As a parent and a former Cambridge School Committee member who cares deeply about setting up our children for success, I am deeply concerned about the proposed elimination of the 10th-grade assessment as a high school graduation requirement. I firmly believe that maintaining this exam as a graduation requirement is essential, especially for our most vulnerable students.
While I acknowledge the flaws inherent in standardized testing, I also recognize the necessity of maintaining some form of academic measurement. The flaws in the test do not negate the need for accountability. If Ballot Question 2 were to succeed, we’d be left with a system based on 300+ varying standards that will lead to more students graduating even if they haven’t yet learned the skills they’ll need to thrive in their adult lives.
Those in favor of removing the MCAS as a graduation requirement generally rely on two arguments. The first argument is that MCAS places enormous amounts of stress on our children. From my experience as a parent and school committee member, I believe we should teach our children how to manage stress, not remove it. This builds resiliency that will position them for success. What child doesn’t face stress in their lives? — driver’s tests, nursing license tests, the bar exam, the teacher’s licensing test. Not to mention the stress they will feel arriving on a college campus or entering the workforce and finding out they must still obtain the basic skills they should have mastered while in school. We need to give them the tools and support to manage life’s challenges, not feed into their fears.
Secondly, those opposed to the MCAS say that because some school districts and students lack the resources to succeed, we should just eliminate the standard. To me, this is unacceptable. The results of this year’s MCAS should be a massive wake-up call. If four out of five Black and Latino children in grades 3-8 are not performing at grade level now, should we plan on scrapping the high school graduation requirement so they can be handed a diploma that doesn’t indicate their readiness to graduate and jeopardizes their future? We must do more to support our children so they can reach that bar. We must send our kids into adult life knowing they are competent in writing, math and science.
Having unequal standards across the state would further disadvantage children who need the most help. I don’t understand the wisdom of lowering standards for kids who struggle to make the grade. Our goals should be lifting them up and providing them with support to succeed.
I often liken the necessity of academic requirements to school sports. While any student can join a team, they must demonstrate skill and competency to earn the chance to play. No one questions this approach in sports; we encourage our kids to practice and improve their abilities to gain more time on the field or court. We should apply the same mindset to academics, holding all students to high expectations that foster their growth and success.
As the birthplace of public education, Massachusetts has long been regarded as a beacon of educational achievement, and we must continue to lead by example. We can do this by ensuring students who are struggling get the help they need rather than lowering academic standards for all students.
Take the “Mississippi Miracle,” for example. Mississippi, which had long struggled with student reading outcomes, passed its Literacy-Based Promotion Act in 2013. This law created a more robust infrastructure around helping children learn to read and holding them back at the end of third grade if they didn’t hit a certain benchmark. The result? 97% of its school districts have improved third-grade reading scores. If we want to better equip our children for future success, we should look to initiatives like these.
As Nov. 5 approaches, it’s imperative that we engage in a thoughtful discussion about what we want for our children’s education. Will we support a system that helps bridge the gaps, or will we allow disparities to widen? The stakes are too high for us to remain indifferent.
I urge you to consider voting NO on Ballot Question 2 and to consider the importance of the MCAS — not just as a test, but as a vital tool for equity and accountability and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed. Removing the requirement without a replacement, as proposed by Question 2, would be a grave disservice to our kids.
Manikka Bowman is a parent and former Cambridge School Committee member.
