How is the seventh grade MCAS in ELA different from the sixth grade test?
In sixth grade you took the MCAS reading test. It included reading selections followed by multiple choice questions. Open-response items were also part of the sixth grade ELA MCAS. In seventh grade you take the same style reading test over a similar three day period, but you must also write a long composition as part of the seventh grade requirement. The long composition test is given in grades 4, 7, and 10. In 10th grade it is a graduation requirement.Back to Top
Both test are scheduled for the spring. Last year the long composition part of the ELA test was given at the end of March. The reading test is given about two weeks later. The long composition test is given on the same day to all seventh graders enrolled in a Massachusetts public school. All seventh graders get the same prompt. If you are absent on the day of the test, you will be allowed one make-up test. That make-up is usually given one week from the first test. If you miss the second date, you receive a zero.Back to Top
What type of writing is asked of a seventh grader for the long composition?
The writing piece the state expects you to produce is called an expository piece. The word expository comes from the verb, 'to expose.' When you write to explain or inform, you are writing an expository piece. In the months leading up to the test, you will become familiar with the types of prompts students responded to in the past, and you will be asked to write one for practice.Back to Top
Where can I find out more information about the test?
The state's DOE or Department of Education has a very comprehensive website. Check it out. Not only will you find information about the test, but all old tests are archived there. You can read through the old prompts for the long composition and check out old reading tests. Keep checking my website for updates and information as well.Back to Top