Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment
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| Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Name | Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment |
| Formation | 2013 |
| Type | Consortium |
| Purpose | Alternative assessment development |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Region served | Massachusetts |
| Membership | Public school districts, charters, higher education, nonprofits |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment is a regional partnership formed to pilot and scale performance-based and competency-based assessment models across K–12 public and charter Boston Public Schools, Springfield Public Schools, Worcester Public Schools, and suburban districts. The consortium has engaged with higher education institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston College, as well as nonprofit organizations including The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Achieve, Inc. to design alternatives to standardized tests. Its work intersects with statewide policy actors like the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, federal actors such as the U.S. Department of Education, and advocacy groups like Education Reform Now.
History
The consortium emerged after statewide debates involving stakeholders such as Deval Patrick, Charlie Baker, and educators from Cambridge Public Schools, Lexington Public Schools, and Brookline Public Schools seeking options beyond the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. Early pilot projects drew expertise from researchers at Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Northeastern University, and were influenced by national reports from National Research Council, RAND Corporation, and The Aspen Institute. Initial funding rounds included grants from The Hewlett Foundation, Ford Foundation, and partnerships with assessment firms like ETS and Pearson PLC. The consortium’s formation paralleled initiatives led by New Hampshire Department of Education, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, and PARCC, while learning from cases in New York State Education Department and California Department of Education.
Mission and Goals
The consortium’s stated mission aligns with frameworks promoted by Common Core State Standards Initiative adopters, aiming to develop performance tasks endorsed by organizations such as Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association. Goals include creating valid measures connecting to Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education priorities, preparing students for postsecondary pathways recognized by State Universities of Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts, and private institutions like Boston University. It emphasizes college- and career-readiness metrics used by employers such as General Electric and Fidelity Investments and seeks alignment with credentialing initiatives from Credential Engine and Lumina Foundation.
Member Districts and Partners
Members include urban systems like Brockton Public Schools, New Bedford Public Schools, and Fall River Public Schools as well as suburban and regional systems such as Newton Public Schools, Wellesley Public Schools, Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, and Algonquin Regional High School District. Charter collaborators include Uncommon Schools, KIPP Massachusetts, and Match Education. Higher education partners have included MIT Media Lab, Brandeis University, Suffolk University, and Wheelock College. Nonprofit and policy partners have featured Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, MassBudget, and national groups like Education Trust and Center for American Progress.
Assessment Programs and Initiatives
Programs developed draw on models from Project Based Learning, Performance Assessment of Competency Education pilots, and competency frameworks used by ASCD. Initiatives include multi-task performance assessments in literacy and numeracy modeled after research by Hiebert, Black and Wiliam, and Grant Wiggins. The consortium experimented with portfolio assessment methods akin to those used at High Tech High and blended formative systems similar to platforms developed by Instructure Canvas and Illuminate Education. Career and technical assessment pilots referenced standards from Massachusetts Career Vocational Technical Education, integrated with industry-recognized credentials like those from Cisco and Microsoft Certified Educator.
Governance and Funding
Governance combines superintendents, school committee members, representatives from Massachusetts Teachers Association, local school boards, and university researchers from Boston College Lynch School of Education and UMass Boston. Funding streams included federal Title I and Every Student Succeeds Act-related grants, philanthropic funding from Wallace Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation, and contracts with private vendors including ETS and ACT, Inc.. Oversight bodies referenced internal advisory panels as well as external reviewers from American Institutes for Research and Council of the Great City Schools.
Implementation and Outcomes
Implementation occurred in phases across elementary, middle, and high schools in districts such as Somerville Public Schools and Revere Public Schools. Outcome measures reported by the consortium and partners like REL Northeast & Islands showed mixed evidence on student achievement trends referenced to NAEP benchmarks, graduation rates tracked by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and college matriculation figures reported by Common App partner institutions. Some districts reported improved performance on performance tasks similar to findings in research by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded studies, while others documented challenges noted by National Center for Education Statistics reports.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics included state legislators, local school committees, and commentators associated with Boston Herald and The Boston Globe who questioned reliability, comparability, and scalability vis-à-vis established tests like MCAS. Concerns were raised by organizations such as Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance and analysts from Pew Charitable Trusts about cost, vendor influence from firms like Pearson PLC, and privacy issues noted by Electronic Frontier Foundation. Debates drew attention from national commentators hosted by Brookings Institution, Hoover Institution, and Cato Institute and led to legislative scrutiny from members of the Massachusetts General Court.