School Committee group urges high MCAS stakes be put on hold

By Heidi B. Perlman, Associated Press writer

BOSTON -- Diagnostic tests should be used to assess student abilities, but using exam results as the sole graduation requirement is inappropriate and unfair, according to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

In a position paper being released this week, the group urged lawmakers to hold off on attaching high stakes to the hotly-debated MCAS exam until research can be done to analyze its impact on students.

Beginning with this year's 10th graders, all students -- including those in vocational schools or with special needs -- will be required to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam to graduate.

"There are so many elements to Education Reform that you don't need to go overboard by holding kids to a single instrument to graduate to get everyone's attention," said Glenn Koocher, head of the MASC. "You've already put the fear of God into principals, administrators, teachers and parents. Isn't that enough?"

The group voted overwhelmingly in favor of at least temporarily removing the graduation requirement at its annual meeting last month. Members of the Boston and Worcester school committees both opposed the decision.

Annual results on the assessment test have been low, with only a slight uptick in some subjects since the test was first given to students in grades 4, 8 and 10 in 1998.

The spring 2000 results released last month showed more than one-third of all sophomores still failed the math and English exams.

Still, Boston School Committee chairwoman Dr. Elizabeth Reilinger said she expects to see dramatic improvements in 2001, when results of the first exam taken by students required to pass are released.

"It's human nature. If there isn't a consequence, people don't take it seriously," she said. "Postponing the graduation requirement would be like coming down the home stretch and deciding to pull out of the race."

The position paper will be released just before members of the organization file legislation tomorrow urging lawmakers to develop alternative types of assessment to use in addition to the MCAS results.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association plans to file similar legislation asking the graduation requirement be abandoned completely.

But State Sen. Robert Antonioni, head of the state's Education Committee, said it is unlikely lawmakers will vote in favor of any motion to delay, postpone or abandon the graduation requirement now.

Still, he said some changes need to be made between now and 2003, the first year students will be denied diplomas. Future results need to be released more quickly, and a plan needs to be put in place for students who repeatedly fail the test, he said.

"I'm not prepared to discuss a delay or postponement, but it's good we're having this debate," he said. "The test can only be made better for it."

In the position paper, the MASC says more appropriate -- and accurate -- measures of student ability should be developed and used in accordance with MCAS results.

The group says schools should also use school transcripts, formal student assessments, and student portfolios to evaluate students.

They also suggest schools develop alternate graduation standards for students with disabilities.

In addition, the group recommended a commission be created to assess the overall effectiveness of the MCAS exam.

"I think firmly that a single, high-stakes test as a graduation requirement is unfair and should command the public's attention," Koocher said. "The MCAS has an important part to play, but using it this way will prove to be more unfair as we get closer to the point of no return."

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