Assessments of Student Performance

Local Assessments

Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, the Melrose Public Schools began administering English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments at the elementary level three times per year in order to evaluate educational pace and readiness.

Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, Melrose High School began administering common mid-terms and finals in all foreign languages. During the 2008-2009 school year, it is expected that there will be a common final exam for all sections of the same course. A plan is being developed to establish a pre-test for all sequential courses to determine where students are with regard to the material learned.

State Assessments

Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)

All public schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are evaluated based on federal and state standards. Per the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), MCAS "is designed to meet the requirements of the Education Reform Act of 1993. This law specifies that the testing program must:

• Test all public school students in Massachusetts, including students with disabilities and limited English proficient students;
• Measure performance based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework learning standards;
• Report on the performance of individual students, schools, and districts."

* For general information on MCAS click on www.doe.mass.edu/mcas

* For Melrose's results click on profiles.doe.mass.edu/home.asp?orgcode=01780000&view=tst

Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA): for Limited English Proficient Students only

The DESE states that "Federal and state laws require that limited English proficient (LEP) students be assessed annually to measure their proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English, as well as the progress they are making in learning English. In keeping with these laws, LEP students must participate in the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA), which consists of two assessments:

• Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment-R/W (MEPA-R/W) assesses LEP students' proficiency in reading and writing at grade spans 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12.
• Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment-Oral (MELA-O) assesses LEP students' proficiency in listening (comprehension) and speaking (production) at grades K-12."

* For more information on MEPA click on www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/mepa

Federal Assessments

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

The DESE indicates that AYP is a federal "measure of the extent to which a student group demonstrates proficiency in English language arts and mathematics. AYP Reports are issued each year and show the progress schools and districts are making toward the goal of having all students reach proficiency by the year 2014."

• For general information from the DESE click on www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp
• For Melrose's results click on www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/2007
  Under "Lists and Analyses, click on the top item: "1999-2007 AYP History Data for Schools"

School and District Report Cards

According to the DESE, NCLB Report Cards indicate "data about student performance and program effectiveness for parents, policy makers, and other stakeholders. Report cards help parents and the general public see where schools and districts are succeeding and where there is still work to do."

* For general information from the DESE click on www.doe.mass.edu/nclb/reportcard

* For Melrose's results, click on Curriculum Department

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): Selected districts and students biennially

According to the DESE, NAEP, "also known as "The Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP assesses representative samples of students in grades 4, 8, and 12." Not all school districts in each state are selected to participate and Melrose schools and/or students may or may not be selected to participate in any given year.

* For more information on NAEP click on www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/naep