The NAEP will be given to a group of GWS fourth graders this Wednesday,
January 30. The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) is a test
given to fourth and eighth graders nationwide. The names of GWS participants
are randomly selected by computer in Augusta (DOE?). I am not sure of the
exact year SAD 35 began participating, but I was a counselor at Central School
when I first became aware of the program (around 1997). I think it's given
every other year. Schools are also selected to participate, not every school
does. (I think we were originally selected randomly, too.) When the news
reports how fourth and eighth graders are performing nationally, I believe
they are using the data gathered with the NAEP ("The Nation's Report Card").
But WE don't get individual student results back. We don't even get school
scores back! We'll know how well Maine did, though. There is more info,
including sample questions, on the State of Maine website (www.Maine.gov)
under the education section.
MEA Science. Fifth graders will take the Science MEA (Maine Edcuactional
Assessment) May 7, 8, and 9 2013. There will be one 40 minute sub-test each
day. All fifth and eighth grade students in Maine are required to take the
this test. If a student misses any test on those dates, there will be make-up
tests the next week.
This year, MGWS will use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) from the
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)to assess progress in Math, Reading,
and Language. This is a computer based testing program (very similar to the
Children's Progress testing used at Central School and Eliot Elementary).
Testing will be done three times a year: beginning, middle, and end. There
are many great features to this testing, including each test is
individualized for each student (no two tests are alike). The M.A.P. is not a
test of mastery, but rather a test of growth over time, which is why testing
is done 3X a year. Students and teachers will get immediate feedback after
their testing session. Students are able to see what their strengths are and
where they may need improvement. Students then set goals for their growth
over the year. Teachers are given valuable information which will help them
plan their lessons.
Both fourth and fifth grades will be assessed. The first set of tests will
begin in September. Each class will be assigned a time slot for the computer
lab to do the testing.
This test replaces the Stanford 10 which was previously given to fifth graders
in March.
.
If you have any questions or concerns about our testing programs, please feel
free to call me @ 384-4010 -- or email me: karla.kyle@rsu35.org
For help with test anxiety, check out these websites:
www.familyeducation.com
www. kidsource.com/kidsource/content/standardized.testing.html
www.kidshealth.org
There are direct links to the above sites on the Parenting Web Links section
of this website, too.
