SOUTH HADLEY SCHOOL PANEL JOINTS ANTI-MCAS MOVEMENT
Daily Hampshire Gazette -- March 5, 2003
by Kevin Royko

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the School Committee endorsed a resolution that questions the legitimacy of MCAS scores as the primary criteria to measure educational proficiency.

The resolution also calls for a moratorium on using the test as a graduation requirement.

"The MCAS is something that can be a useful tool in regard to raising standards of learning. However, it was never the intention of the legislature for it to become the sole educational evaluation tool," said School Committee Chairman Edward Boiselle.

Similar resolutions have been passed for Easthampton, Northampton and Hampshire Regional high schools.

The resolution states that the committee recognizes the need for a statewide, standards-based assessment system.

It approves of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests specifically as an effective component for improving and measuring student performance. It goes on to state that the MCAS will continue to lead to an improved learning environment for the district's students.

But the resolution states that it is not appropriate to use the MCAS to deny high school diplomas to students who fail the test regardless of their other academic achievements and competencies.

"I believe there are many different ways that students can demonstrate academic proficiency and when we use the MCAS in conjunction wish other methods and forms of testing we can establish a more accurate evaluation system," said Boiselle.

The document, a copy of which committee members will send to legislators and town officials, questions the legality of the state Department of Education requiring the passage of MCAS as a graduate requirement. It calls on the governor, the Legislature and the DOE to implement a moratorium.

According to results from the latest round of MCAS scores 98 percent of South Hadley high school seniors passed the test.