The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is designed to meet the requirements of the Education Reform Law of 1993. This law specifies that the testing program must:
- test all public school students in Massachusetts, including students with disabilities and English Language Learner students;
- measure performance based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework learning standards;
- report on the performance of individual students, schools, and districts.
As required by the Education Reform Law, students must pass the grade 10 tests in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics and one of the four high school Science and Technology Engineering tests as one condition of eligibility for a high school diploma (in addition to fulfilling local requirements). MCAS testing dates are usually in the spring and can be found on the HS Calendar.
In addition, the MCAS program is used to hold schools and districts accountable, on a yearly basis, for the progress they have made toward the objective of the No Child Left Behind Law that all students be proficient in Reading and Mathematics by 2014. For a detailed breakdown of WHS students' MCAS performance, visit the WHS MCAS profile provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Currently, Westwood High School does not use assessments developed by The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), a group of states working together to develop a modern assessment that replaces previous state standardized tests. Any changes to the standardized instruments WHS use to assess students' skills and mastery will be communicated to the school community.
