The recent time-consuming activity of legislative hearings in Augusta on a variety of bills, most significantly those having to do with the realignment of the state school districts, has modified the timetable of other educational agendas being considered by the legislature this session. This includes Commissioner Gendron's plan to receive legislative approval of assessment requirements in all 8 disciplines. Consequently, this will now be taking place over a period of two or more sessions, not just this one as originally planned.

For this session, Chapter 131 will be presented to the legislature for approval as this is the one mandated for immediate attention by No Child Left Behind. Washington is dictating that "large-scale assessment" to meet NCLB assessment requirements for English Language Arts, Math, and Science be put firmly in place immediately, and thus why Chapter 131 is being considered this session. Chapter 131 addresses these 3 content areas only. Chapter 125 covers assessment requirements for the other 5 content areas of the Maine Learning Results and will focus on a growth model to track the progress of all children. VPA assessment may likely include statewide rubrics, performance and exhibition, and flexibility. Chapter 125 will go to public hearing this year, but NOT to a vote. This is in many ways a positive for us in that the details of Chapter 125 can be more thoroughly worked out with the additional time to do so.

It is imperative that Maine VPA educators and administrators fully understand this revised process, timeline and ramifications. The approval of Chapter 131 only for this session is not an attempt to prioritize those three content areas, but rather to meet a Federally mandated time table. Exclusion of Chapter 125 approval during this session is not a move to slight the 5 disciplines it includes, but rather it is in acknowledgment of a legislative plate that is already very full for this session.

We will continue to keep you informed about discussions and decisions at the state level that have potential impact on the Visual and Performing Arts.