Spring 2008 MEPA Administration Workshop February 2008

1. Spring 2008 MEPA Administration Workshop February 2008 Last updated February 15, 2008

2. Presenters • Dan Wiener Administrator of Inclusive Assessment • Jodie Zalk Coordinator of MCAS Test Administration 2

3. Today’s Agenda: MEPA Session • MEPA Overview: MEPA-R/W and MELA-O • Participation Requirements • Test Administration Highlights • Reporting Schedule • Plans for Fall 2008 and Beyond • Questions & Answers • Session for Title III Districts: IPT for K-2 LEP Students

4. MEPA Workshop Handouts • MEPA Principal’s Administration Manual • Spring 2008 testing schedule • Commissioner’s memorandum • List of Title III districts • Presentation slides • Technical Assistance Form • Workshop Evaluation Form

5. Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA) Overview

6. What is MEPA? • Custom tests for LEP students based on Massachusetts standards • English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes for English Language Learners (ELPBO) • MELA-O (grades K-12): Speaking/Listening • MEPA-R/W (grades 3-12): Reading/Writing • IPT (for Spring 2008 only, grades K-2 in Title III districts): Reading/Writing

7. Participation in MEPA-R/W • Grade span tests • 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 • Students must take TWO of three sessions for Reading, and TWO of three sessions for Writing • Sessions 1 & 2 ORSessions 2 & 3

8. Which Sessions Should Be Administered? • Sessions 1 & 2 - “Beginning” to “Early Intermediate” English reading/writing skills • Sessions 2 & 3 - “Intermediate” to “Transitioning” English reading/writing skills • Make decisions separately for Reading and Writing, based on: • observation • prior local and state assessments • ELPBOs

9. Observational assessment of listening & speaking Skills evaluated on a 5-point scale for Listening (comprehension) Speaking (production) fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar List of Qualified MELA-O administrators/trainers (QMA/QMT) posted to www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/mepa/melao_list.xls Send updates to mcas@doe.mass.edu What is MELA-O?

10. MELA-O Retraining and Requalification • Retraining is necessary for increased consistency and reliability of scores • Raised score to qualify as QMT/QMA • DOE will retrain QMTs • After qualifying, QMT trains/retrains QMAs in district • Must re-qualify by January 31, 2010 to retain QMT/QMA status

11. MEPA Participation Requirements

12. MEPA-R/W Participation Requirements • All enrolled LEP students in grades 3-12 must participate, regardless of: • Date of enrollment • Student’s program or services • Number of years enrolled in U.S. schools • Must participate if LEP in October 2007 SIMS • Including FLEP students

13. Required Student Participation

14. LEP Students with Disabilities MEPA-R/W • Participate unless IEP or 504 plan indicates: • Braille test • Electronic text reader (and no human reader) • Alternate assessment • Deaf or hard of hearing and student requires Sessions 1 & 2 for Reading/Writing MELA-O • Participate unless IEP indicates student is Deaf or hard of hearing

15. Test Administration Highlights

16. Pre-Administration and Testing Schedule

17. Test Security • Read the Principal’s Administration Manual(PAM) • Train test administrators • Identify students required to participate • ALL dictionaries prohibited, including bilingual word-to-word 17

18. Test Security (cont’d) • Inventory all materials • Store all test materials (locked 24/7) • Account for secure test materials • MEPA test booklets ANDTest Administrator’s Manuals (Note: Some test questions are read aloud from TAM) • Count booklets without breaking shrink-wrap • Verify quantities received using PCPA • Online at www.mcasservicecenter.com • Report testing irregularities to DOE

19. PCPA Tasks Before Testing • Certify quantities of materials received (simplified for 2008) After Testing • Provide counts of materials being returned • Certify that proper procedures were followed Complete PCPA online at www.mcasservicecenter.com

20. Do NOT Submit an Answer Booklet for… An LEP student who: • Did not participate in any MEPA testing (MEPA-R/W test session & MELA-O) • including students who transferred out • Was absent without medical documentation

21. Reporting MELA-O Scores on MEPA-R/W Answer Booklet Outside Back Cover

22. Packing Return Shipment • Return Envelope • Standard answer booklets • Special Handling Envelope • Typed Responses (print copy) inserted in answer booklets • Large-print answer booklets with transcribed standard answer booklets • Void Envelope • Booklets marked “VOID” • Note: Void booklets will not be scored

23. Important Dates After Testing

24. Submitting MELA-O Scores

25. Reporting Schedule

26. MEPA Reporting Schedule (all dates are tentative)

27. Plans for Fall 2008 and Beyond

28. Reading/Writing Tests for LEP Students in Grades K-2 • NCLB requires English proficiency assessments for all LEP students in grades K-12 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. • Spring 2009: All districts test LEP students in K-2 in reading and writing, using new MEPA tests. • Select one of two test levels (A or B) • Individual and small group administration • Flexible response formats

29. What’s Coming in Fall 2008 and Beyond? • Spring 2009: New MEPA-R/W K-12 tests • Transition to online (computer-based) testing • Voluntary participation by schools • Online goal: 20% (2009) - 40% (2010) - 60% (2011 and 2012) • Locator test to help schools determine which R/W test sessions are most appropriate (1 & 2 or 2 & 3) • Fall 2008: • Early Oct: Field testing for all LEP students in grades 1-12 • Late Oct: Existing form of MEPA test

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31. Questions & Answers

32. 10 Minute Break Before Session on: IPT for K-2 LEP Students (Title III Districts only)