MCAS Testimony

The Honorable Martha M. Walz          
Joint Committee on Education
State House, Room 473G 
Boston, MA 02133                             

Dear Chairman Walz:

On behalf of the Massachusetts Association of Jewish Federations (MAJF) and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC), I am submitting testimony in support of House Bill 473, "An Act permitting non public school students to take the MCAS exam."  

Representative Poirier's legislation would allow students who attend private schools, including those students who attend Jewish Day Schools, throughout the Commonwealth, to voluntarily take the MCAS test at their own expense.  Currently, private schools students may not take the MCAS exam pursuant to M.G.L.c. 69 § 1I.

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship provides a tuition waiver for eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts State College or University.  Currently, only public high school students who score at the "Advanced" and "Proficient" levels on grade to MCAS in English and Language Arts and Mathematics and have a combined score that places them in the top 25% of the graduating class in their district are eligible for the scholarship.  Massachusetts residents who attend a private high school are not eligible. 

MAJF believes that every student should be able to apply for this scholarship.  Choosing to attend a private school should not impede a student from being able to apply for the Abigail Adams, or any other, scholarship.  Allowing private school students to voluntarily take, and pay for, the MCAS test is smart public policy because it would allow equal access to merit based scholarships for all Massachusetts residents.  In addition, the passage of this legislation would be cost neutral to the Commonwealth because private school students would pay for the expense. 

We respectfully request House Bill 473 receive a favorable recommendation by the Joint Committee on Education.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

Sincerely,

Michael Bloom
MAJF, Director

cc:  Chairwoman Martha M. Walz