Boylston, MASS-- Tahanto Regional Middle High School principal Lisa Sequeira is standing by the decision to keep MCAS as a requirement for this year’s graduating seniors.  

"It is absolutely the most misunderstood piece of legislation,” Sequeira said. “They thought they were voting so that it would vanish, and that isn’t the case.”

In November, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question removing the passing of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System as a state requirement to graduate high school.  However, public school students across the state still have to take it. 

“If the state is going to continue to hold us accountable for those scores, I think it’s important we hold our student accountable,” Sequeira said. 

Sequeira and interim superintendent Albert Ganem support the statewide testing and called it it’s a good measure of student learning and a way to target instruction.  

“That data is very important to us. Seeing how kids are doing. Seeing how they are progressing,” Ganem said. “That will help us determine where our strengths are and where our weaknesses are.”

Ganem said MCAS scores help students receive scholarships and grants at state colleges and universities and the results can help the school better prepare students for the future.

“Other communities that might not be our neighbor but have similar populations and have similar students. How are those students doing as well,” he said. “I think it’s important to still use that data to help our kids be high performing students. “

Sequeira said she’s proud of the academic achievements of students, but moving forward she fears some students won’t take MCAS as seriously if they feel the outcome doesn’t matter.  

“Even though I’ve put out a lot of communication around the MCAS and how important it is and how it’s still a requirement for this year, there are still some groups of students who are like what,  we have to take it,” she said. 

Ganem said over the summer, the district will talk with teachers, students and parents and then adopt a more permanent MCAS policy in the fall.