Mitchell Chester: Positioning MA for Delayed PARCC? | deutsch29

Mitchell Chester: Positioning MA for Delayed PARCC? | deutsch29:

Mitchell Chester: Positioning MA for Delayed PARCC?

On October 21, 2015, I received a copy of an email written by Maureen LaCroix, who identifies herself as “educational consultant at Massachusetts Department of Education” (DESE) on Linkedin.

The email (which was forwarded to me by one of my readers) is LaCroix’s take on recent discussions surrounding the potential future role of PARCC in Massachusetts. On October 19, 2015, Massachusetts Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester proposed that DESE create a hybrid of the state’s current assessment, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and PARCC. The board is set to vote on November 19 to either retain and “upgrade” MCAS or to replace MCAS with PARCC.

Chester’s politically pacifying compromise essentially sets Massachusetts up for a future MCAS “zombie” stuffed with PARCC. Of course, he is not stating so in this manner. However, the more information I read on the issue, the more Chester’s goal to transform MCAS into PARCC-with-MCAS-label Mitchell Chester: Positioning MA for Delayed PARCC? | deutsch29: