BOSTON (AP) — The governor of Massachusetts plans to convene a statewide graduation requirement council after voters in November decided to ditch the state’s standardized tests as a high school graduation requirement.
Democratic Gov. Maura Healey announced the creation of the council in her state of the Commonwealth address on Thursday night.
The council will include teachers, colleges, employers and students to develop recommendations.
Massachusetts students had been required to pass comprehensive tests to receive a high school diploma. The approved ballot issue doesn’t get rid of the tests, but stipulates that passing them will no longer be required for graduation.
The vote on the ballot question left only seven states with mandated graduation exams, a number that could soon shrink further.
In remarks prepared for delivery, Healey said she respected the decision by voters.
“But it creates for all of us a responsibility, to make sure every student graduates ready to succeed. We need a high, statewide standard. Students, families, and employers need to know what a diploma represents. And without that baseline, it’s always the most vulnerable students who don’t get what they need,” Healey said.
“We’ll evolve to a new Massachusetts model for high school excellence that best serves our children. And we’ll match high standards with great opportunities — like the Early College and job training programs that give students a leg up on their next step,” Healey said.
In Massachusetts, a teachers union led the campaign against the graduation requirement, arguing it was keeping too many students from receiving a diploma and weighing too heavily on choices about school curriculum.
Leaders of the Massachusetts Teachers Association said in a statement that they are encouraged by Healey’s announcement “that Massachusetts will have a public process for shaping a shared vision for educating and supporting our students and ensuring every student is benefitting from our state’s high academic standards.”
American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang said it looked forward to working with Healey’s adminstration “as they work to identify a new, truly equitable assessment system that supports all students and schools of Massachusetts.”
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