State Senator Passes Budget Amendment Pausing Test Implementation

BOSTON— State Senator Ryan C. Fattman (R-Webster) joined his Senate colleagues Thursday in adopting an amendment to the FY15 Supplemental Budget that requires the Commonwealth’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to evaluate the feasibility of adopting Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) standardized testing.  “I have heard too many concerns from my district to move forward with PARCC testing,” Fattman said. “We must have a deliberative process to hear out the pros and cons of ushering in a new education curriculum for our teachers and students.”

Amendment #65, titled PARCC Review, states: “The Dept. Of Elementary and Secondary Education shall evaluate the feasibility of adopting the standardized test [PARCC]…the Dept. shall consider what is in the best interest of the Massachusetts students and consider the logistical, financial, pedagogical, and administrative impacts on school districts…”The state’s education board held a series of public hearings over the summer which raised a number of concerns associated with changing Massachusetts’ education standards.

The PARCC test has recently come under scrutiny as the replacement for current state testing. The new testing system is a result of federal funding that was accepted by the State under the Patrick Administration. Unless an education curriculum equivalent to or exceeding the PARCC standards are adopted, the PARCC system will gradually be phased in as the state’s next form of standardized testing.

The supplemental budget in which the amendment was adopted will now move into conference for consideration with the House’s version of the budget.

 
Joe Zarrella, Chief of Staff
State Senator Ryan C. Fattman
State House, Rm. 520 Boston, MA 02133
617-722-1420 (P) / 617-722-2353 (F)