Districts in North Central Massachusetts Severely Affected by Extensive School Closings Due to December 2008 Ice Storms
| To: | Superintendents, Directors of Charter Schools, Approved Private Special Education Schools, Institutional Schools, Educational Collaboratives, and Adult Diploma Programs |
| From: | Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner |
| Date: | January 30, 2009 |
I am writing in regard to the ice storms and related power outages that have led to the extensive school closures for a small number of districts in the north central area of the state. I am aware that the disruption to instruction for schools in this area has been particularly extreme. Therefore, for those that have been most severely affected—those with 8 or more days of school closings to date—the Department will provide some modest flexibility in the scheduling of spring 2009 MCAS testing. We are now aware of the following districts that have 8 or more days of school closings to date. The Department will be working directly with each of these superintendents to establish alternative testing schedules for selected spring 2009 MCAS tests. These districts are: - Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District
- Athol-Royalston Regional School District
- Fitchburg Public Schools
- Gardner Public Schools
- Lunenberg Public Schools
- Montachusett Regional Technical High School
- Narragansett Regional School District
- North Middlesex Regional School District
- Quabbin Regional School District
- Wachusett Regional School District
- Winchendon Public Schools
- Worcester Public Schools
If your district is not listed above but also experienced extensive school closures that will impact your ability to administer the spring 2009 MCAS tests according to the prescribed schedule, please contact Kit Viator, Director of Student Assessment, or Pam Spagnoli, Director of Test Administration, at 781-338-3625 to discuss possible options for test scheduling. Alternative schedules, once approved, will be formalized by written agreement to be signed by the Department and the superintendent. It is important to note that unless your district receives written permission from the Office of Student Assessment for an alternative testing schedule, superintendents and principals are required to administer spring 2009 MCAS tests according to the state-mandated schedule; please see www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/cal.html. Thank you for your attention.
Last Updated: January 30, 2009
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