Mis / Understanding ROS & TfHS

We have been hearing lately that ROS has no test content and therefore isn’t a complete product. Although it is true, in a narrow technical sense, that ROS has no content of its own at this time, practically, it’s a false statement.

ROS was actually developed to host Tests for Higher Standards (TfHS) tests and item banks. The two products really fit together like hand and glove. The fact is, that the test content product, TfHS, is quoted and invoiced by Dr. Flannagan, as he has long done. ROS is quoted and invoiced by ROSworks, LLC. The marketing of both is a shared enterprise. For all practical purposes, ROS and TfHS work together and look to our end-users as a single product.

Actually, the fact that the products are separable is an advantage to clients. Some schools/districts have their own content, either self-developed or from some other test-content vendor; whereas, others have a delivery/scoring/reporting system that is currently working well for them. In each case, one of our two products can be an ideal fit.

ROS can handle a variety of content other than the TfHS tests and banks. We currently offer a library of the most recent version of the CFAs, in an online format, to our Prince William County Schools clients. To our Virginia clients who specifically request it, we can offer a library of the two most recently-released versions of the Virginia SOL Tests (©, the Virginia  Department of Education) in an online format. When clients come with their own content, ROS places it in a library accessible only to that client. Content from any online library can be combined with any other online content to yield an online or printable test. For example, this allows a test with some TfHS items, some SOL released items, and some locally-developed items to be produced. With our new question editor, external items can be entered by typing in, by cut and paste, or with one of our several bulk-input options.

In the near future, ROS will be offering a question exchange into which users can place their own questions and from which other users can copy questions for their use. We intend to “seed” this exchange with a few questions in different grades and subjects which we have obtained from various sources. Look for this in the next few months.

David E. W.  Mott