Date: March 29, 2017
From: MCAS Service Center
To: Grades 3–8 Principals, and Directors of Charter Schools, Approved Private Special Education Schools, Educational Collaboratives, Institutional Settings
CC: MCAS Test Coordinators
Re: Very Important MCAS Message regarding Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs)
Below are important updates for the spring 2017 MCAS Test Administrator’s Manuals for grades 3–8. Schools are requested to review this information and share with all relevant staff. Each topic is listed below by the manual that is affected.
Please note that in addition to the issues below, schools should check the MCAS CBT frequently asked questions that are posted to the Department’s website. Questions will be added as necessary throughout test administration.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your attention to this important information.
If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103.
1. Grades 3–8 TAM for Computer-Based Testing
Issue: Missing pages (affects a small number of TAMs only)
Pages affected: pages 29–59
A printing error affecting a small number of TAMs has been discovered, in which some pages from the middle of the TAM were not included. Please review your school’s shipment as soon as possible to confirm that all of your school’s TAMs contain all of the pages. In particular, review pages 29–59.
If your school has discovered TAMs that were affected by this printing error, please contact the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103 as soon as possible to order additional copies. (Remember that materials will be shipped for receipt on the following business day if the order is received before 12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will be shipped for receipt on the second business day.) Alternatively, your school may print additional copies of TAMs from the Department’s website.
2. Grades 3–8 TAM for Computer-Based Testing
Issue: Steps included that are not necessary
Pages affected: pages 41, 51, 71
The steps to prepare a session and to verify correct accommodated form assignments only need to be done before the Session 1 of each test, but these steps were incorrectly included in the TAM for subsequent sessions. We request that schools inform their test administrators that steps 4 and 5 on pages 41, 51, and 71 are not necessary.
3. Grades 3–8 TAM for Computer-Based Testing
Issue: Incorrect language describing a TestNav button
Pages affected: pages 37, 38, 47, 48, 67, 68
The TAM incorrectly states that students will see a button that says “Submit Final Answers” at the end of each session (the “Submit Final Answers” button actually only appears at the end of the last session for each test). Instead, the button at the end of the session for Session 1 (and Session 2 for grades 3–5 ELA) will state “Submit Section.” We request that schools replace the words “Submit Final Answers” with “Submit Section” in the locations:
· Page 37 for ELA Session 1 for all grades
· Page 38 for ELA Session 1 for all grades
· Page 47 for ELA Session 2 for grades 3, 4, and 5
· Page 48 for ELA Session 2 for grades 3, 4, and 5
· Page 67 for Mathematics Session 1
· Page 68 for Mathematics Session 1
4. Grades 4–8 TAM for Paper-Based Testing
Issue: Incorrect information on calculators
Pages affected: pages 12 and 64
The TAM did not state that grades 7 and 8 must use grade-specific calculators for Mathematics Session 2. Incorrect information appears on pages 12 and 64. We request that schools provide the following corrected information to test administrators.
· Calculators are required for Mathematics Session 2 for grades 7 and 8 only.
o Each student (in grades 7 and 8 only) must have sole access to a calculator during Session 2 of the Mathematics test. Students may provide their own calculators.
o However, schools must provide a grade-specific calculator for each student who does not provide his or her own calculator as follows:
§ Grade 7 Mathematics Session 2 only: a five-function calculator (i.e., a four-function calculator with a square root key)
§ Grade 8 Mathematics Session 2 only: a scientific calculator
· Test administrators must ensure that students do not have access to calculator instructions or formula sheets that accompany calculators.
5. Grades 4–8 TAM for Paper-Based Testing
Issue: Incorrect statement about scratch paper
Page affected: page 76
The TAM incorrectly states on page 76 that scratch paper is permitted for STE testing. However, scratch paper is only permitted for grades 3–8 ELA and Mathematics testing. We request that schools inform test administrators that step 4 on page 76 contains an incorrect reference to scratch paper that should be removed.