Critics fear state test taking will take its toll

By Bill Delaney
CNN Boston

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- When the sun's in just the right corner of the sky, Boston's Fenway High School is literally in the shadow of that jewel of baseball fields, Fenway Park -- venerable domain of the Red Sox. And in this neighborhood, home runs aren't just confined to baseball games. This year, as many as 90 percent of Fenway High's graduating class is expected to get into college -- a grand slam for a school of mostly inner-city kids.

Nevertheless, Larry Myatt, Fenway's principal and longtime driving force, sees a disaster looming for his 300 or so students. Despite the high rate of college admissions, a large number of Fenway seniors failed the Massachusetts state proficiency exam, known as the MCAS, when they took it in the 10th grade.

In 2002, passing the MCAS will be a requirement for graduating. When the MCAS begins to count, Myatt said dozens of his best students may be admitted to college but unable to attend because they didn't pass the state exam and receive a high school diploma.

Huggins La Fond is fortunate to be graduating this year. The son of Haitian immigrants, he grew up in one of Boston's toughest neighborhoods.

Despite failing the MCAS, Huggins La Fond was accepted to five colleges.

He has been a student standout at Fenway High. Five colleges accepted him, with Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire offering him a full scholarship. But La Fond failed the MCAS. And though it won't prevent his graduating, La Fond finds his results on the test demoralizing. "You question what you're really capable of doing," he said.

That kind of blow to the confidence, Myatt said, is bad enough -- but it also could eventually discourage students from taking the test again if they fail.

Myatt and other critics of the statewide test said it doesn't measure "creativity, teamwork, research skills and lots of other ways to show your learning." And Myatt said the irony is that many colleges realize this problem.

The Fenway High principal said that as many as 70 percent of his seniors this year would have had to abandon college plans if the test had counted. He also said he doesn't expect percentages to turn around any time soon. Students coming from inner-city grade schools aren't prepared well enough to score consistently well on standardized tests such as the MCAS, Myatt said.

Massachusetts education officials -- and many politicians supporting the statewide test -- said they aren't backing away from the MCAS.

"I find it very hard to believe kids are failing MCAS and getting into college," said David Driscoll, state Department of Education commissioner. "Our statistics show the kids who fail MCAS are failing otherwise."

From the educational frontlines, however, Myatt said he sees a different story. Students are getting into good colleges and failing the MCAS, he said.

A board at Fenway High School names the colleges graduating students are attending

Myatt said he sincerely believes state officials, including the commissioner, are trying to raise standards. But like many educators, Myatt said he fears "teaching to the test" will become the educational norm.

Other critics said these tests will wind up measuring mostly those best prepared for the exams, not those best prepared for college, work or life.

At least 29 states are phasing in statewide exams such as the Massachusetts MCAS. The jury is still out about whether these experiments in raising standards may also mean lowered opportunities in higher education for some.

Myatt said he's having a hard time "getting behind something that's going to keep some of my best and brightest out of college ... (who) have a dream and a future and a plan to activate that dream -- who may not get the chance."

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Fenway High School

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