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Highlighting News Stories for Our Town for the week of September 23, 2002 |
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Newsbreak for Walpole
The Week – Sept. 23
The Year – 2002
MCAS and More …
The statewide and district results have been reported on the annual MCAS tests administered to students in our public schools in the 4th, 8th, and 10th grade.
Progress has been made, as we look at the numbers. Each year more students are faring better.
However, controversy swirls around this entire system of testing and reporting. What is the controversy all about?
1. Currently, a new high school graduation requirement has been imposed by the state on all districts. In addition to the local requirements, students must pass the 10th grade math portion and the English portion of the MCAS test given to 10th graders.
2. If students do not pas, they are given more opportunities to pass the test as they move through the system.
3. The MCAS test is geared to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum in math and English. The Education Reform Act of 1993 enforced standards for the curriculum statewide and the MCAS is the means by which the state hopes to determine that each district is teaching according to such standards.
4. Those who oppose the MCAS system suggest that fairness is lost in the educational environment.
5. Dos the test measure the real ability of all students in the two areas – math and English?
6. Is there a better way to measure the progress of our students?
These are a few of the issues. The school committee in Walpole along with committees throughout the state is discussing this issue.
Your thoughts are important. Let the committee know how you feel.
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