Lawrence board adopts MCAS competency revisions after DESE guidance

The Lawrence Alliance for Education board voted Oct. 8 to approve revisions to the district's MCAS competency-determination policy that align local graduation rules with updated guidance from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Dr. Lynn Gutierrez, who led the presentation, said the key change from DESE is that students must now show mastery of course skills in addition to satisfactorily completing required coursework. "In addition to satisfactorily completing the relevant coursework — we now also have to have students show mastery of skills," Gutierrez said. She said mastery can be shown using a course's final assessment, a portfolio or a final project and that the district's grading policy will govern how mastery is determined.

The change also adds U.S. history as a competency area for the class of 2027. Gutierrez told the board that, in limited circumstances, MCAS may still be used as an alternative measure if the district cannot document mastery through district assessments and if students meet MCAS expectations.

The policy update includes clarified language for students with disabilities and English learners. Gutierrez said the district must ensure students educated out of district still have the opportunity to meet competency requirements and that certain ESL courses may fulfill English language arts requirements if they include ELD and ELA standards.

Board members pressed for details on how mastery will be measured and how the district will ensure equity across multiple high schools and teachers. "So right now — our plan is — to do some common assessments," Gutierrez said, adding the district intends common final assessments and a shared scoring guide to ensure consistent decisions about mastery.

The board approved the revisions by roll call. The recorded vote was Jose Luis Galaf: yes; Edgar De Leon: yes; Juana Matias: yes; Maria Mueller: yes; Patricia Mariano: yes. The policy will be submitted to DESE for final approval by Dec. 31, as required.

Board and staff materials note an appeals process: families may appeal competency decisions in writing to the school principal within 10 school days and receive a written decision within five school days. The district will continue to use transcript audits and the new mastery criteria to review requests for diplomas from students who attended high school during 2003—24 but did not previously have one due to MCAS.

The board directed staff to finalize the policy language, develop common assessments and scoring guides for high-school courses identified as competency areas, and submit the policy to DESE by the December deadline.