Assessments - Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education

May 1, 2024

Opposition to ballot question growing

The state’s special legislative committee analyzing ballot questions decided today not to recommend approval of the ballot question that would eliminate a statewide graduation standard. The decision is the right one. In addition to this committee, the Governor, the Secretary […]

September 6, 2023

Joint Statement Responding to MCAS Ballot Measure Certification

The following is a joint statement in response to the Attorney General’s decision to certify the ballot question that will eliminate MCAS as a high school graduation requirement from the following: Edward M. Lambert Jr., Executive Director, Massachusetts Business Alliance […]

July 11, 2023

MBAE Remains Committed to the MCAS High School Graduation Standard

The Massachusetts Business Alliance continues to support the requirement that students meet an MCAS standard in order to graduate from high school. The MCAS holds us all accountable for recognizing that all students can achieve if provided the right supports. […]

May 5, 2022

Raising the high school graduation standard

In Massachusetts, students must earn a passing score on the grade 10 MCAS in English Language Arts and math, and on one of the high school science tests, in order to meet the state’s high school graduation requirement. This policy […]

September 20, 2021

Leading Biz Groups Oppose Legislative Attempts to Amend, Suspend Use of MCAS

Leading business groups from across Massachusetts joined MBAE today in opposing proposed legislation that would alter the use of MCAS, a valuable tool for identifying gaps and measuring outcomes, particularly given its heightened value in helping us understand the effects […]

January 5, 2021

Decision to move forward with MCAS this year is the right one

Today, Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeff Riley announced the state will administer MCAS this year. MBAE strongly supports the Commissioner’s decision to move forward with MCAS and to streamline administration of it in response to pandemic-related challenges. […]

February 18, 2020

Massachusetts Considers Changes to the High School Graduation Standard

MBAE’s Ed Lambert is serving on the advisory committee that will assist Commissioner Riley in developing his recommendations to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding what level of achievement students will need to demonstrate on the next-generation high […]

November 20, 2017

MBAE’s Take on Transition in Lawrence; New MCAS Results

In this issue: MBAE’s Take on the Transition in Lawrence | MCAS Scores May Signify We’re on the Right Track | Members in Action: IBM’s Free Math Tool for Teachers | In the News A new analysis from the D.C.-based […]

October 11, 2017

Prep Students for Success; MBAE Adds Board Members

In this issue: Preparing Students for Success | Business Groups Oppose Testing Moratorium, Rollback of Education Reforms | MBAE Elects Four New Board Members | In the News In meetings and at forums over the past several months, the consistent […]

September 12, 2017

Biz groups unite to oppose rollback of ed reforms

MBAE and its 22 Business Affiliates, along with Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable issued a statement today opposing bills that would place a three-year moratorium on statewide standardized testing and gut the […]

June 22, 2017

Fair Share and Education Funding

In this issue: School Funding Debate Underway on Beacon Hill | Other Items of Interest A Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation job trends report released this month finds that the industry will need to fill 11,600 additional jobs by 2022. Biotech-related […]

May 26, 2017

Biz Groups Take Action

In this issue: Business Groups Take Action on Senate Budget Amendments | MBAE Celebrates and Thanks Former and Outgoing Board Members | Other Items of Interest As MBAE’s Affiliate Network and partners mobilized this week to ensure that EVERY student […]

October 27, 2016

“Why Massachusetts schools beat Rhode Island”

This article from the Providence Journal, comparing the differences between Massachusetts’s and Rhode Island’s education reforms, makes reference to the early work of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education under Jack Rennie’s vision and leadership. It also states that “test […]

October 20, 2016

“The missing piece of education reform”

In this guest article featured in the most recent issue of Commonwealth Magazine, Ed Moscovitch, chairman and co-founder of the Bay State Reading Institute, presents a detailed discussion of a “key finding about superintendents and principals” and its “enormous implications […]

February 24, 2016

Workforce Challenges

In this issue: Public Comment on Draft Digital Literacy and Computer Science Standards | MCAS 2.0 – Stakeholder Input | Financial Literacy Summit A recent Boston Globe story underscores the critical need for reinvention of our K-12 education system. Baby […]

December 17, 2015

New Responsibilities and Opportunities

In this issue: State education policy grows more important | MCAS 2.0 and a new resource for parents | Looking ahead As 2015 comes to a close, we want to thank you – our readers, supporters, partners and friends – […]

November 12, 2015

Time to Move to PARCC

The Mass Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will make a major decision regarding standardized testing for the Commonwealth next Tuesday, November 17th. Massachusetts led standards-based education reform twenty years ago by establishing the highest set of education standards in the […]

July 14, 2014

New Standards Require a New Assessment

The early deadline for districts’ to choose giving the PARCC test or the now 17-year-old MCAS exam next school year has passed. As of June 30th, 297 districts have made a binding decision of which assessment to administer next spring […]

May 19, 2014

Prepared for College? Massachusetts 12th Grade NAEP Results

There is a new measure from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tying 12th grade results to college preparedness. In 2009, for the first time, NAEP reported state results for 12th Graders from 11 volunteer pilot states including Massachusetts, […]

March 24, 2014

The New Opportunity to Lead

In the Constitution adopted in 1780 and in force today, the people of Massachusetts recognized that the “opportunities and advantages of education” were “necessary for the preservation of their rights had liberties,” and directed the representatives of the people to […]