Nebraska’s approach to standards, assessment, and accountability, the School-based Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS), is firmly grounded in the belief that decisions about student learning should be based both upon independent standard and upon classroom knowledge of the student. This process relies upon the professional expertise of Nebraska educators and has been built upon a statewide initiative to develop educator capacity in assessment design and improved instruction through assessment data. The requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act have been integrated into the accountability requirements.

Beginning in the 2000-2001 school year, educators in all Nebraska school districts began to assess the content standards. The assessment of Nebraska students on academic content standards follows this schedule:

2000-2001 Reading, Speaking and Listening – Gr. 4, 8, 11
Statewide Writing Assessment Pilot Implementation – Gr. 4, 8, 11
2001-2002 Mathematics, Gr. 4, 8, 11
Statewide Writing Assessment – Grade 4
2002-2003 Reading, Speaking, and Listening – Gr. 4, 8, 11
Statewide Writing Assessment - Grade 8
2003-2004 Mathematics – Gr. 4, 8, 11
Statewide Writing Assessment – Grades 4, 8, 11
2004-2005 Reading and Mathematics – Grades 4, 8, 11
Statewide Writing Assessment – Grades 4, 8, 11
2005-2006 Reading and Mathematics – Grades 3-8, 11*
Statewide Writing Assessment – Grades 4, 8, 11
Science – Local Reporting – Grades 5, 8, 11**
2006-2007 Reading and Mathematics – Grades 3-8, 11*
Statewide Writing Assessment – Grades 4, 8, 11
Social Studies – Local Reporting – Grades 5, 8, 11**

* Only grades 4, 8, and 11 are assessed and reported by standard. Grades, 3, 5, 6, and 7 report progress in reading and mathematics and are monitored through Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP.)
**Districts may choose to assess science and social studies in Grades 4 or 5

Merit’s language arts and math software programs correlate to the Nebraska Content Standards (Nebraska L.E.A.R.N.S.) and can help students prepare for the State tests. The content and format of Merit’s programs can help students develop and strengthen their test-taking skills as well as their reading, writing and math skills.

Merit reading software has been proven -- through rigorous, scientifically based research -- to increase both student reading comprehension and standardized test scores. Merit research study findings reveal that education software is an effective tool to improve test scores and academic performance.



Published: May 2005