Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly called the MCAS (pronounced [mː kǣs], is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993. State and federal law mandates that all students who are enrolled in the tested grades and who are educated with Massachusetts public funds participate in MCAS testing.

MCAS has three primary purposes: (1) to inform and improve curriculum and instruction; (2) to evaluate student, school, and district performance according to Massachusetts Curriculum Framework content standards and performance standards; and (3) to determine student eligibility for the Competency Determination requirement in order to award high school diplomas. If necessary, students are given multiple opportunities to pass the test (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/about1.html?faq=4).

Massachusetts fulfills the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act by administering MCAS tests in English language arts and mathematics to students in grades 3-8 and 10. Additional MCAS tests are administered in Science and Technology/Engineering (grades 5, 8, 9/10) and History and Social Science (grades 5, 7, and 10/11).

1 History
2 Types of Questions
3 Grade levels
4 Scoring
5 Criticism
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] History

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) was created to fulfill the requirements of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993. MCAS tests were designed to measure student performance against the learning standards contained in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for the content area tested. MCAS tests are developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education and its testing contractor in collaboration with Assessment Development Committees. The Assessment Development Committees, which are comprised of local educators who specialize in each subject area and grade level tested, have met regularly since 1996.

MCAS tests were first administered in May, 1998, to students in grades 4, 8, and 10. Between 2001 and 2006, new tests were added. Beginning in spring 2006, all students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 participated in English Language Arts/Reading and mathematics tests.

In January 2000, the Massachusetts Board of Education established that students in the class of 2003 and beyond would need to earn a Competency Determination, as well as meet local graduation requirements, in order to receive a high school diploma. To meet the Competency Determination standard, students must meet or exceed the Needs Improvement threshold score of 220 on both the grade 10 MCAS English language arts and mathematics tests. Science will be added to the graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2010, thereby requiring students to pass one of four science exams (biology, chemistry, introductory physics or technology/engineering) in addition to the ELA and mathematics tests.

[edit] Types of Questions

The tests use four varieties of questions. The multiple-choice questions are included on all but the ELA Composition tests and require students to choose one answer from four given answers. These types of questions are machine scored.

The short-answer questions on the MCAS are only included on the mathematics portion. They require the student to give a short numerical answer or a brief statement.

Open-response questions are included on all MCAS tests but the ELA Composition. They require students to generate their own responses. Students create a one- or two-paragraph response in writing or in the form of a narrative or a chart, table, diagram, illustration, or graph, as appropriate. Students can receive up to four points for each open-response question.

Writing prompts are included only on ELA Composition tests and require students to respond by creating a written composition. Compositions are scored based on two things. For topic development, students are scored based on a six-score point scale, with students receiving from 2 to 12 points (the sum of scores from each of the two scorers). For Standard English conventions, students are scored based on a four-point scale, with students receiving from 2 to 8 points (the sum of the scores from each of the two scorers).

[edit] Grade levels

Students take different tests according to their grade level. In addition to these tests, students may be required to take tryouts and pilot tests. The following list is current as of spring 2007. It is required for a student to pass both the English Language Arts and Mathematics portions of the Grade 10 test in order to meet the Competency Determination requirement.

**Spring 2007 MCAS Tests by grade level**
Grade	Subject
3	Reading, Mathematics
4	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension and Composition, Mathematics
5	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering, History and Social Sciences
6	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension, Mathematics
7	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension and Composition, Mathematics, History and Social Sciences
8	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering
10	English Language Arts Reading Comprehension and Composition,Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering (9/10), U.S. History (10/11)

Note: Students in grades 9 and 10 take a Science and Technology/Engineering test in biology, chemistry, introductory physics, or technology/engineering.

[edit] Scoring

The MCAS scale ranges from 200 to 280. Performance levels correspond to the following score points on the scale:

Warning/Failing (200-218)

Needs Improvement (220-238)

Proficient (240-258)

Advanced (260-280)

**General MCAS Performance Level Definitions**
Performance Level	Definition
Advanced	Students at this level demonstrate a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of rigorous subject matter and provide sophisticated solutions to complex problems.
Proficient	Students at this level demonstrate a solid understanding of challenging subject matter and solve a wide variety of problems.
Needs Improvement	Students at this level demonstrate a partial understanding of subject matter and solve some simple problems.
Warning/Failing	Students at this level demonstrate a minimal understanding of subject matter and do not solve simple problems.

10th graders who achieve an Advanced score in either the ELA or Mathematics section of the test, at least a Proficient on the other section, and have a score that puts them in the top 25% in their school district become eligible for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. Recipients receive a tuition waiver to attend state colleges and universities in Massachusetts. The waiver is in effect for 8 consecutive traditional semesters or 4 years.

[edit] Criticism

Critics have attacked the test for being overly difficult and a poor assessment tool, citing the high stakes involved in taking the test. A student must pass the MCAS in order to graduate from high school, a standard which critics have greatly protested. MCAS pilot tests are criticised as functioning poorly. Students are told before hand that the tests they are piloting do not count. According to critics, this prevents these students from taking the test seriously. MCAS tests are also criticised for consuming too much of the budget. Also because of the timing and content of MCAS many teachers have lesson plans which allow for little deviation into areas which may allow for a better understanding of the subject. It also creates a hurried atmosphere in the classroom in which there is low morale among some teachers and students. MCAS is cyted as the "Massachusetts Child Abuse System" by students, instead of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System.