Instead, D’Alessandro says, it is “one form of assessment, a diagnostic tool.”

“We are not interested just in passing. We want our students to be proficient,” she said.

Opposition to the test still remains strong among both teachers and students however.

“It’s bad for education. We’ve abandoned real education for basically test prep and gate keeping,” said Larry W. Ward, father of three children in the Cambridge public school system.

Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) history teacher, and organizer of CARE Larry S. Aaronson said he strongly opposes the MCAS.

“I believe in standards, not standardization... A high school exit test is shameful” he said.

Despite concerns about the validity of the MCAS, Aaronson feels he must prepare his students for the test in his CRLS classroom.

“As much as I oppose the test, I feel deeply that I want these kids to pass,” he said.