Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP)
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Designed specifically for students with significant cognitive disabilities, the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP) is the alternate to Maine’s required State assessments (the New England Common Assessment Program [NECAP], the Maine Educational Assessment for Science [MEA/Science], the Maine High School Assessment [MHSA], and the PSAT/NMSQT). The PAAP is a fully implemented academic assessment that provides the basis for achievement and accountability reporting. |
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The PAAP measures individual student progress towards the Maine Learning Results – the standards which identify what all Maine students, including those with unique learning needs, are expected to know and be able to do. Scores are reported for accountability purposes under No Child Left Behind in grades 2-7 through the NECAP or the PAAP, and through the MHSA or the PAAP during their third year of high school. PSAT/NMSQT participation is required for 10th and 11th grade students to inform teaching and learning. Resulting scores are not reported for accountability. The PAAP also serves as the alternate for that assessment as noted above.
Students taking the PAAP provide evidence of their progress through tasks that demonstrate academic progress towards the common content standards, but measure steps that are backed down developmentally from the levels at which their grade level peers are measured.
Explore links on this page to learn more about alternate assessment in Maine.
What's New:
Procedural Changes in PAAP Administration - Effective Immediately
Required Component in Reading for 2009-2010
During the 2009-2010 PAAP workshops, we spoke briefly about a required blueprint for 2010-2011. During those sessions we explained the process that was taken to develop science and what the required blueprint for that content area would look like.
For the 2009-2010 PAAP assessment, beginning immediately we are requiring teachers to administer Reading AGLE/lndicator A1 for all students taking the PAAP in grades 2 – 7, 10, and their third year of high school. Teachers 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 program, 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 on the Materials & Tools page of this website.
This form should be printed, filled-out, and included as the first page of every submitted PAAP.
The 2009-2010 PAAP Task Bank is Now Open
The Maine Department of Education, in collaboration with Measured Progress, has developed the PAAP Task Bank to be directly reflective of the AGLE/Indicators identified in the PAAP AGLEs. All tasks submitted in a student’s PAAP must be selected and downloaded from the PAAP Task Bank. To assist educators in selecting appropriate tasks for their students, the Task Bank is organized by grade levels.
Access to the Task bank is password protected. Username and Password combinations have been provided to principals for dissemination to educators administering a PAAP this year. If access information has not been provided to your school, please contact Sue Fossett or Peter Bernard at the Maine Department of Education.
Click here to access the Task Bank.
The 2009-2010 PAAP Alternate Grade Level Expectations (AGLEs)
AGLEs provide a common basis for the planning and assessment of standards-related instruction and assessment in a system that allows students to work on the AGLEs/Indicators, LoC descriptors, and tasks best suited to their individual needs. All Tasks within the Task Bank are aligned with the Maine AGLEs.
Click here for more information, or to view/download the 2009-2010 Maine AGLEs.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: 2009-2010 Changes to Maine’s Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP)
Maine has joined with three other New England states in producing a common yearly assessment for the general education population – the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) in reading, mathematics and writing. We will continue with the current MEA program in science and the MHSA program.
Click here to learn what this means for the alternate assessment program.
PAAP Task Tryout
The Maine Department of Education and Measured Progress are looking for educators who have been trained in the PAAP process to participate in the PAAP Task Tryout. Participating teachers will try out draft Tasks in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics currently in the development process for use in 2009–10 administration year.
Teachers that want to contribute to the PAAP process by taking part in the PAAP Task Tryout are asked to complete a registration form using the link below. Due to changes in the Alternate Assessment Grade Level Expectations (AGLEs), the link to that document has been taken down from our website. It has been brought to our attention that some of you who are interested in participating are having difficulty registering for the Task Tryout, as the AGLEs are no longer available. We encourage you to complete the registration form and send it in, omitting the student information that you are unable to provide, due to the Alternate Assessment Standards being unavailable at this time. As the AGLEs become available for use, we will get them to you to complete the student information section. We apologize for any confusion this has caused and we hope that more of you will sign up! We really need your expertise!
For more information, or to sign-up, click here.
Updated 2/4/10 - pb
The PAAP ListServe
The PAAP ListServe has been established to help provide improved communications related to the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio, accommodations, instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities, and other associated issues. Through this online service, we will be able to disseminate information in a timely manner to all subscribers. Information might include, but will not necessarily be limited to, links to pertinent Web sites, supplementary training materials, responses to questions of general interest that are submitted by subscribers, and changes in Federal law or rules that impact alternate assessment. This is a free service provided by the Maine Department of Education, and requires no subscription renewal. Subscribe today! Connect to the PAAP ListServe.
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