[Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System Logo] Guide to Interpreting the Spring 2006 MCAS Reports for Schools and Districts September 2006 Massachusetts Department of Education [Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System Logo] Massachusetts Department of Education This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Education.Dr. David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education Copyright © 2006 Massachusetts Department of Education Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please credit the “Massachusetts Department of Education.” This document is printed on recycled paper. 350 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023 781-338-3000 doe.mass.edu Commissioner’s Foreword Dear Colleagues: The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests are an important part of our state’s effort to improve teaching and learning across the Commonwealth. It is essential that all teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians understand the MCAS testing program, as all have essential roles to play in helping students to succeed. This guide explains results and other information contained within the Test Item Analysis Report, Test Item Analysis Report Summary, School Report, and District Report for the spring 2006 MCAS tests. Included in the reports are results for the new 2006 tests: grades 5, 6, and 8 ELA Language and Literature and grades 3, 5, and 7 Mathematics. In addition, a new performance level, Above Proficient, was established for the grade 3 Reading test. The guide has been updated to provide information on the new tests and on the standard-setting process that took place during the summer. We hope that you will find this guide useful as you review the results for your school and/or district. If you have questions after reviewing this guide and your reports, please contact the MCAS Service Center at 1-800-737-5103. Sincerely, David P. Driscoll Commissioner of Education Table of Contents Commissioner’s Foreword I. Document Purpose..............................................................1 II. Reporting of the 2006 MCAS Test Results.......................................2 III. General Guidelines for the Interpretation and Use of MCAS Reports.............4 IV. Standard Setting..............................................................5 Vertically Moderated Standards................................................5 Cautions in Score Interpretation..............................................6 V. Understanding the Test Item Analysis Roster and the Test Item Analysis Report Summary................................................................7 Overview......................................................................7 Test Item Analysis Roster and Test Item Analysis Report Summary...............8 Individual Student Results ...................................................9 Results Aggregated at the School, District, and State Levels..................14 VI. Understanding the School and District Reports.................................16 Overview......................................................................16 A.Student Participation Report................................................18 B. Distribution of Results by Composite Performance Index (CPI) Points........20 C. Subject Area Subscores on Standard Test....................................21 D. Performance Level Results..................................................23 E. Three-Year Comparison of School Performance Level Results..................24 F. Performance Level and Preliminary Composite Performance Index for Subgroups of Students.....................................................25 G. Comparison of 2005 and 2006 Race/Ethnicity Report..........................28 H. Competency Determination Results (Grade 10 Only)...........................30 Appendix A Raw Score to Scaled Score Conversion Tables................................31 Appendix B Calculating Threshold Scores...............................................43 Appendix C MCAS-Related References....................................................44 I. Document Purpose The purpose of this document is to support local educators’ use of district and school reports of results from the spring 2006 administration of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests. This document describes and explains the standard setting that took place in summer 2006 and provides guidance on interpreting the following MCAS reports for the spring 2006 tests: • Test Item Analysis Roster • Test Item Analysis Report Summary • School Report • District Report These 2006 MCAS reports contain information that will be important to local educators in their efforts to improve curriculum and instruction to better serve the academic needs of all their students. In addition, this document can help school and district personnel communicate with parents and members of their communities about the MCAS test results. II. Reporting of the 2006 MCAS Test Results The table below shows the MCAS tests and question tryouts administered in spring 2006 and how results for each of these MCAS tests are reported. An asterisk indicates data are reported. A shaded cell indicates data are not reported. Additional notes for the table appear on the following page. MCAS Results Reported in 2006 Grade Content Area Raw Scaled Performance Test Item Score Score Level Analysis 3 Reading^1 * * * Mathematics^1 * * * 4 ELA Composition and Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * 5 ELA Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * Science and Technology/Engineering * * * * History and Social Science Question Tryout^2 6 ELA Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * 7 ELA Composition and Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * History and Social Science Question Tryout^2 8 ELA Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * Science and Technology/Engineering * * * * 9/10 High School Science and Technology/Engineering^3 * * •Biology •Chemistry •Introductory Physics •Technology/Engineering 10 ELA Composition and Language and Literature * * * * Mathematics * * * * 10/11 U.S. History Question Tryout^2 NOTES: 1. Results from the MCAS grade 3 Reading test and grade 3 Mathematics test are reported by performance levels and raw scores. No scaled scores are reported for the grade 3 tests. New for 2006, scores for grade 3 students’ responses to open-response questions are counted in students’ total scores. 2. The purpose of a question tryout is to generate information about test items to assist in the development and selection of items for future operational versions of the test. No student-, school-, or district-level results are reported from question tryouts. 3. Administration of four end-of-course high school Science and Technology/Engineering tests took place in spring 2006. Only Test Item Analysis Rosters and Test Item Analysis Report Summaries have been issued from that administration. Results from the 2006 high school Science and Technology/Engineering tests are reported as raw scores only. No performance level results or scaled scores are reported for these tests in 2006. III. General Guidelines for the Interpretation and Use of MCAS Reports ALIGNMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION School- and district-level results contained in the 2006 reports are intended to help teachers and administrators evaluate effectiveness of local curriculum and instruction in aligning with the standards defined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. USE OF MCAS STUDENT-LEVEL RESULTS MCAS results are intended to evaluate how well students and schools are achieving the learning standards contained in the Curriculum Frameworks. Individual student results and school-level results will help teachers and parents focus on areas in which students need assistance in order to improve performance. MULTIPLE DATA POINTS NEEDED FOR TREND ANALYSIS Results from the 2006 MCAS tests should be evaluated in conjunction with results from MCAS tests administered from 1998 through 2005. As with any evaluation, school and district test results are most meaningful when compared with other indicators and when examined over several years for long-term trends in performance. STATE REGULATIONS REGARDING CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS The Massachusetts Student Record Regulations (603 CMR 23.00) and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) require that access to individual student results, including those provided in MCAS Test Item Analysis Rosters and Parent/Guardian Reports, be restricted. Students’ temporary records contain all of the information that is not contained in the transcript and generally cannot be examined by anyone other than the student, his or her parents or guardians, and authorized school personnel without consent from the parent/guardian or student. A student’s temporary records are destroyed no earlier than five years after he or she transfers, graduates, or withdraws from the school system. Superintendents and principals are responsible for maintaining the privacy and security of all student records. In accordance with state and federal regulations, authorized school personnel shall have access to the student records of students to whom they are providing services, only when such access is required in the performance of their official duties. For more information on this topic, refer to the Massachusetts Department of Education publication, Student Records: Questions, Answers, and Guidelines, 2002. MAKING COMPARISONS AMONG STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND DISTRICTS Performance levels are the most appropriate statistic to use when comparing MCAS results among students, schools, and districts. When interpreting the meaning of these comparisons, however, it is important that decision-makers—teachers, administrators, and policy-makers—recognize that some apparent differences in scaled scores may not be statistically or educationally significant. Additional guidance regarding comparisons of test scores appears on page 6. IV. Standard Setting In response to NCLB requirements, in 2006 tests in several grades and subject areas were added to the MCAS program. During the summer of 2006, cut scores (also referred to as performance standards) were set for these new tests. Additionally, for grade 3 Reading, a fourth performance level, Above Proficient, was added. The process for establishing cut scores between performance levels is referred to as standard setting. Table 1 displays the grades and subject areas for which cut scores were established in 2006. TABLE 1. MCAS TESTS FOR WHICH STANDARDS WERE SET IN 2006 Grade Subject Area 3 Reading (Proficient/Above Proficient cut only) 3 Mathematics 5 ELA Language and Literature 5 Mathematics 6 ELA Language and Literature 7 Mathematics 8 ELA Language and Literature VERTICALLY MODERATED STANDARDS With the addition of the new tests, the MCAS program now assesses reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and grade 10. The standard-setting process conducted in 2006 was designed not only to establish cut scores between performance levels for the new tests, but also to create a system of vertically moderated standards. Vertical moderation refers to the use of the standard-setting process to establish tests, performance level descriptions, and cut scores that create a system of logically consistent and coherent performance standards across grades. To establish a system of vertically moderated standards, the content standards assessed by the tests and the performance level definitions must be developed to logically progress in scope and difficulty across the grades. The MCAS tests in grades 4 through 8 were designed specifically to meet these requirements. For grades 4–8, the first step in the process of creating vertically moderated performance standards on MCAS tests was to determine a set of initial cut scores for the new tests. The initial cut scores were identified by examining the percentages of students in each performance level at the adjacent grades for the 2005 tests and estimating the projected percentages of students in each performance level for the new tests. Next, the initial cut scores were evaluated and validated by panels of educators during standard setting. The standard-setting method employed was a variant of the Body of Work (BOW) method1 used previously for MCAS tests. In this method, panelists reviewed actual student responses to all common MCAS test questions. Each body of work produced by the student was categorized into a performance level based on initial cut scores. Based on the quality of the student responses and the knowledge and skills the student demonstrated, panelists then either agreed with the initial categorization or placed the student’s work into a different performance level. Cut scores were calculated based on the panelists’ final classifications of the student work. The standard-setting process for the grade 3 Reading and Mathematics tests was slightly different from the process for the grades 4–8 tests. Initial cut scores were not identified; rather, panelists made the initial classifications of student work into performance levels. For Mathematics, student work was categorized as Warning, Needs Improvement, Proficient, or Above Proficient. For Reading, panelists were asked only to classify student work for the Proficient and Above Proficient cuts, since the Warning and Needs Improvement cut scores were established in 2001 when the grade 3 Reading test was first introduced. Further details regarding the 2006 standard-setting activities will be released this fall. Cut scores for the 2006 MCAS tests appear in the threshold scores table in Appendix B of this document. CAUTIONS IN SCORE INTERPRETATION The coherence in cross-grade performance resulting from the system of vertically moderated standards and assessments is derived from the fact that the content standards and the performance level definitions were developed to logically progress in scope and difficulty across the grades. However, because the MCAS tests are not vertically scaled2 and the scaled scores for each test are calculated independently from one another, scaled scores across grades are not directly comparable. For example, a score of 250 in grade 4 Mathematics may actually indicate a higher level of achievement than a score of 252 in grade 5 Mathematics. Therefore, it is important to use performance levels rather than scaled scores in making statements about student progress across years. V. Understanding the Test Item Analysis Roster and the Test Item Analysis Report Summary OVERVIEW The Test Item Analysis Roster and Test Item Analysis Report Summary provide results from the spring 2006 MCAS tests for students tested in grades 3–8 and 10, and for students who took one of the four high school Science and Technology/Engineering tests. The Test Item Analysis Roster shows student-level results for MCAS common items, the basis for all MCAS scores. Each school receives a separate Test Item Analysis Roster for each subject area and grade tested in the school. For each test, the roster shows how each student • answered each common multiple-choice question; • performed on each common open-response and short-answer question, where applicable; • performed on the English Language Arts Composition (writing prompt), where applicable. The roster is designed to be used in conjunction with the publication Release of Spring 2006 MCAS Test Items, which shows all the questions on which the Test Item Analysis Roster is based, to provide educators with a detailed picture of student performance. This picture should be used in combination with students’ classroom performance to develop an overview of students’ academic achievement. The Test Item Analysis Report Summary shows overall performance at the school, district, and state levels for each common test item. Each school receives a separate Test Item Analysis Report Summary for each subject area and grade tested in the school. The information provided in Test Item Analysis Rosters and Test Item Analysis Report Summaries at the student, school, and district levels can be used for • identifying strengths and weaknesses exhibited by students; • curriculum evaluation and planning in the classroom, school, and district; • summary reporting to parents and the public. (See caution regarding confidentiality of student records on page 4.) Reports and summaries for grades 4, 7, and 10 English Language Arts tests and the high school Science and Technology/Engineering tests differ slightly from those for other tests, as described on the following pages. Test Item Analysis Roster and Test Item Analysis Report Summary [Graphic of sample report of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Test Item Analysis Roster for Mathematics] INDIVIDUAL STUDENT RESULTS Individual student results for all common test items are provided in the second section of each school’s Test Item Analysis Roster. The number of pages of the roster depends on the total number of students in the tested grade. The two main sections of the roster are further explained below. [Graphic of two mains sections of the Test Item Analysis Roster report displaying individual student results] 1.Item Information [Graphic of item information from Test Item Analysis Roster report] The graphic above (Section 1) shows a table that contains four types of information—item number, item type, correct multiple-choice answer, and reporting category—for each common item. Item Number _corresponds to the number of the question as it appears in the Release of Spring 2006 MCAS Test Items publication. For grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA only, the writing prompt is indicated as WP in the first six Item Number columns (see page 11). Item Type _indicates whether the item was a multiple-choice (MC), open-response (OR), or short-answer (SA) [used in Mathematics only] question. For grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA only, the first six columns relate to performance on the Composition. These columns show CT for topic development, CC for writing conventions, and SC for scorer comments about the student’s writing performance. See pages 10 and 11 (Body of the Roster) for further explanation about the data in these columns and their interpretation. Correct MC Answer _provides the letter option (A, B, C, or D) for the correct answer for multiple-choice questions. Reporting Category _indicates the Curriculum Framework strand under which each question is reported in the School and District Reports. Reporting category codes are explained in the Legend on the back of the Test Item Analysis Roster (see pages 12 and 13). 2.Body of the Roster [Graphic of Individual Student Results from Body of the Roster] Individual Student Results The body of the roster (Section 2) contains a row displaying test results for each student enrolled in the school on the first day of testing. For multiple-choice questions, • a + sign in any MC column indicates the student answered the question correctly; • a letter indicates the incorrect option (A, B, C, or D) the student selected (for the high school Technology/Engineering test only, a dash indicates an incorrect answer); • a blank indicates the student did not answer the question; • an asterisk (*) indicates the student selected more than one option. Open-response questions received a score of 0–4 except in grade 3 Mathematics (score of 0–2). For grade 3 Reading, this is new for 2006. Students’ responses to open-response questions were not previously counted in students’ total scores. The student’s scores for open-response questions are shown in the OR columns. A blank space indicates the student did not answer the question. Short-answer questions were used in Mathematics only. Each short-answer question received a score of 0 or 1. The student’s scores for short-answer questions are shown in the SA columns on Mathematics Test Item Analysis Rosters only. A blank space indicates the student did not answer the question. For grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA only, scores and scorer comments for students’ compositions are indicated by numbers and codes in the first six writing prompt (WP) columns. Each student’s composition was scored independently by two scorers. Each scorer gave the composition two separate scores: • _a score of 1–6 for topic development (CT) (e.g., writing development, organization, use of detail, variety in sentence structure and language) • _a score of 1–4 for the student’s use of standard English writing conventions (CC) (e.g., grammar, punctuation, mechanics of writing) The student’s score as shown in each of these two columns (CT and CC) represents the total points awarded by both scorers in each area. Any student who wrote a totally illegible composition, wrote an off-topic response, or wrote in a language other than English was given a notation of NS (not scorable). A blank space indicates the student did not write a composition. Zero points were awarded in such cases. A sample of a grade 4 ELA Test Item Analysis Roster is on the next page. [Graphic of grade 4 ELA Test Item Analysis Roster] In addition to receiving a score, each student’s writing performance on the Composition test received a minimum of two comments, and a maximum of four comments, about strengths or areas needing improvement. Up to two comments are in the area of topic development and up to two comments are in the area of conventions. If both scorers selected the same comment, it is listed only once on the report. These scorer comment codes are reported in the SC columns and defined in the Legend on the back of the Test Item Analysis Roster. Summary Scores The final four columns of each row contain summary information about the student’s performance. The student’s Total Raw Score for the applicable test is shown following the last item listed. The student’s Total Raw Score was calculated by adding one point for each correct MC question to the points the student earned for each OR question, SA question (Mathematics only), or writing prompt (ELA Composition only). The Total Possible Points shown at the top of the column following the final item indicates the total possible raw score points attainable on the test. The student’s Scaled Score is shown in the next column to the right, reported on a scale ranging from 200 to 280. This scaled score translates to one of the four MCAS performance levels, indicated in the last column. No scaled scores are reported for the 2006 grade 3 tests. The student’s Composite Performance Index (CPI) Points are shown in the third column following the last item, indicating the number of points awarded to the school or district based on the student’s scaled score and performance level. The school or district is awarded 100 points for each student achieving scaled scores of 240–280 and the Proficient or Advanced performance level, 75 points for scaled scores of 230–238 and the Needs Improvement performance level, 50 points for scaled scores of 220–228 and the Needs Improvement performance level, 25 points for scaled scores of 210–218 and the Warning/Failing performance level, and 0 points for scaled scores of 200–208 and the Warning/Failing performance level. At grade 3, only raw scores are reported, so the school or district is awarded 100 points for each student achieving raw scores of 36–48 and the Proficient or Above Proficient performance level, 75 points for raw scores of 29–35 and the Needs Improvement performance level, 50 points for raw scores of 21–28 and the Needs Improvement performance level, 25 points for raw scores of 11–20 and the Warning performance level, and 0 points for raw scores of 0–10 and the Warning performance level. For students participating in the Alternate Assessment, CPI Points are awarded to the school or district based on the student’s performance level. Scaled scores are not reported for students participating in the Alternate Assessment. The school or district is awarded 100 points for each student achieving Advanced, Proficient, Needs Improvement, and Progressing performance levels; 75 points for the Emerging performance level; 50 points for the Awareness performance level; and 25 points for the Incomplete performance level. The last column indicates the Performance Level for each student. There are four performance levels reported for MCAS tests (except the Alternate Assessment). The codes that may appear in this column are shown and defined below. Standard Codes for Grades 4–8 and 10 A = Advanced P = Proficient NI = Needs Improvement W = Warning* *The performance level code of W applies only to grades 3–8. At grade 10, the lowest performance level reported is F for Failing. For grade 3 only, a fourth performance level is being reported for the first time. This new level is Above Proficient (P+). The codes that may appear in this column, for grade 3 only, are shown and defined below. Standard Codes for Grade 3 P+ = Above Proficient P = Proficient NI = Needs Improvement W = Warning For students who are enrolled in grade 11 or 12, or who have exited high school, and participated in the grade 10 ELA or Mathematics test in hopes of qualifying for a scholarship, Certificate of Mastery Codes will appear in this column. The codes that may appear in this column are shown and defined below. Certificate of Mastery Codes A_M = Advanced, Certificate of Mastery P_M = Proficient, Certificate of Mastery NIM = Needs Improvement, Certificate of Mastery F_M = Failing, Certificate of Mastery For students who participated in the Alternate Assessment, seven performance levels are reported. The first three are equivalent to the standard performance levels Advanced, (Above Proficient for grade 3), Proficient, and Needs Improvement. The next three fall within Warning (Failing for grade 10). The final one corresponds to the not tested code INC, listed under “Exceptions” below. Students who participate in the Alternate Assessment do not receive scaled scores and, therefore, are not included in scaled score results. The codes that may appear in this column are shown and defined below. Alternate Assessment Codes A_A (P+A for grade 3)=?Advanced (Above Proficient for grade 3) P_A = Proficient NIA = Needs Improvement PRG = Progressing EMG = Emerging AWR = Awareness INP = Incomplete Exceptions There are limited circumstances when a Scaled Score and Performance Level are not provided for a student. Instead, in the Performance Level column, there is a three-letter code identifying why the student was not included in the aggregate results. The codes that may appear in this column are shown and defined below as well as in the Legend on the back of the Test Item Analysis Roster. For further information regarding the use of these codes, see page 19 of this guide. Not Tested Codes ABS = Absent MED = Medically Documented Absence LEP = First-Year Limited English Proficient INC = Incomplete or Invalid Test Results TRN = Transferred 3.Legend This section is provided as a quick reference guide for the Test Item Analysis Roster. (Mathematics is shown on the next page.) It explains and gives additional information on how to interpret codes that appear throughout the report. For grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA Test Item Analysis Rosters only, the bottom section of the Legend is labeled Scorer Comments for Writing Prompts. This section lists the two-letter codes used by scorers to indicate the comments they selected regarding strengths or areas needing improvement for each student’s composition. For example, at grade 4, the two-letter code TX is the code for the comment “topic development is effective.” These codes appear in the columns marked SC in the body of the roster. [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Test Item Anaysis Roster Legend for Mathematics] RESULTS AGGREGATED AT THE SCHOOL, DISTRICT, AND STATE LEVELS The Test Item Analysis Report Summary (a sample of the Mathematics school report summary is shown below) shows student performance on common test items, aggregated at school, district, and state levels. (Retest results are reported only at the student level; no aggregate school, district, or state results are reported.) [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests School Test Item Analysis Report Summary for Mathematics] 1.Average Item Score [Graphic of blow up of Average Item Score from Test Item Analysis Report Summary] The Average Item Score section of each school’s summary shows aggregated results for the school, district, and state for each item. The first four columns identify each item by number, type, reporting category, and standard. The table shows the average score for each multiple-choice question, open-response question, writing prompt (grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA only), and short-answer question (mathematics only). For multiple-choice and short-answer questions, which are scored 0 or 1, the average score is equivalent to the percentage of students who answered the question correctly. The total at the bottom of each column is the sum of the average individual item scores (not including the writing prompt). These statistics allow educators to compare the performance of students in the school to students in the district and across Massachusetts, and identify strengths and weaknesses in local curriculum and instruction. 2.Percent of School’s Total Student Responses [Graphic of blow up of Percent of School's Total Student Reponses from Test Item Analysis Report Summary] The table in this section shows two kinds of aggregated results: • For each multiple-choice question, the table shows the percentage of students in the school who chose each answer option (blank, A, B, C, or D). The correct answer is provided in the far right column. By looking at items on which students performed well, educators can identify areas of strength in their curriculum and instruction. By focusing on items on which students made similar mistakes, educators can identify possible misconceptions held by students in the school and plan to address the issues by strengthening their curriculum and instruction. •For open-response questions and short-answer (in mathematics only) questions, the table shows the percentage of students in the school at each score point (blank/0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 for open-response questions; blank/0 or 1 for short-answer questions). These data can be used in conjunction with item rubrics and sample student work to be posted on the Department of Education Web site at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/student. VI. Understanding the School and District Reports OVERVIEW The School Report and District Report provide aggregated MCAS results for schools and districts. A separate School Report and District Report were produced for each grade level (3-8 and 10) tested in spring 2006. The guidelines given in this chapter may be used to interpret both the School Report and the District Report, which are nearly identical in format. All examples shown throughout this chapter refer to a School Report template. Identification SCHOOL: Fictitious School SCHOOL ID #: 01234567 DISTRICT: Fictitious GRADE: 10 The box in the upper right corner of each page shows the school name, its eight-digit identification number, the district name, and the grade level for which the report has been generated. Minimum Number of Students Needed to Generate Reports In order to ensure confidentiality of individual student results and discourage generalizations about school performance based on very small populations, the Department of Education has established minimum numbers of students tested for reporting * overall school results, * school results disaggregated by student status, * subject area subscores. Consequently, schools with a very small number of students enrolled in a tested grade may not show results in some sections of their School Report. No School Report is generated for any school that tested fewer than ten students in a particular grade; results for students in these schools are included in district- and state-level results only. The minimum number of tested students required for each reporting section is presented in the table below. TABLE 2. MINIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS TESTED (AT EACH GRADE) TO GENERATE SCHOOL RESULTS Reporting Section Minimum Number of Students Percentages of Students by Performance Level and Scaled Scores 10 Performance Level and Scaled Score Results for Selected Subgroups 10 Subject Area Subscores 10 On each MCAS test, matrix-sampled items are distributed across sets of forms. All forms of a subject area test must have been administered in a school for accurate computation of subject area subscores. Organization of the School Report Each School Report begins with a page that provides general information and definitions to help interpret the report. This page is followed by the reports of spring 2006 MCAS test results listed below: A. Student Participation Report B. Distribution of Results by Composite Performance Index (CPI) Points C. Subject Area Subscores on Standard Test D. Performance Level Results E. Three-Year Comparison of School Performance Level Results (only 2006 results are available for new tests: grade 3 Mathematics; grade 5 ELA and Mathematics; grade 6 ELA; grade 7 Mathematics; grade 8 ELA) F. Performance Level and Preliminary Composite Performance Index for Subgroups of Students G. Comparison of 2005 and 2006 Race/Ethnicity Report (only 2006 results are available for new tests: grade 3 Mathematics; grade 5 ELA and Mathematics; grade 6 ELA; grade 7 Mathematics; grade 8 ELA) H. Competency Determination Results (Grade 10 Only) Each report is described in further detail on the following pages. A. Student Participation Report The pages titled Student Participation Report show, for the school, district, and state, the number and percentage of students grouped by student status and race/ethnicity who are included and not included in scores for the spring 2006 standard MCAS tests or Alternate Assessment. [Graphic of Student Participation Report] 1.Student Subgroups Column 1 indicates three student status subgroups and five student racial/ethnic subgroups. The student status subgroups are defined as follows: • Students with Disabilities (Sw/D): Students with Disabilities are defined here as students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as reported in SIMS (Student Information Management System). • Limited or Formerly Limited English Proficient (LEP/FLEP): Limited English Proficient (LEP) students are students who have been designated as LEP in SIMS because they cannot perform ordinary class work in English. The LEP/FLEP subgroup combines students who were LEP at the time of testing with those who have been identified as LEP in any of the past three school years. • Low-Income: This designation indicates that the student meets ANY ONE of the following definitions of low-income in SIMS reports: – The student’s family is eligible for free or reduced price lunch. – The student’s family receives Transitional Aid to Needy Families benefits. – The student’s family is eligible for food stamps. • Information is also shown for the following student Racial/Ethnic subgroups: African American/Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Native American, and White. 2.Number of Students Enrolled Column 2 shows the Number of Students Enrolled for each subgroup in the tested grade on the first day of testing. The total Number of Students Enrolled includes the number of students Included in Performance Level Results, having been tested on the standard MCAS tests or having participated in the Alternate Assessment, and the number of students Not Included in Performance Level Results. Definitions of the Not Included in Performance Level Results codes can be found later in this section (see #5). 3.Adequate Yearly Progress Participation Rate (AYP Part. Rate) Column 3 shows the AYP Participation Rate for each student AYP subgroup for the school, district, and state. 4.Students Included in Performance Level Results Tested Standard and Tested Alternate Assessment Columns 4 and 5 show the number of students in each AYP subgroup who are included as having been tested on the standard MCAS tests or as having participated in the Alternate Assessment. The numbers of Students with Disabilities include students who participated in the standard test with or without accommodations as well as those who participated in the MCAS Alternate Assessment. The numbers of Limited English Proficient or Formerly Limited English Proficient (LEP/FLEP) students include students who took the English-language versions of standard MCAS tests as well as those who participated in the MCAS Alternate Assessment. At grade 10 only, these numbers also include LEP students who took the Spanish-language version of the grade 10 Mathematics test. A Spanish-language version was not available for any other MCAS test. Students who were reported as first-year LEP students on MCAS answer booklets, but who according to June 2005 SIMS enrollment records attended school in Massachusetts for 15 or more days in the 2004–2005 school year, were counted as tested, received scaled scores, and are included in school summary reports. 5.Students Not Included in Performance Level Results Columns 6 through 11 show the numbers of students in each AYP subgroup who did not participate in the spring 2006 MCAS tests. Due to the legal requirement that all Massachusetts students participate in the MCAS testing program, students who did not participate were placed into one of six Not Included in Performance Level Results categories. The reasons why students are Not Included in Performance Level Results are defined below. Absent (ABS): Students from any student status group who were absent during the testing period, and who did not receive a medically documented absence as described below, receive a performance level of ABS. Absent students are not included in the determination of scaled score results, performance level results, or the CPI, but are counted against the AYP participation rate. Medically Documented Absence (MED): Students who obtained a written statement from a licensed medical professional, stating both the medical reason that prevented them from taking the test and the dates for which they were absent due to the medical condition, receive a performance level of MED. MED results are not included in the determination of scaled score results, performance level results, or the CPI, but are counted against the AYP participation rate. Incomplete Test Results (INC): Students whose test results were incomplete or invalidated receive a performance level of INC. Incomplete results are not counted in scaled score results, performance level results, the CPI, or the AYP participation rate. First-Year LEP (LEP): LEP students in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools receive a performance level of LEP. First-year LEP results are not counted in the determination of scaled score results, performance level results, or the CPI. First-year LEP students are counted as participants in the AYP participation rate. Transferred (TRN): Students who Transferred into or out of a school during the testing window and who did not complete all of the test sessions receive a performance level of TRN. These results are not counted in scaled score results, performance level results, the CPI, or the AYP participation rate. Enrolled after October 1st: Students who arrived at a school after October 1 are required to participate in MCAS testing but are not included in most school-level MCAS and accountability reports because they have not been enrolled for the full academic year. These students are included in the school AYP participation rates and in district-level summaries. They are also included in the school reports for districts with only one school such as charter and regional vocational districts. B. Distribution of Results by Composite Performance Index (CPI) Points These results show the distribution of student performance across the MCAS performance levels for each subject area tested as part of the standard MCAS assessments as well as the alternate assessment and the corresponding CPI points awarded to the school, district, and state. The distribution within each CPI points interval is also shown across selected performance levels. The number and percentage of students (at the school, district, and state levels) performing at each performance level within each CPI points interval are displayed. This table is designed to help schools see how their students are clustered within each CPI points interval. It can also be used to illustrate how two or more schools with similar CPI points may have very different percentages of students at each performance level, resulting from different distributions of individual scores within the CPI points intervals. [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Distribution of Results by Composite Performance Index Points report] C. Subject Area Subscores on Standard Test The purpose of this part of the report is to help schools determine the extent to which their curriculum and instruction are effective in helping students achieve the standards contained in particular strands of the Curriculum Frameworks. Subject area subscores are the only reported MCAS scores based on both common and matrix-sampled items. Unlike common items, matrix-sampled items differ across test forms and are used to report performance on a broader range of specific curriculum goals than is possible using common items only. Subject area subscores provide specific information on performance in various strands (“Reporting Categories”) of the tested subject areas. For example, Number Sense and Operations is a strand of the Mathematics Curriculum Framework.^1 For each reporting category within each subject area tested, the report shows • the number of possible points for that category on common items and matrix items, and the total number of possible points; • the average total number of points attained and the percentage of the total possible number of points attained at the school, district, and state levels;^2 • the average total number of points attained and the percentage of the total possible number of points attained for students at the various performance levels at the state level. [Graphic of section of Subject Area Subscores on Standard Test report] CAUTION: Raw Scores versus Scaled Scores. The total number of possible points for a particular subject area reporting category is based on raw score points, which are not the same as scaled scores used elsewhere throughout the report. Raw scores are based on the total number of points earned for all items administered in a particular subject area test. Raw scores for common items only are converted to scaled scores through a data analysis process known as scaling. Scaling converts raw data points from one scale to another in a process that is analogous to the conversion of temperature in degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius. See Appendix A for tables showing the 2006 MCAS Raw Score to Scaled Score Conversions and Appendix B for an explanation of how threshold scores between performance levels are determined. ^1All sets of forms of a subject area test must have been administered in a school for accurate computation of subject area subscores. If all forms of the test were not administered in a school, subject area subscores were not reported for that school. ^2Because schools may have had different numbers of students taking each of the test forms, average points were determined using a two-step process. First, the average raw score was determined for each unique item. Second, the sum of the average raw scores computed in step one was calculated. Further information about MCAS scaling methods can be found in the MCAS Technical Report. CAUTION: Longitudinal Comparisons. Comparisons of performance on subject area subscores across years must be made with caution, because the number of items contributing to each subscore is relatively small, and the difficulty of the items may vary somewhat from year to year. The pool of matrix-sampled items will vary from year to year as items move from the matrix-sampled sections to the common sections of the tests to replace publicly released common items. New items are developed annually to supplement the matrix-sampled item pool. These cautions apply only to raw scores, not to performance level results or scaled scores, because performance level results and scaled scores are statistically equated from year to year. Refer to the MCAS Technical Report for more information. D. Performance Level Results Performance level results for the school, district, and state indicate, for each subject area tested at grades 3–8 and 10, the percent of students performing at each of the four MCAS performance levels: Advanced (Above Proficient at grade 3), Proficient, Needs Improvement, and Warning (Failing at grade 10). These percentages are based on the performance of all students on the standard MCAS tests and the MCAS Alternate Assessment. Performance level results do not include the results of students who were Absent, had a Medically Documented Absence, were LEP and in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools, had Incomplete test results, or Transferred during the testing window. Performance level results were not generated for those students. Note that the District Report includes performance level results for students in out-of-district placements. [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Performance Level Results] E.Three-Year Comparison of School Performance Level Results This section of the 2006 School Report shows results from the spring 2004, 2005, and 2006 MCAS tests. A separate page is generated for each subject area tested. For the new 2006 tests, school results are shown only for 2006. For grade 3 tests there are no scaled scores. Consequently, the table on the right side of the page does not appear in the grade 3 reports. In addition, for the purpose of facilitating comparison of data, both Proficient and Above Proficient students have been included in the Proficient performance level in the three-year comparison table for grade 3 Reading. These data, along with results from other past MCAS tests, can be used to make longitudinal comparisons of performance level and scaled score results from tests that were operational in all three years (2004, 2005, and 2006). However, comparisons should be made cautiously (see page 4 of this guide). [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Three-Year Comparison of School Performance Level Results for English Language Arts] F. Performance Level and Preliminary Composite Performance Index for Subgroups of Students The information on these report pages is used for two primary purposes: to determine how effectively school programs serve various student populations, and to promote fair comparisons among schools and among districts by allowing them to compare the performances of similar student groups. A separate page is generated for each subject tested. Each page shows performance level results for the following selected subgroups of students: AYP Subgroups—Students with Disabilities, LEP/FLEP, Low Income, African American/Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Native American, White Other Subgroups—Male, Female, Title I, Non-Title I, Non-Low Income, LEP, FLEP The section of the report below shows the number of students, the percent at each performance level, and the CPI points for each subgroup by school, district, and state. [Graphic of blowup of Performance Level and Preliminary Composite Performance Index for Subgroups of Students] Composite Performance Index (CPI) points are awarded to a school or district for each student tested. The October 2005 enrollment was used to determine the school CPI points, and the spring 2006 enrollment was used to determine the district and state CPI points. CPI points are assigned to each student according to the tables below. TABLE 3. ASSIGNMENT OF CPI POINTS FOR STANDARD MCAS TESTS, GRADES 4–8 AND HIGH SCHOOL MCAS Performance Level Scaled Score CPI Points Per Student Advanced (260–280) 100 Proficient (240–258) 100 Needs Improvement–High (230–238) 75 Needs Improvement–Low (220–228) 50 Warning/Failing–High (210–218) 25 Warning/Failing–Low (200–208) 0 TABLE 4. ASSIGNMENT OF CPI POINTS FOR ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT, GRADES 4–8 AND HIGH SCHOOL Alternate Assessment Standard MCAS Performance Level CPI Points Performance Level Advanced (A_A) 100 Advanced Proficient (P_A) 100 Proficient Needs Improvement (NIA) 100 Needs Improvement Progressing (PRG) 100 Warning Emerging (EMG) 75 Warning Awareness (AWR) 50 Warning Incomplete (INP) 25 Warning TABLE 5. ASSIGNMENT OF CPI POINTS FOR STANDARD MCAS TEST, GRADE 3 MCAS Performance Level Reading Raw Score Mathematics Raw Score CPI Points Per Student Above Proficient (44-48) (40) 100 Proficient (37-43) (33-39) 100 Needs Improvement (29-36) (28-32) 75 Needs Improvement (21-28) (24-27) 50 Warning (11-20) (8-23) 25 Warning (0-10) (0-7) 0 TABLE 6. ASSIGNMENT OF CPI POINTS FOR ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT, GRADE 3 Alternate Assessment Standard MCAS Performance Level CPI Points Performance Level Above Proficient (P^+A) 100 Above Proficient Proficient (P_A) 100 Proficient Needs Improvement (NIA) 100 Needs Improvement Progressing (PRG) 100 Warning Emerging (EMG) 75 Warning Awareness (AWR) 50 Warning Incomplete (INP) 25 Warning G. Comparison of 2005 and 2006 Race/Ethnicity Report This section of the report, shown on the next page, lists the total number of students and the percentage of those students in each performance level for each race/ethnicity category. For the new 2006 tests, results are shown for 2006 only. For the purpose of facilitating the comparison of data, both Proficient and Above Proficient students have been included in the Proficient performance level for 2006 in the grade 3 Reading table. Following guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, the Massachusetts Department of Education is reporting summary information on race/ethnicity using both the 2005 race/ethnicity categories and the new 2006 race/ethnicity categories. However, because 2006 is the last year of a four-year accountability cycle where subgroup results are measured on a four-year trend, the 2006 AYP reports will be based on the 2005 race/ethnicity categories. Next year, and for subsequent years, official trends in subgroup data will be based on the new 2006 race/ethnicity categories. The table below shows the current race/ethnicity categories and the future race/ethnicity categories. TABLE 7. RACE/ETHNICITY CATEGORIES FOR AYP REPORTING Current Race/Ethnicity Categories* Future Race/Ethnicity Categories African American/Black African American/Black Asian or Pacific Islander Asian Hispanic Hispanic/Latino Native American Native American White White Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Multi-Race – Not Hispanic/Latino *Prior to 2006, each student was identified by one and only one race/ethnicity category. For each school, the information in this section of the report has been formatted to show how the 2005 results for each subgroup compare to the 2006 results using the 2005 categories and again using the 2006 categories. By analyzing this information, a school can prepare for the ways in which this change in data collection and reporting will impact future results for each race/ethnicity category. For more information regarding the Massachusetts Department of Education’s plan for collection of race/ethnicity data, please go to the Department’s Web site at www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/guides/race_faq.html to review the Race/Ethnicity Data Collection FAQ document. [Graphic of Spring 2006 MCAS Tests Comparison of 2005 and 2006 Race/Ethnicity Report] H.Competency Determination Results (Grade 10 Only) Students must pass both the grade 10 English Language Arts test and the grade 10 Mathematics test to earn a Competency Determination. This report shows the number and percentage of grade 10 students in the school, district, and state who have passed both tests, passed only one test, and not yet passed either test. Note that the number of students who have not yet passed either test includes students who were in grade 10 in spring 2006 but did not participate in grade 10 MCAS testing. The Competency Determination Results report does not include results for students in the classes of 2006 and 2007 who participated in retests. Progress reports on these students are issued separately three times a year. [Graphic of Competency Determination Results Report] Appendix A Raw Score To Scaled Score Conversion Tables TABLE 1. 2006 MCAS GRADE 4 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 4 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 0 200 200 1 200 200 2 202 202 3 202 202 4 202 202 5 202 204 6 204 204 7 204 204 8 204 206 9 204 206 10 206 206 11 206 208 12 206 208 13 206 210 14 208 210 15 208 212 16 208 212 17 208 214 18 210 214 19 210 214 20 210 216 21 212 216 22 212 216 23 212 216 24 214 218 25 214 218 26 214 218 27 214 220 28 216 220 29 216 220 30 216 222 31 216 224 32 218 224 33 218 226 TABLE 1. 2006 MCAS GRADE 4 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 4 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 34 218 226 35 218 228 36 218 230 37 220 232 38 220 232 39 220 234 40 222 236 41 224 236 42 224 238 43 226 240 44 228 242 45 230 246 46 230 248 47 232 252 48 234 256 49 236 260 50 236 262 51 238 266 52 240 270 53 242 278 54 244 280 55 246 56 248 57 250 58 252 59 254 60 256 61 258 62 262 63 264 64 268 65 272 66 276 67 280 68 280 69 280 70 280 71 280 72 280 TABLE 2. 2006 MCAS GRADE 5 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 5 English Language Arts Mathematics Science and Technology/Engineering Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 0 200 200 200 1 200 200 200 2 202 202 202 3 202 202 202 4 204 204 204 5 204 204 204 6 206 204 204 7 206 206 206 8 208 206 206 9 208 208 206 10 208 210 208 11 210 210 208 12 210 212 210 13 212 212 210 14 214 214 210 15 214 214 212 16 214 214 212 17 216 216 214 18 216 216 214 19 218 216 214 20 218 216 216 21 218 218 216 22 220 218 218 23 220 218 218 24 222 218 218 25 224 220 220 26 224 220 220 27 226 220 220 28 228 222 222 29 230 224 224 30 230 226 226 31 232 228 228 32 234 228 230 33 236 230 232 34 236 232 234 35 238 234 236 36 240 236 238 37 242 236 240 38 244 238 242 39 246 240 246 40 248 242 248 TABLE 2. 2006 MCAS GRADE 5 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 5 English Language Arts Mathematics Science and Technology/ Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score Engineering Scaled Score 41 250 244 250 42 252 246 254 43 254 248 258 44 256 252 260 45 260 254 262 46 262 256 264 47 266 260 266 48 270 262 270 49 274 264 272 50 278 266 276 51 280 268 280 52 280 272 280 53 280 280 54 280 280 TABLE 3. 2006 MCAS GRADE 6 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 6 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 0 200 200 1 200 200 2 202 202 3 202 202 4 204 202 5 204 204 6 206 204 7 206 206 8 208 208 9 208 210 10 208 210 11 210 212 12 212 212 13 212 214 14 214 214 15 214 214 16 216 214 17 216 216 18 218 216 19 218 216 20 218 216 21 220 218 22 220 218 23 222 218 24 222 218 25 224 218 26 226 220 27 228 220 28 230 220 29 232 222 30 232 224 31 234 226 32 236 226 33 238 228 34 240 230 35 240 232 36 242 234 37 244 236 38 244 238 39 246 238 40 248 240 41 250 242 TABLE 3. 2006 MCAS GRADE 6 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 6 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 42 252 244 43 254 246 44 256 248 45 258 250 46 260 252 47 264 256 48 268 258 49 272 260 50 276 262 51 280 264 52 280 268 53 274 54 280 TABLE 4. 2006 MCAS GRADE 7 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 7 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 0 200 200 1 200 200 2 202 202 3 202 202 4 202 202 5 202 204 6 204 204 7 204 206 8 204 208 9 204 208 10 206 210 11 206 210 12 206 212 13 208 212 14 208 214 15 208 214 16 208 214 17 210 216 18 210 216 19 210 216 20 212 216 21 212 218 22 212 218 23 212 218 24 214 218 25 214 220 26 214 220 27 216 220 28 216 222 29 216 224 30 216 226 31 218 228 32 218 228 33 218 230 34 218 232 35 220 234 36 220 236 37 220 238 38 222 240 39 224 242 40 226 244 41 226 246 TABLE 4. 2006 MCAS GRADE 7 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 7 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 42 228 248 43 230 250 44 232 252 45 232 254 46 234 256 47 236 258 48 238 260 49 240 262 50 240 264 51 242 266 52 242 268 53 244 274 54 246 280 55 246 56 248 57 250 58 250 59 252 60 254 61 256 62 258 63 260 64 262 65 264 66 266 67 270 68 274 69 278 70 280 71 280 72 280 TABLE 5. 2006 MCAS GRADE 8 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 8 English Language Arts Mathematics Science and Technology/ Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score Engineering Scaled Score 0 200 200 200 1 200 200 200 2 202 202 202 3 202 202 202 4 204 202 202 5 204 204 204 6 206 204 204 7 206 206 204 8 208 208 206 9 208 210 206 10 210 210 208 11 210 212 210 12 212 212 210 13 212 212 212 14 214 214 212 15 214 214 212 16 216 214 214 17 216 216 214 18 218 216 214 19 218 216 216 20 218 216 216 21 220 218 216 22 220 218 216 23 222 218 218 24 224 218 218 25 226 218 218 26 226 220 218 27 228 220 220 28 230 220 220 29 232 220 220 30 234 222 222 31 236 224 224 32 238 226 226 33 240 228 228 34 240 230 230 35 242 232 232 36 242 234 232 37 244 236 234 38 246 238 236 39 246 240 238 40 248 240 240 41 250 242 242 42 250 244 244 TABLE 5. 2006 MCAS GRADE 8 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 8 English Language Arts Mathematics Science and Technology/ Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score Engineering Scaled Score 43 252 246 246 44 254 248 248 45 256 250 250 46 258 252 252 47 262 256 256 48 264 258 258 49 268 260 262 50 272 262 266 51 280 264 272 52 280 268 278 53 274 280 54 280 280 TABLE 6. 2006 MCAS GRADE 10 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS Grade 10 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 0 200 200 1 200 200 2 202 202 3 202 202 4 202 204 5 202 204 6 204 206 7 204 206 8 204 208 9 204 212 10 206 214 11 206 214 12 206 216 13 206 216 14 208 216 15 208 218 16 210 218 17 210 218 18 212 218 19 212 218 20 214 220 21 214 220 22 214 220 23 214 222 24 216 224 25 216 226 26 216 228 27 216 230 28 216 230 29 218 232 30 218 234 31 218 236 32 218 238 33 218 240 34 218 242 35 220 242 36 220 244 37 220 246 38 220 248 39 222 250 40 224 250 41 224 252 42 226 254 TABLE 6. 2006 MCAS GRADE 10 RAW SCORE TO SCALED SCORE CONVERSIONS (CONTINUED) Grade 10 English Language Arts Mathematics Raw Score Scaled Score Scaled Score 43 228 256 44 228 258 45 230 260 46 232 260 47 234 260 48 234 262 49 236 262 50 238 262 51 240 264 52 240 264 53 242 266 54 244 266 55 244 268 56 246 268 57 248 270 58 250 272 59 252 276 60 254 280 61 256 62 258 63 260 64 262 65 264 66 268 67 270 68 272 69 276 70 280 71 280 72 280 Appendix B Calculating Threshold Scores Threshold scores are the minimum raw scores (number of points) that a student must earn on an MCAS test for her or his performance to be classified at a particular performance level. For example, 35 is the minimum raw score that a student must earn on the 2006 MCAS grade 10 ELA test for the student’s performance to be classified at the Needs Improvement level. Because all common MCAS test items are released each year, the test items on the 2006 tests are unique and may vary in difficulty from items on previous tests. To maintain standards and allow comparisons over time, threshold scores representing those standards may change to reflect differences in the difficulty across years. Therefore, MCAS tests are linked across years through a statistical process called equating. Through the equating process, adjustments in the threshold scores on the 2006 MCAS tests are determined so as to maintain the original MCAS standards. For the new MCAS tests that were administered for the first time in spring 2006, the threshold scores were determined through a standard-setting process during the summer. THRESHOLD SCORES, MCAS TESTS OF SPRING 2006 Threshold Score for Performance Levels Grade Subject Area Maximum Score* Advanced Proficient/ Needs Improvement/ (Above Proficient)/ Needs Improvement Warning (Failing) Proficient 3 Reading 48 44 37 21 Mathematics 40 40 33 24 4 English Language Arts 72 62 52 37 Mathematics 54 49 43 27 5 English Language Arts 52 45 36 22 Mathematics 54 47 39 25 Science and Tech/Eng 54 44 37 25 6 English Language Arts 52 46 34 21 Mathematics 54 49 40 26 7 English Language Arts 72 63 49 35 Mathematics 54 48 38 25 8 English Language Arts 52 47 33 21 Mathematics 54 49 39 26 Science and Tech/Eng 54 49 40 27 10 English Language Arts 72 63 51 35 Mathematics 60 45 33 20 *The maximum score is the total number of raw score points that a student could earn in the subject area if he/she answered all of the multiple-choice questions correctly (one point per question) and received the highest possible score for all open-response questions (four points; two points for grade 3 Mathematics), short-answer questions (one point), and the ELA Composition (twenty points). Appendix C MCAS-Related References The resources below are available on the Department’s Web site (www.doe.mass.edu). MASSACHUSETTS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS * English Language Arts Curriculum Framework * Mathematics Curriculum Framework * Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework * History and Social Science Curriculum Framework Each Framework describes what students should know and be able to do in that subject area at various grade spans. MCAS GUIDES Overview of the MCAS Tests provides detailed information about the structure of the 2001 MCAS tests and beyond. OTHER RESOURCES Release of Spring 2006 MCAS Test Items contains all of the test questions that were used as the basis for student results in the 2006 MCAS tests. Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS (Spring 2006 Update) outlines the requirements for participation and allowable test accommodations for students with disabilities. Requirements for the Participation of Students with Limited English Proficiency in MCAS, MEPA-R/W, and MELA-O (Spring 2006 Update) outlines the requirements for participation of LEP students. The Massachusetts School and District Accountability System provides an overview of the state's accountability system. Student Records: Questions, Answers and Guidelines contains information about the Massachusetts Student Record Regulations.