Thanks to Sen. Jo Comerford’s leadership, there recently was a hearing in the Massachusetts Statehouse on the bill, S.293, An act to expand opportunities to demonstrate academic achievement. I submitted the following written testimony to Rep. Peisch and Sen. Lewis:
“I am a recently retired elementary school principal. The school is Jackson Street Elementary School in Northampton, Massachusetts. I was its principal for 24 years and before that worked in the district as the Early Childhood and Chapter 636 Desegregation and Equity Coordinator from 1988-96.
During that time the Education Reform Act was passed, having significant policy and procedural changes for schools. While much contributed to improvement in funding and attention to districts whose tax base was not sufficient to fully fund their schools, what excited me most was the move toward student assessment across Mass. districts.
As educators committed to authentic and appropriate assessment of student learning, we welcomed MCAS, the acronym standing for Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems. I italicized and underlined the “s” because the plan instituted multiple forms of assessments, including formative, summative, and standardized assessments (which the current Pearson-produced MCAS test is not) which could also include teacher reporting, portfolio, exhibits, nationally normed/standardized tests, and more.
To our deep disappointment and despair, MCAS became the high-stakes test we know and cannot abide, hence this hearing. I implore you to rethink and redo the interpretation of this aspect of the Ed Reform Act and return to the spirit and letter of its intention. All Mass. children deserve to know and show what they can do and families must expect that our state will allow for this.
Respectfully,
Gwen Agna
Northampton