Welcome to theTAYLOR ELEMENTARY

SCHOOLInterpreting your child’s MCAS

MassachusettsComprehensiveAssessmentSystem

MCAS

Why does my child need to take the MCAS?

• The law requires all public school students in Massachusetts to take part in the MCAS*

• MCAS measures performance based on Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks Learning Standards

• MCAS provides a measure of accountability for students, schools, and districts

• In grade 10, students must pass English Language Arts and Math (Class of 2010 must also pass Science and Technology/Engineering)

• To be compliant with No Child Left Behind all students must be proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014

• *Not first year ELL students

Questions to be answered today…

• What is MCAS?• What tests did my child take?• How many sessions of testing did my child participate

in?• How many questions did my child answer?• What type of questions was my child asked?• What can parents do with the results, and what does

the school do with the results?• How can I support my child for MCAS?• Where can I find additional information?

What is MCAS?• MCAS: an assessment designed to meet requirements of

Educational Reform Law of 1993 • All tests are un-timed• Grade 3 MCAS: Reading and Math• Grade 4 MCAS: Composition, Reading, and Math• Composition-rough draft and final copy• Reading-3 sessions over a two week period

– Will be 2 sessions beginning this year (2010)– Practice is a one paragraph story with 3 questions– Read selection and answer multiple choice and open response

questions– Multiple choice-1 point each– Open Response based on each questions (see fraction)

What is MCAS?Math-2 sessions over a two week period.

– Practice is multiple choice and short answer– The test assesses:

• Number Sense and Operations• Patterns, Relationships ,and Algebra• Geometry• Measurement• Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability

– The test has multiple choice, short answer, and open response questions

• Multiple choice-1 point each• Short answer-1 point each (refer to each question for scoring guide)• Open Response- based on each question (refer to each question for scoring

guide)

How many questions did my child answer?

• Reading– selection followed by multiple choice questions and open

response questions– Last year children responded to 60+ questions only 13 were

reported

• MATH– Arrangement of word problems, tables, graphs, number

sentences with higher order math skills embedded – There were only 2 computation problems– Last year children responded to 50+ questions only 16 were

reported

What type of questions was my child asked?

• The release questions from past tests are available through

The Department of education website (for all grades dating back to 2003):

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems.html

Parent Reports

• The Parent/Guardian Report will show how well your third grade child performed in Reading and Math compared to the performance of third grade students at the Taylor School, the town of Foxborough, and the state overall.

• The Parent/Guardian Report will show range of scores (performance level) and the test item scores for your child.

• The Parent/Guardian Report also includes new information such as ways to help your child, and places to find additional information.

How can I support my child for MCAS?

• Keep stress level down. • Make sure your child has a good night’s rest, eats

properly, and gets to school on time every day.• Emphasize MCAS has no impact on your child’s

report card, grades, or promotion.• Encourage your child to do their best.• Communicate with your child’s teacher regularly

to see how the family can support your child’s learning at school.

How can I support my child for MCAS?

• Ask your child about the homework that is due tomorrow and next week, and make sure it gets done. Send your child to school prepared to learn.

• Ask your child to explain to you what he or she is studying. These conversations help you to follow your child’s progress, and help him or her to remember what has been learned.

• Encourage your child to use Study Island at home.

Where can I find additional information?

• The Department of Education www.doe.mass.eduall test items from past MCAS tests are available at http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems.html