More states are ditching exams as high school graduation requirements

BOSTON — When Massachusetts voters decided to ditch the state's standardized tests as a high school graduation requirement on Election Day, they joined a trend that has steadily chipped away at the use of high-stakes tests over the past two decades.

The vote on the ballot question leaves only seven states with mandated graduation exams, a number that could soon shrink further.

A backlash to standardized tests has been fueled by complaints they take up too much classroom time and questions about how well they measure readiness for college or careers. It has gained steam in recent years with concerns about equity and learning setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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. The other side received backing from prominent business leaders including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and state officials including Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat.

“We shouldn’t have different expectations for students depending on which zip code they live in,” Healey said. “We should have a uniformity to our expectations and they should be high for our students and our families.”

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests are given in mathematics, science and technology and English. The ballot question didn't end the tests, which are also used for assessing student progress. But passing them will no longer be required for a diploma.

About 1% of high school seniors in Massachusetts, about 700 students, are denied a diploma each year because they failed the MCAS despite meeting other requirements. Most are English language learners or students with disabilities.

Other states could abandon similar tests

In the mid-2000s, a high of 27 states required students to pass an exam to graduate, according to the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union. The states that still have them, for now, are New York, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia.

In New York, state officials this month proposed a timeline to phase out exit exam requirements as part of an overhaul of graduation standards. Students would still take Regents exams in math, English, science and social studies, but beginning in the 2027-28 school year, passing scores would no longer be required for a diploma. The plan would give students alternatives like community service or capstone projects to demonstrate proficiency.

Earlier this year, the Florida Senate passed a bill that would remove testing requirements for high school graduation, but the push stalled in the House. In New Jersey, a bill to end the state’s graduation exam passed the state Assembly last year but then failed to pass the Senate.

In Ohio, students must pass tests in reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies to graduate. Louisiana also requires students to pass a test and is the only state without an appeals process. In Texas, students must pass end-of-course assessments in algebra, English, biology and U.S. history.

Debate continues over how to measure readiness

Harry Feder, executive director of FairTest, which opposes using tests as graduation requirements, said it makes sense to shift away from the tests he calls a “cheap and easy way” to conduct education.

“What we want out of high school grads isn’t measured very well by a standardized test,” he said, including whether students are critical thinkers, problem solvers or able to collaborate.

Critics say easing the graduation requirement will result in lower standards.

“The vote against the MCAS is yet another sign of the overwhelming power of the teachers unions in blue states, and will turn Massachusetts diplomas into nothing but participation trophies,” said Michael Petrilli, president of the right-leaning Fordham Institute.

Financial support for the elimination of the Massachusetts test requirement largely came from teachers unions, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which contributed millions in direct and in-kind donations, and the NEA, which donated at least $500,000. On the other side, Bloomberg contributed $2.5 million to the campaign in favor of keeping the requirement.

Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy said teachers have been speaking out against the requirement for more than a decade.

“Students who were passing their courses were being denied diplomas because of this requirement," they said. “Educators were forced to narrow the curriculum in order to teach to the high-stakes test.”

Ultimately, Massachusetts voters approved getting rid of the MCAS as a graduation requirement by a margin of 59% to 41%,