MCAS DATA ANALYSIS
Supplemental Detail
OBJECTIVES:
To identify strengths, weaknesses, and
gaps in curriculum and instruction
To fine-tune curriculum alignment with
statewide standards
Grade 3 MCAS Reading District
Summary Analysis
Third graders demonstrated most success with multiple-choice questions.
Continued emphasis needs to be placed on answering open response questions,
especially those which require inferential thinking and response in multiple sentence
format.
Modeling and guided practice activities will be an integral part of the ongoing
professional development writing initiative in which all K-5 teachers participate.

Grade 3 MCAS Reading-District Analysis
by Component & Question Type
MCAS Component / Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Language Component
90
Literature Component
84
Multiple-Choice Questions
89
Open-Response Questions
65
[2.58/4.00pts]
3
Grade 3 MCAS Reading-District Analysis
by each Curriculum Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
% of Correct Answers
Vocabulary
89
Structure of English
92
Formal/Informal English
91
Understanding Text
91
Different Genres
97
Fiction
76
Nonfiction
83
Poetry
87
Styles & Language
78
Myth
93
4
Grade 3 MCAS Math District
Summary Analysis
Increase in scores with a larger grade 3 class than 2005 and 2006.
More practice is needed with open-response questions and with the use of math
vocabulary.
2007 edition of Everyday Math provides open-response questions with rubrics and
used along with Exemplar Program Solving program allows greater practice and
self-evaluation.
K-5 Professional Development with a writing focus is ongoing.

Grade 3 MCAS Math - District Analysis
by Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
87
Short Answer
85
Open-Response
78
[1.55/ 2 pts]
6
Grade 3 MCAS MATH -District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
% of Correct Answers
Number Sense
81
Patterns, Relations and Algebra
87
Geometry
85
Measurement
86
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
88
7
Grade 3 Reading Open Response
MCAS Question Example
Students read a passage about Pilgrims that lived in Massachusetts, Don’t Throw
Your Bones on the Floor, and then are asked:
Based on the selection, describe three eating habits of the Pilgrims and give a reason
for each one. Look at the examples in the boxes below, but use different examples in
your answer.
Way the Pilgrims Ate
Reason
Example: People used bread as a plate.
Example:They did not have bowls
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
Grade 3 Math Open Response
MCAS Question Example
Zoey is using bananas and oranges to make the pattern shown below. The rule for
her pattern is ABBB.
BOOOBOOOBOOO (pictorial representation)
Zoey will follow the rule for her pattern a total of 4 times.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------How many oranges will Zoey use in all? Show or explain how you got your answer.
Grade 5 MCAS ELA District
Summary Analysis
Students have improved in some areas of weakness as grade 4 students,
especially vocabulary.
Students have greatest success with multiple-choice items with open-response
questions, especially those with two parts embedded in one question, continuing to
be an area needing attention.
The recently purchased Making Meaning Program and Comprehension Toolkit will
provide instructional lessons and techniques to support student improvement in
identified areas.

Grade 5 MCAS ELA - District Analysis by
Component & Question Type
MCAS Component / Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Language Component
84
Literature Component
80
Multiple-Choice Questions
87
Open-Response Questions
66
[2.62/4pts]
11
Grade 5 MCAS ELA - District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
% of Correct Answers
Vocabulary
84
Understanding Text
89
Different Genres
86
Fiction
79
Nonfiction
75
Poetry
87
Styles & Language
88
Myth
81
Drama
85
12
Grade 5 ELA Open Response MCAS
Question Example
Dogs are not just “man’s best friend”; they also do valuable work for us. Read
“Lights, Camera, Barking!” and answer the questions that follow.
Open response Question: Based on the article, explain how dogs are trained and
how they are treated while they are working. Support your answer with important
information from the article
Grade 5 MCAS Math District Analysis
Grade 5 MCAS scores have shown improvement in all areas including strands,
question formats and among SPED students.
Emphasis for teachers and math specialist must continue to be on problem solving,
critical thinking and practice with Open-response questions.
2007 edition of Everyday Math provides open-response questions with rubrics and
used along with Exemplar Program Solving program allows greater practice and selfevaluation.

Grade 5 MCAS Math - District
Analysis by Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
88
Short Answer
87
Open-Response
74
[2.96/4 pts]
15
Grade 5 MCAS Math - District
Analysis by Each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
Percent of Correct Answers
Number Sense
85
Patterns, Relations and Algebra
82
Geometry
84
Measurement
70
Data Analysis, Statistics and
Probability
87
16
Grade 5 Math Open Response
MCAS Question Example
The Fish Bowl store had a sale. During the sale, the store gave away two kinds of fish,
goldfish and catfish.

Every 5th customer received a free goldfish

Every 12th customer received a free catfish
There were 134 customers on the day of the sale.
1.
How many customers received a free goldfish. How many customers received a
free catfish?
2.
How many customers received both a free goldfish and a free catfish?
Show or explain how you got your answers
Grade 8 MCAS ELA District Analysis
The K-12 writing standards and ELA learning standards have developed
consistence to standards among grade level teachers in the Middle School.
Team meetings have allowed for teacher idea sharing, lesson development and
teaching strategies around improving student achievement.
Non-fiction reading and understanding along with poetry, two previously reported
weaknesses have shown improvement.

Grade 8 MCAS ELA - District
Analysis by Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
89
Open-Response
71[2.81/4 Pts]
19
Grade 8 MCAS ELA - District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
% of Correct Answers
Vocabulary
85
Understanding Text
87
Fiction
81
Non-fiction
80
Poetry
93
Style & Language
90
Myth
80
20
Grade 8 ELA Open Response MCAS
Question Example
In this excerpt, the narrator talks about a family memory. The Abenaki are American
Indian people from New England and eastern Canada, Climbing the Ladder by
Joseph Bruchac.
In the excerpt, the narrator describes the Abenaki way of doing things.
Explain how the events in the excerpt reflect the Abenaki way. Use relevant and
specific information from the excerpt to support your answer.
Grade 8 MCAS Math District Analysis
Grade 8 teachers will continue to implement the departmental MCAS packet with the
MCAS “problem of the week”.
Exemplars of student open-response questions responses will be used as a
teaching tool.
Classroom teachers and special educators will meet on a regular basis to develop
and implement learning strategies for targeted students.
Professional development time will focus on curriculum strands.

Grade 8 MCAS Math - District
Analysis by Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
80
Short Answer
74
Open-Response
70
[2.79/4 pts]
23
Grade 8 MCAS Math - District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
Percent of Correct Answers
Number Sense
77
Patterns, Relations and Algebra
75
Geometry
75
Measurement
59
Data Analysis, Statistics and
Probability
76
24
Grade 8 Math Open Response
MCAS Question Example
Marisa drank one cup of milk and ate x small vanilla cookies for a snack. The linear
equation below represents y, the total number of calories in Marisa’s snack
Y =12x + 120
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
What is the y-intercept of the line represented by this equation?
Explain what the y-intercept tells us about Marisa’s snack?
What is the slope of the line represented by this equation?
Explain what the slope tells us about Marisa’s snack?
If Marisa eats 9 small vanilla cookies,what is the total number of calories in her snack? Show or
explain how you got your answer.
Grade 10 MCAS ELA District
Analysis
Teachers have utilized the UBD Learning Standards to focus instruction.
Methodologies have been employed to model narrative and expository writing and to
allow students to focus on their own writing and that of their peers.
A consistency in both curriculum and assessment has been established over the
grad 6-12 span that has contributed to greatly increased student scores.

Grade 10 MCAS ELA - District
Analysis by Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
90
Open-Response
74[]
Composition Writing
Composition Topic
81[16.2/20 pts]
69[8.28/12 pts]
27
Grade 10 MCAS ELA - District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
Percent of Correct Answers
Vocabulary
88
Structure of English
97
Understanding Text
89
Theme
94
Fiction
82
Non-Fiction
79
Poetry
77
Style/Figurative Language
89
Myth
90
28
Grade 10 ELA Composition MCAS
Writing Prompt
Works of literature often feature characters who overcome hardship
and misfortune.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a
character who overcomes hardship and misfortune. In a well-developed composition,
explain how the character overcomes adversity and why this success is important to
the work of literature.
Grade 10 MCAS Math District Analysis

Grade 10 students outperformed the state average in all the curriculum strands.
The algebra 1(grade 8), geometry (grade 9) and algebra 2 (grade 10) curricula of the
SPS prepares students for all curriculum strands of the grade 10 “high stakes”
MCAS.
Grade 9/10 MCAS math prep program works with students in NI/Warning levels from
grade 8 MCAS testing as part of their individual ISSP (Individual student support
plan) for success.

Grade 10 MCAS Math - District Analysis
by Component & Question Type
MCAS Question Type
Sharon % Correct
Multiple-Choice
85
Short Answer
90
Open-Response
81[3.27/4 pts.]
31
Grade 10 MCAS Math - District
Analysis by each Curriculum
Frameworks Strand
Curriculum Strand
Percent of Correct Answers
Number Sense
83
Patterns, Relations and Algebra
81
Geometry
85
Measurement
84
Data Analysis, Statistics and
Probability
85
32
Grade 10 Math Open Response
MCAS Question Example
The distance, d, in feet, that a dropped rock falls in t seconds can be estimated using
the formula below:
d = 16t2
Use the formula to answer the following questions.
1.
What is the distance,in feet, that a dropped rock will fall in 10 seconds?
2.
What is the ratio of the distance a dropped rock will fall in 30 seconds as compared to the distance a
dropped rock will fall in 10 seconds?
3.
How many seconds will it take a dropped rock to fall 144 feet?
4.
To the nearest tenth of a second, how many seconds will it take a dropped rock to fall 80 feet?
Show your work.