Maryland’s State Assessments Receive Full Federal Approval

Only Testing Program to Receive the Highest Mark

BALTIMORE – Maryland’s State assessments in mathematics and reading/English Language Arts have met all requirements set by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), according to a newly completed peer review process.

The assessments are the first, and to date only, testing program to receive this designation under the revised ESEA. It confirms that states administering these tests or using the test content are administering the highest quality assessment programs in the country.

“To gauge the academic progress of Maryland students, educators and students deserve the best assessments,” said Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools. “This independent review proves that Maryland is ahead of the pack when it comes to academic measurement of our high-quality College and Career Ready Standards. By knowing where our students stand, we can help them move forward.”

The assessments were developed under the auspices of the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) consortium. Other PARCC affiliate states are Colorado, the District of Columbia, Illinois, New Jersey, and New Mexico.

Maryland led the approval process on the assessments, submitting the testing package to federal officials on behalf of all PARCC affiliate states. Under the peer review process, only four outcomes are possible: does not meet requirements, partially meets requirements, substantially meets requirements, and meets requirements.

The federal peer review process utilized a rigorous check of the assessment program, focusing on how well the tests reflect the academic standards. Top psychometricians from research centers and universities were involved in the process.

Maryland’s approval letter can be found here: https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/nclbfinalassess/md4.pdf