Section 071-127-4 - Comprehensive Assessment System4.01 State-wide Assessment Program Each school administrative unit and each student enrolled in a school covered by this rule shall participate in the Maine Education Assessment (MEA) in grades 4, 8, and 11. Participation can be through standard administration of the MEA, through administration with accommodations, or through alternate assessment.
4.02 Local Assessment System The school board of each school administrative unit that operates a school shall, by the end of the 2003-2004 school year, adopt and fully implement a local assessment system as the measure of student progress on achievement of the content standards of the system of Learning Results established in Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 131. The assessment system shall address the grade spans of the schools operated. For school units that tuition all students in a grade level, assessment of that grade level shall be the responsibility of the receiving unit or school.
A. Purpose of Assessment The purpose of assessment is to:
1). Produce high quality information about student performance that will inform teaching and enhance learning,2). Monitor and hold school administrative units accountable for students achieving the content standards of the system of Learning Results; and3). Certify student achievement of the content standards of the system of Learning Results.B. Implementation of Local Assessment System 1). By the end of the 2003-2004 school year, and annually thereafter, the Superintendent shall certify to the Commissioner that the local assessment system meets the assessment system standards established by this rule for the content areas English Language Arts, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics, Science and Technology, and Social Studies.2). By the end of the 2006-2007 school year, and annually thereafter, the Superintendent shall certify to the Commissioner that the local assessment system meets the assessment system standards established by this rule for the content areas Career Preparation, Modern and Classical Languages, and Visual and Performing Arts, contingent upon funding based on Essential Programs and Services or its equivalent.C. Standards for Local Assessment System The Local Assessment System adopted by the school board of an administrative unit shall meet the following standards:
1). Each assessment in the Local Assessment System shall meet the standards specified in part D. of this section.2). There shall be multiple measures of student performance for each content area and for each grade span, sufficient to provide the results specified below, with criteria for selecting the type and range of measures, and for aligning the multiple measures with the content standards.3). The local assessment system shall include at least the following levels of assessments: classroom, school, school administrative unit, and state. The system may include regional and commercially produced assessments.4). The role of the Maine Education Assessment (MEA) in the local assessment system shall be explicitly stated. Neither the MEA nor a commercially produced test may be the only measure of student achievement.5). Alternate assessment shall be a component of the Local Assessment System, with clear guidelines for participation in alternate assessment.6). The mechanism for managing data produced by the Local Assessment System shall be clearly described and well coordinated.7). The Local Assessment System shall be sufficient to determine student progress on the content standards of the system of Learning Results. This does not require assessment of each performance indicator specified in Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 131. This shall include an explanation on how results are aggregated up from specific assessments to a content standard and from the individual student to the school unit.8). Training and development of school personnel shall be adequate to develop, use, and adapt assessment data.9). A communications strategy shall provide for understanding of results by students, parents, and citizens, in addition to educators.10). The Local Assessment System shall provide school and student results across the grade spans as follows. "School" means that for each school in the unit there are results for each content area as a whole; "student" means that for each student there are results for each content area as a whole. "None" means that there are no results for the content area for the grade span indicated. By the end of the 2003-2004 school year:
Results Reported for:
| Pre-K-2 | 3-4 | 5-8 & 9-12 |
| English Language Arts | student | student | student |
| Mathematics | student | student | student |
| Health & Physical Education | none | school | student |
| Science & Technology | none | school | student |
| Social Studies | none | school | student |
By the end of the 2006-2007 school year:
| Pre-K-2 | 3-4 | 5-8 & 9-12 |
| English Language Arts | student | student | student |
| Mathematics | student | student | student |
| Health & Physical Education | school | student | student |
| Science & Technology | school | student | student |
| Social Studies | school | student | student |
| Career Preparation | school | school | student |
| Modern & Classical Languages | school | school | student |
| Visual & Performing Arts | school | school | student |
NOTE: Assessment of Career Preparation, Modern and Classical Languages, and Visual and Performing Arts in 2006-2007 is contingent upon funding of Essential Programs and Services or its equivalent.
D. Standards for Assessments To meet technical standards, those assessments that are a part of a school administrative unit's Local Assessment System shall satisfy the following: 1). The content standard(s), performance indicator(s), and grade span addressed in each assessment are accurately specified. For school administrative units that have developed local indicators to measure student performance on the content standards specified in Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 131, the administrative unit shall identify which of the state's performance indicators are addressed by the specified local indicators.2). The assessment is developmentally appropriate for the grade span and is part of a continuum for that standard across the grade spans.3). The assessment provides all students with fair opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding.4). The assessment meets the requirements of validity: (a) The assessment is aligned with the specified performance indicators of the Learning Results content standards;(b) The assessment is fair to all students;(c) The assessment specifies the method used to ensure validity, subject to the approval of the Commissioner;(d) Accommodations are specified that maintain validity of the assessment, with clear guidelines for use of those accommodations; and(e) The assessment meets the requirements of reliability, specifying the method used to ensure reliability, subject to the approval of the Commissioner.5). The assessment has established rigorous performance standards and specifies: (a) The method used to establish performance standards, subject to the approval of the Commissioner;(b) Who was involved in setting performance standards;(c) How the percentage of students at each performance level compares to the school unit's MEA performance; and(d) The process for revising performance standards.E. Presentation of data from a local assessment system shall permit interpretation to determine school and school administrative unit performance on specified content areas of the system of Learning Results, and to determine statewide performance.F. The school board shall annually review and publish school and school administrative unit results on the local assessment system, and, if required based on these results, shall adjust the Comprehensive Education Plan developed in accordance with Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 125.05- 071 C.M.R. ch. 127, § 4