This publication presents guidelines for parents and educators in making appropriate decisions about participation in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MACS) tests for students with disabilities, and it describes commonly used test accommodations. State law requires the participation in MCAS of all students who are educated with…

This guide discusses the participation of students with disabilities in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), the state's student testing program that is being implemented in response to the Education Reform Law of 1993. The statewide assessment program is designed to strengthen public education in Massachusetts and ensure that…

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between…