A group testing program administered in the Morris School is designed to provide information concerning the proficiency of children on standardized tests of academic achievement and aptitude. The results of these tests provide a continuing record of each child's academic progress in comparison with national norms. They are also an aid to your child's teacher in diagnosing individual strengths and weaknesses.
The MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) tests are given according to the following schedule:
Grade 3 - English Language Arts - Reading (April)
Grade 4 - English Language Arts - Composition (April)
Grade 4 - English Language Arts - Language and Literature (May)
Grade 4 - Mathematics (May)
Grade 5 – Science and Technology (May)
The MCAS tests are designed to measure what the students know and are able to do and are matched to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. All students are required to take these tests.
First graders are given an informal Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to assess competence in word recognition and basic comprehension skills. These are used in determining which students might need additional Reading help in the Title I program and to monitor progress toward developing literacy.
Second, third, and fourth graders are given a reading comprehension test, Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), to help determine which students might need additional Reading help in the Title I program. First, second, third, and fourth graders are given the Slosson – Diagnostic Math Screener (S-DMS) to determine which students might qualify for additional help in Mathematics through through the Title I program.
