Marlborough School Committee hears student case to drop MCAS graduation requirement

MARLBOROUGH -- December 12, 2023, Marlborough students press School Committee to back ballot drive ending MCAS graduation requirement. Sophomore Atul Medora and freshman Taylor Cronus told the committee Tuesday that the Massachusetts Teachers Association has collected more than 130,000 signatures, past its 75,000 goal, after the state raised the ELA cut score from 472 to 486 over the objections of 100 lawmakers and 98 percent of public commenters. Cronus recounted the story of MHS graduate Ryan Boyd, who has autism, was denied IEP testing accommodations, failed math MCAS by two points and received his diploma only through COVID-era waivers. "You all can stop it from affecting our school and our students," Cronus said. The committee also unanimously voted to forward a Title IV-E foster-care transportation MOU to the City Council for roughly 20 percent reimbursement on FY23 costs, and Superintendent Dr. Mary Murphy announced no delayed openings this winter because of bus driver shortages.