MBAE Response to Preliminary PARCC Results

Statement can be attributed to Linda Noonan, Executive Director, MBAE

September 21, 2015 – The preliminary PARCC results released today don’t come as a surprise. This is a rigorous, complex, high-quality test that is aligned with the higher standards in place in Massachusetts schools.

The MCAS test results, also released today, confirm our deep concern that they are not an effective tool for assessing readiness for college and careers. Ninety-one percent of 10th graders scored proficient or advanced in English, but huge numbers of high school graduates need remedial classes when they reach college.

The PARCC results show that we are on the right track to maintain our national leadership in student performance.

Also, these numbers are not a complete picture. They are a subset of the groups that took the test online. Full results will be out later this fall and we will have a more accurate understanding of how Massachusetts’ students did on the PARCC test.

PARCC was specifically designed to be a strong predictor of students’ readiness to advance in school and, ultimately, in college and careers.  The results released today represent a very positive and important next step in Massachusetts’ ongoing efforts to provide schools and families with the accurate information they need to help all students thrive.

We still have work to do to make sure our students are ready to succeed in the real world opportunities that await them.  But this state has never been one to shy away from a challenge – in fact, the Commonwealth has built an international reputation on embracing challenge as a pathway to progress, particularly as it relates to educating our citizens and strengthening our economy.

These results renew our confidence in the PARCC test. We are on our way to assuring that students here will compete, innovate and succeed in an increasingly global marketplace. PARCC is the critical yardstick that enables us to measure progress toward that essential goal.