Uncertainty looms after MCAS vote

After voters overwhelmingly cast their ballots to eliminate the requirement that high school students pass the MCAS exam in order to receive a diploma, the question of whether the state will pursue a new statewide standard in the exams’ place — and what, exactly, that would look like — looms over the upcoming legislative session.

Education insiders said this week that conversations about implementing new education standards in wake of Question 2’s passage are already happening, and those who had campaigned against the initiative are pushing for an urgent solution.

Gov. Maura Healey, who opposed the MCAS question, told reporters last week that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will further update regulations.

“It’s time for us to continue what, frankly, was started before the election, which was to figure out the new path forward, and what is the new model for a really uniform standard,” Healey said. “Because, again, my position is we shouldn’t have different expectations for students depending on which ZIP code they’re in. There should be a uniformity to our expectations.”

She continued, “We’re going to do that in discussion with, and in collaboration with a range of stakeholders. So more to come on that.”

Last week the governor said that the voters had spoken on the issue — though she left the door open to legislative changes.

“The voters have spoken on this and I think what’s important now is that [the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education] move forward in getting the appropriate guidance out,” she said.

With most votes counted, Question 2 to decouple the MCAS from graduation was approved by a margin of 59% to 41%. It takes effect on Dec. 5.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued a three-page question and answer sheet to districts on the new law on Nov. 6, which advises school leaders that in order to graduate, students now need to “‘satisfactorily [complete] coursework that has been certified by the student’s district as written in the ballot question.” It adds that additional guidance on certification is forthcoming.

Healey and Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano, said before the election that they were concerned about leaving Massachusetts without any statewide standard for receiving a high school diploma, and left the door ajar on potential legislative action to respond to Question 2 passing.

“What we’re asking for is for the administration and the Legislature to urgently collaborate on a different state graduation standard, something that is uniform so we can protect equity for students,” said Ed Lambert, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education. “It’s a process that should include a range of voices, including parents, teachers, business leaders, policymakers and others, to think about what the next iteration of a state graduation standard should look like.”

Lambert said he believes the state should consider extending the current MCAS exam requirement for the next few years until a new standard can be developed.

“I think that would be reasonable, but it’s not likely to happen,” said Jim Peyser, the former secretary of education under former Gov. Charlie Baker, who is now an advisor at education nonprofit Bellwether.

Peyser, who opposed the ballot question, said the state will have to quickly come up with an alternative way to assess whether every high school graduate in Massachusetts is getting an equal education. But he was skeptical of whether the Legislature would be able to come up with an intervention before the end of the school year, or whether they’d be willing to continue the system that voters cast their ballots against for a few more years in the meantime.

“In a perfect world we would have more time. I don’t think we have that luxury,” Peyser said.

“It was 59 percent to 41, I would put that close to a landslide. Either way, it’s law, it’s the will of the voters. Certainly, there is no doubt about the strength of support for this question,” Page said. “So obviously, we just expect the law to be implemented as passed.”

He added that there are state standards in Massachusetts, “perhaps the highest in the country.”

“They are encapsulated in what’s called the curriculum frameworks, published for everyone to see, every grade, every subject area, every school,” he said.

But the advocates who were on the “no” campaign say that’s still not enough — that the value of a Massachusetts diploma is depleted without a statewide measure for all students to meet in order to graduate.

Since Question 2’s passage, and news out of New York that their State Education Department will phase out the requirement of their statewide high school exam, only six states maintain mandatory exit tests for a diploma, according to FairTest, an advocacy center opposed to testing requirements. The six states are Florida, Ohio, Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia.