Massachusetts AFL-CIO endorses ballot question to nix MCAS graduation requirement
by Grace Zokovitch 12 August 2024
The Massachusetts AFL-CIO has endorsed the Question 2 ballot measure to end the state MCAS standardized testing high school graduation requirement.
“Passing Question 2 lets our highly qualified teachers do the job they are trained and licensed to do,” said Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch in a statement Monday. “The AFL-CIO urges working families and supporters of public education to vote Yes on 2 for the betterment of public schools in Massachusetts.”
The ballot initiative, championed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, would end the practice of using the MCAS standardized test as a high school graduation requirement but allow districts to continue to use the tests as an assessment tool.
After securing the highest signature count of any ballot initiative this cycle, the test is set to appear of the November general election ballot this year.
Opponents of the graduation requirement have argued that it disproportionately harms students already facing barriers in education. Lynch stated marginalized students, including those learning English or struggling with poverty, “are especially deserving of more authentic learning and a comprehensive education that will help them succeed in higher education and in the workforce.
“Like tens of thousands of union members in Massachusetts, I am a parent with children in public schools who sees firsthand the effects of high-stakes testing on students’ learning environments,” Lynch said. “All children deserve a comprehensive education. Making MCAS a high-stakes exam has narrowed the curriculum and made it more difficult for educators to tailor lessons to the needs of students.”
Opponents of the ballot initiative, including parent, education and business group members who recently launched an ad campaign against Question 2, have argued the question does not offer an adequate uniform alternative to replace the test and will lower academic standards across the state.
MTA leadership heralded the endorsement from the AFL-CIO, noting the union support was “key in defeating a dangerous expansion of privately operated, publicly funded charter schools and winning both the Student Opportunity Act and the Fair Share Amendment.”
“We could not be prouder of this endorsement for Question 2 by the powerful voice of working families in Massachusetts,” said MTA President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy, who also serve as vice presidents on the AFL-CIO’s executive council. … “Passing Question 2 will be another crucial victory for our communities and our state’s economy.”
