Westborough school officials presented a proposed local competency determination and revised graduation policy after the state required districts to define how tenth‑grade academic standards will be certified now that the MCAS test is no longer an automatic graduation requirement.

District presenters told the School Committee the change follows a statewide ballot initiative that decoupled passing MCAS in grade 10 from receiving a high school diploma and that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) issued implementation guidance this summer. The district must submit an approved local policy to DESE by the end of the calendar year; the competency requirement must be satisfied for the class of 2026.

Presenters said Westborough’s approach centers on local course completion and mastery of tenth‑grade standards, not a single high‑stakes exam. The policy framework calls for students to satisfactorily complete specified coursework (attendance, passing grades and demonstrated mastery) in tenth‑grade English, math and science as the primary pathway to a competency determination. The proposal also includes alternative pathways and an appeals process for students with disabilities and late‑arriving students.

Presenters described an appeals process in which a review team (teachers, counselors, specialists and administrators) would assess work and recommend options; the principal would issue a final decision within 10 school days, per state guidance. District staff also said they were conducting an archival review to contact former students who met the district’s graduation requirements but had not passed MCAS in prior years, offering those alumni an opportunity to request review under the new policy.

Committee members asked about the interplay between MCAS and local determinations. Presenters said MCAS remains useful for diagnostics and curriculum decisions but the district’s policy will not require passing MCAS as the sole pathway to competency. Several members said they plan to review the draft policy and vote at a future meeting; staff said the approved policy will be posted publicly, translated as required, and uploaded to the DESE portal.