Help, in my state MA, my child will be required to pass the MCAS (a state test) to graduate from high school. They offer several times to retake the test over, and they require summer school and after school extra help (this I find is crazy for my child because again they are trying to teach him information in a way he does not process, so only GOD knows what he takes in). My child is passing getting B’s,(with a lot of hard work) has an above average IQ but has significant LD’s in the area of written and higher order language processes. On standardized tests such as the IOWA he continued to score well below his grade level (20-30%), on the MCAS he fails.
It confuses me why we here in MA we don’t just send our kids to an MCAS coach instead of school, you only need to learn to pass this test. My child will not graduate which means he will not be able to get into college. Even given all the accomodations he does not test well in these formats, yet he is capable of earning a college degree. What will we do?
Re: MCAS Testing help!
You didn’t say how old your child is , but I would take advantage of every MCAS tutoring class that’s offered. The schools WANT all the students to pass at the 10th grade level, and you might find that they are willing to offer more help than ever before to your child. As with the SATs, it’s all teaching to the test and I intend to have my son(now in 6th) tutored for the MCAS.
Re: MCAS Testing help!
You don’t know how brutal the MCAS is until you have taken it. I’m a LD student with a 3.8 average and 660-verbal and 520 in math on the Sats. I normally have a tutor 3 times a week to keep me on track of my regular work. I barely passed the MCAS I failed the math by two points the first time around. It’s like 5 times longer than the SAts. I’m dyslexic and have severe CAPD. My processing is very delayed and have extreme difficulty with word retriveal I’m completely visual and my short-term memory is horrible. It takes my twice as long do do what a normal kid can do in a short period of time. The Three accomodations that were giving were extended time, writing on the computer when needed, and not having to take the history and science sections becuase I don’t have the energy for it. My brain can only handle small pieces of information at once. I was rarely allowed breaks. Because it took me longer I missed out on my regual classes and they still expected to get all my work done, as a result my grades suffered. I only do as well in school as I because I all the time and all my engergy into it. After a normal day of school I would go home, get a snack, take a nap (most of the time) , relax for a while, homework, dinner, than more homework everyday. I also did the newspaper editing work, but mostly all on the weekend (all computer stuff.) Friends always, on the weekend only though. I already loose out on a lot of fun I should be having. Also I’m going to be a senior and that means I’m amongst the first class to have to pass this test to graduate, we didn’t get any preperation. Kids like me this is unfair and others who learn completely differently. Can’t forget what about the kids who don’t want to go to college, that know ing Algebra 2 and reading saxon english really is irrelevant.
I don’t know what accomodations your son is receiving. The things I can think that are allowed include extended time, someone reading to him, writing on the computer (helped me), not having to take the history and science. If it doesn’t count why take it. A caluclator is only allowed on certain sections of the math. Having someone make sure he understands the directions, they can be very confusing.
Re: MCAS Testing help!
I just wanted to say that you ought to be very proud of yourself for how well you are doing. My son is only 9 and I worry a lot about getting him through school. Even though it has been tough, you are making it. I appreciate you sharing that. It gives me hope.
Now I totally agree about these exams…..Ours are different but a true thorn in the side.
Beth
This is my personal experience with MCAS, I am in MA also. My brother took the 8th Grade MCAS last year, he had to recieve accomodations that were in his IEP. However, if your son is on an IEP there should be a page that says state wide assessments, see if there is anything on that.
The only saving grace, if that is what it can really be called, is that they only need to receive a needs improvement and they are considered passing!
K.