MCAS results are worth applauding
The Boston Herald
By S. Paul Reville
April 6, 2003
It's time for a brief but heartfelt celebration. Ninety percent of the class of 2003 has now met the state requirement for high school graduation, scoring at the competency level in math and English on the MCAS.
Many flatly asserted such passage rates never could be achieved. Others, myself included, had periodic doubts as to whether we could get this many students to this level by spring 2003. But with hard work and high achievement, educators and the overwhelming majority of our students met the challenge of the Commonwealth's ambitious new learning standards.
Disparities still exist, as they did long before MCAS. But those we're most concerned about, those whom the system historically has failed, are steadily closing the learning gap. Among African-American, Latino, special education, vocational and English-language students, the numbers of those who have achieved mastery are substantial and growing. Yes, pats on the back are in order.
But the most strident MCAS critics - agonized by the success of this equity-driven strategy and astonished by the capacity of so many students and teachers to meet the standards - would ban celebration altogether. They style themselves as the protectors of the disadvantaged. They yearn for "the good old days" when standards were nonexistent and performance didn't matter - forgetting that disadvantaged youth suffered most from these conditions.
The sad truth is these advocates could better serve those they purport to protect by focusing on meeting the educational needs of students still struggling toward mastery, instead of investing so much energy trying to destroy the new, higher student expectations.
Indeed, this is the next challenge for all of us but especially for our state's education leaders. Celebrations and diatribes should not be allowed to distract policy-makers from their urgent obligation to provide educational services for those who will not be graduating with the class of 2003 because of their MCAS performance.
There should be an array of pathways open to these students - a set of diverse strategies for offering high-quality, timely opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to qualify for graduation.
Unfortunately, evidence suggests the state is behind in developing and communicating these pathways. An underlying principle of the reform and a promise frequently heard from state leaders has been that the state will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to get each and every child up to the basic competency standard. The standard, after all, represents the minimum knowledge requirements for success in higher education or employment. It's an exchange relationship: Students must do their share by showing up and supplying the effort, and the state is on the hook to provide the interventions, instruction and supports necessary for success.
This "safety net" system should have been clear and available to those recently notified of their failure to meet the MCAS standard for graduation.
In January 2002, the Boards of Education and Higher Education published a comprehensive plan that involved community colleges, employers, community organizations and high schools. Progress has been made, but the plan has not been fully executed. What exists is a patchwork with many promising pieces but nothing resembling a true system.
Understandably, some students unable to graduate are confused about their options, and they are likely to get discouraged quickly.
The governor's leadership is required to shape and implement a vision, especially in these challenging fiscal times. Abandoning these young people is simply not an option, no matter how tight the budget may be.
There are significant issues of authority and resources in bringing the various systems to bear on the needs of these students. For example, no one in Massachusetts has the authority to insist that all community colleges welcome these students with open arms and provide comprehensive remedial education. As a result, only some of the colleges do so.
We must remember that having defined a standard required for graduation, the state incurred an obligation to guarantee all students a fair and full opportunity to meet that standard - regardless of the time, instruction, reorganization or resources it takes.
At the same time, education leaders must work to make sure subsequent classes are prepared to meet the MCAS standard. This means strengthening underperforming school systems and holding adults accountable for providing students high-quality opportunities to learn. Many of our urban school systems, facing monumental challenges, still are failing large numbers of students. Now that we have clear data and real pressure focused on school performance, we need to provide direction and assistance to dramatically improve these systems.
While obligated to offer "pathways" to students, the state is on its own "pathway" to finally delivering on the promise of American public education: a fair opportunity for all to learn and succeed. We have made progress, but strong leadership is required to meet the remaining challenges so that every child truly can be a winner.
