Category: Assessment

Learning from the latest NECAP results: Part I

Earlier this week, the Department released the state-level results for the 2013-14 New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). The test was administered back in October and districts have had (and hopefully been closely analyzing) their individual results since January.

From the state-level data, we can see that while the majority of Maine’s elementary school students are still proficient in math (60.2 percent) and reading (69.1 percent), there are concerning performance declines across the board. While proficiency went up in Grade 5 math and writing and was flat in Grade 3, 5 and 7 reading as well as Grade 7 math, it was down in both math and reading for Grades 3, 4, 6 and 8.

Just as we as a Department encourage you to dig into your data to inform your understanding of challenges and opportunities, we’ve been doing the same here.

Continue reading “Learning from the latest NECAP results: Part I” →

Maine DOE releases elementary student assessment results

AUGUSTA – The majority of Maine’s elementary school students are still proficient in reading and math, but State Education Department officials say performance declines in all grade levels tested are a reminder of the importance of school-led improvement work continuing.

The performance of students in grades three through eight, as measured by the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) administered in October, comes just months after the Department announced proficiency in math and reading was on the rise again in Maine high schools, according to scores from the 2013 SAT.

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Opportunity to participate in accessible assessment project

The Maine DOE has served as a critical partner to the Maryland State Department of Education and Measured Progress Innovation lab for the Guidelines for Accessible Assessment Project (GAAP). This is a federally-funded project that involves developing research-based guidelines for representing assessment content in audio and sign forms. Continue reading “Opportunity to participate in accessible assessment project” →

2013-14 MHSA/SAT initiative guidelines and updates

This dispatch from the Maine DOE includes information about the following:

Assessing the Guiding Principles

Educators develop performance assessments
Maine educators developed performance assessments at a workshop at Husson University.

As part of its work to support schools in their awarding of proficiency-based diplomas, the Maine DOE is developing sample performance assessments of Maine’s Guiding Principles. The goal of this work is to create a repository of performance assessments that provide student demonstrations of proficiency across a variety of content areas.

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Record number of Mainers earning high school credential

As Maine moves to a new high school equivalency exam, thousands looking to advance their career and post-secondary aspirations are completing the current GED® this year though doing so before 2014 is not required

AUGUSTA – A record high number of Mainers have earned their high school equivalency credential this year in advance of the State moving to a new exam provider starting in 2014.

Already in the first 10 months of 2013, 2,699 Mainers have successful completed their GED®, a significant increase over the 1,878 who did so in 2012 and the 2,258 who did so in 2011.

Continue reading “Record number of Mainers earning high school credential” →

Clarification of 1 percent rule for counting proficiency on alternate assessments

Maine students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may take an alternate assessment, known as the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP), based on alternate academic achievement standards. Those standards must be aligned with the State’s academic content standards, promote access to the general curriculum and reflect professional judgment of the highest achievement standards possible (see 34 C.F.R. § 200.1, July 2013).

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Alternate assessment no longer required for second graders with disabilities

Beginning in fall of 2014, there will no longer be a fall administration of the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) for third grade students. As a result, as of this school year, Maine no longer requires that second grade students complete the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP), which tests grades 2-8 students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the NECAP.

Continue reading “Alternate assessment no longer required for second graders with disabilities” →