Local diplomas approved

By JILL ANDERSON, Staff writer

NEWBURYPORT -- The School Committee voted unanimously to give a high school diploma to students who fail the MCAS but met the district's graduation requirements.

The city is the seventh district in the state to oppose a state mandate requiring all students to pass the MCAS exam to receive a high school diploma.

Newburyport could end up paying a price for their decision. The state has deemed local diplomas as "illegal documents." The state's education commissioner has even threatened to withhold Chapter 70 funding and take away state certification for administrators if they grant local diplomas.

However, the threat didn't seem credible to committee members. "I think it's an idle threat," said committee member Richard Sullivan, Jr. "I believe the state should stay out of local authority." "I find it difficult to believe that they can hold back money," said committee member Laurie Naughton.

This is the first year the mandate is being put to the test in local communities.

The state's Board of Education requires all 10th grade students to pass the MCAS math and English exams in order to receive a high school diploma. Students that fail the exam in the 10th grade have four more opportunities to take the test before graduation.

The School Committee's decision is good news for the five Newburyport High School seniors who were in jeopardy of not receiving a diploma.

Committee members reiterated that they weren't opposed to MCAS, but felt strongly about granting a  local diploma to students who may have failed the  MCAS, but otherwise met all the district's requirements.

"We believe in the MCAS," said committee member Mary Anne Clancy.

Clancy said the state needs "to get its act together" first before holding students accountable.

Part of the reason the committee is against the MCAS graduation requirement is because the curriculum frameworks have only been in place for five years.

"I feel pretty strongly about this," said committee member Ruth Garvey. "It's not fair. The state has put the MCAS in the wrong light. They should hold the district accountable, not the student accountable."

Superintendent Mary Murray agreed with the committee's decision. "I'm in full support of what I hear the School Committee talking about," Murray said. "I think we should go forward." Murray said after hearing the personal stories from the students who failed the MCAS she believes it's the right thing to do.

 Murray said when it comes to MCAS, the state needs to hold the adults accountable, before the students