RICAS Assessments

The English Language Arts Test Design (pdf) document and PowerPoint (ppt) describe the design of the RICAS ELA tests. Test design documents were updated 11.14.19 to reflect new test blueprints.

• RICAS Parent Flyer (pdf)

RICAS ELA Resources:

Calibrating Expectations Support Materials:

• Facilitator Directions (pdf)
• Calibration Presentation (ppt)
• Calibration Sets
• Released Items and Navigating Student Work Samples (ppt)
• Grade 6 Sample Calibration Exercise
  • Grade 6 Presentation (ppt)
  • Grade 6 Webinar Recording
  • Grade 6 Facilitator Directions (pdf)
  • Grade 6 Handouts

The RICAS assessments are based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework which is strongly aligned with Rhode Island's English Language Arts/Literacy standards: the Common Core State Standards. You can access the Massachusetts' Curriculum Frameworks documents at www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks.

• RICAS Student Tutorial and Practice Tests can be accessed at ricas.pearsonsupport.com

• RICAS Released ELA Items can be accessed at ricas.pearsonsupport.com/released-items

ELA Rubrics: The rubrics below will be used to assess the various types of students writing for the RICAS assessment (2018 to present).

The RICAS Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf) document contains all of the achievement level descriptions for all grade levels.

ELA Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks

The RICAS ELA standards document showcases the alignment between the CCSS standards and the RICAS assessment. Clarifications and differences are noted within the standards in red font. This document supports educators as they deepen their understanding of the standards and implications for instruction. Students are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards while retaining and further developing skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades. Therefore, standard clarification and differences are included for all grades K-12.

• RICAS ELA Assessment Tables (docx)
• RICAS ELA Assessment Tables (pdf)

RICAS Sample Student Work can be found at www.doe.mass/edu/mcas/student/2018

Writing Standards in Action Project provides samples of student work that demonstrates grade-level expectations. The samples are annotated by educators to support student instruction in writing by showing how student writing meets or exceeds the standard. These writing samples are another source of student writing to help calibrate student expectations by grade level. The Massachusetts' Curriculum Frameworks documents refer to the Writing Standards in Action Project samples.

• Grades 3-4: Short Response Rubric (pdf)
• Grades 3-5: Essay Rubric (pdf)
• Grades 6-8: Essay Rubric (pdf)

The Mathematics Test Design document and PowerPoint describe the design of the RICAS mathematics tests.

• RICAS Parent Flyer [PDF] (updated 4.2018)

RICAS Mathematics Resources:

• Understanding the Released Items and Student Work Samples [PPTX]
• Understanding the Student Score Report [PPTX] - Webinar Recording [MP4]
• Calibrating Expectations Using Student Work Samples
  • Presentation [PPTX]
  • Webinar Recording  
  • Facilitator Directions 
  • Task, Standard, and Scoring Guide
  • Student Work Samples 
  • Master Scoring Sheet
• Organizing the RICAS Math Data for Display [PPTX]  

The RICAS Mathematics Informational Session webinar reviewed test design information including item types; the percentage of points allotted to reporting categories for each grade; the calculator policy; and RICAS achievement levels. Also highlighted are released items and other resources available through the RICAS Resource Center. 

Mathematics Test Design and Fact Sheets by Grade: The documents below describe the RICAS test designs for Mathematics grades 3 – 8. They also include information on item types, calculator use, and links to RICAS resources.

• Grade 3 Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 4 Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 5 Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 6 Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 7 Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 8 Fact Sheet (pdf)

Mathematics Reference Sheets by Grade: The reference sheets below are for all students to use during the RICAS mathematics tests. Mathematics Reference Sheets for students who are eligible for the Supplemental Reference Sheet accommodation A9 can be found on the Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and English Learners tab on this web page.

• Grade 5 Mathematics Reference Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 6 Mathematics Reference Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 7 Mathematics Reference Sheet (pdf)
• Grade 8 Mathematics Reference Sheet (pdf)

RICAS Assessment Tables and Achievement Level Descriptors: Supplemental assessment tables provide information for specific standards in terms of assessment. Achievement level descriptors are summaries of the knowledge and skills students demonstrate for the different levels of proficiency on RICAS.

• Grade 3 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)
• Grade 4 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)
• Grade 5 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)
• Grade 6 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)
• Grade 7 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)
• Grade 8 RICAS Assessment Table and Achievement Level Descriptors (pdf)

Technical Skills for Students (pdf) outlines the skills students should be familiar with in order to navigate and use TestNav confidently. Please ensure that students have time to use these skills on the practice tests before testing begins.

RICAS Calculator Policy (pdf)

Below is a chart, by grade level, of the calculator types available to students on session 2 only of the RICAS mathematics tests for the computer- and paper-based tests. Please keep in mind that:

• Any 7th or 8th grade student may use one of the handheld calculators listed below instead of the calculators embedded in TestNav (no accommodation is necessary). However, at a minimum, 7th and 8th grade students should have sole access to a 5-function calculator.
• Non-calculator sessions of any RICAS mathematics tests: unless a student has the accommodation SA4: Calculation device or other mathematics tool for the non-calculator session of the mathematics test*, no calculators are provided in TestNav and no handheld calculators should be made available.

*This accommodation is a Special Access accommodation. The student must meet specific criteria in order to receive this accommodation. See the RISAP Accommodations and Accessibility Manual for more information (click on the Accommodations tab on this web page).