LOWELL SUN: Poll supports likely lawmaker tweaking of Question 2 result

By Editorial
Originally appeared in the Lowell Sun on December 15, 2024

When voters shot down passing the MCAS as a high-school graduation requirement, the obvious question to backers of that ballot question was simply this: Now what?

We thought Question 2 was a shortsighted proposition, specifically because supporters didn’t present a viable alternative to this proven statewide measure of academic proficiency.

However, the electorate, no doubt influenced by the teacher unions’ lobbying efforts, voted yes by a 59%-41% margin.

Question 2 eliminated the requirement for 10th graders to demonstrate proficiency in math, English and science to graduate from high school.

Students must still take the 10th-grade MCAS exams, but no longer need a passing score or other state approval. That means as a practical matter, hundreds of school districts would now set their own standards and decide how to apply them.

Replacing something that worked with a standardized learning black hole didn’t seem to bother Question 2’s most vociferous acolytes.

However, now that the thrill of that victory has faded, it seems a certain percentage of that voting bloc has come down with a case of buyers’ remorse.

At least that’s what a recent poll on this subject found.

A majority of Massachusetts voters surveyed want a new high-school graduation requirement following a repeal of the MCAS mandate, according to a new survey commissioned by a group that wants the state Legislature to “modify” the voter-approved law.

The results, released by the Mass Opportunity Alliance, found that 75% of voters polled supported that notion.

“One thing is for sure: Massachusetts became one of the top states for public education because of its high standards,” the group said in a statement. “Instead of leaving a vacuum of removed graduation requirements, voters agree something new should be put in place to solidify Massachusetts’ public education legacy for years to come.”

The poll results indicated that a majority of respondents, 68%, said yes when asked whether they believe the state Legislature should “modify” ballot questions approved by the voters.

“Our state legislature should ensure that Massachusetts’ public education system remains one of the most competitive in the world,” the group said. “That does not mean legislators need to defy the will of the voters, but it does mean filling in the blanks left by the recently-passed ballot measure.”

That didn’t sit well with the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

That union, generally acknowledged as the main driver of Question 2, dismissed the poll and the group’s efforts to tweak the law, accusing them of “trying to change the outcome of the election and override the will of the voters through legislative maneuvering.”

“The public understood the harm posed by a high-stakes test used as a graduation requirement,” MTA President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy stated in a joint release. “Educators effectively articulated how our state’s high academic standards were actually diminished when so much emphasis was placed on preparing students for a standardized test.”

The MTA further said it will oppose “any efforts to create a new requirement that narrows the learning experience and discriminates against learning styles.”

The group asserted that Question 2 voters “voiced their support for linking a diploma to the work students complete throughout their high school career.”

The amount of money spent by both sides on this ballot question speaks to their high-stakes investment in this issue, with both sides raising and spending nearly $22 million, by far the most expensive of the five ballot questions.

The MTA and Question 2’s other supporters contend that Massachusetts was one of just a handful of states that requires students to pass a standardized test to graduate.

They maintain that testing doesn’t show a complete picture of a student’s abilities, and leaves those who don’t pass it behind, even though that segment comprises only about 1% of test takers.

While the Mass Opportunity Alliance didn’t specifically campaign against Question 2, it promoted standardized testing through TV and digital ads as the best way to expose inequities among students and school districts, measure trends in student outcomes, and gauge readiness for college and the workplace.

The group points to state education data showing only 12 of the state’s 50 largest school districts require students to complete the coursework that makes them eligible for admission to any of the state’s public colleges or universities.

Applicants to public state colleges and universities must pass a total of 17 courses, including those in English, mathematics, science, social science, foreign language, and electives, according to the state Department of Higher Education.

Despite these requirements, only 19 of the 50 largest school districts in the state require four years of math classes, the Alliance noted.

With or without this poll, given that the governor, Senate president, House speaker and just about every business group opposed this measure, it’s virtually certain that lawmakers will address Question 2’s lack of a standardized replacement.

Lawmakers’ input has occurred in at least two other successful, high-profile ballot questions, the gradual reduction of the state income-tax rate to 5% and the legalization of recreational marijuana.

To what degree remains the only question.