Andover High seniors graduating June 2 will be the first in over two decades not to need to pass MCAS, but otherwise will meet the same standards as previous graduates, according to school leaders. For some residents, the question now is, how will this affect how Andover educators teach students?
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, known as MCAS, is a standardized test administered to Massachusetts public schools to ensure student competency in English language arts, mathematics and science. Voters in the 2024 election voted to support Question 2, which eliminated MCAS tests as a graduation requirement for high school students. The ballot victory left school districts tasked with creating their own competency determinations, but Andover school leaders express confidence they have these standards in place.
“Question 2 is not a big launching point at this time for us to be making any big changes,” said Shereen Rancourt, the school district’s executive director of secondary instructional operations.
The Andover School Committee announced at a school board meeting last month that students must prove competency by passing courses in 10th grade English, algebra I or II and geometry, and physical science or biology. This serves as the district’s replacement for the benchmark competency determination, but since Andover High School’s graduation requirements already include these courses, students will automatically meet the competency standards.
This story was published as part of a collaboration between Andover News and the Department of Journalism in Boston University’s College of Communication. The student journalist is a member of Professor Meghan E. Irons’s Reporting in Depth class.
Rancourt said Andover Public Schools follows the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, which naturally aligns with the standards set by the MCAS, rather than the test directly informing their teaching methods.
“(Curriculum writing) is a collaborative process with teachers and administrators, and it involves a lot of learning about best practices and then figuring out ways to apply those best practices,” Rancourt said.
Community members are divided on whether eliminating MCAS is the best decision, with some Andover residents saying they hope the ballot vote will allow teachers to explore curriculum outside test preparation and encourage districts to tailor learning to their students.
Those critical of change said they fear students may graduate without meeting adequate educational standards.
Alyssa Wrigley, an Andover mother with two children in the school district, said she is in favor of alternative ways to measure learning because it allows teachers to ensure every student truly understands the curriculum, rather than teaching students how to pass a standardized test.
“I don’t think you need to have another graduation requirement if the curriculum is correct, you’re teaching it correctly, and you’re holding people accountable,” Wrigley said.
Peter Beaven, an Andover tutor with over 40 years of experience, said he has worked with both students with learning disabilities and students who outperform standards set by the MCAS. Beaven said he believes an overemphasis on a test-taking curriculum hurts students on both ends of the spectrum.
“You have the kids with learning disabilities and the pressure to pass the MCAS, and you have super bright students on the other hand,” Beaven said. “If their brains are not getting enough stimulation, they regress in their behavior.”
He said successful education requires flexibility: “You need to have a good teacher who can go in and reach the entire classroom.”
Rancourt said that while Massachusetts public schools do not have so-called “gifted programs,” Andover teachers have the flexibility to intervene or enrich their students.
“Our teachers do differentiate for students in their classes, and they will continue to differentiate for students in their classes,” Rancourt said.
Liam Lucchesi, an Andover resident and student at Merrimack College, said individuals in his life have struggled to meet the MCAS graduation requirement because of learning disabilities. However, Lucchesi said the standards set by the MCAS are necessary because it ensures students are learning efficiently.
“We’re doing a lot to push back graduation requirements, especially after COVID,” Lucchesi said. “That is going to hurt us rather than help us.”
Following the repeal of the MCAS standard, Governor Maura Healey issued an executive order creating the Massachusetts K-12 Statewide Graduation Council. This council is expected to make recommendations in December on a new statewide graduation requirement and competency determinations, according to the order.
Until then, public districts across Massachusetts will continue to make their own decisions regarding competency standards.
“We have high expectations of our students and our teachers, and our teachers have high expectations of their students, and I don’t see that changing, no matter what happens with the MCAS,” Rancourt said.