The question, if approved, would eliminate the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System or MCAS test as necessary for receiving a high school diploma.
“There has been an ongoing debate for many, many years about the MCAS test," said Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page. "But I want to be crystal clear, this is simply a question about removing and replacing the graduation requirement, the use of the MCAS, to determine who gets a diploma and who does not.”
The union and its 117,000 members across the commonwealth are in support of Question 2.
“We are one of only eight states that requires the passing of the statewide standardized test to get diploma, and that includes not the best states that you want to emulate- Florida, Alabama, other places like that," continued Page. "And so, this is not eliminating the MCAS. The MCAS is a federal requirement. We will still have the MCAS to provide whatever diagnostic information it provides for our teachers, but we are eliminating the punitive, high stakes element and focusing back on authentic learning in our classrooms based in our state's very high standards.”
Page painted a picture of what approving Question 2 would look like in Massachusetts classrooms.
“One is, it stops the harm," he told WAMC. "Right now, we have about 700 students a year – we actually think that's going to grow in the coming years – 700 students a year who pass all their classes but are denied a diploma, a crucial way forward in life, simply because they missed passing the MCAS by a point or two. Secondly, it would allow teachers to get back to real teaching. Too much that goes on in our schools is pushed to focus on teaching to the test, because that's what students are going to have to take and pass in order to get a diploma. And these tests are narrow and not great measures of real learning and the real preparedness of our students for college and for jobs and citizenship.”
Other organized labor leaders say their membership is eager to diminish the role of standardized testing in Massachusetts.
“Year after year after year, we hear from teachers who are union members, who we represent, about MCAS and about how they think it's bad for their classroom, and how it has narrowed the curriculum where, they want to be able to work with their work within their classrooms, work within their community stakeholders, develop lessons that are culturally relevant and adaptable to meet the individual and various learning and social needs in each classroom in each district," said Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch. “We think that the taking out the high stakes testing nature of it will lead to better classroom outcomes for our kids- And I say that as somebody who not just represents educators, I've got kids in public schools too, and I see what MCAS is like, how it disrupts schools during the week, the anxiety leading up to it. I talked to other moms who see the same thing. This is important to me, not just as a as a labor leader, as somebody who represents working people, but as a mom.”
Page says Question 2 is the continuation of an ongoing battle between familiar combatants in Massachusetts.
“Let's be clear who the other side is," he told WAMC. "It is the same group of education reformers, big businesses, the [Massachusetts High Technology Council], [Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education]- These are the same people who were for privatizing our public schools for charters, these are the same people who stood against the Fair Share Amendment, which is bringing in $2 billion a year for public education and transportation. So, it's not a mass movement. What we have here is some very rich individuals who've decided that they believe that having a high stakes test is somehow the answer to Massachusetts' success, where really, the answer for reason we have such an outstanding public education system is outstanding educators, high standards, and funding to help make our schools succeed.”
Question 2’s opponents disagree and want the MCAS requirements to remain in place.
“If it doesn't, 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," said Ed Lambert, Executive Director of the nonprofit Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education. “We think that lowering standards at a time when the state needs to be as fully competitive economically as possible, but also when it needs to embrace equity to the fullest extent, that this is not the time to go backwards and dismantle reforms that have been great for Massachusetts. In fact, since this requirement for graduation has been in place, graduation rates have gone up, academic achievement has gone up for all students, dropout rates have gone down, and as part of a number of reforms instituted decades ago, Massachusetts has achieved first in the nation status with its public schools.”
First-term Governor Maura Healey and her Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler also oppose Question 2. A spokesperson for the governor tells WAMC in a statement that the administration “supports a statewide assessment standard for graduation because it is an important measure of student achievement and helps us ensure students across Massachusetts are receiving the high-quality education they deserve.” The statement goes on to say Healey is focused on improving the MCAS assessment and ensuring it’s equitable.
Massachusetts voters will decide on Question 2 during the general election on November 5th.
