Michigan Merit Examination

1

• Michigan Merit Examination -
• Plans and Prospects
• Edward Roeber
• Michigan Department of Education
• Office of Educational Assessment and
  Accountability

2
Current MEAP High School Test

• Spring testing (March-April)
• Fall retesting (late October-early November)
• English Language Arts (Reading and Writing),
  Mathematics, Science count for the Merit Award
• Social Studies also assessed but does not count
  for the Merit Award

3
Current Program

• Grade 10
• Students take the MEAP High School Assessment to
  qualify for dual enrollment (assessment in fall
  or spring)
• Grade 11
• Students take the MEAP High School Assessment to
  qualify for dual enrollment (in the fall) and the
  Merit Award
• All students take the MEAP in the spring (if they
  have not already passed the MEAP)
• Grade 12
• Students take the MEAP in the fall or spring to
  qualify for the Merit Award

4
Current Program

• Merit Award 2,500 for passing the English
  language arts tests (reading and writing),
  mathematics and science at the high school level
• Merit Award 500 for passing the same subjects
  in grade 7 or 8 (each is assessed once in these
  two grades)

5
MME Legislation

• PA 592 of 2004 - MME inserted into Career and
  Technical Preparation Act
• PA 593 of 2004 - Replaces high school MEAP with
  MME in School Aid Act
• PA 594 of 2004 - Replaces high school MEAP with
  MME in Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act

6
MME Legislation

• PA 595 of 2004 - Replaces high school MEAP with
  MME for determining Merit Award Scholarships
• PA 596 of 2004 - Replaces the high school MEAP
  with MME in the School Code

7
Steps Used to Implement MME

• Visited potential vendors to share/obtain ideas
• Prepared Invitation to Bid
• Competitively bid the MME program
• Reviewed the bids
• College Board/Pearson
• Harcourt/ACT
• Pearson/ACT
• Selected new contractor(s) - Pearson/ACT
• Determined the content of each MME test
• Conducting statistical alignment study (pilot
  test)

8
Spring 2006 Pilot High Schools
9
Steps Needed to Implement MME

• Conduct additional content alignment studies
  needed
• Set equivalent cut scores on MME and MEAP
• Grade 11 (Merit Award and NCLB AYP)
• Grade 10 (dual enrollment) - PLAN and PSAT
• Prepare revisions to the NCLB Accountability
  Workbook

10
Steps Needed to Implement MME

• Submit application for approval to U.S.
  Department of Education by June, 2006
• November 1 is the drop-dead date for the MME
  versus MEAP HST decision for Spring 2007
• Receive approval from USED prior to drop-dead
  date OR continue MEAP High School Assessment (if
  approval is not received by that date)
• Implement the MME in grades 11 in the 2006-07
  school year maintain MEAP HST for Grade 12 only

11
MME Annual Schedule

• Fall
• Schools identify high school assessment
  coordinator
• Schools identify accommodations coordinator
• Apply for school site certification
• Winter
• High school assessment coordinator and
  accommodations coordinator training

12
MME Yearly Schedule

• Winter (continued)
• Schools receive notice on site certification
• Schools apply for accommodations for students
  with disabilities and English language learners
• ACT reviews accommodation requests and determines
  those eligible for college-reportable or
  state-reportable scores

13
MME Yearly Schedule

• Late Winter
• Students are registered for the MME
• Accommodations determined and materials ordered
• Tests (ACT and Michigan) produced
• High school test coordinators train test
  administrators and coordinators

14
MME Yearly Schedule

• Spring
• MME administered statewide - late February OR
  mid-March in-school on Tuesday and Wednesday
• Make-up testing scheduled two weeks later
• Test centers offered for non-public students
• Summer
• Students receive ACT, WorkKeys, and MME scores
• Students can register for MME retake in October

15
MME Yearly Schedule

• Fall
• Register for MME retake
• Participate in a single fall nationally-scheduled
  ACT testing Saturday administration in October
  (fourth Saturday?)
• WorkKeys offered at a limited number of high
  schools administering the ACT
• Students take remaining MME assessments in school
  over the five days following WorkKeys

16
MME Assessment Design

• Grade 10 College entrance readiness test (PLAN
  and PSAT - local school/student choice)
• Grades 11 and 12 Michigan Merit Examination
• English Language Arts - ACT, WorkKeys and one
  Michigan-developed Social Studies item
• Mathematics - ACT mathematics and a few items
  from the ACT science section, WorkKeys and
  Michigan-developed items
• Science - ACT test and Michigan-developed items
• Social Studies - Michigan-developed items

17
Assessment Administration

• Grade 10 - When scheduled locally
• Grades 11 and 12 - Spring and Fall
• Spring Administration (February or March)
• Single day for the ACT administration
• Next day for the WorkKeys assessments
• Michigan-developed tests administered over the
  next 5 school days
• Make-ups two days exactly two weeks later
• Fall Administration (Nationally-administered
  Saturday in October)
• Saturday administration for ACT and WorkKeys
• Potentially, Tuesday for the Michigan components

18
Spring Test Designs Considered

• Scenario 1 ACT test administered on one day, the
  remainder on another day
• Scenario 2 Spread MME tests over three days
  first ACT, then WorkKeys, then Michigan tests
• Scenario 3 ACT test administered on one day,
  WorkKeys the next day, and the Michigan tests
  over a one-week period in school
• Scenario 4 Spread MME tests over three days
  first ACT, then Michigan-developed tests, then
  WorkKeys

19
High School Implementation

• 2004-2005
• Fall - Completed and reports posted
• Spring - Completed and reports posted
• 2005-2006
• Fall - MEAP HST (grades 10, 11, 12)
• Spring - MEAP HST plus statistical linking to ACT
  (grade 11 only)
• Small sample (37 high schools 7,000 students)
• Scale ACT tests and state-developed tests
  together to create the Michigan Merit Examination
  (MME)
• Set standards on MME equivalent to current MEAP
  HST passing scores

20
High School Implementation

• 2006-2007
• Grade 10 - use PLAN or PSAT for dual enrollment
• Local district selects test state sets
  qualification score(s)
• Student or school district pays the testing cost
  (no state reimbursement)
• Grade 11 - Offer MME in the Spring for Merit
  Award
• Grade 12 - Offer MEAP HST to complete Merit Award
  (one year only) OR MME

21
High School Implementation

• 2007-08
• Grade 10 - use PLAN or PSAT for dual enrollment
• Local district selects test state sets
  qualification score(s)
• Student or school district pays the testing cost
  (no state reimbursement)
• Grade 11 - Offer MME in the Spring for Merit
  Award
• Grade 12 - Offer MME in the Fall and Spring
• Students get one free (state-paid) re-take
• Students in poverty may receive one re-take on
  ACT/SAT from those vendors

22
2006-07 Rollout Plans

• February, 2006 Statewide teleconference on MME
  assessment accommodations
• Students with disabilities
• English language learners
• April, 2006 Statewide teleconference on MME
  plans for next year
• Assessment schedule
• Site certification
• Student/parent notifications
• Student registration
• Fall, 2006 Statewide Assessment Briefings

23
Merit Award

• Now through 2005-06
• MEAP ELA, M, and S at grade 7 OR grade 8 (500)
• HST ELA, M, S at grades 10, 11 or 12 (2,500)
• 2006-2007
• MEAP ELA, M, and S at grades 7 AND 8 (500)
• Michigan Merit Examination ELA, M, S, and SS
• MEAP HST ELA, M, and S (grade 12 ONLY)
• 2007-2008 and Beyond
• MEAP ELA, M, and S at grades 7 AND 8 (500)
• Michigan Merit Examination ELA, M, S, and SS

24
Additional Program Considerations

• Cherry Commission Report
• Base new high school test on more rigorous high
  school standards and benchmarks for all students
• Augment a college entrance test to completely
  assess standards and benchmarks
• High School Reform Team
• Create more rigorous standards and benchmarks for
  college preparatory courses for all students
• Create a voluntary end-of-course examination
  system?
• High School Graduation Requirements

25
Issues and Challenges

• Assuring adequate assessment administration
  preparation - for very secure tests (ACT)
• Accommodations for students with disabilities
• What accommodations will be offered and under
  what conditions?
• Will MI-Access need to be modified and/or
  expanded?
• Participation of English language learners
• What accommodations will be offered and under
  what conditions?
• How can ELLs be excused from testing in year 1
  of U.S. residence?

26
Longer-Term Issues and Challenges

• Moving from current assessment, to MME I to MME
  II (within 3 years) based on revised high school
  content expectations. When and how to make this
  change?
• Other high school assessment strategies needed or
  desired?
• End-of-course tests
• Work skills assessments
• Academic and work skills portfolios
• Other

27
For Questions and Comments

• Dr. Edward Roeber
• [phone] voice
• Roebere_at_michigan.gov
• Dr. Mike Radke
• [phone] voice
• Radkem_at_michigan.gov
• Michigan Department of Education
• Office of Educational Assessment Accountability
• P.O. Box 30008
• Lansing, MI 48909