Nebraska's approach to standards, assessment, and accountability: School-based Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS) is firmly grounded in the belief that decisions about student learning should be standards-based and should be based upon classroom knowledge of the student. This process relies upon the professional expertise of Nebraska educators and has been built upon a statewide initiative to develop educator capacity in assessment design and the use of assessment data for improved instruction. The requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act have been integrated into the accountability requirements. This document outlines the basic process that Nebraska school districts have undertaken for the purposes of improving student achievement in their classrooms and buildings. The following are appended: (1) District Assessment Portfolio rubric; (2) Quality Criteria Rating Chart; (3) Writing Scoring Guide, Grade 4; (4) Writing Scoring Guide, Grade 8; and (5) Writing Scoring Guide, Grade 11.