Healey and Legislature Lead on Saving Educational Standards

Graduates suing for remaining almost illiterate, even after receiving a high school diploma? It sounds far-fetched, but it’s actually happening in Connecticut. It could soon be a concern in Massachusetts.

The arrival of spring means students across the state are prepping to take the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test. But thanks to the recent repeal of MCAS as a statewide graduation standard, this year the test will carry far less meaning.

Policymakers across the state recognize the lack of a statewide graduation standard isn’t a good thing for students or our state’s long-term economic success. Governor Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, House Speaker Ron Mariano, and Senate President Karen Spilka notably opposed the ballot measure to eliminate MCAS as a graduation standard. Now, policymakers are trying to figure out where we go from here. 

Governor’s Council on Statewide Educational Standards

To remedy the lack of statewide graduation standards, Governor Healey established a K-12 Statewide Graduation Council. The Council is led by the Secretary of Education and Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, and members include educators, policymakers, parents, students, and a variety of interest groups.

The Council aims to recommend potential high school graduation requirements to the Governor and Legislature that ensure all Massachusetts students graduate with skills needed for success. Governor Healey’s executive order requires the Council to deliver an interim report with initial findings and recommendations by December 1, 2025.

This initiative comes at a critical juncture for the Commonwealth’s education system. 

Declining Education Outcomes

Strong, statewide educational standards are needed now more than ever in order for Massachusetts to retain its reputation for educational excellence. Currently, Massachusetts earns an “A” in education from Mass Opportunity Alliance’s Opportunity Report Card, but that could change, considering the concerning trends in student achievement.

MCAS scores have declined since 2017 and National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) scores, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card, have been dropping since 2013. 

Additionally, Massachusetts ranks 27th in reading recovery from pre-pandemic levels and 19th in math recovery from pre-pandemic levels. 

Perhaps most alarming is the widening of achievement gaps. In both reading and math NAEP scores from 2019 to 2024, minority students and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds lag behind their peers.

Although MCAS remains in place as a tool to be able to see these disparities, without having a statewide graduation requirement, there is a risk that these inequities could further entrench educational disparities based simply on zip code.

The Importance of Statewide Standards for Graduation

Without a common measurement framework, Massachusetts will have more than 300 different local high school graduation requirements, with those requirements based on completion of coursework rather than an objective assessment of proficiency. Reliance on so many different grading practices could undermine the value of a high school diploma.

Grade inflation in particular represents a challenge, as it can lead to artificially high graduation rates without corresponding student competency. According to the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, between 2007 and 2022, Massachusetts high school graduation rates increased even as test scores fell, with the lowest-performing schools seeing the greatest graduation rate gains. At least with the MCAS standard in place, students were required to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in order to graduate. Now that standard is gone.

Originally, the MCAS graduation requirement was meant to address disparities in grading systems between higher- and lower-income districts. By establishing common proficiency standards, it aimed to protect vulnerable students and ensure all graduates met the same academic benchmarks regardless of socioeconomic background. Following its implementation, MCAS as a graduation prerequisite led to improved scores across all demographics.

Ultimately, strong, shared graduation standards are crucial to ensuring students are equipped with the skills necessary for success.

What This Means for the Future of Massachusetts 

According to MOA polling, the majority (75 percent) of Bay Staters support a statewide graduation standard. The Governor’s goal of reestablishing a statewide graduation standard is a step in the right direction.

Massachusetts has long attracted people to the state thanks to its stellar public education system. It’s crucial we remain competitive in this area, not just for students and parents but also for our future economy.

A struggling education system doesn’t produce a talented and creative workforce. We need to ensure we’re giving all students the opportunity to excel academically so that they can prepare themselves for meaningful and fulfilling careers. And we need to make sure those job opportunities are available to them when the time comes.  

To uphold the Commonwealth’s standing as one of the top states for public K-12 education, it is vital that the Governor’s council recommends strong statewide graduation requirements and that policymakers act quickly to implement them.