More than 1,000 MCAS essays scored incorrectly due to AI mishap

A technical glitch led to the incorrect scoring of approximately 1,400 MCAS essays in Massachusetts, impacting one or two students in each of the 145 affected districts, as reported by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The issue arose from AI scoring, which is relatively new in the MCAS assessment process. A teacher at Reilly Elementary School noticed discrepancies and alerted district leaders, prompting an investigation by DESE. The testing contractor, Cognia, subsequently rescored the affected essays and reviewed score distributions for accuracy. DESE emphasized the potential of AI grading to enhance the efficiency of student performance data analysis, although concerns about its current accuracy remain.

Assistant Superintendent Wendy Crocker-Roberge noted that the 90-10 ratio of AI to human scoring may not be adequate for high-stakes reporting. Full MCAS score reports are typically released to students and families in the fall. This incident highlights the challenges of integrating AI into educational assessments.