The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is a set of standardized tests given to elementary, middle and high school students in Massachusetts. The tests are graded on the state’s learning standards and sorts students scores into four categories: Not Meeting Expectations, Partially Meeting Expectations, Meeting Expectations and Exceeding Expectations. The score and category a student receives can be met with both positive and negative responses. If a student performs well, scholarships could be received and it can prove to be beneficial for a student’s confidence. On the other hand, if a student does not perform well, it can create low self esteem and can determine a student’s eligibility to graduate. Consequently, these possible outcomes can trigger stress and anxiety in a lot of students and teachers before test days.
“Any sort of test I take stresses me out, so MCAS is a part of that for sure. Even though it doesn’t matter as much as it used to, there are still scholarships and things like that which can be given out for my results, so it still matters to me. I’m always thinking about what colleges will think if I do not perform well in academics,” WHS student Eleanor Boland said.
While student test takers are more noticeably impacted by MCAS, the entire school is affected. Depending on the classes assigned to each testing location, many who don’t have to take the test are relocated to other classrooms, including teachers.
“I cannot stand the way they schedule MCAS. In previous years, when I first arrived here, they put everybody in the gym and the school was not disrupted at all [by MCAS testing]; but now they have opted to use classrooms, which disrupts the whole school,” WHS history teacher Phillip Balkus said. “Now, you tell me what’s better: having everybody down at the gym or displacing a thousand kids for one exam?”
Additionally, many test takers view the MCAS as irrelevant, leading them to put as much effort into their testing. Since MCAS scores don’t directly affect a student’s grade, many believe there’s no point in taking it.
“I think MCAS is unnecessary. It doesn’t really count towards your academics specifically; And I believe we could just do without it,” WHS student Konstantin Brennan said.
On the contrary, some students believe the tests serve as an explanation for why Massachusetts has such a highly regarded education system. MCAS results are reported back to teachers, administrators and researchers; consequently, the scores for each student are tracked, which indicates their learning progress and readiness for graduation.
¨I believe the MCAS does matter because with MCAS, Massachuessets has had some of the top schools in the whole country,¨ WHS student Richard Bock said.
So, while some students and teachers believe MCAS testing to be disruptive and tedious, others believe that it is necessary to Massachusetts’ education system. Either way, the testing has proven to be impactful to students, teachers and Walpole’s community at large.
