“There are no formal announcements from DESE yet” on election guidelines following MCAS ballot questions, claims BPS leader

If voters decide to repeal the MCAS graduation requirement, Boston Public Schools will seek guidance from state officials and develop a plan through “detailed discussions,” a district leader told the School Committee.

“At this time, we do not have any formal communication from DESE about what the plan will be,” said Linda Chen, BPS senior associate superintendent for academic affairs, in response to a question during Wednesday evening’s School Committee meeting. “I know they certainly have a plan A, plan B, depending on the vote, of course.”

Question 2, which Massachusetts voters will decide on November 5, would eliminate the state’s requirement to complete MCAS standardized tests. Graduation standards would be left to local school districts across the state.

So far, the MCAS issue has found strong support among voters, with a recent UMass Amherst/WCVB poll showing 53% of voters sampled favor it and 36% oppose it.

BPS leadership and the School Committee will engage in a conversation about MassCore requirements and the potential ramifications of MCAS ballot questions at the next committee meeting on Nov. 6, the day after the election, Chen said.

School Committee member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez argued it was important to discuss the district’s plan “in the near future.”

“It would be interesting, as people make decisions about where they stand, to find out what the district will do for their children on November 6,” Cardet-Hernandez said. “I know other school committees across the state have had this exact conversation, like, ‘If this passes, are we going to change the graduation requirements here?’”

Chen said BPS actions “will depend on what guidance the state comes up with,” adding she didn’t know when the district would receive that information.

Chen added that BPS management will also have a “detailed conversation” about the district’s plan.

“It’s important to maintain high expectations to ensure that our young people graduate from this system with academic skills and social emotional learning – as in all of these areas – and prepared to be independent,” Chen said, “and also look at , how we can ensure that this happens for practical reasons related to point accumulation.”

The BPS conversation takes place at a time when more and more opponents of the ballot question have intensified their campaign against this popular initiative.

The Mass Opportunity Alliance has released a series of ads arguing that the tests are making students behave “extremely smart” over the weekend, including billboards around Gillette Stadium and a radio ad aimed at the crowd for Sunday’s Patriots vs. Jets.

Question 2 was widely supported by state teachers unions, as well as figures such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican Ayanna Pressley. Others, including Gov. Maura Healey, oppose eliminating the college degree requirement.

Last week, the Massachusetts Republican Party opposed the test, arguing that the question “would undermine the very progress and high standards that have earned the Massachusetts education system one of the best in the nation.”

“Instead of lowering our expectations, we should be working to restore and raise the standards that have made Massachusetts a leader in education,” said MassGOP President Amy Carnevale. “Removing the MCAS requirement reduces the incentive for schools to meet high standards, which will only further harm student achievement.”