AUGUSTA – As Maine shifts to a proficiency-based system by 2018, the 2014-15 Smarter Balanced Assessment scores in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 through 8 and the third year of high school are the first statewide assessment of our students’ accomplishments in meeting Maine’s college and career readiness standards. These results are reflective of a more rigorous assessment as the world is changing rapidly, and Maine is poised to improve in this educational shift to better prepare our students for future success.
In 2011, Maine adopted these new learning standards for ELA/literacy and mathematics, and the Maine Department of Education has assisted educators with instructional support to implement these new, more rigorous standards geared for student success. These assessment scores offer a baseline that now gives Maine the opportunity to measure student progress in meeting the standards as educators cultivate and strengthen students’ ability to think critically and solve complex problems.
The new assessment is different from our previous state assessments. This first computer-based effort went beyond multiple-choice questions to include technology-enhanced items allowing students to demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Collections of questions challenged students to apply their knowledge and skills to respond to complex real-world problems designed to measure capacities such as depth of understanding, writing and research skills, and complex analysis. The resulting scores are broken down into achievement levels.
Acting Education Commissioner Tom Desjardin says, “This was a huge challenge for Maine schools and they met it with remarkable skill. The shift to a computerized assessment from paper and pencil was difficult enough, but the shift to new standards and a more rigorous assessment made this year’s effort an unusually difficult task.”
While Maine will use a different partner to administer the state assessment aligned to Maine’s college and career readiness standards next year, the computerized delivery of these assessments and the standards on which they are based will remain the same.
Another assessment given to students in grades 5, 8 and the third year of high school, is the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Science. MEA for Science has been administered since the mid- 1980s and those results follow.
The Maine DOE applauds educators who have engaged in the shift in instruction to support learning reflective of our standards designed to position Maine students for a successful future.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Rachelle Tome is available today (Sept. 11) at 11 a.m. for comment. All media is welcome to visit the Maine DOE located on the 5th floor of the Burton Cross Office Building at 111 Sewall Street in Augusta; or join a conference call at 877-455-0244, conference code 6540808455. For coordination and more information, contact anne.gabbianelli@maine.gov, 624-6747 or 592-4439.
Maine Statewide Summative Assessment Results for 2014-15
(The percentages displayed are rounded to the nearest whole number.)
Statewide Percentages in Level 3 or 4
| Grade | ELA/Literacy | Mathematics | Science(MEA) |
| 3 | 48% | 45% | |
| 4 | 47% | 40% | |
| 5 | 51% | 35% | 65% |
| 6 | 46% | 34% | |
| 7 | 48% | 36% | |
| 8 | 48% | 33% | 71% |
| 11 | 47% | 25% | 43% |
Statewide Results by Achievement Level (All Grades)
| ELA/Literacy | Mathematics | |
| Level 3 or 4 | 48% | 36% |
| Level 4 = Exceeded Standard | 16% | 13% |
| Level 3 = Met Standard | 31% | 23% |
| Level 2 = Partially Met Standard | 27% | 32% |
| Level 1 = Did Not Meet Standard | 25% | 32% |
| Science (MEA) | |
| Level 3 or 4 | 61% |
| Level 4 = Exceeded Standard | 11% |
| Level 3 = Met Standard | 50% |
| Level 2 = Partially Met Standard | 26% |
| Level 1 = Did Not Meet Standard | 13% |
School Level Assessment Data
The Excel spreadsheets linked below include school level achievement data, and enrollment and participation data for statewide assessment of ELA/literacy, mathematics and science. Participation data includes only those students who should have taken this test. Participation data may be influenced by special student considerations, attendance, administration of the correct test form and opting out.
The 127th Legislature voted Maine will no longer do business with SBAC. That bill is LD 1276.
SBAC sounds like the perfect test and the students did reasonably well for the first time, so why was it dropped? Switching tests just disrupts the assessment process.
The Smarter Balanced assessments fail to meet basic standards for testing and accountability and should not be used for diagnostic or placement purposes. Readers may be interested to know of an Open Letter to the CA State Board of Education on Release of [False] SBAC Scores: http://eduresearcher.com/2015/09/08/openletter/ as well as the following Critical Questions about Computerized Assessments and SmarterBalanced Test Scores: http://eduresearcher.com/2015/07/06/critical-questions-computerized-testing-sbac/