High Stakes Standardized Tests
OP-ED: The Hidden Cost of MCAS – Why We Shouldn’t Let the Test Dictate the Future
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By Brendan Bean, a Watertown resident who has taught in the Boston Public Schools for nearly 10 years.
Standing outside my school in the morning, the brightly shining sun and chirping birds signal the start of that anxiously anticipated season here in Massachusetts. No, not spring; MCAS season. For many across the state, it feels like we have been building towards this for several months, if not all year. For teachers, this is understandable, as standardized tests like the MCAS have a direct impact on federal funds for schools. For students, however, the MCAS seems to loom over everything like Heartbreak Hill for marathoners.