Maine law requires that every school board adopt and fully implement by the end of the 2003-2004 school year a local assessment system as the measure of student progress toward achievement of the content standards of the system of Learning Results.
A "local assessment system" is defined as a coordinated collection of assessments administered to students that, as a whole, provides information on individual students, the schools, and the school administrative unit with respect to achievement of the content standards of the system of Learning Results.
The purpose of the Bath Public Schools' Local Assessment System is to:
The system is designed to provide valid and reliable information on student achievement in order to evaluate educational programs and practices and to make informed decisions related to curriculum and instruction, professional development, and the allocation of resources to better meet students' needs.
State law requires that the determination of whether or not students meet the standards be based on multiple measures of student performance for each content area and grade span.
The multiple measures of student achievement used in the Bath Public Schools have been selected to align with the Maine Learning Results; ensure fair assessment of all students; meet recognized and relevant technical assessment standards; provide understandable information to staff, parents, students, and the community; and be practical and manageable. Systemic professional development opportunities are provided to all staff for generating, interpreting, and responding to assessment data.
The multiple measures that comprise the Bath Public Schools' Local Assessment System will include the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) as a single piece of evidence that can be used to substantiate and corroborate evidence from other assessments. The MEA results shall be included in the body of evidence but shall not be the determining factor in a certification decision.
In accordance with Chap. 125 of Maine State Law the following general principles apply to the Local Assessment System:
A. Assessment will be aligned with the curriculum and with the performance indicators of the content standards of the Learning Results.B. The Local Assessment System will use multiple measures of student learning for each grade span (K-4, 5-8, 9-12). The measures shall be developmentally appropriate for the age span
C. The System is intended to provide for a fair and equitable opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding.
D. The System will include at a minimum classroom, school, school administrative unit, and state levels of assessment. Regional and commercially produced tests may be used, but commercially produced tests may not carry a majority of the weight in determining student performance.
E. Neither the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) nor a commercially produced test may be the only measure of student achievement.
F. Effort shall be made to see that testing contributes to the learning process rather than detracts from it.
G. Accommodations for an assessment may be made based on the individual needs of a student as documented by a Student Assistance Team, Pupil Evaluation Team, or 504 Team.
The Superintendent, through his/her designee, will be responsible for the design and implementation of the Local Assessment System. The Board expects that there will be input from teachers and administrators in the development and refinement of the System.
The Board recognizes that teachers and school administrators will be primarily responsible for administering and scoring local assessments, and for collecting, organizing, and interpreting assessment information.
The Superintendent will be responsible for ensuring that provisions are made for review and analysis of information obtained through the Local Assessment System and for appropriate instructional intervention when individual students or groups of students fail to achieve performance standards. Taking actions to ensure students meet the high standards set in the Maine Learning Results is the shared responsibility of students, their parents, educators, and the school board. Parents and students will be informed of their performance on assessments and progress in meeting the standards for certification three times per year. Opportunities for additional instruction and "replacement" assessments will be available to students in the Bath Public Schools who are in jeopardy of not meeting the standards for a grade span.
The Board will annually review the results of the Local Assessment System. Data for the district will be presented in a way that conveys school and school unit performance on the content areas of the Learning Results and allows for comparison to statewide performance.
Recognizing that "the Local Assessment System is by definition an evolving process," (MDOE, Information Letter #117, 5/12/04) the Bath Public Schools will provide clarification of current practices with regard to implementation of the System in "Guidelines for Assessing the Maine Learning Results in the Bath Public Schools," a document which will be updated annually if necessary.
Legal Reference: 20-A M.R.S.A> 6201-6205
Chap. 127 >> 2,4 (Me. Dept. of Ed. Rules)
Adopted: June 14, 2004
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