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School committee holds first reading of competency-determination policy replacing MCAS requirement
Summary
Committee members conducted a first reading of a newly drafted competency-determination policy (to take effect Jan. 3) that would replace the former MCAS-based graduation determination with district-certified coursework, capstones or portfolios in ELA, math, science and (beginning with the class of 2027) U.S. history.
The Holliston School Committee held a first reading on Oct. 23 of a competency-determination policy the district prepared to align with the state’s removal of MCAS as an automatic graduation requirement.
The draft policy lays out a district-based alternative for demonstrating competency in English language arts, mathematics and science and adds a U.S. history expectation beginning with the class of 2027. The policy says students who passed the relevant MCAS before Jan. 3, 2025, will be considered to have met the competency determination; students who did not will be required to complete equivalent coursework (for example, English 9 and 10; Algebra 1 and Geometry; and one year of biology, chemistry or physics) and pass a final assessment, capstone portfolio or equivalent district measure.
Why it matters: The state removed MCAS as a uniform graduation gate and directed districts to certify competency using coursework and common-district measures. The committee must adopt a local approach that meets the state minimums and that accounts for multilingual learners, students with disabilities and students who enroll late.
Details in the draft: The policy specifies that if a student fails a final course assessment, the district may convene a portfolio review of prior evidence to determine whether the student demonstrated 60 percent of the frameworks included in the summative assessment or the student may attempt the competency in a subsequent course. The draft also requires IEP teams to address competency determination in transition planning for students with disabilities and instructs the district to make case-by-case determinations for English language learners.
Discussion and next steps: Committee members and staff noted the policy is based on state guidance and templates used by other districts. The committee treated the presentation as a first reading; staff said they had circulated language from collaboratives and would revise the draft ahead of a future second reading to incorporate feedback. "This policy is based off of basically what the state...sent out," a staff member said. No final vote was taken.
The policy will return for additional review and a vote at a later meeting; administrators said they could seek a waiver if state timelines required it.
