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| Maryland School Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maryland School Assessment |
| Acronym | MSA |
| Administered by | Maryland State Department of Education |
| Established | 2003 |
| Subjects | Reading, Mathematics, Writing |
| Grades | 3–8, 10 |
| Format | Paper-based (historically), computer-based transition |
| Purpose | Student assessment, school accountability |
Maryland School Assessment The Maryland School Assessment was a standardized measure used by the Maryland State Department of Education to evaluate student achievement in core subjects across public schools in Maryland. It informed state-level accountability systems including interactions with the No Child Left Behind Act and contributed data to analyses by entities such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the Education Commission of the States. The assessment influenced district practice in systems like the Baltimore City Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Prince George's County Public Schools.
The MSA assessed student proficiency in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing and played a role similar to assessments used in Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, and the California Standards Tests. It aligned with state academic standards promulgated by the Maryland State Board of Education and linked to policies enacted through statutes such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Local superintendents in districts including Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Howard County Public School System used MSA results for curriculum decisions, professional development, and resource allocation.
The MSA emerged after statewide standards movements influenced by final actions under the No Child Left Behind Act and federal reporting requirements administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Its development involved contractors and testing consortia with precedents in programs like the Standards of Learning (Virginia) and consultation with research groups including the American Institutes for Research and the RAND Corporation. Key milestones included adoption in the early 2000s, alignment revisions tied to standards updates from the Maryland State Board of Education, and later transitions influenced by consortium efforts such as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
MSA content paralleled frameworks used by other state assessments such as the New York State Regents Exams and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Reading sections drew on passages reflective of curricula in districts such as Carroll County Public Schools and Frederick County Public Schools; mathematics sections sampled domains similar to those in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Writing tasks mirrored performance task models used by organizations like the College Board for constructed response scoring. The test historically used multiple-choice items, short answers, and extended responses, later incorporating items designed for computer-based delivery following models from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.
Administration protocols followed guidance from the Maryland State Department of Education and were implemented by local assessment coordinators in districts such as Charles County Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools. Scoring combined machine-scored multiple-choice results with rubric-based scoring for constructed responses, employing trained scorers and turnaround procedures similar to scoring operations managed by organizations including Pearson PLC and ETS (Educational Testing Service). Score reporting schedules aligned with timelines set by the Maryland State Board of Education and data were submitted to federal repositories maintained by the U.S. Department of Education.
MSA outcomes fed into accountability frameworks comparable to those applied under the No Child Left Behind Act and later state accountability systems influenced by Every Student Succeeds Act. Results affected school report cards issued by the Maryland State Department of Education, informed district-level interventions in systems like Washington County Public Schools, and guided professional development funded through state and local allocations. Policymakers used MSA trends alongside demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau to target supports and to monitor subgroup performance in federally recognized categories.
Critics invoked concerns similar to critiques directed at the No Child Left Behind Act and the use of standardized testing in districts such as Baltimore City Public Schools. Issues raised included test validity, the impact on curriculum narrowing highlighted in analyses by the Fordham Institute and the Brookings Institution, and legal questions about accommodations for students under laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Litigation and policy debates paralleled challenges seen in other states over high-stakes consequences, drawing attention from advocacy organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union.
Research on MSA outcomes contributed to state and national analyses similar to those published by the National Education Association and the Pew Charitable Trusts, documenting proficiency trends, achievement gaps, and longitudinal changes in districts including Montgomery County Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools. The assessment influenced instructional practices, resource allocation, and policy decisions at the Maryland State Department of Education level and shaped subsequent adoption of assessment models such as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium instruments.