Assessment & Accountability
![]()
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENTTop of Page
Assessment is an essential element of the learning process. In Newburyport we use a variety of assessments for a number of purposes. Assessments give us information before, during and at the end of leaning that helps us determine student needs, progress, and instructional direction. The on-going process of examining student work allows us to make data driven decisions that support continuous improvement.
![]()
District Report CardTop of Page
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides school districts with an annual report card.
"This report card contains information required by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for our district and its schools including: student enrollment and teacher qualifications, student achievement, accountability, and the progress our school is making toward narrowing proficiency gaps for different groups of students." MA DESE
![]()
STATEWIDE TESTING SCHEDULES FOR MCASTop of Page
The testing schedules for MCAS are posted on the Department of Education web site at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/cal.html. Please make note of updates that have been made to the testing schedules since they were originally posted.
![]()
MCAS ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT (MCAS-ALT)Top of Page
MCAS is designed to measure a student's knowledge of key concepts and skills outlined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. A small number of students with the most significant disabilities who are unable to take the standard MCAS tests even with accommodations participate in the MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt). MCAS-Alt consists of a portfolio of specific materials collected annually by the teacher and student. Evidence for the portfolio may include work samples, instructional data, videotapes, and other supporting information.
- Learn about the MCAS-Alt. View an overview and frequently asked questions.
- Access student participation requirements for the MCAS standard test (including test accommodations) and MCAS-Alt.
- Access resources for conducting MCAS-Alt and on upcoming training sessions, including MCAS-Alt Newsletters, the Resource Guide, Educator's Manual, MCAS-Alt Forms and Graphs, and order forms.
- See sample portfolio strands from students' MCAS-Alt portfolios. Also view students' self-evaluation samples.
- Find information on scoring portfolios and view reports of results. Also view information on the MCAS-Alt score appeals process.