The 26 states of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, of which Maine is one, are on target to administer the first Smarter Balanced assessment in spring 2015. That gives teachers and students the 2013-14 school year and most of the 2014-15 school year to prepare for the new assessments. You and your students (and their parents, too) can try out the practice tests online to experience what the new test will be like. Smarter Balanced will be administered via computer, a change that serves Maine well given the Maine Learning Technology Initiative has helped our students and educators become national leaders in computer readiness.
Category: Assessment
Maine math teachers prepare for coming assessments
Resources available online
The Maine DOE collaborated with the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine (ATOMIM) in organizing a series of two-session “Dine and Discuss” events this spring to share information about the Smarter Balanced assessments and Maine’s role as a governing state in the consortium.
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New teacher leaders discuss proficiency in the arts
The Maine DOE’s Maine Arts Assessment Initiative (MAAI) welcomed 14 new teacher leaders during the summer institute held at the Maine College of Art in Portland. More than 50 visual and performing arts teachers have received professional development to become teacher leaders and continue to provide workshops on a variety of topics that include assessment. During the last two years, more than 800 teachers have attended sessions at the regional, mega-regional and statewide levels, and electronically. The teachers represent dance, music, theatre and visual arts from PK-12 grade levels and all regions of the state.
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Law provides educator evaluation and support system development guidance in absence of rule
As many of you know, since LD 1858, “An Act To Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership,” was enacted in April 2012, the Department has been working to establish rules to guide you in your local development of the now required teacher and principal evaluation and support systems.
It is with great frustration that I report to you that while the 125th Legislature unanimously supported this initiative to implement a fair, meaningful educator evaluation system, legislators this session have failed to reach consensus – specifically around fulfilling the law’s directive that measurements of student learning and growth be a significant factor in the determination of the rating of an educator. As a result, the Department will need to start the process of adopting Chapter 180 over again in the fall in order to submit a provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature in January 2014. Continue reading “Law provides educator evaluation and support system development guidance in absence of rule”
Business leaders support Common Core standards
Recently, the Business Roundtable – a group of more than 200 chief executives from across the country – wrote in support of the continued implementation of Common Core State Standards. These leaders are the latest to come forward from the education and business communities to advocate for these higher standards that will position students to be successful after high school, and economies like Maine’s to benefit from that. Continue reading “Business leaders support Common Core standards”
Smarter Balanced practice tests now available
Teachers interested in an interactive look at the Smarter Balanced assessment can now take a practice test. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) made practice tests available starting last week for teachers, students, parents and the public in advance of the test’s full deployment in Maine schools starting in 2015. Continue reading “Smarter Balanced practice tests now available”
School academies provide customized learning in Belfast
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When I visited Troy Howard Middle School on Thursday as part of the tail end of my Promising Practices Tour, I was impressed by the school’s two-year academy system that puts students first by placing them in one of three academies based on their learning styles.
Under Principal Kim Buckheit’s leadership, the Belfast school implemented the standards-based academy system to give seventh and eighth graders more control over their learning. The Innovation Academy offers a hands-on approach to those who benefit from project-based learning, the International Academy brings a global perspective to students trying to see the bigger picture, and the Ecology Academy combines experiential learning with the practice of ecological sustainability.
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Update on proficiency-based diploma Technical Assistance Plan
The Department has been working on the Technical Assistance Plan (TAP) to help districts implement a proficiency-based diploma since the beginning of the year. Many of the elements of the plan will be unveiled at the Commissioner’s Conference (June 23-25) and will be officially released on July 1. The TAP is being developed as an interactive website stocked with resources, guidance documents and exemplars. Continue reading “Update on proficiency-based diploma Technical Assistance Plan”
Two Maine schools invited to participate in AP STEM Access program
The College Board shared the following news release with the Maine DOE for publication.
AUGUSTA—Hampden Academy and Scarborough High School are among 800 schools across the country invited to participate in the AP STEM Access program, created to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented minority and female high school students that participate in Advanced Placement® courses in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.
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Preview new English language proficiency test
The 31 states that have banded together to create a new, computer-based assessment system for English language learners are getting their first glimpses at the new English-language proficiency exam being developed to measure the language demands of the Common Core State Standards. Prototypes will be available to the public in the summer.
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Maine DOE Newsroom 