Category: Assessment

MSAA Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator Training Webinar

As a reminder to District Assessment Coordinators, Test Coordinators providing assistance with the upcoming administration of the MEA alternate Assessment, MSAA are invited to attend a training this Friday, February 16 at 2:30pm.  This webinar may be accessed online here.

This webinar will be recorded and posted on the Maine DOE MSAA website.  Online training will also be available within the MSAA site March 5 – May 4, 2018.

For questions regarding this training, please contact Sue Nay at sue.nay@maine.gov.

Cancellation: 2/7 SAT Workshop cancelled due to weather

The following professional development workshop scheduled for tomorrow, February 7, 2018 (tomorrow) has been cancelled due to the anticipated snow storm. Registrants are being notified directly by email. The morning eMPowerME session will continue as originally scheduled.

2018 SAT Assessment Workshop – Augusta

Date: February 7, 2018 –
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Event Type: Conference or Workshop
Content Area: Maine’s Comprehensive Assessment System
Grade Level(s):
Presenter: Maine DOE/Measured Progress/eMetric

Description of Training:

Workshop designed to provide a detailed overview of the SAT administration as educators prepare for the April 10, 2018 administration of SAT School Day in Maine. Enhancements regarding College Board updates for 2017-18 include: students not required to supply a photo ID; discontinued use of SAT admission tickets; and changes to the student questionnaire (SDQ) process. In addition to reviewing key dates and deadlines, this session will provide a general overview of the College Board’s SSD process.

URL/Website for Additional Information:
http://events.egov.com/eventreg/ME/event.htm?name=2018satassessmentworkshopaugustapm

Event Location:
Augusta Civic Center
76 Community Drive
Augusta, ME 04330

Contact Information:
Eric Buckhalter
eric.buckhalter@maine.gov

Program Producer/Provider Information:
Department of Education

2017-2018 ESEA Report Cards

The 2017-2018 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Report Cards are now publicly available in the Maine Assessment and Accountability Reporting System (MAARS).  The 2017-2018 ESEA Report Cards present results from the 2016-2017 school year.

The ESEA Report Cards are designed to meet federal requirements for data reporting as outlined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  States are required to provide an annual report card to inform stakeholders about the progress of students and schools on indicators of student achievement, graduation rates, status of ESEA accountability and information on fully certified teachers.

The 2017-18 ESEA report card is for informational purposes only and does not impact school accountability status. Title I Accountability status for 2017-2018 remains as determined by school performance reported for the 2013-2014 school year. A new school and district accountability system will be implemented at the beginning of school year 2018-2019 as part of Maine’s approved ESSA plan with the U.S. Department of Education.

MAARS can be accessed through the following link, which is also located in the Maine Department of Education website.  Report Cards can be accessed in MAARS from the “Quick Reports” page by clicking on the “School,” “District,” or “State” button for school year 2016-2017, which downloads an excel sheet with links to each Report Card.

Further questions regarding the purpose of the 2017-2018 ESEA Report Cards should be directed to ESEA Federal Programs and Title I Director Chelsey Fortin-Trimble at Chelsey.A.Fortin@maine.gov or call 624-6815.  Questions regarding assessment and data reporting should be directed to Assessment Director Andrew Hudacs at Andrew.Hudacs@maine.gov or call 624-6827.

 

SAT 3rd Year High School Student Enrollment Confirmation

As previously announced, the 3rd year high school student enrollment (bulk registration) file for spring 2018 SAT assessment will be sent to Measured Progress/College Board on Friday, February 2, 2018. Any students changing enrollment after 2/2/18 will need to complete paper registrations on the day of SAT testing (4/10/18 or the makeup date on 4/24/18). SAT enrollments can now be checked in NEO.

Confirm your enrollment in NEO/Student Data (for SAT bulk registration) Dashboard https://neo.maine.gov login:

1.) Click “Student Data” module

student data

2.) Click “Student Reports” module

student reports

3.) Choose Reporting Area “Assessment” – SAT Report
assessment

4.) Click View Report

If there are discrepancies in your 3rd year high school enrollment, please recheck your enrollment system and/or contact the DOE Data HelpDesk at MEDMS.helpdesk@maine.gov or 624-6896.

MEA Science and eMPowerME – Large Print and Paper Order Requests Due 1/26/18

If a student cannot take the MEA Mathematics and ELA/Literacy (grades 3-8) assessment online and needs a paper-version (regular size print or large print) due to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or special accommodations such as a 504 plan or other specific reasons, requests must be made individually using the following forms:

  • eMPowerME LP Paper Version Request 2018
  • eMPowerME regular print Paper Version Request 2018

The MEA Science (grades 5, 8, 3rd year high school) is a regular size print/paper test. If a student requires this assessment in large print due to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or special accommodations such as a 504 plan or other specific reasons, requests must be made individually using the following form:

  • Science LP Paper Version Request 2018

Individual requests for different versions of either assessment are due to DOE by Friday January 26, 2018. Requests must be sent via SECURE EMAIL to Nancy Godfrey nancy.godfrey@maine.gov. Requests are reviewed by the DOE Assessment Team and approved or denied with an email confirmation.

For more information or questions contact Nancy Godfrey, Assessment Coordinator for the Maine Department of Education at Nancy.godfrey@maine.gov or 207-624-6775.

Student Enrollment Files and Assessment Preparation Dates

Please be aware of the following important dates regarding student enrollment when preparing for the 2018 spring Maine Educational Assessments (MEA). The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is continuing the transition from the data management software platform Infinite Campus to Synergy State Edition. The following table outlines the dates in which student enrollment files are captured in Synergy State Edition by the DOE, and sent to Measured Progress, the contractor for state required assessments:

  • Science
    • MEA General (Grades 5, 8, 3rd year high school)
    • Alternate/PAAP (Grades 5, 8, 3rd year high school)
  • Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy
    • General Grades 3-8 & – eMPowerME
    • General 3rd year high school – SAT
    • Alternate/MSAA (Grades 3-8, 3rd year high school)
Data File Completion Date
PAAP Science Enrollment Data File completed
MSAA Enrollment Data File 1/8/18
eMPowerME Enrollment Data File 1/19/18
SAT Enrollment Data File 2/2/18
MEA Science Enrollment Data File 2/26/18
NEW: Date enrollment is captured for assessment reporting 5/4/18

Enrollment in Synergy includes:

  1. Identification of student participating in alternate assessments, which cannot be changed after March 1, 2018.
  2. Attending district/school

The following bullets explain the process for updating changes to student enrollment from the data file upload date to the testing window for each assessment in chronological order:

  1. PAAP Alternate Science
    1. This data file was sent to Measured Progress in November 2017, as the PAAP Task Bank opened 12/1/17. The testing window is 3/1/18-4/30/18. If student enrollment changes between 12/1/17 and 4/30/18, please contact Sue Nay at 624-6774 or sue.nay@maine.gov.
  2. MSAA Alternate Math & ELA/Literacy
    1. The enrollment data file will be sent to Measured Progress on 1/8/18. If student enrollment at your school changes between 1/9/18 and 5/4/18, please contact Sue Nay at 624-6774 or sue.nay@maine.gov.
  3. eMPowerME General Math & ELA/Literacy
    1. The enrollment data file will be sent on 1/19/18. Beginning on 2/19/18, nightly enrollment changes will be captured in Synergy and sent to Measured Progress/eMetric to facilitate the changes between 1/20/18 and 4/13/18 in the eMPowerME Portal.
    2. If nightly enrollment uploads from the DOE to Measured Progress/eMetric are not immediately captured in the eMPowerME Portal, please call the DOE Data Help Desk at 624-6896 or MEDMS.helpdesk@maine.gov.
  4. SAT General Math & ELA/Literacy
    1. The enrollment (bulk registration) data file will be sent on 2/2/18. If student enrollment changes between 2/3/18 and 4/10/18, students will not have a Pre-ID label for their test booklet and must paper-register on the SAT school day or make-up day.
  5. SAT General Science
    1. The enrollment data file will be sent on 2/26/18. If student enrollment changes between 2/27/18 and 4/13/18 for high school students, or between 2/27/18 and 5/4/18 for grades 5 & 8), students will not have a Pre-ID label for their test booklet. Student will continue to test as scheduled but will enter demographic information through paper-register/bubble-in fields on extra/blank Science test booklet(s) the day(s) of testing.

Questions can be addressed to: Varun Motay 624-6657 or varun.motay@maine.gov

2018 Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy Assessment Administration Training

Statewide workshop training will be provided on the administration of the 2018 Mathematics & ELA/Literacy assessments.

When/Where:
Tuesday 2/6/18 in Portland
Wednesday 2/7/18 in Augusta
Thursday 2/8/18 in Bangor
Friday 2/9/18 in Caribou

Description of Training Sessions: There will be two separate training sessions each day, see details below.

Morning training sessions will focus on the Grades 3-8 Mathematics & ELA/Literacy (eMPowerME) online assessment.

  1. Who should attend: The morning sessions are intended for Maine District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and one other designated participant (such as Technology Coordinators or School Test Coordinators) with a limit of TWO (2) registrants total per district. There will be subsequent webinar trainings for Test Administrators.
  2. Morning eMPowerME Session: This training will be about the eMPowerME online platform in preparation for the spring 2018 MEA Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy test administration to include: eMPowerME Portal test administration system overview and demonstrations; student test delivery system (eMPowerME Kiosk); technology requirements and specifications; online student tutorial (via Kiosk only this year); Portal & Kiosk updates for 2018; paper-based sample items; accessibility and accommodations.

Afternoon training sessions will focus on the High School Mathematics & ELA/Literacy (SAT) paper assessment.

  1. Who should attend: The afternoon training sessions are intended for Maine District Assessment Coordinators (DACs), high school SAT Test Center Supervisors and/or SAT SSD with a limit of THREE (3) registrants total per district.
  2. Afternoon SAT description: This training session will provide a detailed overview of the SAT administration as educators prepare for the April 10, 2018 administration of SAT School Day in Maine. Enhancements regarding College Board updates for 2017-18 include: students not required to supply a photo ID; discontinued use of SAT admission tickets; and changes to the student questionnaire (SDQ) process. In addition to reviewing key dates and deadlines, this session will provide a general overview of the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) process.

Registrations open Monday January 8, 2018 on the DOE Assessment Website or DOE Professional Development Calendar. Questions can be addressed to:

Nancy Godfrey 624-6775 or nancy.godfrey@maine.gov

New Teachers and Mentors – Dine and Discuss Event (Three sessions)

Due to extenuating circumstances this series has been cancelled.

The Dine and Discuss series for new teachers and their mentors is designed to provide professional learning that builds fundamental instructional skills of new teachers. Note:  New teachers are defined as teachers in their first two years of teaching who have assigned mentors.  Each session in the 3-part series will have a specific focus.

January Focus:  Formative Assessment

Sessions goals are as follows:

  • Increase the integration of foundational strategies into ongoing daily classroom instructional practices
  • Build peer networking communities throughout the State
  • Introduce a statewide, online support platform to facilitate ongoing dialogue between new and more experienced teachers
  • Highlight teacher leaders and build a resource bank statewide to deliver professional learning
  • Develop a video resource bank of topics with supporting materials from each of the regional sessions

Registration fee: $25 per person per session and includes dinner.  Registration is now open for the January session. New teachers are invited to come with or without their mentors.  If your mentor cannot be there, we will group you together with other participating mentors.  Please register to secure your spot (below) as we have limited space.

Payment:  Credit card only, use the individual event registration links below.

Topics for future sessions may include: backward design, goal focused planning, classroom management strategies, time management in the classroom, family engagement, and instructional strategies. Additional topics will be determined by follow up feedback surveys and input from the field.

If a larger location is necessary to accommodate more participants in subsequent sessions, locations may be changed.

Location / Registration Links January Session
The Green Ladle, Lewiston January 16, 2018
Bangor High School, Bangor January 17, 2018
University of Maine – Presque Isle January 23, 2018
University of Maine – Machias January 24, 2018
University of Southern Maine, Portland January 31, 2018

Workshop Contact: Peggy Pisini, Acting Educator Effectiveness Coordinator at peggy.pisini@maine.gov or call 624-6748.

 

 

 

 

New State expectations for SAT essays set to help improve student writing

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) will start using a “cut score” that includes State expectations for the essay portion of the SAT for the first time. A cut score is the minimum score required for performance at each State expectation level. The essay cut scores are expected to help educators further enhance student writing.

The essay cut score was researched and determined as a collaborative effort among the Maine DOE, Maine educators, technical support from assessment experts, the Delaware Department of Education and approval by Maine’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).

While essay scores have previously been reported to the State, no expectation has been provided for satisfactory performance until now. Starting in 2018, the SAT essay score will have a designation of “Meets Expectations” or “Does Not Meet Expectations.” There are no changes to the State expectations for student performance in the SAT mathematics and reading score metrics.

In order to meet expectations for the essay cut score, students must score at least 3 out of 8 points on each of the three sub scores, and they must achieve an overall essay score of at least 13. Schools and districts will be provided with data that includes the percentage of students that meet the SAT expectation.

In addition to providing school officials with a measurement of the over-all student achievement level in writing, the new essay cut scores will also provide educators with an opportunity to seek improvement in teaching students analytical writing techniques.

While the goal may be a challenge for some Maine students, the Maine DOE is eager to assist educators in helping students achieve these expectations through professional development opportunities. A set of workshops took place in the fall of 2017 and materials are available on the Maine DOE Website. For questions or to discuss future professional development opportunities contact Morgan Dunton, English Language Arts Specialist at morgan.dunton@maine.gov or (207) 624-6625.

The SAT essay cut scores will also be one of the factors that contribute to performance in the federal Every Students Succeeds Act Accountability System. For more information about ESSA contact Chelsea Fortin-Trimble, ESEA Federal Programs & Title I Director at Chelsey.A.Fortin@maine.gov or (207)-624-6815.

For more information about Maine Education Assessments including the SATs contact Andrew Hudacs, Director of Assessment at Andrew.Hudacs@maine.gov or (207) 624-6636.

Alternate student data needed by Dec. 15th, 2017

Finalization of the 1% identification of students to participate in alternate assessments must be complete December 15th.  The Department will apply to the US Department of Education for a waiver on December 19th.

Registration for the PAAP and MSAA can only be completed with identification of students from each district in Synergy.

Please make sure district data personal have an updated list of alternate students to complete this task by Friday, December 15th.

Questions and/or comments may be directed to Charlene Tucker, Director of Assessment, at charlene.tucker@maine.gov.