amber@northstarreporter.com
As the Massachusetts General Election approaches on Nov. 5, voters are gearing up to make crucial decisions, including whether to maintain the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) as a high school graduation requirement.
On Aug. 5, the campaign to remove MCAS as a graduation requirement was officially launched. Led by the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), the initiative aims to replace the current system with what MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy describes as “multiple forms of assessment like GPA, coursework, and teacher feedback.”
Supporters of the “Yes on 2” campaign, named because the question is second on the November ballot, emphasize that passing the measure wouldn’t eliminate MCAS entirely. Instead, it would “simply reduce the test score to one of many data points that can be used in assessing a student’s readiness for success after graduation,” according to a recent press release.
The MCAS exams, created as part of the 1993 education reform law, have been a graduation requirement since 2003. If Question 2 passes, supporters argue the exams would still be administered but used primarily for diagnostic purposes.
Educators like Carolyn Armitage, a science teacher from Worcester, are actively campaigning for the change.
“We have incredibly high standards,” Armitage stated during a neighborhood canvassing event on Aug. 17. “Removing the graduation requirement will allow us to focus on those standards rather than focusing on how to teach students to take a standardized exam.”
The “Yes on 2” campaign has garnered support from several major organizations, including the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Massachusetts Nurses Association, and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.
However, the measure faces opposition from groups like the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education. Ed Lambert, the organization’s executive director, argues, “If it doesn’t [remain in place], we will become one of only three states in the country with no statewide requirement, and we would leave it to 351 school districts to determine what they think is the right standard.”
Gov. Maura Healey has also voiced her opposition to Question 2. In a recent interview on WBUR’s “Radio Boston,” Healey stated, “I think that assessment is important, we need to be able to assess how our young people are doing. So, I do not support getting rid of MCAS.” However, she acknowledged the need to address the challenges faced by students who struggle to pass the exam.
As the debate intensifies, Massachusetts voters will have the final say on Nov. 5, determining the future role of MCAS in the state’s education system.
