maine department of education update on learning results implementation issues

Maine Department of Education Update on Learning Results

Implementation Issues

Commissioner’s ConferenceBar Harbor

June 20-22, 2004

Shared Leadershi

p

Life-longAdult

Learning

Technology&

Methodology

LEARNER DEVELOPMENT& WELLNESS

Organizational Culture:

High Expectations

Cognitive Physical Emotional Ethical

Standards&

Accountability

Resources&

Commitment

Breaking News!!!

88.3% of responding districts (n = 112) report that their work to implement ELA assessments in grades 9-12 is either partially complete or complete;

85.9 % math; 77.6 in science; 76.8 in social studies 71.4% in H/PE

Breaking News!!!

What do districts report needing help with? Developing strategies for using and reporting

data; Developing policies; Managing the administration and scoring of

assessments.

Informational Letters on Learning Results Implementation Issues

“Batch” distribution of informational letters on related topics designed to avoid “death by a thousand cuts” approach.

Opportunities for deeper discussion will be provided at Commissioner’s Conference and at summer Curriculum Coordinator workshops.

Each informational letter begins with “key points covered in this informational letter.”

Coming Attractions: Additional Updates Forthcoming

Update and findings from the Local Assessment Implementation Study (LASIS)

A guidance paper on establishing reliability in the LAS: Considering Consistency

Detailed implementation plan for MEA Online for 2004-05

Detailed update on Department plan to review performance standards for the MEA and the GLE assessment.

Informational Letters on MLR Implementation Issues

Learning Results Implementation Timelines (#117)

Using the MEA in Local Assessment System (# 118)

GLE Assessment Plan (Letter # 119) MEDMS Local Assessment System Module

(#120) Learning Results Review Process (#121) 2004-05 MEA Administration Update (#122)

Learning Results Implementation Timelines

ELA and mathematics graduation requirement delay until 2007-08.

Now ELA, math, social studies, science, and health/ PE, will now be the basis for graduation in 2007-08.

The Legislature did not, however, extend the timeline for Local Assessment System (LAS) completion.

Specific expectations have been outlined on what superintendents should use as a basis for signing this year’s blue form.

Superintendents will be able to request a waiver if minimal expectations have not been met.

Using the MEA in the Local Assessment System

Policy Advisory Committee recommends method for using MEA scores in the Local Assessment System (LAS).

Since the MEA has no replacement, it is recommended that the test score be used only if it helps a student’s overall achievement record.

In order to achieve the proper balance of purposes, the MEA score should count no less than 15% and no more than 20% of the overall LAS body of evidence.

GLE Assessment Plan

• GLEs in reading and math are posted on the Department website.

• The GLEs represent a subset of the MLR, which will result in a more compact assessment than the 4th and 8th grade MEA.

The GLE assessment will be similar to the Measured Progress “Progress Toward Standards” (PTS) test.

The GLE assessment will provide a national comparison score.

• The initial field test and pilot of the GLE assessment will take place in March 2005, but will not be used in AYP calculations until 2006.

MEDMS Local Assessment System Module

• The Department will soon release an RFP for the MEDMS local assessment system module.

• The MEDMS LAS module will be made available at little or no cost to the SAUs.

• MEDMS LAS will permit aggregation of statewide data in all five content areas required to be implemented this year.

• Local class data from SIS systems will be exportable to the MEDMS LAS module.

• Our current expectation is that MEDMS LAS will be delivered to SAUs by December 2004.

Learning Results Review Process

• Statute and rule require review process for Maine Learning Results to begin this year.

• Review process will include all eight content areas, content standards and performance indicators for each, but not the Guiding Principles.

• Review process will take 2-3 years and will then require action by the Maine Legislature prior to implementation of any revisions, which will not begin until 2006-07 at the earliest.

Learning Results Review Process(continued)

• Any changes to the standards will be phased in over a period of years to ensure fairness to students and to allow districts ample time to make modifications to curriculum, instruction and assessment.

A Distinguished Educator and the Maine Learning Results Review Committee will guide review process.

2004-05 MEA Administration Update

MEA 2003-04 School and Student Reports will be released July 15, 2004

Local validation of MEA data will precede calculation of AYP status

AYP status should be announced by August 15. MEA Test Dates are March 7 – 18, 2005 MEA Format Unchanged in 2005 8th grade MEA Online Certification by May 28, 2004 8th grade MEA Online to include writing, reading,

mathematics and science in 2005

Local Assessment System Implementation Study (LASIS):

Methodology:Research team has guided workcollaboration of MDOE, MMSA, UMaine18 sites across Maine fall and spring surveys, phone interviews,

site visits, peer-review (of LAS materials)


Preliminary findings: data being analyzed and summarized as

we speaksalient themes evident nevertheless final report due in August


How do SAUs organize for LAS development?

An SAU that is making progress toward LAS development tends to report

some or all of these features:


Strong central coordination with clearly delineated responsibilities.

Broad participation: administrators (SAU, school), curriculum specialists, teacher leaders, and teachers.

Committees that hold regularly scheduled meetings and report on these meetings to administrators and staff.


The provision of time for teachers to learn about and work on LAS is an organizational priority.

Formal communication (including a variety of media) to teachers and stakeholders about LAS development.


What are the perceived “barriers” to LAS development? Lack of administrative support Lack of organizational structure Administrative turnover Lack of time—for professional development

and the LAS work itself Lack of money


Perceived Barriers: Cynicism about LAS process and/or

requirements Overwhelming scope of LAS work Confusion about requirements, unclear

definitions, history of DOE rule changes, lack of DOE formal guidance

Resistance to change


What are the perceived “boosters” that facilitate LAS development? Strong leadership (administration) regarding

LAS developmentclearly articulated visionsupport for those doing the workstrong centralized coordinationleadership continuity knowledge of curriculum


Perceived boosters: Dedicated teachers Positive attitude toward LAS, among

teachers and administrators alike Believing in the intrinsic value of LAS (e.g.,

“We should be doing this anyway.”) Collaboration with other SAUs


Perceived boosters: MDOE

• LAS Guide • MAP & LAD tasks • MDOE-sponsored training events• personnel

Obtaining grants to support LAS development


Next steps: final report in August MDOE commitment to continuing it’s study

of LAS implementation over the next three years (reliability, MEA, performance standards, and graduation decisions)

Independent review of LAS (possible consultation from NRC or researchers from Nebraska evaluation)

Legal Considerations of the LAS and Graduation Decisions

Conversation with Sarah Forster, Assistant AG: Courts have typically used the following:

Are the standards for graduation clearly articulated and students given fair notice?

Do students have fair opportunity to learn the standards?

Are tests or assessments used to determine graduation fair measures of student achievement of the standards?

Are sub-groups of unfairly disadvantaged due to bias?

Legal Considerations of the LAS and Graduation Decisions

Additions thoughts: Educators are not expected to be

statisticians Systems of evaluation need not repudiate

subjective judgment Build an educationally sound system and the

courts will follow Technical standards should provide

confidence in decisions about students

Keeping Local Assessment System Development in Perspective

Ensure that we invest in acting on local assessment data to inform teaching and learning.

Communicate with our publics to explain why the investment in standards-based reforms are important for our young people and for Maine’s future.

Keep the whole child and the whole organization in mind.

Shared Leadershi

p

Life-longAdult

Learning

Technology&

Methodology

LEARNER DEVELOPMENT& WELLNESS

Organizational Culture:

High Expectations

Cognitive Physical Emotional Ethical

Standards&

Accountability

Resources&

Commitment

Additional Supportive Initiatives:

Regional professional development centers with focus on mathematics

Title II A and B secondary mathematics project MLR and LAS policy work with MSMA Peer review tool from LASIS Regional rounds of workshops this summer VPA, MCL, and CP assessment design work Coalition public information campaign

Rethinking Accountability Events

Series of four events spanning 2004-05 Designed for school or district teams: board,

superintendent, administrator, teacher, and parent

Course credit offered through USM Purpose: to assist local teams to build internal,

data-driven accountability systems, develop new understandings about a balanced view of accountability, and take action.

A Final Thought

Our current system is perfectly designed…..

To produce the results were currently getting.

Department Contact Information

Learning Results: [email protected] LAS: [email protected] MEA: [email protected] MEDMS: [email protected] Learning Results Review:

[email protected] GLE Assessment: [email protected]

maine department of education update on learning results implementation issues

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