MCAS-Alt News
February/March 2016
Volume 14, Issue 4
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt
This newsletter is published by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and will provide
Massachusetts educators with information, advice, and support to teach the Massachusetts learning standards to students with
significant disabilities, and to conduct the MCAS Alternate Assessment.
In this issue:




What you should know about the ELA–Writing strand
General Reminders
Register for February/March PIP’s
Administrator’s Corner
What you should know about the ELA–Writing strand






The ELA–Writing strand focuses on the student’s ability to communicate using their familiar
method of expressive communication—it does not exclusively assess a student’s ability to
physically write using a pen, pencil, or keyboard.
The ELA–Writing Scoring Rubrics found on pages 2225 of the 2016 Educator’s Manual for
MCAS-Alt and in the Online Forms and Graphs must be completed by the student’s teacher
and submitted with three final writing samples.
A draft/baseline writing sample must be submitted for each text type being submitted as a final
writing sample.
Any combination of text types may be submitted: all three final writing samples can be the
same text type, or the text type may vary.
Final writing samples, including those scribed verbatim by the teacher should reflect the
independent work of the student, without edits by the teacher.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) and writing samples are available online.
General Reminders

If the entry point includes two related skills connected by “and,” then one or both skills may
be selected for the measurable outcome. If both skills are selected, then both skills must be
assessed on each date.

If entry point includes two related skills connected by “or,” then either or both the skills may
be assessed on each date.

If measurable outcomes are not based on an entry point in the Resource Guide, Department
approval must be obtained.

Teachers may “spiral” to an entry point in a lower grade in the same strand, domain, or
conceptual category, if needed, but please review higher-complexity entry points first.

Use the Mathematic Progression chart on page 7 of the Mathematics’ Resource Guide for
purposes of spiraling in each domain/conceptual category.

Review your students’ measurable outcomes carefully; for example, if it says “describe
characteristics…,” then all activities must document how the student described the
characteristics; if it says “identify the main idea…,” then each activity must identify the main
idea.

Original student work is preferable in the portfolio, but photocopies are acceptable if originals
are unavailable.

The use of page protectors is strongly discouraged.

Review the ELA Reading handout regarding Informational and Literary text, and the list of
acceptable online texts that do not require submission of a photocopy in the portfolio.
Portfolios-in-Progress
Now is the final opportunity for educators to register for Portfolios-in-Progress in February/March.
At these sessions, educators can
 receive answers to their questions,
 receive feedback on their portfolios, and
 continue organizing their students’ portfolios
Portfolio review sessions occur on the following dates:
Thursday
February 25
Friday
February 26
Wednesday
March 9
Thursday
March 10
Taunton,
Holiday Inn
Marlborough,
Best Western
Springfield,
Marriott
Danvers,
Doubletree
(Note: The “Introduction to MCAS-Alt” will not be offered at these sessions.)
Administrator’s Corner

Encourage teachers conducting the MCAS-Alt to attend a Portfolios-in-Progress review
session

Your school’s shipment of three-ring binders and other MCAS-Alt submission materials will
arrive the week of February 22. In order to certify that the quantity of materials received is
accurate, please complete Section 2 of the online MCAS-Alt PCPA. To access the online
PCPA, please go to www.mcasservicecenter.com, click on “MCAS Alternate Assessment,”
then click on “Principal Certification.” Once at the PCPA, please follow the instructions to
complete Section 2.

Please be aware that all students designated for alternate assessment and who are enrolled in
your school on the MCAS-Alt submission date (April 1, 2016) are required to participate in the
assessment.
Was this email forwarded to you?
Get on our mailing list. Click here to
sign up for the MCAS-Alt News.
Published during the school year by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt