The MDE recently released information about Statewide 3-8 Benchmark Assessments.  For details and links to the three approved assessments, see the MDE State Benchmark Assessment FAQ.

The MDE also recently released updated approved initial and extensive K-3 assessments for the Third Grade Reading Law.

It is important for school leaders to understand which assessments are required and which are optional, as well as which assessments are funded or not funded.  The new Statewide Benchmark Assessments are for grades 3 - 8 and are optional, but funded by the state.  The Initial and Extensive assessments for grades K - 3 are required, but possibly not funded next year based on proposed state budgets (schools have previously been able to apply to be reimbursed for early literacy assessment expenses through Section 104d Early Literacy Grant, but this will likely be moved to MDE to fund the optional 3-8 approved benchmarks).

The final video has been posted to help explain the School Index on the School Accountability Page.  This last video tackles the topic of Adequate Growth in the School Index.  In short, students in grades 4-11 are given a Student Growth Percentile which is a normative measure based on how well they scored compared to other students who had similar achievement scores in previous year(s).  Statistics are used to then differentiate an adequate target that would assure students would maintain or obtain proficiency within in the next couple of years.  The percent of students who met this adequate growth target is reported on the School Index.