The battle over MCAS
Axios 16 August 2024
Students in Massachusetts could no longer be required to pass MCAS exams to earn a high school diploma if voters side with teachers' unions at the ballot this November.
Why it matters: Teachers say making a student's degree depend on high-stakes tests in the 10th grade narrows the curriculum and puts too much pressure on kids.
They've put Question 2 before voters this fall to remove the graduation requirement, which has been in place since 2003.
The other side: A group of parents, educators and others with stakes in primary education want to stick with the math, science and English exams.
The "no" campaign says ditching the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System requirement would lower standards for all students.
Follow the money: Unions have already spent over $1 million on ads saying diplomas should be about completing high school coursework, not passing a standardized exam.
The ads airing across Massachusetts call for "authentic learning" instead of a curriculum designed around a high-stakes test.
Without the statewide standard, each district would determine who gets to graduate.
What they're saying: In a Boston Globe op-ed, Cynthia Roy, a technical high school teacher, and Shelley Scruggs, the parent of a vocational student, echoed the union-backed ads.
"We want schools that recognize the diversity of learners; encourage students to be curious and creative; foster community and collaboration; reward good attendance and a committed effort to learn; and most important prepare students for success at every stage of their lives," they wrote.
Yes, but: Supporters of the MCAS say the exam system has been a huge success in the last 20 years, taking a 75% passing rate in 2003 to 95% last year.
"We made those standards count by having stakes associated with them," former state Education Secretary Paul Reville said recently.
