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News from DESE Student Assessment Services
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For All Schools
1. MCAS Early Release Schedule
Principals should review the MCAS early release schedule in the table below with their superintendents and plan to review results as they become available. As in the past, preliminary results are embargoed and should be used for educational planning purposes and may not be shared outside your organization. Early release data have not been reviewed for potential discrepancies and may therefore change after the conclusion of the discrepancy reporting period. These data contain raw scores only; scaled scores and achievement levels will be available on August 8 in the full preliminary .CSV file in DropBoxes. Official embargoed results are scheduled to be available in mid-September.
To assist schools and districts in reviewing early-release data, the Department is providing Item Analysis Templates for each grade and subject. The templates can be used to quickly view school, district, and state performance on each item; filter and summarize results by item type and curriculum framework; and generate item-difficulty line graphs to compare school, district, and state performance.
The templates will be available, according to the schedule below, in the MCAS 2023 Data folder in DropBox Central, in the Department’s Security Portal. A step-by-step guide, Instructions for using the Item Analysis Templates 2023, is now available in the same DropBox folder.
Note that Item Analysis Templates are only available in DropBox Central; early release data files are only available in PearsonAccess Next.
2023 MCAS Early Release Schedule*
*All dates are tentative |
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Grade/Subject |
Round 1: Machine-Scored CBT Items Only |
Round 2: Hand- and Machine-Scored CBT and PBT Items, Raw Scores Only |
ELA Released Essays |
| Location |
PearsonAccess Next (PAN) Published Reports for Schools and Districts |
| Delivery and Date |
Grades 3–8 ELA |
May 22 |
June 16 |
June 30 |
| Grades 3–8 Math |
June 20 |
July 10 |
n/a |
| Grades 5 & 8 STE |
| Grade 10 ELA |
May 3 |
June 9 |
June 14 |
| Grade 10 Math |
June 20 |
July 18 |
n/a |
| High School STE |
July 18 |
not available in PAN |
n/a |
| Who has access? |
Superintendents, Principals, School and District Test Coordinators.
Others can be assigned the Published Reports role in PAN, as needed. |
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2. Reminders from Previous Updates
a. Initial Release of the 2023–24 MCAS and ACCESS for ELLs Testing Schedule
The initial 2023–24 MCAS and ACCESS for ELLs testing schedule is now available. Principals should review school calendars now to confirm that there will be no conflict with these dates.
b. TestNav on Chromebooks – Check Managed Status and Update Blocklist URLs
DESE was recently made aware of two potential test security risks in TestNav on Chromebooks. Technology coordinators should follow the instructions in the Pearson technical bulletins from March 14, 2023 and April 20, 2023 to avoid any test security issues. Please see the previous update for further information.
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For High Schools
1. Grade 10 Mathematics Testing: May 16 and 17
Schools are reminded that the prescribed testing dates for grade 10 Mathematics are May 16 for session 1 and May 17 for session 2. Make-up testing for each session can begin after its initial administration date. All make-up testing must be completed by May 25. Please see the Statewide Testing Schedule for further information.
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2. TestNav Translation Reference Sheet for the Spanish/English Grade 10 Mathematics Test
In the Spanish/English edition of the grade 10 Mathematics test, the TestNav navigation toolbars and dropdown menus are displayed in either Spanish or English, but not both. To assist students taking the Spanish/English edition, a TestNav Translation Reference Sheet is now available on the MCAS Resource Center. This reference sheet provides screenshots of the TestNav welcome screen, toolbar, dropdown menus, and exit screen, in both Spanish and English.
Please share this resource with your teachers so they can review it with students taking the Spanish/English edition prior to testing and provide a printed version of this reference sheet during test administration. A similar reference sheet will be provided for Biology and Introductory Physics later this month. Please reach out to mcas@doe.mass.edu with any questions.
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3. Reminders from Previous Updates
a. Results from the March 2023 Retest
Results for the March 2023 retest are scheduled to be available as indicated below. Results from retests are not embargoed and can be shared with students, families, and staff.
| Information Delivered |
Scheduled Delivery Date |
| .CSV files posted in the MCAS 2023 Data DropBox, in the DESE Security Portal |
May 2 |
| Student Rosters and other interactive reports available in Edwin Analytics |
May 9* |
| Electronic Parent/Guardian Reports posted in PearsonAccess Next |
May 16* |
| Paper Parent/Guardian Reports (one copy) delivered to district offices |
May 24* |
* These dates are tentative
b. Grade 10 ELA Early Release MCAS Data Now Available
Early-release results are now available in PAN for the spring 2023 grade 10 ELA MCAS test. To assist schools and districts in reviewing early-release data, a grade 10 ELA Item Analysis Template and step-by-step guide for using the template are available in the MCAS 2023 Data folder in DropBox Central in the Department’s Security Portal. Please remember that these results are preliminary and embargoed until districts and schools have received their comprehensive results and have reviewed their data during the discrepancy period, and until any corrections have been made. Please see the May 3 Special Edition Update for further information.
c. Modified Competency Determination (CD) Round 14 Update
The round 14 modified CD data collection window is now open. The deadline for this round is May 22. As a reminder, districts cannot issue diplomas to students who have not earned their CD via MCAS testing or this modified process. See the May 3 Special Edition Update for further information.
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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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