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School committee waives BGB reading, adopts revised graduation and competency policies to align with DESE guidance

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School Committee · December 2, 2025

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Summary

The committee voted Dec. 1 to waive the usual two‑reading policy (BGB) and adopt amended IKF (graduation requirements) and IKFE (competency determination) language, including an appeals process and a clause preserving competency benefits earned prior to Jan. 3, 2025; staff will file the documents with DESE.

The Dennis‑Yarmouth Regional School Committee voted Dec. 1 to expedite and adopt revised graduation and competency determination policies in response to updated Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) guidance.

A policy subcommittee asked the board to waive the usual two‑reading requirement in policy BGB to meet DESE filing deadlines. The committee approved suspending BGB and advancing the documents for adoption by roll call vote.

The committee then moved to adopt IKF (graduation requirements) as amended and to adopt IKFE (competency determination) as a separate policy incorporating DESE's July guidance. The IKFE motion included two amendments the committee approved: a clarification of course alignment language and an added paragraph preserving the competency determination (CD) benefit for students who met the CD standard prior to Jan. 3, 2025 ("Students who met the CD standard in English language arts, mathematics, and/or science prior to 01/03/2025 ... retain that benefit"). The committee recorded roll‑call approval for these measures.

Superintendent Dr. Smith thanked the committee for waiving the policy sequence and noted staff must finish paperwork to notify families, since the change affects the graduating class of 2026. He also said statewide guidance remains in flux and the district may revisit the policies after the state releases additional recommendations.