Now, three decades later, Massachusetts ranks first in education, in part because of our strong graduation requirements. While Latinos still face challenges, families from around the world come here to enroll their students in our world-class system.

Question 2 seeks to remove the MCAS graduation requirement. While the test could benefit from an update, it would be detrimental to our students and our state’s competitiveness to eliminate our standardized measure of academic proficiency. Latino students are also likely to be multilingual learners, and the MCAS provides a diagnostic tool to learn whether these students are being equitably served.

The state does it too accommodation for students with disabilities and offers the math and science portions in Spanish. As the Globe said in its October 30 editorial“Look at recent history – and vote no on question 2,” MCAS should be maintained and improved, not eliminated as a graduation requirement. That is why we are voting no.

Rosalin Acosta

Orleans

Amanda Fernandez

Belmont

Acosta is the former Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. Fernandez is a former member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; she is also the founder and CEO of Latinos for Education, but the opinions she expresses here are her own.

I am a strong advocate of getting rid of the MCAS as a graduation requirement. The MCAS is promoted as a standardized test, but there is nothing standardized about the state of our children’s schools or lives. Many schools are underfunded and lack the resources they need to meet the learning and emotional needs of their students. These schools cannot offer competitive salaries to retain teachers and staff. Many students come to school unprepared to learn because they are hungry, homeless or traumatized by poverty, violence or the impact of racism.

Question 2 seeks to remove a barrier that disproportionately affects students of color, students living in poverty, students with learning challenges, students who speak a language other than English, and students who attend under-resourced schools.

We should not penalize children for the inequality in our society. Vote yes on question 2.

Doug Selwyn

Greenfield

If Question 2 is approved on Election Day, the MCAS will no longer serve as the state’s high school graduation requirement, but will still serve as a vital data point for schools and school systems to use as a valid measure of performance students to adjust classroom practice.

Massachusetts can still be a national leader in fully standards-based rigor adopting MassCore as a graduation requirement for every high school in the Commonwealth. This rigorous program of study, designed to prepare graduates for the college and workforce expectations of the 21st century, would provide a foundation from which each student could advance.

For some students, perhaps those with learning disabilities who cannot meet the world language requirements no matter how hard they try (I was one of those students; I have dyslexia), the 10th grade MCAS could serve as an alternative requirement. and those who successfully pass it would also earn their high school diploma.

This would give Massachusetts a robust toolkit of options, maximizing each student’s potential beyond a high-stakes test. This model would allow teachers to shape the scope and sequence of rigorous school-wide learning experiences—where honorable work is done.

Matthew H. Malone

Roslindale

The writer is a former Massachusetts secretary of education and a former superintendent of schools.

A common criticism of the MCAS is that it forces educators to “teach to the test.”

Let me rephrase that statement: it makes educators teach material that is measured by test.

I have to ask: what’s wrong with that?

Sumner Blount

Arlington