MBAE’s Ed Lambert is serving on the advisory committee that will assist Commissioner Riley in developing his recommendations to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding what level of achievement students will need to demonstrate on the next-generation high school MCAS tests in order to earn their Competency Determination and be eligible to graduate from high school.  Massachusetts includes passing the 10th grade MCAS as part of the standard criteria for receiving a high school diploma.

This is a critical conversation flying largely under the radar.  Each year, about one quarter of Massachusetts students that receive a high school diploma find out that they are not ready for college level work and need costly remediation before entering credit bearing courses.  As a result, far too many students never earn the credential or diploma that 72% of jobs in our state are expected to require.

What should a high school diploma mean?  Shouldn’t it signify a level of readiness for college and the workforce?  While we agree that no one test tells us everything about a student’s readiness for the future, recent research shows a strong correlation between 10th grade MCAS scores, success in college, and future earnings.

MBAE is deeply concerned there will be great pressure on the Commissioner and the Board to keep the bar low in order to maintain high school graduation rates.  Twenty years ago, Massachusetts set high expectations for all students, which led to improved outcomes and our first in the nation status in education.  In recent years, we’ve raised standards and updated assessments to reflect the demands of the modern economy.  It’s essential the Competency Determination is consistent with that approach.