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News from DESE Student Assessment Services
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For All Schools
1. Test Administration Manuals for January 2021
We are pleased to announce that the Principal’s Administration Manual (PAM) and the two Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs) for computer-based testing (CBT) and paper-based testing (PBT) for the January 2021 special high school MCAS administration are available in the embedded links and here on the Department’s website. Hard copies of manuals will arrive in schools on January 7.
Experienced principals are encouraged to review the updates listed on page v of the PAM, and all principals are encouraged to review the checklist of tasks beginning on page 38 as they begin their preparations.
Each school will receive one copy of the Principal’s Administration Manual, and based on the school’s Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP), one copy of the appropriate TAM for every 15 students. Additional copies of manuals may be downloaded from the links listed above or from this page on the Department’s website. A school may also contact the MCAS Service Center (see the contact information in the footer of this update) to request additional copies.
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2. Extended ACCESS for ELLs Schedule
Based on requests from schools, we are pleased to announce that the ACCESS for ELLs testing window, which begins on January 7, has been extended from February 25 to March 11. The testing schedule posted on the Department’s website has been updated to reflect the extended window.
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3. Guidance Available on Collecting MCAS-Alt Evidence Produced Remotely
The Department has made guidance available for collecting evidence for MCAS-Alt for students who are receiving only remote instruction. The document Guidance on Collecting MCAS-Alt Evidence Produced During Remote Instruction includes strategies and brief embedded instructional videos for compiling portfolio evidence digitally.
The worksheet Assisting Students with Assignments: A Parent’s Guide has also been developed to assist teachers of students taking the MCAS-Alt in engaging parents during remote instruction. This worksheet can be adapted by teachers for individual assignments and used to document the amount and types of assistance that parents are providing for their child, enabling teachers to record the student’s degree of independence in completing the assignment. Translations of this form will be available in five languages.
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4. Reminder from the Previous Update: ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinator Training Webinars
Registration for the ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinator Training webinars is now available. Each district may register a limited number of participants. The PowerPoint slides for the webinar are now available on the Massachusetts page on the WIDA website (click on the “+” next to the “Manuals, Guides and Workshops” dropdown menu). See the previous update for more information.
The dates for the webinars, now scheduled to last for approximately two hours, are as follows:
- Thursday, December 3, at 10:00 a.m.–12:00 noon (New Test Coordinators)
- Tuesday, December 8, at 10:00 a.m.–12:00 noon (Returning Test Coordinators)
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For High Schools
1. Update on High School Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) Testing
The Department recently determined that the June 2021 Biology and Introductory Physics tests will be legacy, paper-based tests that assess “overlapping” standards from both the 2006 and 2016 STE frameworks. The administration of next-generation tests in these subjects will be delayed until June 2022. It was previously announced that the February Biology test will also be a legacy, paper-based test. Schools should be using the 2016 STE Framework to prepare students for both Biology tests and for the Introductory Physics test.
In addition, the Department plans to offer legacy, paper-based Chemistry and Technology/Engineering tests in June, but they will align only to the 2006 STE standards.
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2. Registration for the February Biology Test: December 7–18
Schools must complete the Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP) process between December 7 and 18 to order student test materials for the February Biology test.
As a reminder, the only students eligible to take the February 2021 Biology are those in grade 9 (students in the class of 2024 must take a high school STE test by the end of grade 10) and adults in the class of 2019 or earlier. Additional information about participation guidelines for the February 2021 Biology test is available here.
Superintendents must ensure that educational collaboratives and approved private special education schools order test materials via the SR/PNP process for their students in out-of-district placements.
To assist schools in registering students for the February Biology test, the Department will place a .CSV file in MCAS 2021 DropBoxes in the DESE Security Portal on December 7.
A response is required from each high school by December 18, even if no students at the school will take the test. If no students will participate, email the MCAS Service Center with the school and district name and code. The MCAS Service Center will be calling high schools that do not complete the SR/PNP (or do not contact them before the deadline).
The following resources are available for guidance in completing the SR/PNP:
Questions about ordering test materials can be directed to the MCAS Service Center, and questions about policies or participation guidelines can be directed to the Office of Student Assessment Services (see contact information for both in the footer of this update).
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3. Removal of March 2020 ELA Retest Compositions: December 14
Cognia, the Department’s testing contractor, will remove the March 2020 ELA retest student compositions from the MCAS Service Center on December 14. If you need to obtain copies of the essays for your records, please do so by this date. Passwords for the MCAS Service Center were sent to principals and superintendents via US mail in early January 2020 for tasks related to the 2020 calendar year.
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4. Reminders from the Previous Update
a. PearsonAccess Next Passwords and Accounts: Confirm Accounts at This Time
School and district staff who had access to PearsonAccess Next (PAN) during the previous school year should log into PAN to make sure their accounts are still active. Accounts that were disabled will receive an error message upon log-in; resetting the password will enable the account. Please contact the MCAS Service Center with any questions (contact information is located in the footer of this update), and see the previous update for more information.
b. Infrastructure Trial Window Open Now through January 6
The window for conducting an Infrastructure Trial for the special high school January administration is now open. An Infrastructure Trial is an opportunity for districts, schools, and students to prepare for MCAS computer-based testing (CBT) by simulating test-day network utilization. We recommend that all schools refer to the Infrastructure Trial Guide to prepare for Infrastructure Trials as well as the ProctorCache Recommendation for 2021 MCAS Computer-Based Testing.
The following modules and trainings from the 2019-2020 school year are also available on the MCAS Resource Center. Most of the information in these trainings is still applicable to the January 2021 administration and will be useful in preparing for the Infrastructure Trial:
- Infrastructure Trial for Technology Coordinators
- Infrastructure Trial for Test Coordinators and Test Administrators
- Overview of Infrastructure Trials for Returning Staff – January 29, 2020
- Overview of Infrastructure Trials for New Staff – January 31, 2020
Technology staff who have questions about Infrastructure Trials should contact Technology Support (click on the link in the footer to schedule a call). Refer to the previous update for further information.
c. Mathematics Reference Sheet for January 2021 Now Available
The Mathematics reference sheet for the January 2021 MCAS high school Mathematics test is available on the MCAS Resource Center website. The document, entitled “January High School Math Reference Sheet,” will be available within the student testing platform. However, schools may also print a copy for students to use during testing.
d. MCAS Performance Appeals Training Sessions
The Department has developed an online portal through which districts will be able to submit MCAS Performance Appeals for eligible high school students. Web-based training sessions for those who wish to use the new online application will be offered on the following dates:
- Tuesday, December 8, from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, December 10, from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Both training sessions are identical. Please register here for a training opportunity, and email MCASappeals@doe.mass.edu with any questions.
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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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