Parents, supporters deliver final signatures for ballot question to end MCAS graduation requirement
Parents, supporters deliver final signatures for ballot question to end MCAS graduation requirement
The MTA has reached a pivotal milestone in its ballot campaign to end high-stakes testing tied to the high school graduation requirement.
On Wednesday, MTA leaders, parents, educators and allies delivered the last boxes of signatures to the Secretary of State's office, bringing the total count to 135,000 – more than any other ballot initiative campaigns this election cycle.
The deadline for all groups to file signed petitions was 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Parents, supporters and MTA educators celebrated this monumental achievement on the steps of the State House. The success of signature gathering for the ballot campaign reflects the groundswell of public support the MTA initiative has received from parents, families and the general public.
“The 117,000-strong MTA membership helped secure more than enough signatures for this ballot initiative to appear before Massachusetts voters next November,” said MTA President Max Page. “This campaign is about eliminating the use of the MCAS as a punitive test that decides who gets a diploma or not. We know that 700 or more students a year do not graduate, even though they’ve fulfilled all of their requirements and passed their classes.”
Page emphasized that the ballot question directly tackles issues raised by MTA educators who have experienced firsthand the narrowing of curriculum as a result of an emphasis on MCAS exam preparation.
“The people are letting us know that all students deserve an education that is well-rounded and focused on students – not a one-time test score."
MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy
“The people are letting us know that all students deserve an education that is well-rounded and focused on students – not a one-time test score,” said MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy.
McCarthy, a fifth-grade teacher in Hull for more than 25 years, said the high-stakes nature of the test has turned schools into testing warehouses and eliminated essential personnel such as librarians, as well as band programs in her district.
In districts with test scores that are deemed low, there’s even more drilling on MCAS preparation and further narrowing of the curriculum. This represents a major challenge that impacts both educators and students.
Federal law would still require the administration of the MCAS exam, but the elimination of the tie-in to graduation means it wouldn't have the destructive, high-stakes effects on student lives. The high standards that Massachusetts is known for will not go away, and in fact, educators will be able to better help students reach their full potential rather than simply meeting a test score.
“Most do not know that MCAS has proven time and time again to be the standardized test that increases the inequalities in our school system.”
Somerville Educators Union President Dayshawn Simmons
“Most do not know that MCAS has proven time and time again to be the standardized test that increases the inequalities in our school system – especially with English language learners, students of color and students with special needs,” said Somerville Educators Union President Dayshawn Simmons. “As a middle school educator, I have seen firsthand how reading passages on standardized tests make assumptions about the lived experiences our students have gone through.”
Massachusetts stands among only eight states in the U.S. that continue to require standardized testing as a graduation requirement. However, there is a growing movement to revise this outdated approach. Most recently among these states, New York is actively considering the elimination of its high-stakes Regents exams, reflecting a broader national trend. Florida is also considering dropping the requirements.