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Standards

Students in Massachusetts have started an organization calling for a boycott of the state’s high-stakes Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. The group is known as the Student Coalition for Alternatives to MCAS – or, for short, SCAM. You can access their web page at: www.scam-mcas.org.

THE FIGHTING ILLINI

In Illinois, meanwhile, a group of Chicago students who last year intentionally flunked an Illinois state test say they have talked 200 high school juniors across the state into doing the same thing this year.

The test is the Prairie State Achievement Exam. Beginning next year, student transcripts will note whether students passed the test. There may also be special certificates on their diplomas.

The boycott is being led by the group Organized Students of Chicago. The group can be contacted via e-mail at: OSC3000@aol.com.

SAT SCORES AND PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS

All those who are getting mediocre scores on your SATs, take heart. You, too, might be a presidential candidate. George W. Bush received an SAT verbal score of 566. And Bill Bradley got an SAT verbal score of 485.</p