MCAS preparations underway despite controversy

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Sophomore Teagan Meyers studies for MCAS in his English class. — Courtesy MVRHS

Due to the cancellation of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing last spring, MCAS will be administered to both the sophomore and junior classes for the first time in school history. All of the 362 students sitting for the test between May 3 and May 14 must pass both the English and Math portions to graduate.

Assistant Principal Dr. Barbara-jean Chauvin, who is in charge of coordinating MCAS at the high school, said that she sees MCAS as a reflection of students’ learning and the school’s ability to teach.

“If students are passing that test at good rates, that means we’re preparing our students to go into the world, and that’s our job,” said Dr. Chauvin. “So if a student can’t pass MCAS, and it’s such a low bar [to pass], are they really ready to go into the world?”

Dr. Chauvin and many teachers, however, think that because of the disruption to students’ learning during the pandemic, more leniency should be granted to students.

Math teacher Melissa Braillard said she could see the importance of using MCAS as a data point to gauge learning loss among students this year, but said, “To have [students’] graduation rely on the inconsistency in their education, not due to their fault, just doesn’t make sense and doesn’t seem right.”

Sophomore Teagan Myers said, “I just don’t feel like MCAS is a good way of measuring our ability to learn. I think [the state] should determine if the teacher is teaching well in a different way and not make us students have to take a standardized test which can cause anxiety in some people.”

Junior Jessie Dlabaj feels that this year especially, standardized tests can create an unfair learning advantage for some. “It [can be] a lot harder to learn over the computer,” she said. “[The scores] are going to show that some students were able to pick up information during this remote learning time and others weren’t.”

While Dr. Chauvin does see how students’ performance on the test will most likely be impacted by the unpredictable school year and its challenges, she is still confident in teachers’ abilities to prepare students despite the extenuating circumstances.

“We are feeling sympathy for the students,” Dr. Chauvin said. “They are a little bit removed from the subjects they are going to be testing in. But our faculty is so awesome. About a week ago, they shifted their teaching style a little to really focus on MCAS-related topics and skills to freshen things up for students.”

Regardless of a student learning remotely or in-person, all students taking MCAS must come into the building. Students will be in different testing environments based on their learning styles, the majority of whom will be in the gym, sitting 3-6 feet apart.

Some uncertainty remains as to whether or not Massachusetts schools will go through with the testing. Dr. Chauvin feels confident, however, that the testing will be administered. “The State Association of Superintendents, the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, and grassroots efforts by parents are really pushing against it. My experience and my gut tells me we will be sitting for MCAS, it’s going to happen. So I’m moving forward with my planning.”