By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
It’s been nearly a year since Massachusetts voters said “yes” to a ballot question that ended the requirement for students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam in order to graduate from high school.
That decision has left school districts across the state asking the same question: What now?
For North Attleborough, the answer came during the School Committee’s meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14, when district officials unveiled a new set of competency standards for graduatation.
High School Principal Thomas Rizzo said North Attleborough consulted with a number of other districts, high school administrators, and curriculum leaders to come up with a proposal that “demonstrates a student’s proficiency in coursework and mastery of standards.”
The proposal’s flexibility, Rizzo added, is intentional – allowing the school to adapt as educational needs and expectations evolve.
“We’re doing a compilation of benchmark assessments throughout the year to determine what proficiency looks like,” said Rizzo. “We’re happy with this and how it turned out. It gives students a number of opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in a lot of different ways.”
Among the changes is a new opportunity for students who attended North Attleborough High School between 2003 and 2024, but never earned a diploma because they failed the MCAS. Those individuals can now appeal the decision and request a transcript review to determine if they have met the competency determination requirement through their coursework.
“Once this policy is approved, what this will allow us to do is go back and see who didn’t earn their high school diploma because MCAS were a barrier,” said Rizzo. “Then we can look at their transcript and go through an appeals process.”
Students who passed the MCAS prior to Jan. 3, 2025, may still use that passing score as their competency determination for graduation. The Class of 2027 will be the first graduating class to fully transition to the new guidelines.
According to the proposal, students who did not receive a passing score on the MCAS prior to 2025 can meet the satisfactory completion of coursework requirements by the following:
- Pass the equivalent of two years of high school English Language Arts courses in grades 9 and 10.
- Take and pass the equivalent of two years of high school math courses (algebra and geometry).
- Take and pass the equivalent of one year of any one of the following disciplines – biology, physics, chemistry or technology/engineering in grades 9, 10 or 11.
- Beginning with the Class of 2027, students will demonstrate proficiency in their social studies coursework by successfully passing the equivalent of one year of U.S. and the World I, U.S. and the World II, or AP U.S. History classes by the end of their high school experience.
In addition to the satisfactory completion of coursework, students will also be required to pass a final exam or capstone project.
The proposal states that “if a student fails to pass their benchmark assessments in ninth and 10th grade, students will participate in a review of prior assessment data to determine if they have met 60% of the frameworks included in the assessment.”
Furthermore, an appeals process is in place where, if a student does not demonstrate proficiency, educators will be able to go back and see if there’s other work that can be considered to help that student receive their diploma.
Students who have been denied competency determination and graduation status may appeal decisions to the assistant superintendent, submitted in writing, and “allow for up to 10 business days in which supporting documentation can be reviewed.”
School Committee member Charlie Peters reminded the public that while MCAS will no longer serve as a graduation requirement, the tests will still be administered to students.
Assistant Superintendent Peter Haviland said that putting teachers back in the driver’s seat of certifying competency makes the pathway to graduation a more fair and equitable process.
“We’re certifying courses and we’re making sure that kids are assessed based on what they know, understand and can do,” said Haviland. “If a student has a disability that requires a combination of modifications, then those would be applied to allow them to have access to success.”