Budget Amendment ID: FY2021-S4-115

EDU 115

2020-2021 MCAS Moratorium

Ms. Comerford, Mr. Feeney, Ms. Rausch, Ms. DiZoglio, Mr. Moore, Ms. Gobi, Mr. O'Connor, Ms. Jehlen, Messrs. Brady, Welch, Pacheco, Timilty, Lesser, Velis, Rush, Crighton, Fattman, Hinds and Montigny, Ms. Lovely and Ms. Moran moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section:-

SECTION XX. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall on January 21, 2021 submit to the United States Department of Education a request that the Commonwealth’s statewide assessment, accountability and reporting requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act be waived for the 2020-2021 school year. The request shall be made pursuant to section 8401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and shall include a request to waive the assessment requirements in section 1111(b)(2); the accountability and school identification requirements in sections 1111(c)(4) and 1111(d)(2)(C)-(D); and the report card provisions related to assessments and accountability in section 1111(h).

(b) Notwithstanding section 1I of chapter 69 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, upon approval of the request referred to in subsection (a), the department of elementary and secondary education shall not administer the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System or any other named statewide standardized assessment in the 2020-2021 school year in order to address disruptions caused by the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19; provided further that no assessment shall be administered prior to action by the United States Department of Education on the waiver request referred to in the preceding paragraph.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (i) of section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, for the 2020-2021 school year, the requirement that a student must demonstrate mastery of a common core of skills, competencies and knowledge as measured by Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System or any other named statewide standardized assessment as a condition for high school graduation shall be waived and the requirements of the competency determination for high school graduation shall be identical to the modified requirements utilized for the graduating class of 2020.