Objective and comparable data are needed to measure Massachusetts’ progress on education equity and excellence. That’s why students in grades 3-8 and 10 take MCAS assessments in English language arts and math. Students in fifth, eighth, and ninth grade also take the MCAS in science. Taking MCAS only accounts for 1% of class time each year, but provides critical information on what students need, what instruction methods are working, and how well we are meeting goals for equity and improvement.

Without the comparable data that only MCAS can provide, parents are not guaranteed information about whether pandemic school disruptions had an impact on their child’s learning, and schools and districts will not know what degree of learning acceleration is needed and where the influx of federal resources should be prioritized.

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