Question 2 supporters celebrate as MCAS requirement is eliminated

WATERTOWN – Things have changed for students in Massachusetts after voters approved Ballot Question 2, which eliminates the requirement of passing the MCAS for high school graduation.
“Good for kids like mine,” said Watertown parent Sara Keary, who has two children in elementary school. One of them has ADHD and dyslexia and took the MCAS last year. “Coming home, feeling anxious in spite of having accommodations.”
Students can take the exam multiple times and receive extra help but for Keary, that help can backfire.
“The increase in test anxiety, self-esteem,” said Keary. “That can accumulate and then not be an accurate assessment of their performance on the actual test.”
But after an election night win, the test will no longer stand between students and a high school diploma.
“Voters have proclaimed that they are ready to let teachers teach and students learn without the onerous effects of a high-stakes standardized test,” said the Massachusetts Teachers Association in a statement.
But those who supported the No On 2 campaign remain frustrated.
“Massachusetts now has no common high school graduation standard at all, that is very rare,” said Boston Schools Fund CEO Will Austin. “There’s only two or three states in the country where that’s the case.” 
Austin said the state legislature will now be tasked with implementing a graduation standard but for now, none exist.
“And so I expect that to be a topic of conversation in the next session,” said Austin.
In the meantime, parents like No On 2 advocate Manikka Bowman are concerned that the responsibility to prepare students for graduation may now fall on them.
“It’s going to be up to parents and legislators to figure out how do we make sure that we still position ourselves as the leaders of education in our nation,” said Bowman.
For now, the ballot question result is providing relief for the families that need it most.
“It’s not the only measure of intelligence,” said Keary. 
Students will still be required to take the MCAS exam but it will no longer be a requirement in order to graduate.