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By Josh Perry
Hometown Weekly Staff
Last week, Medfield superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Marsden sent a notice to families about a significant change in the testing protocol being used this spring. Marsden said that the district would adopt the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) test this spring to better prepare for MCAS 2.0.
MCAS 2.0 was adopted in the fall by the state as the new testing protocol across the Commonwealth, but many administrators, including Dr. Marsden, believe that the new test is essentially PARCC with a different name.
In his note to parents, Marsden explained that administrators have been told that adopting PARCC this spring would make it easier for students that will be taking MCAS 2.0 beginning in 2017.
He added that it would also provide the district with important data about “curriculum alignment, instruction, and learning over the next few years.” Marsden reminded parents that while being a different test, PARCC and MCAS are both based on “the same learning standards” that the state adopted in 2010-11.
PARCC tests will require students to “demonstrate and apply a deeper understanding of the standards,” according to Marsden, and include timed exams for math and language arts.
As he did in a recent interview with Hometown Weekly regarding MCAS 2.0, Marsden reiterated his support for the current MCAS test and its benefits to teaching and learning in Medfield. In his note to parents, he said, “This information has helped Massachusetts lead the nation in student achievement.”
Students in grade 10 will continue using MCAS this spring to avoid issues with graduation requirements. Science tests in grades 5, 8, and 10 will also remain MCAS.
The district will be announcing further details concerning the spring tests in the coming weeks. Find more information at www.medfield.net.
Josh Perry is an Editor at Hometown Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.
