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School committee approves 2025–26 Program of Studies, recommends four‑year math requirement
Summary
The committee approved the Middleborough High School 2025–26 Program of Studies, which retools electives, removes some MCAS‑remediation courses, adds literacy labs for grades 9–10, redesigns TV/video production, and recommends making math a full‑year graduation requirement beginning with the Class of 2026.
The Middleborough School Committee approved the 2025–26 Program of Studies on Jan. 23 after a presentation by Principal Paul Branagan outlining wide‑ranging updates to course offerings and graduation requirements.
Branagan said the program trims several courses tied to past MCAS remediation work and adds targeted supports such as literacy labs for ninth and tenth graders and a math lab. He highlighted a recommendation to make mathematics a four‑year graduation requirement going forward, noting administrators believe most seniors already take a math course and the policy would formally align graduation requirements with MassCore recommendations.
The program also reorganizes history sequencing (reintroducing a world‑history sequence for future cohorts), expands AP access earlier for selected students (AP Chemistry offered to qualified 10th‑grade students), and redesigns television production into multiple entry courses (field production, studio production and filmmaking) so students may enter the pathway at different levels. Branagan described a phased approach to the Russian language offering—removing Russian 1 from next year’s catalog but preserving Russian II–IV for students already in those sequences and proposing a new "Russian culture" introductory course to broaden exposure.
Committee members praised the expansion of career‑pathway and applied learning options (advanced manufacturing capstone, Project Lead The Way pathways) and asked for additional outreach about language choices and the potential timeline for adding a third language. The committee moved and unanimously approved the Program of Studies for 2025–26.
Administrators said course catalogs and scheduling portals will be rolled out to students and families this winter; teacher recommendations and counselor outreach will guide placements in the coming weeks.
