Some Facts about MSA:

• The test meets the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
• The test assesses the Maryland content standards in mathematics, reading, and science.
• The reading and mathematics tests are administered annually to students in grades 3 through 8. The science test is administered annually in grades 5 and 8.
• MSA scores will show how well Maryland children have learned the reading, mathematics, and science skills specified in the Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC).
• The test includes both selected response (multiple-choice) and brief constructed response items.

"The Maryland School Assessment will fulfill recommendations made by a state panel of parents, legislators, educators, and business and community leaders (the Visionary Panel for Better Schools) and will also meet the new federal testing requirements of President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. It will launch a new decade of progress for our students"
- Nancy S. Grasmick
State Superintendent of Schools

The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) is a test of reading, math, and science achievement. This test provides educators, parents, and the public valuable information about student, school, school system, and state performance.

	What are MSA's performance standards?	What does MSA test?	What does MSA look like?	How are constructed responses scored?

What does MSA test?

The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) is a criterion referenced test that measures student proficiency and advanced proficiency on the Maryland content standards embedded in the reading and mathematics Voluntary State Curriculum as shown below. Content standards assessed on MSA at the objective level are followed by assessment limits.

Reading / English Language Arts

345678English

Mathematics

345678Algebra / Data Analysis

Science

45678Biology