‘No formal communication from DESE yet’ on guidelines for MCAS ballot question election, says BPS leader

If voters choose to overturn the MCAS graduation requirement, Boston Public Schools will look to state guidelines and develop a plan in “robust conversations,” a district leader told the school committee.

“We have no formal communication from DESE at this time about what the plan will be,” BPS Senior Deputy Superintendent of Academics Linda Chen said in response to a question during Wednesday night’s school committee meeting. “I know they definitely have a plan A and a plan B, depending on the votes, of course.”

Question 2, which Massachusetts voters will decide on Nov. 5, would eliminate the state’s standardized MCAS exam requirement. Graduation standards would be left up to local school districts across the state.

The MCAS issue has so far generated strong support among voters, with a recent UMass Amherst/WCVB poll showing 53% of voters in the sample in favor and 36% opposed.

BPS leadership and the school committee will begin a discussion about the MassCore requirement and the potential impact of the MCAS ballot questions at the next committee meeting on Nov. 6, a day after the election, Chen said.

School Committee member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez argued it was important to discuss the district’s plan “in the near future.”

“It would be interesting as people make a decision about where they stand to know what the district is going to do for their children on November 6,” Cardet-Hernandez said. “I know other school boards across the state have had this exact conversation, like, ‘If it goes through, are we changing the graduation requirements here?’”

Chen said what BPS does “will depend on what the state provides guidance on,” adding that she does not know when the district will have that information.

BPS leadership will also have a “robust conversation” about the district’s plan, Chen added.

“It’s important to maintain high expectations to ensure that our young people come out of this system with the skills in academics and social-emotional learning – like all those things – and are prepared to be independent,” said Chen, “and also see how we can make sure that happens from a practical point of view in terms of accumulating credits.”

The BPS conversation comes as more opponents of the ballot question have stepped up their campaign against the popular initiative.

The Mass Opportunity Alliance released a series of ads claiming the tests keep students “badly smart” over the weekend, including billboards around Gillette Stadium and a radio ad to target the crowd for the Patriots vs. Patriots game. Jets Sunday.

Question 2 is widely championed by state teachers unions, as well as figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley. Others, including Gov. Maura Healey, oppose eliminating the degree requirement.

The Republican Party of Massachusetts spoke out against the test last week, arguing that the question would “undermine the progress and high standards that have positioned Massachusetts’ education system as one of the best in the country.”

“Rather than lowering our expectations, we should work to restore and raise the standards that have made Massachusetts a leader in education,” said MassGOP President Amy Carnevale. “Removing the MCAS requirement reduces the incentive for schools to meet high standards, which will only further harm student achievement.”