MHTC

Changes Urged for Mass. Schools (Boston Globe)
Education Official Wants Adoption of US Standards

By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | July 17, 2010

The state’s commissioner of elementary and secondary education recommended yesterday that Massachusetts replace its highly regarded academic standards for English and math with a uniform set of national standards that could lead to major changes in standardized testing.

The recommendation by Mitchell Chester sparked a mix of praise and condemnation around Beacon Hill and on the campaign trail, following months of speculation across the state and nation over whether Massachusetts would join other states in adopting standards that outline what material should be taught in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Chester, other education officials, and Governor Deval Patrick had said they would not support the so-called Common Core Standards if they were not as rigorous as the state’s standards, long considered to be among the best in the country.

In an effort to bolster the quality of public education, the Obama administration is pushing states to adopt common standards.

Those that do will increase their chances of securing millions of dollars in additional federal aid, an appealing opportunity to cash-strapped Massachusetts.

In a memorandum yesterday to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is slated to vote on the recommendation Wednesday, Chester said he believes the national standards are as good as, and in some cases better than, those of Massachusetts. He said he reviewed several analyses, including those generated by panels he appointed, and public input.

“I think Common Core makes sense,’’ he said in an interview. “There are a number of cases where Common Core will offer better experiences for our students.’’

Organizations representing local school committees and superintendents applauded the recommendation, saying it was a good step toward boosting the quality of the state’s schools.

“First of all, it does no damage to the state standards,’’ said Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. “It also allows the possibility of working with other states on developing assessments so we can have a fair measurement and accurate comparison to other states.’’

But many Republicans and other organizations that work on education issues predicted that the change would represent a major setback for the state.

“Whenever you move away from the gold standard, it’s a move toward the middle,’’ said Christopher Anderson, a former state education board chairman under the Romney administration who is president of the Massachusetts High Technology Council. “It’s extremely troubling.’’

Chester denied that the shift would lower the bar for Massachusetts.

“These standards will not dilute the expectation of our students,’’ he said. “If I was not confident about the benefits, I would not make this recommendation.’’

The issue has stirred emotions in other states known to have high academic standards, such as California and Virginia.

Nearly two dozen states have adopted the national standards, which aim to remedy an inequity in the American education system: Some states have set higher standards than others.

In English, for example, the change would mean that every third-grader, regardless of where the pupil lives, would learn how to find the moral in a folk tale, fable, or myth, while in math all eighth-graders would learn about the Pythagorean theorem.

If the state board adopts the plan, school districts would phase in the new standards by the end of the 2011-12 school year.

The changes would most likely result in adjustments to classroom lessons, not the wholesale overhaul that took place in the 1990s when the state standards replaced a patchwork of academic programs developed by individual districts.

One of the biggest changes could be in the area of testing. Massachusetts is part of a consortium of states that applied for a federal grant last month to create a new testing system based on the national standards.

But Chester emphasized that there is no immediate plan to abandon the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. He said the state may make minor changes or replace it.

The recommendation to adopt national academic standards lit up the governor’s race.

Republican Charles D. Baker said he was appalled by the move. “Massachusetts students are the best and the brightest in the country, and to walk away from the MCAS exam is to walk away from the progress we have made during the past two decades,’’ Baker said in a statement.

Independent Timothy P. Cahill called the recommendation alarming. “This administration’s leadership has done enough to hurt Massachusetts taxpayers in the short term,’’ Cahill said in a statement. “Now it seems they have decided to put their friends in Washington ahead of our children and the future of our state.’’

Alex Goldstein, a Patrick campaign spokesman, defended the governor’s education record. “Governor Patrick has been clear that he will not accept any standards unless they are as strong or stronger than our current nation-leading standards,’’ Goldstein said in a statement.

The voluntary effort was launched more than a year ago by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Obama has said he believes the standards would aid his goal of having high school graduates ready for college or the workforce.

As part of Obama’s Race to the Top education fund competition, states that adopt the national standards by Aug. 2 will earn extra points on applications in the next round. During the first round, Massachusetts lost a sizable number of points on its application for about $250 million because a review panel doubted that the state would adopt the national standards, which were in draft version at the time.

Massachusetts education board members appear to be undecided on whether to support the change. Maura Banta, the chairwoman, said members asked for an additional meeting, scheduled for Tuesday night, to talk about the recommendation in greater depth before Wednesday’s vote.

“It’s an important vote for the state and the country,’’ said Banta, who is still examining the research and could not predict how the board might vote. “I’m deeply immersed, as are the other 10 members.’’

Paul Reville, state education secretary and a voting member of the board, said he is inclined to support Chester’s recommendation but is still studying the issue. He said the governor, whom he advises, has not yet taken a formal position.

“The preponderance of evidence suggests the Common Core is at least as rigorous as our standards,’’ Reville said. “It’s a strong recommendation and deserves close attention.’’

But another board member, Sandra Stotsky, said adoption would be a mistake.

“The standards are not as good as what we already have in English and math,’’ said Stotsky, adding that the commissioner is basing his recommendation on faulty research.

James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com.