Is This the End of the High-Stakes High School Graduation Exam

Teaching to the Test

Consider Shelley Scruggs' son. A 16-year-old student at Minute Man Technical Institute in Lexington, Mass., Shawn has ADHD and isn't great at test-taking, says Shelly Scruggs. He's very good with his hands however, and has an excellent understanding of algebra and geometry, which will pay off in his future career as a plumber.

But he failed the English section of the MCAS by a single point last year. And now he might not get a diploma? "If a kid goes to school every day, passes all of their classes and earns all the required classes, he should be able to graduate," says Scruggs. Kids in private schools graduate without passing the MCAS, she points out.

Just two years ago, Shawn's biology score was actually considered a passing score, but state officials raised the bar in 2023. "For some reason, the DOE thought it'd be a great idea to increase the cutoff score-to make it harder-before we've come through the after-effects of the pandemic," notes McCarthy.

Now, Minute Man is providing Shawn with extra help so that he can get that one additional point-and the career that he has earned.

"A lot about the MCAS is just learning to take tests," says Scruggs, a Princeton University graduate and MIT employee, who initiated the ballot question that voters will weigh Tuesday.

Indeed, Romano also sees her colleagues putting aside the lessons they want to teach students to focus on test-taking skills. "I know some would say that's helpful… but really it's about test-taking and memorizing and regurgitating formulas. Like if you don't know the answer, pick C! It's just test-taking skills, not real-life skills," she says.

As a result, the high school curriculum is narrowed. Lessons that spur students' curiosity, that might be project-based, creative, or focused on the executive functioning skills that kids need, are set aside. None of this is great for teachers, either.

"Teachers are demoralized. We're not burnt out. We're demoralized," says McCarthy, "Nobody went into this profession because we wanted to be the keeper of the test score."

What's Next for Graduation Requirements?

For many months, MTA members and parents have been working together to get the message out to Massachusetts voters. It hasn't been hard. "You stand there with a clipboard, and you know, nobody wants to talk to you. And then you say, 'MCAS,' and they do a 180," says Scruggs.

Parents and educators know there are better alternatives. "It's part of our job to provide a variety of methods for students to show what they know," says Romano. For some students, it might be an essay. For others, a capstone project or portfolio of work. "Some kids, I'm sure, do really great on standardized tests. That's awesome, but so many don't-and we're leaving them behind," says Romano.

Many states that have turned away from high-stakes exit exams are considering the "portrait of a graduate," says Feder. What knowledge, skills, and attributes do students need to be successful?

In Ohio, the state created 12 new "diploma seals," of which graduating students must earn two. The seals include biliteracy, "industry-recognized credentials," science, and technology. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative has turned that state toward in-depth, months-long capstone projects.

"Success in life isn't about filling in bubbles on a test. It's about critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability-skills that are often left behind in a system that prioritizes standardized testing above all else," notes NEA President Becky Pringle. A better system would look at "a student's entire body of work," she adds.

The bottom line? "Graduation shouldn't be reduced to a single test," says Feder.

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