Triton committee members spent significant time Jan. 8 discussing the implications of changes at the state level that removed MCAS as the automatic competency determination for high school graduation. The superintendent said the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has left much of the decision-making to local districts and that Triton is developing a locally certified competency determination process.

Why it matters: MCAS had functioned for years as the statewide competency determination tied to diplomas. With that change, districts must certify what counts as satisfactory demonstration of skills tied to state standards in areas formerly measured by the MCAS tests. The shift affects both current students and some former graduates who were previously denied diplomas based on MCAS outcomes.

What officials said: The superintendent told the committee that DESE’s updated language allows districts to base a competency determination on “satisfactorily completing coursework that has been certified by the student's district as showing mastery” of the state standards, but that the department has provided limited prescriptive guidance on how districts should certify that coursework.

The superintendent read language from the statute and FAQ in open session and cautioned there is room for interpretation about whether coursework alone or coursework plus assessment evidence is required. He said Triton plans to align the district’s graduation requirement policy with the competency determination language and that staff—principals, the director of guidance and others—are working on a straightforward local approach. “They'll let us know if it meets it or not. So we're keeping that work going,” the superintendent said.

Committee members debated whether a certification of coursework tied to standards and a curriculum map would satisfy a competency determination or whether a separate assessment or portfolio would be required. One committee member suggested the model could be similar to standards‑based learning in which students demonstrate mastery in capstone projects or portfolios linked to each standard.

The superintendent noted the district is treating this work as a local decision but acknowledged the uncertainty in state guidance: “We are getting, with all due respect, little to no guidance from the Department of Ed,” he said, and added that the district is coordinating with other superintendents and the state superintendent’s listserv for examples and best practices.

Impact and next steps: District staff said there are likely very few students who would be immediately affected for the June 2025 graduation (the superintendent estimated “maybe a student or two” in the class of 2025). The superintendent said he will bring a policy update for the committee to consider in February to align the district’s graduation policy with the competency-determination requirements and that staff will try to design a simple, defensible local process that other districts are also exploring.

Ending: The committee did not vote on a final local competency determination on Jan. 8. The superintendent said staff will continue developing options and return a recommended policy for committee action in February.