Bill > H660

This bill modifies existing Massachusetts education law to enhance state summative assessments by introducing a more equitable and adaptive approach to measuring student learning. Specifically, the bill mandates the implementation of a computer-adaptive assessment that has a flexible "ceiling" (high-end difficulty) and "floor" (low-end difficulty) to more accurately track individual student progress across K-12 learning standards in English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The assessment aims to precisely identify which academic standards each student has already mastered and which they need to develop further, with the goals of supporting continuous student learning, determining each student's authentic academic readiness, and providing a more fair mechanism for evaluating educator performance. The changes will be implemented in two phases: initial modifications effective July 1, 2021, and additional refinements effective July 1, 2023, with a particular emphasis on creating "criterion-referenced" assessments that can flexibly measure students' attainment of academic standards. The bill's underlying intent is to promote educational equity by creating a more nuanced and personalized approach to understanding student learning and growth.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H660