New England Common Assessment Program

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The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) is a plan developed by the departments of education in three U.S. states (New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) in the New England area in response to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

The program's primary goal is a standardized test based on uniform Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) that will test all students in grades 3-8 and 11 in reading, writing, and mathematics, that will be taken in the fall of the 2005-2006 school year. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 will also be tested in writing.

In a nutshell, NECAP testing is a cockwaving competition between schools. NECAP testing frequently utilizes limited views of academic, "standards" in order to judge whether students are competent enough and whether the material being taught is being absorbed in a proper way. NECAP has been heavily criticized by many students and even teachers that feel the testing does not reflect the myriad of ways of learning, such as through music, art, and, like many tests, the NECAP tests may not be able to measure a wholly accurate spectrum of student comprehension in a school.

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  • Asmar, Melanie. "Federal law means more school testing: Grades three through eight targeted." Concord Monitor. August 1, 2005. [1]
  • McKenna, Bredan. "Feds accept Vermont's plan for student testing; $1.2 million at stake." Barre Montpelier Times Argus. August 14, 2005. [2]
  • Rood, Jeremiah. "NH awaits word on NCLB plan." Laconia Citizen. July 16, 2005. [3]
  • Rood, Jeremiah, and Marcus Weisgerber. "Feds won't punish states over delay in 'No Child' testing." Foster's Daily Democrat. July 21, 2005. [4]
  • Weisgerber, Marcus. "State may not be sanctioned over No Child Left Behind testing plans." Foster's Daily Democrat. July 19, 2005. [5]
  • Weiss-Tisman, Howard. "Feds OK Vermont education proposal." Brattleboro Reformer. July 22, 2005. [6]