be made?
Content updates have been made to content areas and sub-content areas by adding, removing and updating the language within them. We have provided a TEAS V to ATI TEAS content comparison table for you here.
What prep materials do my students need to use?
If your students are taking the test on or after August 31, 2016 they will need to use the sixth edition ATI TEAS study manual that can be purchased on our online store. The new manual is now available, and the practice tests will be released on May 18, 2016. The updates to the test are reflected in the sixth edition study manual and the new practice tests, so we highly recommend students study with the appropriate materials.
What is scaled scoring and why did ATI decide to postpone updating the new scaled score metric?
To ensure a smooth transition to the updated ATI TEAS test plan, we decided to maintain our traditional scoring model during the initial launch of the ATI TEAS on August 31, 2016. This will give your program and applicants time to adjust to the new test plan without the additional pressure of also adapting to a new scoring metric. We are still committed and excited to introduce the new scaled scoring model in the future but will phase it in at a later date.
*Scaled scores are transformed equated scores that are comparable across sets of items and administrations. The use of scaled scores is common for standardized assessments (e.g. college readiness tests).
How should we update our admission criteria on our website and print materials?
Depending on how long you accept TEAS V scores, you will want to list both the TEAS V and ATI TEAS alongside your current cut score requirement.
For example: Our TEAS V and ATI TEAS cut score requirement is 58.7%.
How will the ATI TEAS impact the TEAS for Allied Health?
The ATI TEAS will allow for the use of one test for both nursing and allied health. Currently, programs need to use two assessments, each specific to either nursing or allied health (TEAS V or the TEAS V for Allied Health). ATI TEAS will allow for one test that can be designated by the specific program type of BSN, ADN, PN, or Allied Health.
Why can calculators be used on the ATI TEAS and not TEAS V?
With the increasing adoption of calculators throughout standardized testing and feedback from a survey of educators, ATI made the decision to allow calculators for the ATI TEAS assessment. The ATI TEAS will allow for the use of a four function calculator. For the online version of the ATI TEAS, a calculator is embedded within the exam. For paper pencil versions of the TEAS test, the testing center will need to provide a four-function calculator. Although a calculator will be permitted, all questions on the TEAS are written to be solvable without the use of a calculator.
Calculator use is not allowed when taking the TEAS V, as at the time of its development, the decision to allow calculator use was not part of the outlined standardized testing environment.
What updates are being made to TEAS reports?
A survey of the current TEAS V score report was released for clients to identify what sections of the report are particularly helpful and what sections are confusing, unnecessary, or inadequate. Clients were able to provide suggestions to improve those sections that were identified as needing improvement. Findings from this survey will inform the updated ATI TEAS score report. Similarly, a draft of the ATI TEAS score report will be piloted in another survey to gather feedback prior to the release of the final ATI TEAS score report with the new assessment.
Will the structure of the TEAS remain the same?
The overall number of questions and time remains the same. Just like the TEAS V, the ATI TEAS is composed of 170 questions, 20 of which are unscored pretest items. Thus, the number of scored questions on which individuals will be evaluated is 150. The total time allotted to complete the test is 209 minutes. In addition, the test continues to be one assessment comprised of four sections: Math, Reading, Science, and English and Language Usage.
The number of questions and time allotted per content area has been changed. Below we have provided a chart of the ATI TEAS question and time allotment by content area.
Content Area | TEAS V | ATI TEAS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
# of questions | Time Limit | # of questions | Time Limit | |
Reading | 48 | 58 minutes | 53 | 64 minutes |
Math | 34 | 51 minutes | 36 | 54 minutes |
Science | 54 | 66 minutes | 53 | 63 minutes |
English | 34 | 34 minutes | 28 | 28 minutes |
Total | 170* | 209 | 170* | 209 |
*There are 20 unscored pretest questions |
Can we use our current TEAS V cut score?
Yes, because we are maintaining scale continuity between blueprints, you will be able to keep your current cut score.
Can we continue to track our TEAS V data once our students start testing on the ATI TEAS?
Yes! Since we are maintaining scoring continuity, you will be able to use your TEAS V and ATI TEAS data together.
What is scale continuity?
Each time we update a blueprint, we have the opportunity to change the underlying statistical scale that produces reported scores or to keep that underlying statistical scale the same through the content changes. In the past ATI has changed the underlying scale each time a blueprint changes. Based upon empirical evidence, including a data analysis of TEAS assessments as well as judgments from content experts familiar with health science fields and TEAS content, ATI has decided to keep the statistical scale the same for ATI TEAS. This means that the scores for TEAS V are comparable to scores on the ATI TEAS and your admissions criteria can remain the same. Scale continuity will make score use, interpretation, and longitudinal tracking easier for TEAS users.
When should we start communicating ATI TEAS cut scores?
While up to each program, we encourage you to add the ATI TEAS reference alongside your TEAS cut score as early as possible. We have created an ATI TEAS transition toolkit to help you communicate this update.
Can students use TEAS V preparation materials for the ATI TEAS?
Since content updates did occur in the creation of the ATI TEAS, the TEAS V preparation materials will not provide the prospective tester with a comprehensive overview of the topics assessed on the ATI TEAS. We recommend that individuals preparing for the ATI TEAS will want to purchase the ATI TEAS preparation materials for the most comprehensive preparation.
When will the ATI TEAS preparation materials be available?
The ATI TEAS study manual and practice assessments are currently available via the ATI online store.
How is the exam content of the TEAS secured?
The assessment development process is continuous to help ensure that students retesting obtain valid results and also to ensure the content of the sets of items remains secure. Exposure of assessment content is systematically tracked and evaluated. Item validity is not dependent solely on exposure volume, but also tracking item performance and the security of our content.
Is the updated ATI TEAS more difficult than the TEAS V?
The ATI TEAS will be similar in difficulty level to the previous version of the TEAS. A content analysis study was conducted with subject matter experts both in nursing and curriculum to ensure that the blueprint is better aligned with the evolving changes that happen in both of these areas. After the new blueprint was complete, a comparison was conducted to assess possible differences. Further, the equating process makes adjustments to the scores to account for any differences in difficulty across forms so that they are comparable.
How long should we accept TEAS V scores?
It is up to the institution to determine the length of time they will accept TEAS V transcripts for students who have tested prior to August 2016 without having students retest.
What scoring metric is used for the ATI TEAS?
ATI TEAS will continue to be reported as adjusted percent correct scores, as they were on TEAS V, (for example 58.7%).
What if we have unused TEAS V assessments that we did not use before the August 31, 2016 release?
ATI will work with you to ensure that your remaining TEAS V assessments are replaced with the ATI TEAS assessments. To learn more about how to make the transition, please read the section of this site entitled “We’ve made the transition to the updated ATI TEAS simple for you.”
Why did ATI remove ‘versioning’ from the TEAS branding? (i.e., TEAS V to TEAS)
Scale continuity for the TEAS assessment allows for comparison of scores across TEAS blueprints. This means that scores from TEAS V will be comparable to scores on future versions of the TEAS. The version of the TEAS assessment was removed in order to minimize disruption for TEAS users between blueprint updates.
Will the TEAS V academic preparedness categories remain the same for the ATI TEAS?
Yes, if you have been using the TEAS academic preparedness categories (i.e., developmental, basic, proficient, advanced, or exemplary) as a reference these will remain the same.
Can I review a proctor guide for ATI TEAS?
Yes, you can access the proctor guide here.
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