The Mississippi Subject Area Testing Program

The Mississippi Subject Area Testing Program (MSATP) is Mississippi's answer to No Child Left Behind. This testing program is used by educators to help determine how well the schools are performing in different subject areas.

The MSATP is administered to all students in the second through the eighth grades. The subjects that are tested each year vary somewhat. For instance, reading is tested in all grades while writing assessments are performed in fourth grade and end in the seventh grade. A special test is given to those in sixth grade that covers reading and language arts in addition to math. Science is added starting in fifth grade and continues until eighth grade.

MSATP Questions

The questions developed for MSATP testing were created in 2001. Effective at that time, students must pass this test in order to graduate. The Mississippi Department of Education along with McGraw Hill created a proficiency level for each grade level and subject area. Over 200 Mississippi teachers had input into these decisions to provide the highest level of proficiency for each grade and subject.

The main MSATP test given to all students is called the Mississippi Curriculum Test. This test consists of math, reading, and language and contains 45 multiple choice questions as well as 4 essay questions. The skills covered in this test follow the Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks.

For more information regarding the MSATP test visit www.continentalacademy.com.