I think I speak for every teacher and parent when it comes to standardized testing. Standardized testing (in our state MCAS) is meaningless, it does not provide any worthwhile information (since it is reported 6 plus months after the student actually took the test). It is a barrier to high school graduation and is not a true depiction of a teacher’s ability to educate or a students ability to learn.

In Bridget’s case it is the epitome of ridiculousness. She cannot read or add, yet the State expects her to take either MCAS or MCAS-Alt. I joked for years that due to the complexity and time that is involved with MCAS-Alt that just let Bridget sit in a room for 3 hours playing on the computer. Hey with the laws of probability she might just pass the multiple choice!

When Bridget transitioned from the traditional public school to a special-ed only school there was a lot for us, as a family to adapt to. And for the school to adapt to my style of parenting, aka sarcastic humor. I questioned them about the MCAS-Alt. I would rather Bridget’s team spend the time teaching her vocational and real-life skills rather than worry about what the State Department of Education deemed worthy. I have plenty of sleepless nights, but I never lost sleep over how the State judged Bridget’s academics.

Until last week, when I receive this in the mail.

Bridget’s school team rocked the MCAS-Alt. They showed the State what I have always known.

No one, not myself and not the State, can ever tell Bridget that she cannot do something. She does it in her own way, but she proves her worth.

It shouldn’t matter that she got this certificate from the State. But yet it mattered to me. That State recognizes how hard her team at school works to make Bridget the best she can be. That I can say to her home district we miss you, we wish she was still in her hometown public school.

But this is where Bridget belongs.

Because she and her team at school just rocked the MCAS-Alt and proved it.