Hoosac Valley Regional adopts clarified competency-determination language affecting current seniors

The Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee voted unanimously April 28 to adopt updated language defining the district's competency determination for high school diplomas, a change Superintendent Aaron Dean said will take effect immediately and apply to current seniors.

The update formalizes course-based alternatives to MCAS for students who have not previously earned a competency determination (CD). "Students must meet HVRSD requirements for a competency determination to receive a highschool diploma," Dean read from the proposed language, which the administration said mirrors Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidance and the MCAS framework.

Under the adopted language, students who have not already earned a CD can meet the requirement by: receiving a passing grade in a grade-10 English course; receiving a passing grade in Algebra II or the Integrated Math equivalency; and receiving a passing grade in an approved Biology or Physics course (or equivalent). The committee amended the draft during discussion to replace broader math wording with the specific "Algebra II or the Integrated Math equivalency" formulation moved by Erin Milne and seconded by Andy Przystanski; the committee then approved the amended policy.

Superintendent Dean said the policy also preserves existing pathways — students who previously earned a CD through MCAS or a DESE appeal retain that determination — and lists options for students who do not meet passing grades, including summer school, credit recovery, or additional coursework assigned by a counselor. The principal is designated as the initial arbiter for transcript equivalency disputes; the superintendent's decision is final on CD transcript appeals, the language states.

Committee discussion focused on clarity around the math requirement and ensuring the language matched past local practice. Dean confirmed the change is intended to provide a clear, immediate route for eligible seniors: "either/or," he said when asked about math-course equivalency. The committee voted unanimously to adopt the update after the amendment.

What's next: The committee did not set a separate implementation timeline beyond immediate effect; school counselors and principals are responsible for transcript reviews, and students who remain short of requirements are to be offered recovery options. The district's updated CD policy will be filed with the committee's records.