Petition in Support of the Resolution
Before the Cambridge School Committee   
To Retain Diploma-Granting Authority at
Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School
Regardless of MCAS Scores

We, the undersigned teachers and assistants in the Cambridge schools, wholeheartedly support the resolution before the School Committee to have Cambridge retain its diploma-granting authority regardless of MCAS scores.

We believe that the MCAS is a poorly designed assessment tool that does not effectively or efficiently measure student achievement.  We believe in accountability but think that there are measures which better serve students and schools at less cost to student self-esteem and schools' commitment to provide substantive learning opportunities to all students.

We work hard to educate our students and to help them meet the graduation requirements at CRLS.  We believe that those of us in the school system, under the guidance of the Superintendent and the School Committee, are better able to determine the full range of a student's learning, achievements, and contributions to the community than the distant state Department of Education, using only a single standardized test.

We are discouraged by the negative impact the MCAS is having on our students and our curriculum.  We feel that the Department of Education is ignoring legitimate concerns brought up by educators from all across the state.  A School Committee vote to retain control over diploma-granting, regardless of MCAS scores, would be an energizing message of support for us and our efforts.

******************************************************************************

Signature                               Printed Name                      School and Position

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________