State Assessment Recommendation: report of the Superintendent

Boone: also providing opt out and rates of participation of the PARCC field test  (as requested)
total opt-out of both tests: 7.8%
Timeline: two year test drive of PARCC from BoE in November 2013
field test in Sprig 2014
decide on what we're doing by October 1
Spring 2015 PARCC and MCAS testing
Fall 2015 results on both tests coming back
ALSO: Board expected to vote on adopting PARCC or "new generation of MCAS"
2016 either PARCC or "next generation MCAS" will go forward
2100 students in WPS were field testing PARCC
Parental and student opt out: spring assessment 4.3% opt out
End of year assessment: 10.9% opt out
"one of the reasons that we heard from May field test was running into AP tests and others, so parents opted them out of that field test"
district decisions on if PARCC or MCAS next year
students through class of 2018 must pass grade 10 MCAS from graduation
"will phase in the new graduation requirement"
most districts needed to select PARCC or MCAS; it was running nearly 50% this summer
Boston, Worcester, Springfield could choose a hybrid model
met with principals last spring for what their preferences were; also, computer based or paper version; also subject tests
students and schools WILL RECEIVE RESULTS this time
Accountability rating from 2014 will remain rating for 2015; can improve, cannot fall back
schools technologcial readiness; what are student technology skills; can schools experience PARCC?
questions around training of staff for PARCC/MCAS
16 (41%) are asking to do MCAS
23 (59%) are asking to do PARCC: 18 on paper; 5 on computers
3 of the 7 schools serving 9-12 would like to try some grade 9 or 11 students using the high school tests; one serving 8th grade students would like to try Algebra I test
request is to approve school by school recommendation