Indicator: Youth Achieving Learning Results

Priority or Priorities:  ACES/Resiliency
Initiative(s): Communities for Children and Youth: Mentoring for children and youth through college/community partnerships, Keeping Maine's Children Connected, Promote and Support Universal Home Visiting Services 7, 8, 10
Outcome (s): Children and youth succeeding in school and schools succeeding for children and youth.

Why This is Important

The Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) test is given at grades 4, 8 and 11 to all Maine students. It focuses attention on whether a student's work meets the standards of the State’s Learning Results. MEA was redesigned for 2005-2006 to only include assessments for math, science/technology and reading. Data from previous measures of Writing, Social Studies, Visual & Performing Arts and Health are available in 2005 and 2006 Maine Marks.

Where We Stand

There are four performance categories: Exceeds the Standards, Meets the Standards, Partially Meets the Standards, and Does Not Meet the Standards. The MEA was revised in 1998-1999 to focus attention on whether a student's work meets the Standards, rather than the student's relative performance compared to other students. Because implementation of major education reform is still in the early stages, and because the standards are very rigorous for all students, the Department of Education emphasizes that the "Partially Meets the Standards" category should still be viewed positively at this point, along with the "Meets" and "Exceeds" performance levels.

Data Source and Context

The source for this data is the Maine Education Assessment Program, Maine Department of Education; information is available on the Department of Education website at: http://www.state.me.us/education/mea/edmea.htm.

Disclaimer: Percentages for Does Not Meet, Partially Meets, Meets and Exceeds Standards on the MEA may not equal 100% due to rounding.