This document presents a self-assessment instrument for early childhood programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds in Massachusetts. The self-assessment is intended to provide guidance to program personnel, local early childhood advisory council members, and parents as they evaluate their programs and identify areas for improvement. The instrument also…

This publication presents guidelines for parents and educators in making appropriate decisions about participation in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MACS) tests for students with disabilities, and it describes commonly used test accommodations. State law requires the participation in MCAS of all students who are educated with…

This fourth and final guide in a series of volumes addresses parents who desire assistance in selecting the appropriate school for their child. The guide provides narratives and "real life" descriptions of actual occurrences in schools that advertise themselves as emphasizing a particular style or philosophy of teaching or curricular…

This document provides an overview of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), the state's student testing system. MCAS measures the performance of students, schools, and districts by assessing student knowledge of the academic learning standards contained in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. The purpose of this document is…

Parent involvement in their children's education is widely regarded as a way to help students succeed in school. High parental involvement has been linked to increases in student achievement and engagement in school. As a result, efforts to increase parent involvement in their children's education, both in and out of school, have been included in…