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MCAS in the News (week of October 31, 2002)
Remembering Senator Paul Wellstone; From the New York Times
obituary:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/26/obituaries/26WELL.html
.....Growing up, he was more interested in wrestling than politics,
and he had some difficulty in school because of what he later found out was a
learning disability. He scored lower than 800, out of a total of 1,600, on his
College Boards, and this led him as a senator to oppose measures that emphasized
standardized test scores. In an interview, he once said that even as an adult he
had difficulty interpreting charts and graphs quickly but that he had learned to
overcome his disability by studying harder and taking more time to absorb
information.....
..... Often, Mr. Wellstone was the only senator voting against a measure, or one
of only a few...... He was the only one that year to vote against an education
bill involving standardized tests....
In Massachusetts news this week:
- Many articles report that Massachusetts school
committees overwhelminly favor a Brookline-sponsored resolution
supporting local diplomas;
- Edgerly awards based on annual MCAS gains are
announced - going to schools in Easthampton,
Hadley, New Bedford,
and Quincy, among others; most award-winners are
elementary schools testing an average of around 45 students in each grade, where
scores would be expected to fluctuate (see Walt Haney's analysis of year-to-year
MCAS school score swings posted at
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n24/);
- A Malden/Medford legislator
expresses misgivings about the graduation requirement;
- A few more high schools and districts - including Revere
and Brockton - begin the process of filing
performance appeals to waive the MCAS requirement
for graduation.
- And Deb Meier's new book is highlighted.
New Bedford Standard-Times, 10/31: School boards assert
control over diplomas
http://www.s-t.com/daily/10-02/10-31-02/a01sr002.htm
WORCESTER -- School committee members from around the
state overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution opposing the MCAS test as a high
school graduation requirement yesterday.
At its annual meeting, the membership of the
Massachusetts Association of School Committees asserted that local school
committees should have the power to determine who has earned a high school
diploma, rather than the result of one "high-stakes" state test. ....
..... As the law stands, the state Department of Education mandates that
students of the class of 2003 must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System test to receive a high school diploma. School committee
members derided an alternative, "certificates of completion," offered to
students who meet all local requirements but fail the test. Such a certificate
would create "an underclass of students," said Brookline School Committee member
Nancy Erdmann.
"Do they want us to run the schools?" asked Sharon School
Committee member Suzanne Peyton. "If they want us to run them, give us the tools
we need, and let us make the decision
about who deserves to graduate."
The vote, which was 97-27 in favor of the resolution,
marked perhaps the largest statewide statement in opposition of the test as a
graduation requirement. In an adjacent meeting room at the Worcester Centrum,
the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents also endorsed a
resolution saying "multiple measures," including MCAS, should be used to
determine a graduation requirement.
"There was a lot of hostility towards MCAS in this room
tonight," said Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts
Association of School Committees. "They sent a signal tonight that they still
feel very strongly about this issue." ....
This story appeared on Page A1 of The
Standard-Times on October 31, 2002.
Springfield Union-News, 10/31: Officials give MCAS poor
grade
http://www.masslive.com/springfield/unionnews/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1036059012237830.xml
..... The 97-27 vote followed an hour of intense discussion on the issue by
members of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. It represents the
strongest stand the group has taken on MCAS to date.
Following the vote at the annual meeting, members said
they hope state officials are listening, with some 12,000 high school seniors in
limbo and graduation just months away.
"We're saying, 'Don't force young people to be failures
in 2003.' Local school boards know best what is right for their own children,"
said Rosemary Sandlin, president of the state association and a
longtime member of the Agawam School Committee......
..... The MCAS vote is worded to ask for changes to the Education Reform Law to
allow school districts to set graduation standards. It also reiterates
positions taken in the past two years by the group for a suspension of the MCAS
graduation requirement until the Board of Education studies the length of the
test and its impact on vocational, bilingual and special needs students. ....
..... This shows that the majority of school districts aren't comfortable with
the Board of Education. We're concerned with what's going to happen to those
children who have not passed the test," [Springfield School Committee Vice-Chair
Marjorie Hurst] said. Springfield still has 565 seniors who will not graduate
thanks to failing grades on one or both of the tests......
AP wire/Boston.com, 10/31: School boards assert right to
award diplomas
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/303/region/School_boards_assert_right_to_P.shtml
See also, AP wire/Daily Hampshire Gazette, 10/31:
School boards support diplomas
http://www.gazettenet.com/10312002/schools/1379.htm
..... "(School committees) best understand the needs of the
community," Koocher said. "School committees want to make it clear they continue
to feel strongly and will continue to drive the point home."
The association overwhelmingly passed anti-MCAS measures
in the past two years.
This year's resolution asserts the right of local boards
to award local diplomas to students who meet district requirements and have
demonstrated competency through a variety of assessments. ....
.... Education Department spokeswoman Heidi B. Perlman said the MCAS graduation
requirement is needed to ensure graduates statewide have basic skills in math
and English.
''We truly believe that's the right thing to do for
kids,'' she said.....
AP wire/ New Bedford Standard Times, 10/30: Boards push
MCAS vote
http://www.s-t.com/daily/10-02/10-30-02/a03sr021.htm
See also, Daily Hampshire Gazette, 10/30:
School boards vote on diplomas
http://www.gazettenet.com/10302002/schools/1345.htm
BOSTON -- School committees from across the state plan to
vote today on a resolution preserving their right to grant diplomas, regardless
of MCAS graduation requirements.
The vote, while holding no legal weight, comes less than
a week before Election Day and is intended to pressure elected and appointed
officials to ease the graduation requirement.
"The net impact of the resolution would be to add some
political and emotional support for the Legislature to act," said Glenn Koocher,
executive director of the Massachusetts School Committee Association, which
meets in Worcester.
Backers expect it to pass. Springfield's school board
signaled support last week, bringing the number of committees in support to 57.
Koocher said 200 boards will be represented, each with a voting delegate.
Anti-MCAS measures passed overwhelmingly the past two years. ....
..... "This effort represents an incredible level of frustration on the part of
local schools officials," said Brookline parent and test opponent Ruth Kaplan.
"Parents are starting to wake up to the fact that their kids could be denied
diplomas, and they're very angry." .....
..... The Department of Education is going all out to promote the test. It
recently announced a $350,000 promotional campaign, which includes buying ads on
popular stations and, later this year, running still ads in theaters before the
start of movies. The ads encourage kids to get extra help and pass the test.....
.... "The state law makes it very clear that as of this June the students need
to meet the local and state requirements to earn a diploma," [DOE spokesperson
Heidi Perlman] said. "Because of that, there's no room for negotiation."
As the movement gained steam, the DOE in July issued a
letter to districts warning them that state and federal funds can be withheld if
school boards fail to comply with the graduation requirement.
"It is absolutely not a threat of civil disobedience,"
Koocher said. "No school committee is threatening to break the law."....
.... Marcia Madden Heist, chairwoman of the Brookline School Committee, said
their support includes urban and suburban committees. Springfield, New Bedford,
Quincy and Somerville have signed on, she said.
"It's not a bunch of rebellious activists," she said.
"This is about the citizens of the commonwealth, who have a responsibility for
the children, to prevail upon the people who can make changes."
This story appeared on Page A3 of The Standard-Times on
October 30, 2002.
Boston Globe, 10/30: MCAS rule faces challenge
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/303/metro/MCAS_rule_faces_challenge-.shtml
...... Meeting in Worcester, delegates to the Massachusetts
Association of School Committees' annual conference will consider a statement
denouncing the MCAS graduation requirement. Today's move, however, is mostly
symbolic: The resolution does not carry legal weight, and even its chief authors
say their school districts aren't ready to follow it.
But the declaration is backed by big-city school
committees whose superintendents traditionally have championed MCAS. ''It is
crunch time,'' Springfield School Committee vice chairwoman Marjorie J. Hurst
said. ''As we see students and talk to their parents - particularly now because
we don't know what types of opportunities this is going to cut off for children
- that does give one pause.'' ....
This story ran on page B2 of the Boston Globe on
10/30/2002.
Boston Globe, 10/30: No consensus on MCAS
requirement
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/303/metro/No_consensus_on_MCAS_requirement-.shtml
..... As they gather in Worcester this afternoon with their
counterparts from across the state, representatives of local school committees
will be asked to approve a resolution supporting the notion that a community,
not the state, should have the authority to grant diplomas to high school
graduates.
Unlike several of its neighbors, the Natick School
Committee voted unanimously not to support the resolution at the convention this
year....
.... Other area school committees, however, see things differently when it comes
to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, the math and English
portions of which this year's seniors have to pass in order to graduate.....
..... Framingham, for example, voted unanimously to support the association's
resolution at today's convention. School Committee chairman Phil Dinsky said the
high school MCAS test is unfair to students who have not had the benefit of a
revamped curriculum throughout their school careers....
..... In Holliston, the School Committee voted, 6 to 1, to support the
resolution, in part, said chairman Jon Coppelman, because members felt that,
with all the local factors to account for - including special education
considerations, income levels, and language barriers - only local school
officials truly know who deserves a diploma and who does not.
''Ultimately, it's the local community who is the only
one that can make that kind of determination,'' he said. ''We believe in
standards, but it's very hard at the state level or at the national level to
create standards that apply uniformly everywhere.'' .....
This story ran on page B2 of the Boston Globe on
10/30/2002.
Brockton Enterprise, 10/31: 24 Brockton High
students appeal to state to get their diplomas
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/display/inn_news/News/news12.txt
BROCKTON Appeals are being filed today for 24 Brockton
High School seniors who have tried and failed three times to get a passing score
of 220 on the state's MCAS test.....
.... Nearly 200 of Brockton High School's 865 seniors have yet to pass both the
math and English portions, but the appeals process is so complex that many don't
qualify.
The appeals were filed for 24 students who failed math.
Two of those students also failed English and appealed.
To appeal, a student must meet both eligibility and
performance requirements. They must have taken MCAS three times, received a
grade of 216 or better and attend a remediation program. They must also have 95
percent attendance during the school year prior to and during the appeal.
The performance requirement is a complex, time-consuming
and cumbersome task for school administrators, according to Superintendent
Joseph Bage. It requires that a student have a teacher recommendation and meet
grade point averages of comparable students who took the same sequence of
courses.....
..... For those who win their appeals, the reward comes with a high school
diploma. Those who are rejected have an opportunity to take the test again in
December.
That is what Meaghan Martel is banking on. The Brockton
High School senior passed the English MCAS exam without a problem, but has just
missed the mark in math. In three tries, she
scored 214, 216 and 218. She is enrolled in remedial classes at school, but
didn't bother
filing an appeal.
"I've wanted to drop out of school because of it," she
said, "but my mother says, keep trying. It's like they're ruining our future,
it's just terrible."
Martel said she knows of up to five students who have
left school since junior year because
they failed MCAS. Confirmation of that was not available and school enrollment
figures show an
increase. In June, there were 806 in the class of 2003; in September, 819; and
on Oct. 1, 865.
"They've had it," Martel said. "Once they found out they
failed again, they just left. It's
aggravating."....
..... Brockton School Committee members are generally in favor of including
those students in graduation if they meet local graduation requirements and
admit that a state certificate will hold more weight than a local certificate.
But, they are still unclear of what a certificate will accomplish....
.... Martel plans to attend cosmetology school, but doesn't know if she will be
admitted without a
high school diploma....
.... [T]here is also a concern about the 95 percent attendance rate required for
appeals. In Brockton, the attendance requirement is 89 percent. Bage said it is
difficult for urban schools to reach a higher level, though there has been some
preliminary discussion of hiking Brockton's requirement.
The committee agreed to respond to the state Board of
Education's request for comments,
asking that the attendance requirement be lowered.....
Malden Observer, 10/29: Questions remain as last MCAS
retests loom
http://www.townonline.com/malden/news/local_regional/mal_newmomcaspc10292002.htm
..... [Elizabeth C. Keroack, the assistant superintendent for curriculum,
instruction and assessment for Malden] is especially concerned about MCAS
putting students' pursuit of higher education at risk.
"What will each individual school do in regards to a
certificate of completion, and what will that allow students to do after they
have left high school?" Keroack asked. "What is the role of the community
college system, what happens to students who normally would matriculate in
community college after graduation? What about students who are applying to
state colleges but won't know until after the retest whether they would be able
to enroll? That's a very costly and time-consuming application process. I don't
know what universities and colleges are going to do.".....
..... Keroack said that the state's unpreparedness is making its biggest impact
on districts with at-risk students.....
....."A diploma is, by definition, a certificate given to students who meet the
state and local requirements, and that includes the MCAS," Perlman said.
"The state-endorsed certificate shows that students have
met local requirements, and students can come back as many times as they want to
try to complete the state requirement."
Local legislators, however, are skeptical.
"There have been bills filed that would make MCAS not the
only criterion for graduation from high school, particularly from vocational
school," said state Rep. Paul Donato. "There has to be more than just one test
that says you're understanding what has been taught.".....
...... "I'm concerned about the dropout rate, and that we're going to have
students who can't pass MCAS," Donato said. "We should have another alternative.
There has to be some kind of reform -otherwise we're going to see a lot of
students repeating grades or dropping out."
Boston Globe North Weekly, 10/27: Pulling plug on MCAS
tests gains support
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/300/north/Pulling_plug_on_MCAS_test_gains_support+.shtml
Four local school committees have joined 46 others in the
state in endorsing a resolution that would allow communities more flexibility to
establish graduation requirements, and to consider whether
Since the beginning of October, Melrose, Saugus, Swampscott,
and Wakefield have voted to support the proposal initiated by the Brookline
School Committee asking the state's education department to reevaluate the
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System standard before high school
seniors graduate next year....
..... ''Do we have 100 percent success rate? Of course not,'' [Carol Tye, school
committee member and former superintendent in Revere] said. ''But we were the
beneficiary of education reform. And there is an appeal process, and we have 28
students that have not passed, and the school administration has decided that it
will appeal on behalf of all 28.''....
.... Marcia Heist, chairwoman of the Brookline School Committee, which
petitioned school committees in the state to consider the resolution, said that
communities should have a choice to weigh the importance of the MCAS tests in
determining graduation requirements.
''There is a two-tier system, of issuing graduation
diplomas and certificates, which clearly flies in the face of everything we've
been trying to do,'' Heist said. ''We want the Board of Education and the
Department of Education to understand that this is a statewide community
concern.''....
New Bedford Standard-Times, 10/28: Two city schools reap
benefits of MCAS gains
http://www.s-t.com/daily/10-02/10-28-02/a01lo004.htm
NEW BEDFORD -- This year's MCAS scores at the Congdon
School showed the most dramatic improvement of any school in the state -- and
now Congdon is $10,000 richer for it.
Also rewarded for its achievement is the Ottiwell School
in the North End, where students significantly boosted their scores on the
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test as well. Ottiwell will also
be getting $10,000....
.... The Foundation for Partnerships, established by William S. Edgerly, will
present the awards to the two schools in early November. There are no strings
attached to how the money should be spent, except that principals at each school
make the final decision....
.... Mr. Edgerly said he has been awarding schools for dramatic improvements in
MCAS scores since 1999, and has given out $250,000 to public schools over that
time.
"In every case, there were solid reasons why the school
improved so dramatically in one year," he said. "Principals and teachers said,
'These scores need to be better,' and then they worked to achieve that."
He said the awards are meant to celebrate that kind of
leadership, and to congratulate students for a job well done. "So often, we
celebrate football championships and such, but not academic achievements. This
helps students see the value of academics," he said. "The award reflects well on
their school, and their community."
Other schools receiving $10,000 awards this year are Case
High School in Swansea, Rockport High School, Crocker Elementary School in
Fitchburg, Hadley Elementary School, Center School in Easthampton, Squantum
School in Quincy, Peter Noyes School in Sudbury and Johnson School in Natick.
Quincy Patriot-Ledger, 10/31: Quincy school is recipient
of $10,000; Higher MCAS scores bring a cash reward
http://ledger.southofboston.com/display/inn_news/news09.txt
QUINCY - Squantum Elementary School is one of 10
statewide to receive a $10,000 award
because of leaps in its MCAS scores.....
.... I want to emphasize the importance of improvement,'' Edgerly said. That
is, any school regardless of where it is located has the opportunity to improve.
I have seen it over and over in the schools I have visited. There is a strong
reason: that is they simply decided they weren't satisfied with where they were.
The principal and faculty put their heads together and found a way to improve
their academic resolve.''
This is the fourth year the foundation has given the
grants, which go to the 10 schools throughout the state with the highest gains
in MCAS results from one year to the next.....
Springfield Union-News, 10/30: Schools reaping MCAS awards
http://www.masslive.com/hampfrank/unionnews/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1036059049237831.xml
Center Street Elementary School in Easthampton and the
Hadley Elementary School have both won prestigious awards for improved MCAS
scores between last year and this year.
The awards, which will include $10,000 to each school,
were made to the 11 schools statewide in which students made the largest average
scoring gains in the testing system's language arts and mathematics exams.....
.... In addition to recognizing the achievements of students and teachers, the
awards are aimed at honoring the school principals responsible for guiding their
programs to improved scores, Edgerly said.....
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 10/31: Hadley School earns state
award
http://www.gazettenet.com/10312002/schools/1390.htm
HADLEY - Improved MCAS scores have landed the Hadley
Elementary School a $10,000 gift - one of only 10 awarded in the state - from a
foundation that recognizes improved academic performance.....
..... [Elementary school principal Philip] DiPietro said that getting better
scores was something he impressed on the staff and students when he became
principal in summer 2001.
"I think improved MCAS results was a mantra for me, I
talked about it constantly," DiPietro said.
DiPietro spoke to students about strategies for doing
well on the test, such as remaining calm, getting a good night's sleep and
making educated guesses. He also sent out letters to parents stressing the
importance of the tests.....
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 10/25: Easthampton School wins
award
http://www.gazettenet.com/10252002/schools/1208.htm
EASTHAMPTON - The Center Elementary School has won a
prestigious $10,000 award for achieving the highest gains in the state in
overall academic improvement and in 2002 MCAS test scores.....
..... In English Language Arts, eight percent of students achieved an advanced
score in 2002, compared with just two percent in 2001. Thirty-eight percent of
students attained a proficient rating in 2002, compared to 34 percent in 2001.
Fewer students, 43 percent, fell into the needs
improvement category, compared with 55 percent in 2001. However, 13 percent
failed the test, up from eight percent in 2001.
In the MCAS math test, 18 percent of students reached the
advanced level, compared with no students in 2001. Twenty-five percent attained
a proficient score, up from eight percent in 2001. Needs improvement scores fell
from 57 percent in 2001 to 35 percent in 2002. Twenty percent of students failed
the math test in 2002, down from 36 percent in 2001.....
Boston Globe, 10/27: Principal of charter school says one
size does not fit all
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/300/metro/Principal_of_charter_school_says_one_size_does_not_fit_all+.shtml
In her third book, nationally known educator Deborah
Meier tackles the challenge of building trustworthy schools in a time of tests
and standardized curricula. Meier, founder and co-principal of the Mission Hill
School in Roxbury, has embarked on a national tour to promote ''In Schools We
Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and
Standardization.'' Parents and teachers from Mission Hill accompanied her on her
book tour. Meier, 71, founded Central Park East, a public school in East Harlem
that won national acclaim for academic excellence. She spoke to the Globe about
her newest book published by Beacon Press.
And some repeats, first published last week, printed at later dates in other
newspapers:
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 10/25: State airs MCAS ads
http://www.gazettenet.com/10252002/schools/1214.htm
AP wire/New Bedford Standard-Times, 10/25:
State officials move to dismiss MCAS suit
http://www.s-t.com/daily/10-02/10-25-02/a05sr027.htm |
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