Presented to School Committee on 11/13/2017
New Standards – New Opportunities Presentation
from April 12, 2018 Parent Coffee
Student Assessment Reports from Previous Years
2015 MCAS, PARCC* & ERB Report
*PARCC – Performance Based Assessment (PBA)
As part of Massachusetts’ two-year “test drive” of PARCC, the Department asked school districts to choose whether to administer MCAS or PARCC tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics to students in grades 3-8 spring 2015; and later in 2015, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted for the state to adopt PARCC for spring 2016. For 2017, PARCC was eliminated and MCAS 2.0 was implemented. Based upon the “legacy” MCAS and similar in format to PARCC, MCAS 2.0 is untimed and will be administered on computers to assess the Massachusetts learning standards. Students will have access to the time they need to complete the assessment. MCAS 2.0 assesses English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, only. Science assessments are as they have been in the past, on paper and based upon “legacy” MCAS.
MCAS 2018-2019 School Year Testing Schedule
November 2018 MCAS ELA & Math Retests (paper-based tests)
| ELA Composition Sessions A & B | November 8, 2018 |
| ELA Reading Comprehension Sessions 1 & 2 | November 9, 2018 |
| ELA Reading Comprehension Session 3 | November 13, 2018 |
| Mathematics Session 1 | November 14, 2018 |
| Mathematics Session 2 | November 15, 2018 |
February 2019 High School MCAS Biology Test (paper-based tests)
| Biology Session 1 | February 6, 2019 |
| Biology Session 2 | February 7, 2019 |
March 2019 MCAS ELA & Math Retests (paper-based tests)
| ELA Composition Sessions A & B | March 4, 2019 |
| ELA Reading Comprehension Sessions 1 & 2 | March 5, 2019 |
| ELA Reading Comprehension Session 3 | March 6, 2019 |
| Mathematics Session 1 | March 7, 2019 |
| Mathematics Session 2 | March 8, 2019 |
March 2019 Grade 10 MCAS ELA Test (computer-based test)
| Primary Administration Dates | |
| ELA Session 1 | March 26, 2019 |
| ELA Session 2 | March 27, 2019 |
| Secondary Administration Dates | |
| ELA Session 1 | March 28, 2019 |
| ELA Session 2 | March 29, 2019 |
Spring 2019 MCAS Gr. 3-8 ELA & Math, and Gr. 5 & 8 STE** (computer-based tests)
| ELA test sessions | April 1-May 3, 2019 |
| MATH test sessions | April 2-May 24, 2019 |
| STE sessions | April 3-May 24, 2019 |
May 2019 Grade 10 MCAS Mathematics Test (computer-based test)
| Primary Administration Dates | |
| Mathematics Session 1 | May 21, 2019 |
| Mathematics Session 2 | May 22, 2019 |
| Secondary Administration Dates | |
| Mathematics Session 1 | May, 23, 2019 |
| Mathematics Session 2 | May, 24, 2019 |
June 2019 High School MCAS STE* Test (paper-based tests)
| STE Session 1 | June 4, 2019 |
| STE Session 2 | June 5, 2019 |
May-June 2019 MCAS Biology & Introductory Physics Field Tests (computer-based administration)
| STE Session 1 | May 28-June 14, 2019 |
**=Biology, Chemistry, Introductory Physics, Technology/Engineering Tests
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website has further information available that is consistently updated. Below, you will find a few links on the DESE website that can serve as a resource or reference.
MCAS 2.0 Home page: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/home.html
Parent/Guardian Information (not updated yet): http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/parents/
Accessibility and Accommodations: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility/
History of MCAS/MCAS 2.0: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/nextgen/default.html
Participation Requirements (G.L. c.69, s.1I): http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=14573
High School Graduation Requirements: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/graduation.html
