Assessment/Accountability
MCAS Performance Appeals

Letter to Parents or Guardians of Students in the Class of 2004

September 2003

Dear Parents/Guardians of Students in the Class of 2004:

A report of the scores for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test(s) that your child took last spring is being sent to you. As I am sure you are aware, these scores are important because passing the grade 10 tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics is now a state requirement for high school graduation. Students must also meet all local requirements in order to graduate.

I urge you to look at these reports carefully to see how your child performed on these test(s) and whether she or he has now met the state's requirement for earning a high school diploma. The Commonwealth's minimum passing standard for both tests is a score of 220, which is in the Needs Improvement level.

If your child received a passing score, please extend my congratulations to him or her. The tests are demanding and a passing score indicates achievement of core knowledge and skills on the part of your child.

If your son or daughter scored below 220 on one or both tests, he or she will have several additional opportunities to take and pass the test(s). The next retest opportunity is scheduled for the week of November 17. The English Language Arts Retest will be administered on November 17, 18, and 19 and the Mathematics Retest will be administered on November 20 and 21. Additional retest opportunities will be available in March, July, and November 2004. To assist your child prepare for these tests, I encourage you to call your child's school and ask if academic support programs are being offered.

The MCAS Performance Appeals process provides another mechanism for students to demonstrate that they possess the knowledge and skills required to meet grade 10 standards. If, after taking a subject area test three times, your child still has not achieved a passing score, he or she may be eligible for an appeal. The appeal must be filed by the superintendent. For additional information, please read the attached letter on the MCAS Performance Appeals process, contact your high school principal or guidance office, or visit the parents' page at http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcasappeals/.

I hope that you find this report useful. We are committed to making sure that all Massachusetts students achieve high academic standards and graduate from high school with a diploma that has true value and meaning. We seek your help in meeting this challenge.

Sincerely,

David P. Driscoll
Commissioner of Education