E-Update – Nov 2016
Next-Gen
MCAS
& Learning Standards Review / Dear District Leaders, Educators, and Community Stakeholders:
Following the November 8 vote on the charter school ballot initiative, Commissioner Chester released a video reminding educators and parents that the work we are all committed to – ensuring that all students receive a world-class education – has not changed. You can watch the video online.
Below are the latest updates on the standards revisions and on policy, administration, and content related to the next-generation MCAS. Please share this email with your professional network.
Board to vote on releasing revised ELA and Mathematics standards for public comment; History/Social Science standards team seeks initial input
█  On November 29, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to release for public comment drafts of revised curriculum frameworks for English language arts/literacy and Mathematics. The drafts and a survey on the proposed revisions will be available next month.
█  The Department has named 44 pre-K–12 educators, higher education faculty, and community members to serve on the panel that will recommend revisions to the 2003 History and Social Science learning standards. To support the work of the panel, ESE is seeking input from educators and others on ways to update and improve the current standards. Additional information regarding the revision of the standards is available online.
Board votes to extend existing grade 10 MCAS as graduation requirement
█  The Board voted on October 25 to extend the existing 10th grade MCAS to the class of 2020. This means that the first class of students to take the next-generation grade 10 MCAS in ELA and Math will be the class of 2021, this year's eighth graders, who will take the grade 8 next-generation MCAS in spring 2017.
96 percent of districts are planning for computer-based testing in 2017
█  In response to ESE’s transition plan for computer-based testing in 2017, 96 percent of public school districts have indicated they will administer the next-generation MCAS tests in ELA and Math online for grades 4 and 8. A small percentage of districts have submitted waiver requests, in most cases requesting to transition to computer-based testing by school building instead of by grade. The Department continues to work with those districts that are not currently ready for computer-based testing to ensure all next-generation MCAS testing is online by 2019.
Other next-generation MCAS news, developments, and resources
█  The English language arts and Mathematics test designs are now available online.
█  The Department has published a schedule of training opportunities related to the next-generation MCAS.
█  The transition plan to adapt the Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) tests to the new STE standards and to the next-generation MCAS format is online.
Contact:
Jass Stewart
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Office of the Commissioner
781-338-3105
/ www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/nextgen
www.doe.mass.edu/candi/standardsreview
School administrators may also find the Student Assessment Update to be useful.
It is sent to principals, test coordinators, special education directors, and ELL directors.
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