Nebraska -- Statewide Assessment Program: STARS

How does the Nebraska School-based Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS) work?

Standards

What are the standards and where did they come from?

The State Board of Education has adopted measurable model academic content standards that cover reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies and history. These content standards are known as Nebraska L.E.A.R.N.S. (Leading Educational Achievement through Rigorous Nebraska Standards)

The legislation requires that Nebraska school districts should by July 1, 2003, adopt measurable quality academic content standards for reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and history. (NOTE: The reading standards should also include speaking and listening.)

The quality academic content standards adopted by Nebraska school districts may be those adopted by the State Board of Education (Nebraska L.E.A.R.N.S) or may be local school district standards that are determined to be equal to or more rigorous than the state standards.

How are the standards used?

Nebraska school districts have aligned their local curriculum with the state approved content standards in order to provide learning opportunities for all students. The local curriculum and standards alignment process is documented by each school district in a portfolio of standards and assessment procedures that are reviewed for each content area. Not only are school districts required to describe and outline their process for aligning the standards with the local curriculum, but they are also required to document that students have had the opportunity to learn that content.

The purpose of aligning Nebraska’s rigorous content standards with local curriculum is to establish standards-based classrooms within all Nebraska school districts. When aligned with local curriculum, the content standards are used to establish clear learning targets and expectations for all students within Nebraska classrooms. Standards-based classrooms are achieved as each teacher clearly articulates the learning targets, aligns instruction to the learning targets within each of the content standards, and accurately assesses whether or not students are meeting the targets outlined by the content standards.

Assessment

What content standards are assessed and when?

Beginning in the 2000-2001 school year, educators in all Nebraska school districts began to assess the content standards. In the early years of the assessment system, the subjects were rotated. Beginning in 2005-06 in order to comply with NCLB, the schedule was changed to include the annual reporting of reading and mathematics as well as writing. Science was first, beginning state reporting in 2006 and social studies will be reported at the state level in 2008-09. The assessment of Nebraska students on academic content standards occurs according to the following schedule:

2005-2006 Reading and Mathematics – Grades 3-8, 11

Statewide Writing Assessment – Grades 4, 8, 11

Science – Local Reporting – Grades 5, 8, 11