As most people went to bed early Wednesday morning, it appeared Massachusetts students will no longer have to pass the MCAS exam to earn a diploma in Massachusetts.
The yes vote on Question 2 was leading by a 59% to 46.4% margin at 1 a.m. with roughly 75% of precincts reporting.
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Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, told supporters gathered at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday that "we feel like we are on the road to victory."
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"We're thrilled. It's late, it's a late night," Page said. "And I know some people have to get up early, so we just wanted to say that everyone should give yourselves a round of applause."
Question 2 repeals the requirement that students pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, which all public school students are required to take in 10th grade, in order to graduate high school. Instead, students will have to complete coursework certified by the student's school district as meeting state standards in math, science and English, as well as any additional areas determined by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The ballot question was largely supported and financed by the state's teachers unions, who argued that the MCAS was a "one-size-fits-all exam" that failed to properly measure student achievement, and shouldn't be used as a barrier to a diploma for the 1 percent of students each year who were unable to pass the test, but otherwise met the requirements to graduate. They also said replacing the MCAS with district-certified measures would allow teachers to stop "teaching to the test."
Opponents, backed mainly by business groups, said Question 2 would remove the state's only statewide graduation standard, and lessen the value of a Massachusetts high school degree. They also said the question would increase inequality if some school districts lowered their standards so students could graduate, while other districts kept their graduation requirements high.
The question was unpopular among top Democrats on Beacon Hill, with Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka all opposed.
When asked last month, both Spilka and Mariano left the door ajar on potential legislative action to respond to Question 2 passing.
"We'll see. We'll have some discussions if it passes, and then we'll follow up. You know, I am not in favor of getting rid of MCAS. I believe that it's done, some assessment has done, Massachusetts well. So we will, we will discuss," Spilka said of a possible role for legislators.
Mariano said, "Well, someone has to evaluate what we're doing in our public school system."
