(WJAR) — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced the 2024 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) results on Tuesday.
According to state officials, the MCAS results included improvements in science and technology/engineering and decline in the English language arts.
Taking and passing the MCAS Exam has been a requirement for decades for Massachusetts public school students in order to receive their high school diploma.
Students begin taking it in third grade to prepare for the long awaited exam.
“So both students, teachers, and parents have the capability to see what particular items they may have struggled with and where they may have excelled,” said Erin Cooley, the managing director for Democrats for Education Reform Massachusetts. “So that helps a teacher identify where a student might need additional support.”
But the Massachusetts Teachers Associations believes the test has run its course.
“We want to remove the high stakes element of this test and because it’s used to deny students diplomas, to narrow the curriculum and to have their focus on test taking,” said Max Page, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
The spring MCAS results were announced on Tuesday, and while it showed some improvements, it also highlighted challenges students faced.
Officials noticed a major decline in English language arts scores. The English language arts scores for students in grades 3 to 5 declined by 2 to 6 percentage points compared to 2023, the education department said.
Officials noted that these students were in preschool through first grade during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and “missed key consistent in-person instruction on foundational skills.”
Students in some Bristol County cities fell on the grading scale between partially meeting expectations and just meeting them.
“Well look, one of the problems is we have the MCAS but notice we are in late September seeing these scores. How does that help teachers last year?” continued Page.
Supporters of the MCAS exam said a change should be coming soon to help with that problem.
“With our new contract with our testing vendor, we will begin to be getting those scores out earlier, even starting next year through a parent portal so parents can log in and automatically see how their kids are doing before the new school year begins,” said the Acting Commissioner of Education Russell Johnston.
In November, Massachusetts voters will have to decide if the MCAS exam will remain as a graduation requirement, it will be a ballot question in the upcoming election.
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