Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AAS) Webinar (Spring 2022)- This webinar provides an overview of Maine's AAS, how these are implemented in the design of alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, alignment to Maine's grade level content standards, and the role of AAS in IEP goals and objectives.

Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AAS) PDF

 Core Content Connectors  The CCCs are derived from the Common Core State Standards and aligned to the Maine Learning Results and are Maine's alternate academic achievement standards (AAAS) in ELA/literacy and mathematics. These AAAS are more accessible steps, reduced in breadth and complexity, for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Maine's alternate assessments, the MSAA, are designed based on these standards.

• Core Content Connectors in ELA/Literacy
• Core Content Connectors in Math

Extended Performance Expectations

The EPEs are derived from the Performance Expectations contained in the Next Generation Science Standards, and are Maine's alternate academic achievement standards (AAAS) in science. These AAAS are more accessible steps, reduced in breadth and complexity, for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Maine's alternate assessment, the MSAA Science, is designed based on these standards.

• Extended Performance Expectations in the Elementary Grades
• Extended Performance Expectations in the Middle School
• Extended Performance Expectations in the High School

Resources for Determining Eligibility

These resources are designed to support IEP teams in making data-driven decisions about eligibility and participation in the alternate assessments.

• Participation Decision Flowchart
• Alternate Assessment Participation Checklist

Spring 2024 Test Administration Manual - This manual outlines the process for administration of the MSAA and MSAA Science.

2024 Test Coordinator User Guide – This guide contains practical information and visual supports to help test administrators navigate the MSAA and MSAA System.

2024 Test Administrator User Guide – This guide contains practical information and visual supports to help test coordinators navigate the MSAA and MSAA System.

The MSAA and MSAA Science platform requires a Test Security Agreement upon initial login each year by TAs and TCs, before assessment trainings and student tests can be accessed.  Please read the agreement carefully.  

No additional Test Security Agreement is required for alternate assessments administration beyond that which is provided in the MSAA platform.

Technical assistance for Local Educational Agencies (in Maine, SAUs) around the state-required assessments is a federal requirement for all State Education Agencies (SEA). The SEA is required in statute to establish a system of statewide content assessments as well to provide technical assistance to the local districts in the administration of these assessments to ensure that student results are valid and reliable. In Maine, one of the ways the Assessment Team provides technical assistance is in the form of assessment observations. 

Maine SAUs are encouraged to reach out to the Assessment Team if they have specific technical needs around state assessments.  Assessment Team Technical Assistance/Professional Learning Request Form (office.com)

Report Download Instructions: Step-by-step guide for Maine SAUs and Assessment Coordinators about how to download district, school and student reports for the MSAA.

*Please note: SAU level users will only have access to download local District, School and Student Reports, not state level data.

Understanding and Utilizing MSAA Score Reports (16:55) - This recorded presentation provides a short and thorough overview of the different report resources available at the district, school and student levels. Please enable the "Play Narration" function when beginning the slideshow.

Score Report Interpretation Guide: A detailed guide to various MSAA score reports available at the district, school and student levels, including writing rubrics and performance level descriptors.

MSAA Parent Guides by Grade Level

This overview of the MSAA System includes information about alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards, the importance of high standards in academic instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities, potential instructional supports, and ways to collaborate with your child's teachers.

• Grade 3
• Grade 4
• Grade 5
• Grade 6
• Grade 7
• Grade 8
• High School

Technical Reports

• AY22 MSAA ELA-Mathematical Technical Report: The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (the MSAA) is a comprehensive, two-stage adaptive, summative assessment system designed to promote increasingly higher academic outcomes for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to prepare them for a broader array of post-secondary outcomes. The MSAA is designed to measure grade-level academic content that is aligned with, and derived from, MSAA Partner States’ content standards.
• AY23 MSAA Science Standard Setting Technical Report