Nashoba sophomores took the English MCAS, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. This was the first year that MCAS testing was online at the high school.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Learning is responsible for the statewide testing. The new MCAS tests are being called the “next-generation tests” because they is taken on the computer. In past years, the MCAS tests have always been given on paper in English, mathematics, and science. The new computer program was introduced to the secondary education level this year.

The class of 2021 across Massachusetts are the first to take this test on the computer.

Sophomore Lauren Leonard, said, “English and science are fine online, but I would prefer paper for math.” Sophomore Anand Sharma agreed. However, there has been some opposition to taking any test on the computer. Sophomore Anna Zeh said that she prefers the paper test for all of them.

This spring, the state of Massachusetts will be giving the “next-generation tests” to multiple grade levels. This includes grades 3 to 8 for English and math, grades 5 and 8 for science, and 10 grade English, science, and math.

Massachusetts tenth-graders with exemplary scores may be eligible for two scholarships, the Adams Scholarship and the Koplik Certificate of Mastery.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Learning, “The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship provides a tuition credit for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university.”

All sophomores must pass the MCAS exams in order to earn their diploma and graduate from high school, but it is possible to retake the test.