High school students in Massachusetts will now need to score higher on the MCAS, the state's standardized test, in order to graduate. Advocates say that decision comes at a "terrible moment," but state education board members say it's the right time.
Students will now be required to earn a scaled score of 486 on the English and math exams, or 470 with the completion of an educational proficiency plan, and meet a threshold set at 470 for science and technology/engineering tests. The prior score thresholds were: 472 for English, or 455 with an educational proficiency plan; 486 for math, or 469 with an educational proficiency plan; and 220 for science/technology.
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Lisa Guisbond, executive director of Citizens for Public Schools, opposes the new requirement, as did the majority of people who left a public comment on the measure.
"It's a terrible moment to do this, because of all of the disruptions that our students and teachers and families have been through during the pandemic," Guisbond said on Greater Boston.
She added that many states have abandoned graduation tests — largely due to negative impacts on students of color, students with disabilities and English language learners. When kids perform poorly on the MCAS, the focus of their education becomes the test, rather than the classes and activities that make school engaging, she said.
Martin West, a member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, supported the measure to increase the graduation requirement.
He said students' performance on the test is related closely to their long-term performance, which "really tells us that the MCAS is capturing skills that matter for student success."
West said updating the graduation requirement was a long and thoughtful process that came from the work and suggestion of an advisory board.
Watch: New MCAS requirements spark debate
