1. Guidance, Requirements and Preparation for Peer Review of the AA-MAS
Sue Rigney
Sharon Hall
OESE/USED

2. Topics Peer Review Dates
Guidance, Requirements and Considerations for AA-MAS
Suggestions for preparing submission for peer review

3. Peer Review March 17-20, 2008 Submission due February 25
Fall Review-TBA

4. Requirements
If a State currently administers an AA-MAS or will administer an AA-MAS in , submit for peer review in March 2008.
There is no requirement for a State to develop an AA-MAS.

5. Requirements
AA-MAS must be aligned with grade level expectations; only the achievement standards may be modified.
Interim flexibility may be requested for and By AA-MAS must be operational.

6. Peer Review Guidance Overview
1.0 Content Standards
2.0 Achievement Standards
3.0 System of Annual Assessments
4.0 Technical Quality
5.0 Alignment
6.0 Inclusion
7.0 Reports

7. Consider Is there a need to develop an AA-MAS for each grade?
Is there a need to develop an AA-MAS in each content area?
A student may participate in an AA-MAS in only one content area.
Has State investigated different ways for students to demonstrate knowledge and skills?

8. Suggestions for Organizing Submission
Designate SEA team leader and team to prepare submission.
Using the Peer Review Guidance as a framework, assign responsibilities to individual team members:
1.0 Content Standards
2.0 Achievement Standards
3.0 System of Annual Assessments
4.0 Technical Quality
5.0 Alignment
6.0 Inclusion
7.0 Reports
Team meets to:
(a) review progress,
(b) identify the documents that are
duplicative,
(c) identify missing documentation and
a plan for development
Assemble final submission and index of evidence within documents
Send documents to assigned Program Specialist at US Department of Education. Use messenger service or US Mail with tracking. Confirm by that documents have been sent
March 17-20, 2008

9. Each Team Member
(a) Prepares list of documents available related to the critical element assigned,
(b) Creates an index indicating where the evidence related to the critical element is located in the documentation, and
(c) Identifies additional documents needed

10. Team Meets to (a) Review progress, (b) Identify the documents that are
duplicative,
(c) Identify missing documentation and
a plan for development

11. Team Leader
Assembles final submission and index of evidence within documents
Sends documents to assigned Program Specialist at US Department of Education.
Uses messenger service or US Mail with tracking. Confirms by that documents have been sent.

12. DON’T Reference only a url Send content standards
Send documents unless they are directly applicable to the critical element
Send assurances

13. DO Provide evidence rather than assurances
Include only pertinent documents
Provide a response for each critical element
Organize documents so evidence is easy to find
Cite page numbers in documents so pertinent information can be easily located
If there is no evidence available, acknowledge this and include a plan with benchmarks to address the missing evidence
Send hardcopy, CD, or electronic submission.