Maryland State Wire

BALTIMORE –– Maryland will end the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test in the 2019-20 school year in favor of a new. shorter assessment.

The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) is for third grade through eighth grade in reading, English language arts and mathematics.

Bill Reinhard, the director of communications for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), said development of the new test is just beginning, but will still cover the same Maryland College and Career Ready Standards already in use.

Bill Reinhard, Director of Communications for Maryland State Department of Education

"We are working toward a shorter test, although we cannot as yet say how much shorter," Reinhard said in an interview with Maryland State Wire.

Reinhard said MSDE is going to involve more Maryland educators in its development and test times will be more closely aligned across grade levels.

"We hope to introduce a computer-adaptive test," Reinhard said. "Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) allows for measurement of a student's performance level in a more directed and efficient fashion. In CAT, an initial set of items is given to students and an initial range of performance is established. Students are then given items that are targeted at this performance range."

Reinhard said after each item or group of items is completed by the student, the computer engine continues to calculate the student's performance range and targets future items to the estimated student performance level.

"Students will get some items that are close to on-level, some a little below and some a little above," Reinhard said. "The goal is to continue to get closer and closer to the actual student performance level."

Reinhard said this allows for more efficient targeting of student performance level and the need for a smaller number of test items administered, which should mean a shorter testing time. Items targeted at a student’s level will provide a similar testing experience for all students.

There are only a handful of states still using PARCC, even though the test was once used in dozens of states.

Critics of PARCC claim it is too time-consuming and difficult. In Maryland, less than half of students are passing the test.