Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

Student Assessment Update: March 12, 2014

Reminder - MCAS Test Security Requirements and Test Administration Protocols

The spring 2014 MCAS English Language Arts test administration begins on Monday, March 17, 2014. As you know, Commissioner Chester has requested that, prior to the start of the MCAS test administration, superintendents conduct a formal review with their principals to discuss plans for maintaining test security. This important review will serve to assure superintendents are comfortable with the procedures at your school. Your superintendent may choose to use the sample form posted at Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Resources to document your school's preparations. Also please remember that, to partner with you in ensuring that security requirements are being followed, Department staff and staff hired by the Department will visit a small sample of schools statewide during testing. Principals should be prepared to meet these individuals upon their arrival at the school and be available to answer questions. Visitors will bring a Department ID or a letter written on Department letterhead stating the purpose of their visit. Please contact the Student Assessment Services Unit at 781-338-3625 with any questions. Thank you for your continued leadership and support.

Test Administration Support during Spring 2014

With MCAS and PARCC field test administrations about to begin, principals and test coordinators should remember to direct their calls to the correct service center (MCAS or PARCC/Pearson). The number for the MCAS Service Center is 800-737-5103 and email is mcas@measuredprogress.org. Contact information for the PARCC Help Center is 888-493-9888 by phone and parcc@support.pearson.com by email.

Important Upcoming Dates

March 10-March 14: High schools enroll for June 2014 high school STE MCAS tests
March 12: UPS pickup of March 2014 MCAS retest materials
March 17: PARCC performance-based assessment field test shipments begin to arrive in participating schools
March 17-March 31: March-April 2014 MCAS Tests (Grades 3-8 and 10 English Language Arts)
March 20: Results of the 2014 February Biology test administration are scheduled to be available electronically in DropBox Central and in Edwin Analytics
March 20: last day for schools participating in the online PARCC end-of-year field test to upload the demographic data file to Pearson
March 24: Test administration window opens for schools participating in the online and paper-based PARCC performance-based assessment field test

About this Update

The Student Assessment Services Update provides important information about the state's testing programs. Please email your feedback to mcas@doe.mass.edu. Principals, heads of school, MCAS test coordinators, and ELL directors received this email based on contact information that was submitted to the Department. To change your email address, please follow the instructions below:

Public schools: Submit updates to your District-Level Directory Administrator, who is responsible for submitting updates to the Department.
Non-public schools and collaboratives: Submit updates (along with your District & School Code) to the Department via email at diradmin@doe.mass.edu.

Last Updated: March 17, 2014