New ‘competency determination' replaces MCAS as graduation requirement
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Massachusetts high school graduation requirements are changing after a vote by the state's elementary and secondary education board on Tuesday.
This comes after Massachusetts voters decided last November that MCAS will no longer be used to fulfill that requirement.
Passing the MCAS is no longer a high school graduation requirement, so the question becomes, 'What will decide how students get their diploma?' The state's education board will vote on the new regulations on Tuesday.
Starting with the class of 2026, students will earn the requirement of the state's 'competency determination' by completing coursework equivalent to:
2 years of high school English language arts courses
One year of both algebra 1 and geometry courses, or one year of both integrated math 1 and integrated math 2
One year of biology, physics, chemistry, technology, or engineering
And starting with the class of 2027, one year in U.S. history
The state's secretary of education says this is an important first step and that conversations will continue about the future of high school graduation standards. However, the state will continue to administer the MCAS exam, starting in third grade through high school. A proposed 'limited use' of MCAS scores for competency determination is having the Massachusetts teachers association sound the alarm, saying that it's recycling a quote, 'bad practice'.
High school student Samson Oppenheim told 22News, 'A lot of people are not good at taking standardized tests but are good at a ton of other stuff—and might be extremely academically smart aside from testing.'
A series of listening sessions will be held to help inform the K-12 statewide graduation council's recommendations, to ensure all students graduate with the skills to succeed.
A virtual session will be held on June 3rd and an in-person session at Holyoke High School on June 5th, starting at 5:30 p.m.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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