MCAS Information
As part of the 1993 Massachusetts Educational Reform Act, a statewide assessment system was instituted. The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) was designed to ensure that the Curriculum Frameworks were being implemented in all schools across the state. MCAS testing begins in the third grade with a Reading Assessment and students are continually assessed until they meet the high school graduation requirement. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all children in grades three to eight to be evaluated annually in ELA and Math. In order to fulfill this requirement our students will take additional MCAS Tests. The additional tests are in the development stage and are often referred to as tryouts. These tryout tests are used to determine the validity of the test questions and the district doesn’t receive individual results.
We, as a school system, will continue to review all aspects of our instruction. This test is one dimension of our School’s ongoing assessment of student learning and achievement. At the elementary level the MCAS is designed to provide students, parents, teachers, and the community with information about the curriculum and student achievement. At this level, your student’s performance on the MCAS has no bearing on placement or promotion.
2009-2010 MCAS Dates