Testing Column

When 8th graders took Maine's statewide tests last month, they were not asked to fill in bubbles to answer multiple-choice questions. Instead, students constructed their own responses. And they often had to describe the strategy they used to solve a problem.

The Maine Educational Assessment has also adopted a new reporting format. It will describe four levels of student performance: distinguished, advanced, basic, and novice. The new format will be phased in gradually.

Since 1991, Maine has based 50 percent of student and school scores for all...