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Student Assessment
A: The tests are being revised to incorporate several new features based on feedback from educators, including features intended to reduce testing time. Some of these features include:
A: DESE plans to administer the new grades 3–8 ELA tests in spring 2027. More information about the development of these tests can be found in the timeline.
A: Yes, the presentation will be available online about one week after the presentation.
A: No. The MCAS grade 10 ELA test is not changing at this time.
A: As with all MCAS tests materials, Assessment Development Committees (ADCs), made up of Massachusetts educators, play a major role in reviewing new passages and test questions. Educators review test materials both during the initial development and again after the test questions have been field tested. Each committee also reviews all passages, test questions and student performance data after field testing. In addition, a separate Bias and Sensitivity Committee (BSC) reviews all the testing materials before and after field testing.
Note: DESE will be recruiting educators for all ADCs and the BSC in summer and early fall 2026. More information will be available in upcoming Student Assessment Updates.
A: The expected new test designs are available. DESE plans to finalize them after 2026 field testing. The test designs include information about the types of questions on the tests, the points associated with each test, and the reporting category percentages.
A: Stand-alone questions are independent and not associated with a passage. They will assess grade-level language standards, including Standard English grammar, mechanics, and usage. The questions are worth one-point each and include multiple-choice, multi-select, and technology-enhanced questions.
A: Extended response questions are questions based on passages in which students are expected to write one to two paragraphs, depending on the grade level. These student responses are expected to be shorter than essay responses. More information about these questions is available on the new test design page.
A: All extended response questions when initially field tested are scored by trained human scorers. DESE is currently evaluating whether extended responses will be able to be scored using a computer when they become operational.
A: Medium passage sets are a new type of passage set that will include selected-response and extended-responses questions. See the new test design page for more information.
A: No. All selected-response questions will be worth one point. See the new test design page for more information.
A: The grades 6–8 tests will include one essay question and one extended-response question. The grades 3–5 tests will no longer include essay questions. Instead, students will be expected to write two extended responses.
A: MCAS will no longer include narrative writing. This type of writing should continue to be assessed at the local level.
A: It is expected that the new practice tests will be available in fall 2026.
A: It is expected that the new extended response rubrics will be available in fall 2026. There will be no changes to the essay rubrics.
A: Yes, student work samples for writing will continue to be included with the released test questions.
A: No, individual student extended-responses of released questions will not be available. For released extended-response questions, a set of student work samples will be available. In addition, the new practice tests, which are expected to be available in fall 2026, will include examples of student work at different score levels. Individual student essay responses will continue to be available for released test questions.
A: Yes, DESE plans to release new graphic organizers for the extended-response questions in fall 2026. The essay graphic organizers are expected to remain the same.
Last Updated: May 8, 2026