Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Principal's Blog: MCAS Results



Within the next week, students who sat for the MCAS test last spring will be receiving MCAS scores in the mail. As I noted in my September 29th blog post, ranking and comparing schools is a fickle matter with more variables to consider than standardized test scores. Nevertheless, one widely adopted barometer by which we are judged is standardized test scores. When analyzing CCHS purely on standardized test scores it is easy to see we are near the top in all categories. A testament to the students, staff, and CCHS community.

One example that illuminates the fickle matter of test scores is the Level 2 status of CCHS. It is not just performance that comes into account. Participation rates remain part of the calculus, and despite the outstanding scores highlighted below, our participation rates in one category were a smidgen below the 95% requirement. In fact, if 1 student, yes 1 more student, simply sat for the test and did not fill in a single question, CCHS would be a Level 1 school. I will allow you to draw your own conclusions on that calculus.

As I have said before, we are acutely aware that reputations are more easily lost than won, and we recognize ahead lay countless hours of work to improve, but there is no doubt that CCHS is a high achieving academic institution that excels in many areas, and it is a fantastic place to come to school and work each and every day. Not measured in any ranking system is perhaps our greatest strength, and that is a strong school culture built on a foundation of meaningful relationships. 

Please read on to see highlights of our most recent scores and to view a letter sent home to all MCAS test takers.
 

ELA Scores



Match Scores




Science Scores




Dear Parents/Guardians,

Within the next week, you will be receiving MCAS scores in the mail.  The “next-generation MCAS” tests that were given in English language arts and mathematics to students in grades 3-8 in spring 2017. Please note there are changes to this test and the scores are not comparable to the scores on the PARCC tests that have been administered for the last few years in Concord 3 - 8. (Please note that regular MCAS, called “legacy MCAS,” were administered in here and in the rest of the state in grade 5 science, grade 8 science, and all high school MCAS. Therefore, the scores on these tests are comparable to those in other years.)

On the next-generation MCAS, the four scoring categories are Exceeding Expectations, Meeting Expectations, Partially Meeting Expectations, and Not Meeting Expectations. The new categories emphasize readiness for higher-level work at the next grade level. As you review your child’s scores, please note the items below from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:

  • The next-generation MCAS establishes high expectations to better reflect whether students are on track for the next grade level and ultimately for college and a career.
  • 2017 is the baseline year - the first year of a new assessment - and we expect that over time, more students will score Meeting Expectations or above. (When the original MCAS debuted in 1998, relatively few students scored Proficient, but that changed as students and teachers adjusted to the new expectations.)
  • Students in grades 3-8 do not face any negative consequences as a result of their scores.
  • Students in 10th grade will not begin taking the next generation MCAS until 2019, so they are not affected by any of these changes.
  • The next-generation MCAS is a new test with a different approach to assessing student performance in grades 3-8, and this year's results cannot be compared to last year's.
  • MCAS results are only one measure of your child's growth and achievement. Your child's teacher can also talk to you more broadly about your child's academic growth and about his or her social and emotional development.
  • In some subjects and grades, fewer students scored Meeting or Exceeding Expectations this year than scored Proficient or Advanced in previous years. This does NOT mean that students learned less; it reflects the fact that the next-generation MCAS measures more rigorous standards in a different way.


Please access this fact sheet to learn more about the next-generation MCAS and your child's score. If you have questions or concerns about your child's results, we encourage you to talk with his or her teacher or principal.

Overall, we are pleased with the MCAS scores of students in  Concord Public Schools and Concord Carlisle High School. We will continue to use the general data and individual student data to improve instruction for your child.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Mastrullo Kristen Herbert
Principal Director of Teaching and Learning
Concord Carlisle High School Concord Public Schools & CCHS






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