Brockton School Committee approves temporary competency-determination policy for 2025 graduates

The Brockton School Committee’s Policy Subcommittee unanimously approved a draft competency-determination policy on March 11 that lays out local requirements for the class of 2025 after the state removed the MCAS test as a graduation requirement.

Superintendent Dr. Tilghani told the subcommittee that “we can no longer utilize the MCAS, to provide proof of competency for students to graduate,” and that districts must now set local measures for competency and notify the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) of their decisions. Deputy Superintendent Sharon Walder presented the draft the district developed with high school leaders.

The policy specifies course-based measures aligned with what MCAS historically tested: two years of high-school-level English language arts, two years of high-school-level mathematics (listed for Brockton as Math 1 and Math 2), one lab science (physics, biology or chemistry), and U.S. history. Walder said the subcommittee sought to mirror the content scope MCAS measured so seniors close to graduation would be held to the same basic standards without a state test.

Walder described how district high-school principals, associate principals, guidance staff and coordinators participated in a committee to ensure the policy fits both Brockton High School and the district’s pathway schools. She said the policy treats competency determination as distinct from local graduation-credit requirements: meeting competency is one condition; students must still meet credit and course-count requirements set by each school to receive a diploma.

The draft also includes an appeals process: a student who believes they met competency but was denied could request a review by a school administrator, a counselor and a central-office representative; that local decision would be final. Walder added that students who previously received a certificate of attainment and now wish to be reevaluated to see whether they qualify for a diploma “would have to meet the standards outlined in this policy.”

Committee members asked how the district will ensure equity across classrooms when classroom-embedded assessments and performance tasks are used. Walder said for 2025 the district will rely on course-passing as designed by each course; standard rubrics and tighter curricular alignment could be considered moving forward as part of curriculum adoption work. Members also asked about English learners and students with disabilities; Walder said representatives from Special Education and the bilingual office participated in drafting and that the policy is written to allow those students equitable access to competency determination while preserving diploma-track distinctions.

Several members asked whether DESE must approve the policy. Walder said districts are required to make and share a local decision with DESE but the draft is not a DESE-approved submission process; she described the district policy as a likely temporary approach until DESE issues new statewide procedures.

Motion and vote: Mr. Sullivan moved to approve the competency-determination policy for 2025 high school graduates; Ms. Azak seconded. By show of hands the motion passed unanimously.

What’s next: The superintendent and central office will finalize the document for distribution; the district will notify DESE as required and communicate requirements to students and families once the policy is adopted.