Educators in Massachusetts say the MCAS high school graduation requirement is disproportionately affecting English language learners, the fastest growing student population in the state.

Failure to pass the required English, math and science tests means students do not receive a diploma, which can limit future college and career opportunities.

Kellie Jones, director of bilingual education for Brockton Public Schools, called it a barrier to students' civil rights.

"They're being identified as failures by the state," Jones contended. "I don't see English language learners as failures."

Jones noted a proposed ballot initiative for November would ask voters to keep the tests in place but allow students who fail to still receive a diploma if they have passed their required courses. Opponents of the measure, including Gov. Maura Healy, argued it would lead to a lack of uniform standards statewide.

Massachusetts is one of only eight states still requiring students to pass a standardized test to earn a diploma. Roughly 700 students fail each year and the vast majority are English learners and students with disabilities. Many have had their education experiences interrupted and face housing and food insecurity.

Jones pointed out their MCAS scores fail to reflect the challenge of mastering a new language as well as academic content on a limited timeline.

"If the students are not yet proficient in English, they may not have an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on this assessment," Jones explained.

Jones added there is a critical shortage of qualified teachers to handle the influx of English learners who have arrived over the past year. A report from the Annenberg Institute notes the number of students who never pass the MCAS is likely to increase as more arrive and a higher passing threshold for the English test takes effect in 2026.

Connecticut education advocates feel Gov. Ned Lamont's 2026-2027 budget proposal continues a history of underfunding education.

While the new budget increases special education spending by $40 million, some feel it's not enough, as Connecticut is in the third year of a statewide teacher shortage.

Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, said education funding must change to benefit the whole system.

"What we tend to do is say, 'The costs were $260 million, we'll budget $160', without realizing districts across the state have to absorb $100-million in expenses," she explained.

She added if special education needs $260 million in funding, that's what should be included in the budget.

Another issue includes reviewing the Education Cost Sharing formula which hasn't kept up with the rate of inflation. Dias said adding more dollars to school districts can help retain educators and expand a dwindling workforce.

Underfunding of education has left Connecticut with larger class sizes and lower wages for all educators, making it harder to recruit new teachers. A 2024 survey finds 97% of educators are concerned about burnout because they're wearing many hats. But Dias said proving there's a problem is a challenge to get more education funding.

"One of the challenges we face is, ironically, our educators do a really good job of overcoming some of these barriers. We have teachers who put their own money back into their classrooms. As a result our test scores -- our national ranking if you will -- has not gone into the toilet," she continued.

This comes as federal education dollars are imperiled by President Donald Trump's agenda. Beyond executive orders initiating a total federal funding freeze, his plans to dismantle the Department of Education worry Dias, who believes as Connecticut's budget planning continues, the state of the federal government lurks in the back of her mind.

"Connecticut's not going to be able to cover for the federal government. It will be a loss of services to families and children, and that's the bottom line. In the education space, the loss of federal funds is a reduction in school lunch. We're not going to be able to provide school lunches," she concluded.


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An effort to increase students heading into high-demand jobs from North Carolina's community colleges is receiving a "boost." The N-C Community Colleges Boost program has received more than $35 million from the philanthropic organization Arnold Ventures to launch a new pilot in the state supporting students.

Patrick Crane, vice president for strategic initiatives with the North Carolina Community College System, which announced the program, said there are eligibility requirements.

"We see Boost really as a workforce development strategy for North Carolina. And so, one of the eligibility requirements for students is that they are enrolled in a program that leads to a high-demand job or a transfer pathway leading to a high-demand job," he said.

The program is launching in 8 community colleges this year and seven in 2026. NC Community Colleges Boost is modeled after a similar program in New York. North Carolina's program is also ensuring rural community colleges can participate. Crane says the goal is to run the program statewide after the initial pilot.

The Boost program is designed for students with the greatest needs. It includes a $100 stipend for meeting with advisors on a regular basis and $600 for textbooks. Boost also ensures smaller student-to-advisor ratios than the average, at 150 students to one advisor. Crane says structured pathways are another crucial element, and students in the program must attempt to take at least 24 credits per year.

"What we've seen in New York, Ohio and other places is that when students receive these financial supports and these personnel direct services from their advisors and others, it helps them take more credits and therefore accelerate to completion," he continued.

Crane added that students have to make a commitment to be in the program.

"If they're willing to do that, we're willing to support them because we know when they get out the other side, they're working a great job, they're going to be contributing to the state. So, we really see this as a partnership between students, colleges and the state," he explained.


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In rural Mississippi, where education disparities run deep, community leaders are stepping up to fill the gaps left by limited resources and geographic isolation.

Mississippi has one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation, with one in three children living below the poverty line.

Yolanda Minor, state director of Save the Children Mississippi, is at the forefront of efforts to improve education outcomes for children in some of the state's most underserved areas.

"Some of the barriers are poverty, lack of access to high-quality early education, teacher shortages," Minor outlined. "One of the biggest ones is geographic isolation."

Many families lack access to high-quality early education programs, and teacher shortages leave some students with long-term substitutes instead of certified educators. Simply getting to a school or learning center presents a challenge in many areas.

One solution has been to partner with churches and school districts to create tutoring hubs in Quitman County, where students can receive extra academic support outside of school hours.

Advocates stressed early learning investments are crucial for long-term academic success.

Nick Carrington, managing director of community impact for Save the Children, noted children who attend preschool and other high-quality early learning opportunities are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn. He also mentioned the early advantages often contribute to stronger reading proficiency by third grade.

"We're currently working with 25 rural communities across eight states and what's now a national network," Carrington explained. "We're learning from them and they're learning from each other to strengthen their work."

Minor pointed out making simple adjustments, such as adjusting school bus routes to bring students to different locations, has also helped increase participation.

"By having the churches act as tutoring hubs and revising the bus routes to make services more accessible to those children that may not have transportation," Minor noted.

Despite the efforts, advocates said rural education in Mississippi still lacks the funding and infrastructure needed to ensure every child starts school on equal footing. A report last year by the National Rural Education Association ranked Mississippi as one of the states most in need of increased funding to support students in rural districts and help schools attract and retain qualified teachers.