Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

MCAS Practice Categories

The science and engineering practices in the 2016 Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework are sorted into three MCAS Practice Categories, as shown in the table below. At least 50% of all STE MCAS questions on each STE test align with an MCAS Practice Category. Questions that align with an MCAS Practice Category are dually coded, meaning that they are coded to both a content category and a practice category.

Science and Engineering MCAS Practice Categories

MCAS Practice Category	Code Used in Parent/Guardian Report	Science and Engineering Practices
A. Investigations and Questioning	A	Asking Questions and Defining Problems Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
B. Mathematics and Data	B	Analyzing and Interpreting Data Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
C. Evidence, Reasoning, and Modeling	C	Developing and Using Models Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions Engaging in Argument from Evidence Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Notes about the practices: Each content standard includes a reference to one science and engineering practice. For example, standard HS-PS3-2 states:

Develop and use a model to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as either motions of particles and objects or energy stored in fields.

Although only a single practice is referenced within each standard, different practices may be assessed with the associated content. In the example above, questions assessing standard HS-PS3-2 may assess not only the "developing and using models" practice; they may also assess any other practice, such as constructing explanations or analyzing and interpreting data.

Each released question that assesses a practice will be coded to one of the three practice categories listed in the table. However, when reporting results by reporting category, a general "Science and Engineering Practices" reporting category will be used. Results will not be reported out on the three practice categories listed, due to the limited number of questions.

Last Updated: March 15, 2022