Both sides of the question about whether to eliminate the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement in Massachusetts have launched ad campaigns.Those in favor say it will take tremendous stress off of students and teachers. Opponents, however, say it will actually make schooling in the state worse.”It is an equity issue because not all students are good test takers. This really isn’t a measurement of all learning styles,” said Deb McCarthy, vice president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.The MTA argues that the MCAS forces teachers to teach to the test and does not fully capture what a student has learned.”If we get rid of this requirement, then we will have lower requirements than the state of Mississippi, than the state of Alabama,” said Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union. Opponents of the proposal argue that the state has a responsibility to prepare students for the real world, which includes passing the MCAS.”The GPA is a stronger indicator of success in career and college readiness. Colleges don’t even ask for the MCAS score,” McCarthy said. She emphasized that the test hurts hundreds of students every year by preventing them from graduating.The National Parents Union, however, contends that eliminating the MCAS will exacerbate inequality by leaving each city to decide what a high school diploma means.”It’s really important that we don’t just say hey we have high standards. We gotta make sure that our kids are actually meeting those standards,” Rodrigues said.Important to pay attention to the wording on this one. A “yes” vote would eliminate the MCAS requirement, whereas a “no” vote would keep the MCAS as a graduation requirement in place. The election is Nov. 5.

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