Amherst Press Release
From:
Michael Hussin
Amherst Area Parents for Education, Not MCAS
413-256-4942
email: skye@crocker.com
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2000
Amherst Regional School Committee Votes No on High-Stakes MCAS Test
The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee voted unanimously last night passing two resolutions opposing the use of a passing grade on the 10th grade MCAS tests as a requirement for graduation from high school.
In the first resolution, the School Committee urges the Board of Education not to link MCAS test results with the granting of high school diplomas. In a second resolution, the School Committee also urges the Massachusetts Legislature to prohibit linking the MCAS test results with the granting of a diploma.
The Amherst Regional School Committee will send the resolutions to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees to be considered at its next meeting in November. The School Committee association requires five school committees to agree to a resolution before it can be placed on their agenda.
During last nightıs meeting, Superintendent of Schools Gus Sayer said he was in contact with several superintendents around the state who felt that their school committees were also ready to take a similar position. He hoped to go to the meeting of the Massachusetts Association with many more than the required five.
Amherst is the first school committee in the state to take a position specifically urging the removal of the graduation requirement. Earlier in the month, the Northampton School Committee passed a resolution calling for the modification of the MCAS tests.
Parent John Porcino said, "This is an important first step. Removing the graduation requirement would take an impossible weight off kids in high school. But the test is being used in other grades and continues to hurt young children and damage existing, excellent school curricula."
The School Committee voted in response to recommendations of a sub-committee consisting of two members of the School Committee, the superintendent of schools, and two members of Amherst Area Parents for Education Not MCAS. The parents group initially brought their proposals to the School Committee at a meeting in April. Their proposals included dropping the graduation requirement. One of the other proposals urged that there be no reprisals against students boycotting the tests. Speaking for the School Committee at an earlier meeting, chair Barbara Love affirmed that there would be no reprisals.
Speaking after the vote, Nancy Deprosse of Amherst Area Parents and a mother of three children, one of whom is boycotting the fourth grade test, said, "This is a very significant and courageous position the School Committee has taken. We are sure that there are other committees that will now follow this lead. It is time the Board of Education and the Legislature hear how parents and their elected local school committee officials feel about these tests."
