Acting Gov. Jane Swift and state Education Commissioner David Driscoll praised two local businesses yesterday for their partnership with Boston High School in preparing students for the MCAS exam, encouraging other companies to join the statewide effort.
In a pilot program, volunteers from J.P. Morgan Chase and William M. Mercer Consulting agreed to tutor and help the students pass the spring Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. The volunteers will work with about 40 Boston High School sophomores once a week for 90 minutes at their respective workplaces.
The students have completed their first 10 weeks of math review and will continue for 10 more weeks. They will receive instruction in English and language arts.
Swift hailed the partnership as a way for students to receive personal attention and gain exposure to a professional environment. She emphasized the need for other businesses to participate in this unique partnership.
“These innovative programs will ensure that our students will be prepared educationally and also for the workplace,” Swift said. “I strongly encourage more organizations to get involved by developing additional programs with school systems throughout our Commonwealth.”
Swift said the tutoring program helps the students gain confidence in their abilities while improving test performance.
“It gives students the motivation and skills to achieve their potential,” she said. “I’m confident that [the students] can and will achieve success.”
Driscoll called the program “a tremendous effort by companies.” He expressed his satisfaction with the initiative taken by both J.P. Morgan and Mercer Consulting and cited the importance of working as a community.
“It’s about everyone coming together,” he said. “I’m so pleased and proud to have so many wonderful partners.”
Driscoll said these partnerships are consistent with the goals of education reform.
“The real spirit of the Education Reform Act was the value of education and giving students the opportunity to succeed,” he said.
Representatives from both companies spoke about their experiences with the students, saying they acknowledged the importance of expanded involvement on the part of other corporations.
“We have made our commitment to the students of Boston High through Mercer Cares About Students, our own MCAS initiative,” said Jim McCaffrey, leader of Mercer’s tutoring effort, in a statement. “We believe that businesses like ours can make a difference in helping students pass the MCAS test, one student at a time.”
Boston Superintendent Thomas Payzant noted that the program profits both the schools and the companies.
“Students benefit from the reinforcement of what they’re learning in the classroom, and businesses are helping to develop a strong labor pool for the future,” he said. “We are focused on providing every child with the academic foundation for future successes, and these businesses are helping many students reach that goal.”
The MCAS tests students in grades four, eight and 10 in the subjects of English languages arts, mathematics, and science and technology against statewide standards. High school students are not certified to graduate until they pass the exam.
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