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Lawrence adopts local competency-determination policy after state ends MCAS graduation requirement
Summary
The district approved local criteria for awarding high-school diplomas now that passing MCAS is no longer a statewide graduation requirement. The policy bases diplomas on certified coursework aligned to 10th-grade standards and establishes a transcript-audit process for alumni.
The Lawrence Alliance for Education on Wednesday adopted a local competency-determination policy that replaces the former requirement to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) as a prerequisite for a high-school diploma.
Dr. Lynn Gutierrez, who presented the recommendation with high-school administrators, told the board the change is required after a November state law change removed MCAS passing as a statewide graduation condition. "In order to earn a Lawrence Public Schools high school diploma, students must meet the local competency determination," Gutierrez said. "Competency is based on the academic standards and the curriculum frameworks for 10th grade and on satisfactorily completing coursework certified by the district showing mastery of the skills measured by the MCAS tests: English language arts, mathematics and science and technology."
The district’s adopted language requires that students complete full-credit courses that align to the content measured by MCAS: English 9 and English 10; Algebra I and Geometry (or equivalent); and one science from biology, chemistry, physics or technology and engineering. Students who completed Algebra I in eighth grade will have that course counted toward the algebra requirement, the presentation said. The policy gives building principals or their designees authority to make final decisions on awarding the competency determination after a transcript audit.
The policy also provides a pathway for individuals who previously received a certificate of attainment because they had not passed MCAS. Those alumni may request a transcript audit; if the district determines the older transcript meets the current coursework-and-credit standard, the student would receive a diploma bearing the current year. "Upon request, those individuals can have an audit of their transcript, and we’ll determine if they meet the current graduation requirements and competency determination criteria," Gutierrez said. She added that, if the transcript is accepted, the diploma would be dated with the current school year rather than retroactively dated.
Board discussion focused on consistency across the district’s multiple high-school programs — the main comprehensive campus, RISE Academy and the High School Learning Center (HLC) — and on how graduation requirements beyond the competency determination may vary by campus. Victor Caraballo, a high-school administrator, explained that competency determination is a common district standard but individual high schools can set additional graduation-credit requirements appropriate to their program models.
Several board members asked how the district will reach alumni who may be eligible for a diploma via transcript audit. Superintendent Carrero said staff will advertise the option on the district website, in the local newspaper and by using alumni contact functions in the student information system where possible. Staff estimated they could review more than 1,000 transcripts dating back to 2003 and described the audit as a case-by-case process to verify course equivalency and standards alignment.
Why it matters: The policy converts prior certificates of attainment into diploma opportunities for qualifying alumni and sets a district-defined, coursework-based route for current students to earn diplomas. The change responds to a statewide shift in graduation rules and may increase access to postsecondary education and workforce opportunities for adults whose diplomas were previously withheld for MCAS reasons.
What the policy does not do: It does not remove course or credit requirements set by individual high schools; it does not require any single high school to make its graduation-credit requirements identical to other campuses.
What’s next: The board approved the policy; staff will publish procedures and a transcript-audit request form and advertise the opportunity to alumni. Building principals retain final authority to award competency determination in individual cases.
