MCAS Portfolio Appeals
In a small number of cases, it will not be possible to use a student's course grades for the purpose of filing a standard MCAS Performance Appeal. For example, there may be fewer than 6 students in a school who have taken the same sequence of courses as the student for whom an MCAS Performance Appeal is being filed. In such cases, the superintendent or school director may submit a portfolio of the student's current and/or cumulative work in the content area of the appeal. The portfolio appeal will include work collected during one or more years in high school, according to the attached , that meets a comparable level of performance to a student who has earned a score of Needs Improvement or above in the subject of the appeal. A completed MCAS Portfolio Appeal Application must be included with the portfolio appeal.
A portfolio appeal may be filed for students either with or without disabilities when a cohort does not exist for the student. The attached guidelines, for preparing a portfolio appeal are similar to those used to submit a "competency portfolio for a student with a disability participating in the MCAS Alternate Assessment. Please follow these guidelines carefully when submitting portfolios. When evidence in the portfolio does not closely follow the guidelines, it will most likely be insufficient to show that the student has met the required standard. For a student in special education, the Department strongly encourages collaboration between general and special educators to develop the portfolio. Schools should begin collecting work samples as soon as possible for students in high school for whom a portfolio appeal may be needed.
Portfolio appeals for the 2009-2010 school year must be submitted according to the timetable shown below. Portfolios received after the listed deadlines may not be reviewed. A completed 2009-2010 MCAS Appeals Application must be submitted with each portfolio appeal.
| Portfolios are due at the Department by 5:00 p.m.: | Results will be reported to schools by: |
|---|
| November 13, 2009 | December 16, 2009 |
| April 16, 2010 | May 24, 2010 |
| June 18, 2010 | August 18, 2010 |
Students who have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 in all high school MCAS tests required to earn a Competency Determination should also be encouraged to participate in MCAS retest opportunities, even if an appeal has been filed.
Attached are guidelines for filing portfolio appeals.
last updated: September 16, 2009
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