Important Procedural Changes to the 2009-2010 PAAP

INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO: 76
POLICY CODE: ILB

TO:                  Superintendents (Please forward to: Assistant Superintendents, Curriculum Coordinators, School Principals, and Special Education Directors
FROM:           Susan A. Gendron
DATE:             February 8, 2010
RE:                   Important Procedural Changes to the 2009-2010 PAAP

Key Points Covered in this Informational Letter:

Required Component in Reading for 2009-2010
Principal Validation Form

As we work to improve the quality of Maine’s Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP), the Department has identified two areas needing attention this year. This letter addresses those two areas where the PAAP’s quality can be improved with a few additions. These changes are designed to both improve the technical quality of the alternate assessment and meet the requirements of 20 U.S.C 6311 (b) (3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Required Component in Reading for 2009-2010

During the November 2009 PAAP workshops, MDOE presenters provided an overview of the required PAAP blueprint for the 2010-2011 school year. The blueprint example used the development of the science PAAP to illustrate the coming changes. In order to reach the desired blueprint in a timely but phased-in process, the Department is requiring one change to this year’s PAAP reading design.

For the 2009-2010 PAAP Assessment, beginning immediately, the Department is requiring teachers to administer Reading AGLE/Indicator A1 for all students taking the PAAP in grades 2-7, 10, and 3rd year of high school. We believe the vast majority of PAAP administrators have already used (or plan to use) this Indicator as part of the portfolios based on past years’ data. However, this requirement will standardize the administration of A1 task in a formal manner. Teacher who have already completed the reading portion of the PAAP, but did not include A1, should contact Susan Fossett at the Department of Education (e-mail susan.fossett@maine.gov or phone 207-624-6774) for assistance.

Principal Validation Form

In keeping with the general education assessment requirements, we will be implementing a process in which principals verify that test security and administration protocols have been followed as outlined in the PAAP Administration Handbook. The Principal Validation Form is located online at http://www.maine.gov/education/lsalt/paap/materialstools/index.htm .

Any teacher, educational technician and/or administrator involved in the administration of the PAAP should be listed in the Contributing Educators section of this form, along with the portion of the PAAP for which they were responsible. If additional spaces are needed, please attach an additional copy. The completed form should be attached to the portfolio and inserted in the PAAP envelope prior to UPS pickup.

We appreciate the hard work that all teachers have done in the development of the PAAP. We understand these are significant changes that will affect many educators’ planning process for PAAP administration. However, these are important changes that will improve the overall PAAP process.

Contact Information
PAAP and Accommodations Policies: Susan Fossett at (207) 624-6774 or susan.fossett@maine.gov
MEA/NECAP Policy: Susan Smith, MEA Coordinator, at (207) 624-6775/6770, or susan.smith@maine.gov
PSAT/MHSA Policy: Dan Hupp, State Director of Assessment at (207) 624-6774 or
dan.hupp@maine.gov