Prepare for 2013-14 state assessments

The following information summarizes the State assessments schools will administer during the 2013-14 school year and the associated testing dates. The list also includes additional assessment options that are not required but are provided to school administrative units as tools to support instruction.

Maine’s Comprehensive Assessment System consists of State assessments, which:

  • Measure the academic proficiency
  • Provide a sample of Maine schools for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
  • Provide a local option designed to allow for additional customized testing for students/teachers who see benefit from increased assessment feedback and/or for schools that desire a more continuous and comprehensive high school assessment program

Measures of Academic Proficiency

  • Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) science – Required in grades 5 and 8
    MEA science assessments will be administered at grades 5 and 8 from May 5-16. Administration information will be posted when available on the MEA web page. Schools that have successfully piloted the online grade 8 science test in the past will be able to participate online again this year if they continue to meet the technical requirements. Additionally, there will be another pilot for online grade 8 science occurring in late January/early February. More information will be posted to the MEA site when it is available.
  • Maine High School Assessment (MHSA) – Required for third-year high school students
    The MHSA consists of the SAT (which includes critical reading, mathematics and writing) and the state-developed science assessment for third-year high school students. The SAT testing date is May 3. The dates of the MHSA science test administration window are March 24 to April 4. More information is available on the MHSA site. In addition, there will be a pilot for online science testing occurring in late January/early February. More information will be posted to the MHSA site when it is available.
  • New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) – Required in grades 3-8
    The NECAP test in reading and mathematics at grades 3-8 and writing at grades 5 and 8 will be administered in Maine schools from Oct. 1-23. A recorded test administration webinar is available on the NECAP site to assist in the training of educators administering the NECAP. A test coordinator webinar will be available online by Sept. 17.
  • Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP) – Required alternate for grades 2-8, 10 and third year high school
    The alternate assessment (PAAP) will be administered in reading and mathematics for students in grades 2-7, 10 and third year of high school; in science for students in grades 5, 8 and third year of high school; and in writing for students in grades 4, 7 and third year of high school. The PAAP administration window will run from Dec. 1 through April 30. The Maine DOE Office of Special Services will be offering live trainings and will post an updated webinar online by Oct. 31. For more information, visit the PAAP site.
  • WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) – Required for all K-12 ELLs
    All K-12 identified English learners must be assessed for English language proficiency by participating in the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® during the testing window of Dec. 2 through Jan. 31. English learners who arrive after the testing window has closed must be assessed with either the WIDA W-APT™ or WIDA MODEL™, and the score reports must be faxed to the Maine DOE at 207-624-6771. WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® student labels are automatically ordered by Maine DOE for all English learners based on the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) data contained in the Infinite Campus State Edition (ICSE) on Oct. 14. This data must include the date of the student’s first enrollment in a U.S. school. To ensure accurate student labels, schools must update and verify the ICSE enrollment data contained in the ACCESS for ELLs® Label Roster Report before Oct. 15.WIDA tests are ordered by districts between Oct. 1-18 in accordance with information emailed directly from MetriTech. Test ordering information is also available by contacting MetriTech at wida@metritech.com or 1-800-747-4868.

    Training for test administrators is available online. Questions about online training should be directed to help@wida.us. Face-to-face training is available Jan. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Room 103 of the Cross State Office Building in Augusta. For registration and information, contact Nancy Mullins at nancy.mullins@maine.gov or 207-624-6788.

NAEP

  • NAEP – State-required sample in grades 4, 8 and 12
    In alternating years (the odd-numbered years), assessments are administrated in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 and are referred to as “main” or “state” NAEP. According to Elementary and Secondary Education Act regulations, state participation is mandatory.In even-numbered years, referred to as “national” NAEP years, other subject areas, pilot and/or field tests and special assessments are administered at grades 4, 8 and 12.

    In 2014, a small sample of Maine schools will participate in the Technology and Engineering Literacy assessment at grade 8. In addition, some schools will be contacted and invited to participate in new science question tryouts.

    For more information, view the NAEP assessment schedule from the National Assessment Governing Board.

Additional High School Tools

  • ACCUPLACER® – Optional in grade 11
    As part of the high school assessment pathway, the Maine DOE will continue to offer the opportunity for grade 11 students to take either the PSAT® or the ACCUPLACER®. Learn more about the ACCUPLACER® through the Maine DOE newsroom or the College Board.
  • PSAT® – Required in grade 10 and optional in grade 11
    The PSAT® is required of all 10th grade high school students and will be administered on Oct. 16. The PSAT is no longer required of 11th grade high school students, but the Maine DOE will cover the cost for either PSAT® or ACCUPLACER® for juniors. The PSAT® assessment program is not part of Maine’s federal accountability system.
  • ReadiStep® – Optional in grade 9
    As part of preparing for college and career readiness and post-secondary opportunities, the Department enables high schools to offer the ReadiStep® assessment to students in grade 9. The assessment window is Oct. 16-30. In order to participate, schools must order the assessment by Sept. 13. For more information, visit the College Board website.

Resources and more information

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