Assessment/Accountability MCAS
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

Educational Proficiency Plans: Update on Students' Attainment of Proficiency Based on November 2008 MCAS Retest Results

Department to Report Proficient Performance on MCAS Retests

The Department has recently determined that MCAS retests can accurately measure performance up to the low end of the Proficient level (240), and will therefore report student performance at the Needs Improvement/Proficient threshold for students who take MCAS retests. This means that retest students who reach the Proficient level on the MCAS retest can earn their CD and avoid the need for further participation in an EPP. Accordingly, we are providing you with a list of students in your district who participated in the November 2008 retest and who earned a scaled score of 240 in Mathematics and/or in ELA (see below). Congratulations to these students.

How to Access Student Data Files

The list of students who earned a scaled score of 240 on the November 2008 ELA and/or Mathematics retests is available at the Department's Security Portal at www4.doemass.org/auth/Login/, under Drop Box Central - MCAS 2008 Data folder. The file name is MCAS2008_FallR_Proficient_xxxx.xls (xxxx stands for your four-digit district code).

To print individual student reports using the latest version of TestWiz at www.testwiz.com/products/testwiz/mass.aspx, download the data files at the Department's Security Portal, under Drop Box Central - MCAS 2008 Data folder; you cannot use the data files at mcasservicecenter.com because the scores were not updated there. The file names are MCAS2008_FallR_ELA_xxxx.dat and MCAS2008_FallR_Math_xxxx.dat. Once the data files are loaded into TestWiz, you may select the students who have demonstrated proficiency by filtering on ELA raw score 52 and above or Mathematics raw score 36 and above. If you have questions about using TestWiz, please contact the TestWiz support line at 877-456-8949. If you have questions about accessing the Department's Security Portal, please contact your district's Directory Administrator (a list of Directory Administrators is available at www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/diradmin/list.asp.

Participation Requirements for MCAS Spring Tests and Retests

Please note that the student participation and eligibility requirements for the spring MCAS grade 10 ELA and Mathematics tests and retests remain unchanged: see www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/?section=all.

While we would like to make the spring grade 10 MCAS tests and retests an option for EPP assessment, there are currently no funds appropriated for this purpose. A student who previously scored 220 or higher on a grade 10 test or retest is ineligible to participate in any subsequent MCAS test or retest. If such a student does participate, his or her scores will not be reported. If you have questions, please contact Student Assessment Services at 781-338-3625. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Should you have questions or need assistance related to the requirements for Educational Proficiency Plans, please contact Nyal Fuentes at 781-338-3593/nfuentes@doe.mass.edu or Peg Helgaard at 781-338-3524/mhelgaard@doe.mass.edu.

Last Updated: February 27, 2009