By David Taber

The nerve-racking test standing between high school seniors and graduation may take a hiatus as a requirement from Massachusetts public schools. State Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Somerville) has filed a bill that would take the pressure out of passing Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Standards (MCAS) testing for two years.

The proposed legislation calls for a 31-member committee to reexamine the standardized test high school students need to pass before receiving a diploma.

‚ÄúThe Board of Education created a very narrow test that doesn‚Äôt address a broad standard curriculum,‚Äù he said.  ‚ÄúThe English and math sections don‚Äôt even cover the entire English and math curriculum. We are saying that when you have a state standardized test nothing else matters, you force schools to teach to the test.‚Äù

The last round of education reform concluded in 1993. It paved the way for the adoption of the MCAS test. In 2002, passing the test became a mandatory requirement for graduation.  During the process the original intent of the reform effort was lost, Sciortino said.

The narrow standards penalize students who are not good at taking tests and have lead to a 32 percent increase in drop out rates since 2002, he said.  Students who fail the test are 10 times more likely to drop out, according to Department of Education statistics.

Sciortino‚Äôs proposal directs the State Board of Education to create a 31-member committee to assess high school graduation requirements and develop a multiple assessment system, to be put in place by 2009.   

While the commission is establishing the new standards, the bill calls for a moratorium on the use of the test as a graduation requirement.  Students would instead have to meet local graduation standards. The MCAS would still be administered to students from third grade on. However, it would have no bearing on graduating seniors. Under the proposed legislation, a student could fail the MCAS and still receive a diploma so long as classes were passed, Sciortino said.

The bill does not call for the permanent elimination of the MCAS test as a component of any potential plan to standardize graduation criteria, he said.

Michelle Norman, policy director for Gov. Deval Patrick’s special advisor for education, said the governor has not taken a position on Sciortino’s bill. However, Norman said she thinks if the bill passes it would be in line with Patrick’s goals.

Patrick has established two taskforces, one focused on pre-kindergarten through high school graduation and one focused on higher education. They will meet throughout the spring and present recommendations to state special advisor for education and Bridgewater State University President Mohler-Faria, who will compile recommendations new education reform plan, Norman said.

“Massachusetts needs to look education as a comprehensive system that begins before kindergarten and continues through high school and through higher education,” she said.

The main goal of the proposed reform will be to more effectively link education standards to economic and workforce development, and it makes sense to reassess MCAS, she said.

‚ÄúThere has been enough time now to look at the successes of MCAS and the weaknesses of MCAS,‚Äù said Norman.  ‚ÄúThe question we have begun to ask ourselves as a state is, is that enough?‚Äù

The test fails to assess students’ creative thinking, problem solving and teamwork skills, she said.

The governor‚Äôs proposal will likely include provisions for the establishment of an executive office for education.  Although she could not say when the plan would be unveiled, she said short-term reform goals will likely be announced this summer.

Linda Nooman, managing director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, said she sees the bill as a Trojan horse. She said she sees his bill as an attempt to wipe out the test as a graduation standard and believes it is leading to the permanent elimination of the MCAS. Even removing it temporarily as a graduation standard troubles her, she said.

“Any type of temporary elimination would be fairly chaotic and counter to the goals of education reform,” said Nooman.