Assessment/Accountability
MCAS Performance Appeals

Letter to Parents or Guardians of Students in the Class of 2005

September 2003

Dear Parents/Guardians of Students in the Class of 2005:

A report of the scores for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests 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 the tests and whether she or he 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 child received a score in the Advanced and Proficient categories, he or she may be eligible for the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Award. Applications are available in the school guidance office. The deadline for submitting completed applications is May 1, 2004.

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 first 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 2004 and November 2004. To assist your child in preparing 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. Additional information about MCAS Performance Appeals is available 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