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School committee shortens timeline to adopt DESE competency-determination policy

Westford School Committee ยท December 2, 2025
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Summary

Faced with a Dec. 31 DESE deadline, the committee voted 5-1 to amend its policy-adoption schedule so the competency-determination policy can be voted at the first reading on Dec. 15 with a five-business-day public-comment period.

The Westford School Committee voted on Dec. 1 to accelerate its adoption timetable for a DESE-required competency-determination policy. Superintendent (speaker 6) explained that DESE issued guidance requiring districts to adopt narrative language describing competency-determination, supports for students with disabilities and appeal procedures before Dec. 31; staff also noted forthcoming statewide recommendations on graduation requirements and end-of-course assessments.

To meet the state deadline, a motion was offered to amend the committee's usual policy-adoption sequence and vote on the competency-determination policy at the first reading on Dec. 15 with a five-business-day public-comment period. The motion was seconded and passed 5-1, meeting the two-thirds vote required to shorten the policy timeline. One committee member said they were reluctant to reduce the public-review window but agreed to the shortened timeline given the external deadline.

Chair and policy-subcommittee members said the accelerated vote is intended as a necessary compliance step: the vote will adopt policy language that expands the district's previously approved graduation-requirements chart to include a narrative and appeal language required by DESE; committee members noted that additional refinements may be needed after the state's final recommendations are issued in June 2026.