No Smarter Balanced, now what?

In late June, Michigan’s School Aid budget, set to take effect Oct. 1, was signed that requires a “new MEAP” to be developed and administered for the 2014-15 School Year. There seems to be some confusion with the language included in this budget as it relates to using the same name – MEAP – but meeting our current state standards, which is not something the “old” MEAP did. There have been reports suggesting the state is returning to the old test and that teachers now are rewriting lesson plans in an attempt to be ready for next year’s assessment. Last week, Joseph Martineau, Deputy Director for Accountability Services released a memo to clarify what we now know and how educators should be planning for the 2014-15 school year. The main message: stay the course.