Opinion/Guest column: MCAS repeal wrong lesson for students
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
E arlier this month, Massachusetts took a significant step backward in its commitment to education and student success by repealing the requirement for high school students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System to earn their diplomas.
The decision to abandon this standard reflects a growing trend across the country to lower the bar on accountability in education — a shift that allegedly promotes equity but actually harms students, especially those most in need of support.
For decades, MCAS has provided students, families and educators with an objective measure of student achievement, ensuring that graduates meet essential academic standards before pursuing employment, enlistment or postsecondary education opportunities.
The MCAS graduation requirement has been a foundational element of Massachusetts' success, driving one of the nation’s most respected education systems and setting a high bar for students. By removing this requirement, we are diluting the value of a Massachusetts diploma, sending students into the next phase of their lives less prepared and less competitive.
Massachusetts leaders, including Gov. Maura Healey, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler and Senate President Karen Spilka, opposed dropping the graduation requirement. They should be commended for their commitment to accountability.
Some supporters of the repeal argued that removing MCAS requirements would be a move toward equity, suggesting that standardized assessments unfairly disadvantage certain student populations. We know lowering standards is not the answer.
Educational equity means ensuring all students have access to high-quality education and the support they need to meet rigorous expectations. Removing this essential academic benchmark does nothing to address the underlying issues of inequity — and will likely exacerbate them.
Objective measures like MCAS are designed to measure all students against a set of common standards agreed upon by educators and education experts. Those who need more support get more support. Disadvantaged students are disproportionately harmed when we remove these tools. Rather than lowering expectations, we should focus on providing every student with the resources to meet them.
This decision also sends a concerning message to students that we don’t believe in their potential to meet high standards. By signaling that accountability and preparedness are optional, we risk undermining students' confidence and resilience. Preparing students for the realities of life after high school means holding them to rigorous academic standards and giving them the support to succeed — not lowering expectations.
Repealing the MCAS requirement may provide a temporary reprieve from the pressures of standardized testing, but the long-term consequences are clear. Our students deserve a diploma that represents real achievement and readiness. Instead of abandoning accountability, Massachusetts should be doubling down on programs that provide additional support to students who struggle to meet these standards, ensuring every student graduates from school prepared for success in their next chapter.
The MCAS repeal is a misguided attempt at educational reform. Rather than advancing equity, it undermines the progress Massachusetts has made in educational excellence. Let us hope that the state’s leaders recognize this misstep and renew their commitment to rigorous standards that prepare every Massachusetts student for a successful future.
Cara Candal is vice president of policy for ExcelinEd, an education policy nonprofit. She lives in Boston.
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We all knew it was about equity as soon as the Teacher's Union pushed for it.
Massachusetts voters bought it.
based upon recent current events, I can certainly agree with that part ...
A high school diploma is absolutely meaningless at this point.
The problem is...is the reality that life is neither equitable nor fair. It rewards excellence and achievement.
That worthless diploma won't be of much value when the get into college or apply for professional positions
Massachusetts changed high school diploma to a certificate of attendance
Really? I don't think so. You still have to pass the classes and I would imagine that there are still state standards that each class has to teach to.
I note there's no source for that comment.
I agree with this statement:
It would be interesting to know what parts of the test or tests were problematic and why the teachers were for abandoning them.