6th grade and up...tests used for placement? MISA?

[Anonymous]

In general I have been so frustrated at the lack of transparency about when tests are used for placement.

Does any one know what the MISA (Maryland Integrated Science Assessment) is used for? Is it used at all for placement or tracking?

Are they any other tests we should know about that are used for placement? So far I know the MAP and CogAt were used for placement in the magnets schools and for new enriched classes at home schools, but I only learned that these were used for placement in the enriched classes at home schools after the fact, which makes we wonder if there are any other important test I'm not aware of?

thanks!

[Anonymous]

I don’t believe there are different tracks for science in MCPS middle school so the score shouldn’t matter. I was just coming on myself to post a question about the MISA. I see it’s a graduation requirement. My child is a 9th grades taking bio and struggling big time. I’m wondering what score my child needs to pass it and what grade it’s administered.

[Anonymous]

Middle school MISA (and it's predecessor the Science MSA) is not used for high school science class placement. The MISA is still new and only just starting to identify its proficiency bands. At best, the data will eventually be used in individual high school classes for teachers to identify students who need to be focused on with additional support to ensure they are ready for the HS MISA. At worst, it is just high level data that is mostly ignored.

[Anonymous]

What is new with MISA is that current 10th graders must pass it in order to graduage. But, state Board of Education hasn't released info about what the "pass" score is, and won't until August. State Board roll out bad, not the fault of MCPS (and I never defend them, because they suck at rolling new things out)

[Anonymous]

PARCC scores are used for Middle School magnets, HS Magnets, enriched courses in MS for sure and probably other things.

There are district assessments in many courses that are looked at as well at the school level and may be used in creating groups/classes, determining student needs.

Anything assessments students take while in school can and probably should be used, otherwise, what's the point of assessing them?

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for replies!