One year after pass rates on the MCAS exam rose significantly-a gain which was dismissed as a fluke by opponents of Massachusetts' high-stakes testing program-scores on the test have risen yet again, though this round of gains is smaller than last year's. In spring 2002, 86 percent of sophomores passed the Bay State's English exam, up from 82 percent in 2001, and 75 percent passed the math exam, the same as last year. Forty percent of black 10th graders passed both portions of the test, up from 37 percent in 2001; 33 percent of Hispanic students passed both parts, up from 29 percent the year before; and 78 percent of white students passed both parts, up from 77 percent the year before. Of the roughly 21,700 sophomores who did not pass the test, 60 percent came within four points of doing so. These students will have four more chances to pass the test before they are scheduled to graduate in 2004. "MCAS scores improve as minorities narrow gap," by Ed Hayward, Boston Herald, August 30, 2002; "Slight improvements seen on Massachusetts high-stakes test," by Neal Learner, Education Daily, September 3, 2002 (subscribers only). A summary of the test scores is available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/2002/results/summary.pdf
