Massachusetts Teachers Association

An education bill in the state legislature that supporters say would decrease the college debt burden on Massachusetts students is drawing widespread support for its promise to help erase a major financial barrier that often derails low-income students.

Flexing its political muscle, the Massachusetts Teachers Association turned in 135,000 signatures, far more than expected, to the Secretary of State’s office in support of a ballot question that intends to remove the controversial high school graduation requirement tied to MCAS testing.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association is continuing its push for legislation that would remove MCAS exams as a graduation requirement, end state receiverships of underperforming school districts and implement performance-based assessments.