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News from DESE Student Assessment Services
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For All Schools
1. Spring 2022 Thank You and Planning Ahead
The staff in the Office of Student Assessment Services would like to thank district and school staff for your cooperation and assistance in administering MCAS tests this year. This is the last scheduled update for this school year, and we will send special editions over the summer as needed.
In preparation for the next school year, MCAS test coordinators are encouraged to update user accounts in PearsonAccess Next (PAN) for staff who are expected to leave the school or otherwise not have a role with MCAS testing the next school year. Test coordinators can follow instructions in the User Role Matrix for PAN or contact the MCAS Service Center for assistance (see contact information in the footer of this update).
In addition, test coordinators who are completing their role as coordinator at the end of this school year are encouraged to leave a file for the new test coordinator with the following information:
- a copy of this edition of the Student Assessment Update, highlighting the information on summer discrepancy reporting
- contact information for staff in the district and school regarding questions on MCAS, including the following:
- the district-level Directory Administrator, who can assign the test coordinator role in DESE's Directory Administration application (so that the individual will automatically receive MCAS emails, including this update) and can provide access to Edwin and the Security Portal
- the district test coordinator
- the district and school technology coordinator(s)
- the school password for the MCAS Service Center website, which is set annually at the close of each calendar year
- a link to the MCAS Resource Center, where training materials and practice tests, among other materials, are posted
- school MCAS procedures as applicable
We hope that you enjoy your summer!
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2. MCAS Discrepancy Reporting Window: August 9–12 (tentative)
The 2022 MCAS discrepancy reporting window is scheduled to be open from August 9 to 12. On August 9, DESE will post a file of preliminary results for all grades and subjects in DropBox Central in the Security Portal; interactive reports will be available in Edwin Analytics approximately one week later. Note that Student Growth Percentile (SGP) for ELA and Math and achievement levels for high school Biology and Introductory Physics will not yet be available.
Schools are asked to plan now for staff to be available during the August 9–12 window to review preliminary results. It is important that principals/designees complete this process during the specified discrepancy reporting window, since discrepancies reported after August 12 will not be included in MCAS Parent/Guardian Reports or in the public release of official school and district MCAS results.
As in previous years, discrepancies in student SASIDs, test status, and demographic information will be reported on the MCAS Service Center website. Prior to the opening of the window, instructions on how to identify and report discrepancies will be posted on the MCAS Service Center website and in DropBox Central. Information will be provided in special edition updates this summer.
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3. Additional Spring 2022 MCAS Early Release Data Available Soon
As posted in the previous update, DESE has announced the schedule for early release data for grades 3–8 ELA (V2) and for grades 3–8 & 10 math and grades 5 & 8 STE (V1). The .CSV files will be available in PAN, in Published Reports, to users with the school or district test coordinator role. Early Roster reports, in PDF format, are also available at the school level in PAN.
To assist schools and districts in reviewing early release data, DESE will provide Item Analysis Templates when those data become available. The templates can be used to quickly view school and district performance on each item, filter and summarize results by item type, reporting category, and curriculum framework, and compare school and district results to student performance statewide. To use the templates, schools will need to download and save the file, enter a short formula to calculate average points, and copy the resulting values into the template. A step-by-step guide, titled Instructions for Using the Item Analysis Templates, is available in the MCAS 2022 Data DropBox in the Security Portal. Note that the .CSV data files and rosters will be posted in PAN and not to DropBox Central.
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4. Reminders from the Previous Update
a. This Friday – Second Webinar on Spring 2022 Reporting
This Friday, June 24 from 9:30–11:00 a.m., DESE staff will hold a reporting webinar regarding the next round of results that will be reported. Registration is available. Questions may be submitted in advance by emailing mcas@doe.mass.edu. Please see the previous update for further information.
b. Students Who Are Absent from MCAS Testing Due to Covid or Quarantine
Students who did not participate in MCAS testing because they had Covid or were absent from school because they were quarantining should be marked as having a medically documented absence following the instructions on page 126 of the Principal's Administration Manual (PAM). If this applies to any students at your school but was not done before the end of the test administration window, this step can be completed during the discrepancy reporting period in August.
c. Wrong Name and SASID Reported in Early Release Data
DESE’s MCAS testing contractor identified two issues that may be perceived as discrepancies while reviewing early release data:
- Students’ names default to "NONAME" when a paper-based test is processed without a Student ID Label
- Students’ SASIDs default to a number starting with 774, 727, or 728 when the SASID is missing or incorrect.
These issues will be resolved prior to the release of full preliminary data for the August 9–12 discrepancy reporting period. No action is required on the part of school or district staff. Please contact the MCAS Service Center with any additional questions.
d. TestNav Requirements for 2022–23
Pearson, the testing subcontractor, has posted the TestNav system requirements for 2022–23 computer-based testing, which align with the TestNav System Requirement Policy and manufacturer support for operating systems (OSs) and devices. The requirements for the next school year are outlined in the table below.
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It is recommended that students will test on the supported operating systems listed above, but in schools that have a local device replacement plan that is on a slower timeline than the manufacturer support plan, students will also be able to access TestNav on Chrome and iPad operating systems that meet 2021–2022 minimum version system requirements.
Please review these requirements with your technology teams, and reach out to mcas@doe.mass.edu with any questions.
e. Preliminary 2022 MCAS-Alt Results and MCAS-Alt Score Appeals
Portfolio Feedback Forms (PFFs) containing preliminary MCAS-Alt results are now available in the DESE Security Portal. The principal or test coordinator should download the PFFs and share them with the teacher who compiled the MCAS-Alt. Once principals and educators have reviewed the preliminary MCAS-Alt results, if there is evidence that a portfolio was scored incorrectly, the principal or other designee may submit an MCAS-Alt score appeal by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 24. Please see the previous update for further information.
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For High Schools
1. Reminders from the Previous Update
a. Grade 10 ELA Released Essays from Spring 2022 MCAS Now Available in PearsonAccess Next
Grade 10 ELA released essays are now available in PDF format and at the school level only in PAN. Please see the previous update for further information.
b. CD Status for High School Students in MCAS 2022 DropBoxes
DESE recently placed a spreadsheet file in XLS format in school and district DropBoxes that lists the CD status as of June 1, 2022, for students reported as enrolled in March SIMS in grades 9, 10, 11, 12, and SP. The files are in the MCAS 2022 Data folder and titled CD_status_June2022_xxxxxxxx.xls. Please see the previous update for further information.
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Additional Resources
- Released items from spring 2022 ELA tests:
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MCAS Service Center
for logistical support, including tech support for PearsonAccess Next and TestNav
Email: mcas@cognia.org
Phone: 800-737-5103
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Student Assessment Services
for policy questions, including student participation
Email: mcas@doe.mass.edu
Phone: 781-338-3625
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