MEAP

It's October and middle level administrators are getting ready for the MEAP assessments that will take place during this month. A recent Marshall Memo gives some pointers for dealing with test preparation and test anxiety.  The Marshall Memo is an MASSP membership benefit.

Ways Teachers and Counselors can Reduce Test Anxiety

2009 AYP Summary attached

Time for a pause

I remember an article I wrote at the end of my year as president of our association. It was about those few minutes between the end of one school year and the start of the next. It’s that time when you say good-bye to the students and teachers leaving for their summer break, and that awaiting meeting to discuss next year issues. There is that minute or two, without pressure to “get it done” that you get to reflect on the past year.

Well, this is my pause.

Dear Representative Bauer and Committee Members:

Today, Michigan Legislators are facing many difficult, unpopular
decisions. As high school principals who are put between ‘a rock and a hard place’ each day, we empathize with what you are going through.

In 1999, MASSP provided testimony to the Senate as to the critical need for an award system that would provide an incentive for students to take the HS MEAP. MASSP has not wavered in our support of the

Last spring MASSP members were asked, "If you were King/Queen for a day, what would you do with the MME and MEAP?" This information was shared with Senators Swialski and Jelinek. They must have been impressed by what they learned. There is a significant section in the Senate version of the School Aid Act dealing with assessment.

MASSP members took action last week explaining to legislators why EXPLORE is important for all students entering high school. Their work was successful!

The Senate embraced member support with the following in the Senate version of HB 4447:

"MEAP and Merit Exam Changes. The Senate added language prohibiting exam funding to be spent on an expanded social studies exam, pattern scoring, or any assessments developed by the Department for the purposes of Sections 1278a and 1278b of the Revised School Code. Intent language also was added that the Department replace its current MEAP for grades 3-8 with the Iowa Test or a similar exam, and the allocation was included for the "Explore" exam in grades 8 or 9. (Sec. 104 and 104b))"

May 14, 2009

This notice is intended exclusively for schools (public and nonpublic) that will administer the MEAP, MI-Access or MEAP-Access assessments in Fall 2009. If you are a nonpublic school and will NOT administer the MEAP, MI-Access or MEAP-Access in Fall 2009, please disregard this notice.

The accompanying documents contain important information regarding pre-identification of students and student counts for the Fall 2009 MEAP, MI-Access, and MEAP-Access assessments:

• Fall 2009 MEAP - Steps for Pre-ID and Student Counts
• MEAP Pre-ID Options
• Response Form for Fall 2009 MEAP Pre-ID Options
• Fall 2009 MI-Access - Steps for Pre-ID and Student Counts
• Fall 2009 MEAP-Access – Steps for Pre-ID and Student Counts

By Diane McMillan
Association Director

From the Middle

Congratulations to our Middle schools and their leaders as they continue to rise to meet the expectations put forth in the Michigan Curriculum Grade Level Content Expectations. According to the latest results on the MEAP examination:

Changes in MEAP and MME for 08-09: Find out what you need to know about the MME and MERIT Exam. Listen In

Michigan AYP makes changes, progress counts
By FRANK KONKEL
Sentinel-Standard writer
Published: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 1:09 AM CDT
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IONIA - In the past, test scores were the primary factor determining whether Michigan students met federally-defined Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Not anymore.