FairTest co-authored this report with the Center for Education Policy and Practice in Massachusetts. Reestablishing Massachusetts National Leadership Role in Education: A System of Assessment and Graduation Requirements in Support of Deeper Learning and 21st Century Skills and Knowledge calls for the State to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the voters’ rejection of the MCAS as a graduation requirement and move to a system of flexible course requirements, multiple student pathways, locally chosen and designed culminate graduation experiences/performance assessments, and support for broader systems of classroom performance assessment.
The Boston Globe cited the report in discussing efforts already underway in many districts in Massachusetts to use authentic assessments to spur student interest and engagement and develop and assess true 21st century skills of citizenship.