Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

Student Assessment Update: August 11, 2014

2014 MCAS Discrepancy Reporting

The Department's online discrepancy reporting period for MCAS data ends on August 14. It is essential that principals and school leaders review their preliminary results before that date, or delegate the task to a designee, as discrepancies reported after 5:00 p.m. on August 14 will not be corrected in time for the official September release of results. The online MCAS discrepancy reporting tool is available at the MCAS Service Center website at MCAS Service Center. Detailed instructions for reporting MCAS data discrepancies are posted at the MCAS Service Center website and in the MCAS 2014 Data Dropbox at the Department's Security Portal.

Spring 2015 Assessment Information for Outplacements

The Department has determined that, like public school districts, educational collaboratives, approved private special education schools, and institutional settings will have the choice to administer either MCAS or PARCC tests in ELA and Mathematics for students in grades 3-8 in spring 2015. For all outplacements, the choice of MCAS or PARCC will apply to all students in their programs. Outplacements will make their choice independent of the choice of the sending districts. Therefore, no outplacement should have to administer both MCAS and PARCC. The deadline for registering a decision is October 1. More information will be sent directly to directors of outplacements.

Second Decision Round for MCAS/PARCC 2015 Assessment Choice

For public school districts that did not register their MCAS/PARCC choice during the Early Decision round, which ended on June 30, the survey for the final decision round will become available on September 2.

PARCC Fellows

The Department is seeking nominations for the PARCC Educator Leader Fellows for 2014-2016. These educators provide professional development about standards and PARCC. Nominees should be already engaged in leadership work around the Common Core State Standards, actively involved in professional networks, and regarded as leaders by their colleagues. See PARCC Educator Leader Fellows: Request for Nominations for an application form, which you should forward to your nominee. The application deadline is September 22.

Important Upcoming Dates

August 7-14: MCAS Discrepancy Reporting
August 12: Preliminary 2014 district and school accountability data available
August 27: Accountability webinar #1
September 2: MCAS/PARCC assessment choice survey opens
September 3: Accountability webinar #2
September 10: Accountability webinar #3
September 22: PARCC Fellows application deadline

Subscriber Information

Principals, MCAS test coordinators, and ELL directors receive this update based on contact information submitted to the Department. To change your email address or to add another staff member, please follow the instructions below:

Public school districts, public schools, charter public schools, collaboratives, approved special education schools: Submit the new email address to your District-Level Directory Administrator.
MCAS test sites, adult education programs, out-of-state schools, SEIS-DYS programs: Submit an email address (along with your District and School Code) to diradmin@doe.mass.edu.

We welcome your feedback at mcas@doe.mass.edu.

Last Updated: August 14, 2014