RICAS

As you may have heard, RI has made some significant changes to the State Assessment system. PARCC will be replaced by "RICAS" which is being purchased from Massachusetts. Massachusetts uses the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System.) The MCAS has been updated and is referred to as the "Next Generation MCAS." The Next Generation MCAS (aka RICAS) will be almost identical to PARCC in many respects as it will include some PARCC questions and will use the Pearson platform. RI will also be purchasing a new science assessment to assess the Next Generation Science Standards. RI is not using the Massachusetts science assessment.

Here are a few important bits of information:

• students in grades 3-8 will be assessed using RICAS in ELA and math
  
• RICAS will be an online assessment (Pearson platform)
  
• all 8th graders will take the same math assessment (there will be no distinction between grade 8 math/Algebra I in grade 8
  
• there will be no 9th grade assessment
  
• 10th graders will take the PSAT as the state assessment  (including the writing assessment)
  
• 11th graders will take the SAT as the state assessment (including the writing assessment)
  
• NGSS science assessment will be grades 5, 8 and 11 (the grade 5 assessment is a shift from the previous grade 4)
  

Typically in RI, when we have introduced a new assessment - it is the result of adopting new standards. Adopting new standards is a heavy lift for all. Keep in mind, that we are not adopting new standards, we are purchasing a new assessment to assess our current common core standards. Massachusetts has made a few updates to the Common Core Standards. Most all of the updates are clarifications of the CCSS standard which comes from the CCSS footnotes. They simply added the footnote to the actual standard. As more information becomes available, I will pass it along.