Prep for Massachusetts State Testing with MCAS Practice Tests

In the age of digital testing, MCAP test prep requires more than studying the subject matter — your students need opportunities to learn the ins and outs of the virtual testing environment. As you prepare for Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests, make sure your students get the virtual test practice they need so that on test day, all they have to do is show off.

Here’s what you should know about MCAS tests and how to get the most out of digital practice tests.

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is a summative testing system that measures students’ progress toward mastering the skills and concepts described in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Starting in third grade, students are assessed across subjects to gauge their academic strengths and weaknesses while providing accountability to individual schools and districts.

• English language arts (grades 3–8, 10)
• Mathematics (grades 3–8, 10)
• Science and Technology/Engineering, or STE (grades 5 and 8)
• High school STE (grade level varies based on when the students take the corresponding science course)
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Introductory Physics
  • Technology/Engineering

High school students must pass the grade 10 MCAS tests in English language arts and math to graduate, along with at least one of the high school STE tests. There are opportunities to retake the grade 10 MCAS tests in grades 11 and 12 if a student doesn’t initially pass the exams.

MCAS grade 10 math, Introductory Physics, and Biology tests will also be offered in American Sign Language and Spanish. Also, all MCAS tests except for high school Chemistry and Technology/Engineering will now be next-generation, computer-based tests.

Massachusetts students with significant cognitive disabilities may take the MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) instead of the standard MCAS tests.

Along with MCAS or MCAS-Alt tests, English language learners take ACCESS for ELLs, an English language proficiency test, each year. English learners with significant cognitive disabilities may take the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs.

To ensure your students are ready for MCAS tests, you’ll want to introduce them to the virtual testing environment long before they’re staring down the actual exam. MCAS virtual practice sessions allow your students to learn their way around the testing platform and figure out how different technology-enhanced items function. They’ll be able to practice their keyboarding, hone skills with digital tools, and learn how to work through questions and problems with drag-and-drop, hot spot, graph building, and table creation features.

The focus of the MCAS test should be demonstrating everything your students have learned in class (thanks to their awesome teacher!). With practice sessions under your students’ belts, the technology will serve as a tool, not a hindrance, to show off their learning.

For an added benefit, have your students take the practice MCAS tests on the same device they’ll use on test day. That way, they’ll know precisely how the online testing technology interacts with their tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

To make practicing for the MCAS tests as easy as possible, Edulastic has already uploaded MCAS practice content to our Edulastic Public Library. All you have to do is sign up for a free account, and you’ll be able to administer the practice test to your students quickly.

Want to create or assemble your own MCAS practice tests? You can do that too! Make your questions, pick from an item bank of thousands of standards-aligned questions and either assign them right away to students or customize them to meet your classwork or individual class needs. Edulastic instantly grades student work, so you’ll have immediate results. From the Edulastic Live Class Board or Standards Mastery Report, you’ll get performance data that’ll guide your decisions on best supporting student learning as the official state test day approaches.

Whether you use the existing MCAS practice or make your own, you’ll give your students an advantage. With practice on Edulastic, they’ll have more confidence and know what to expect on MCAS testing day.

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Join Edulastic for FREE to administer the MCAS practice test

Resources:

• https://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
• https://trng-mcas.pearsonaccessnext.com/customer/index.action