District crafting new competency determination proposal

In the wake of the repeal of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) as a requirement for high school graduation, Weston school officials are drafting a policy proposal for School Committee consideration as the district seeks to comply with new Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regulations.

The state’s amended regulations, approved in May, come after the approval of Question 2, a November 2024 ballot question in which 59% of voters supported the repeal of the requirement that students must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test to graduate from high school.

The MCAS previously served as the statewide competency determination for all students, but now students must meet graduation requirements set by the School Committee and fulfill a competency determination certified by local school boards to graduate from high school.

In an effort to standardize competency determination requirements, DESE’s new regulations require the completion of two high school English courses, two high school math classes, a science course and, beginning with the class of 2027, a U.S. history class. Each district’s competency determination policy must detail how students will meet the new requirements, according to DESE guidance issued in July.

“It’s an important effort that will require a big lift from administrators, educators and staff, not just in Weston, but in most other districts, as DESE has provided limited guidance and recommendations, and a rather aggressive time frame,” School Committee Chair Adam Newman said. “We’ll have a better sense of it in the coming weeks, as Dr. Carter and the working team he’s convened have a chance to work through the issues and opportunities and come back with some initial recommendations.”

A committee composed of Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning James “Kimo” Carter, Director of Student Services Martha Bakken, High School Principal Sue Bairstow and several department heads will draft the policy, which is expected to be considered by the School Committee in November.

While a majority of Massachusetts voters approved Question 2, 65.6% of Weston voters rejected the proposal, the highest percentage of “No” votes in any community, according to WBUR’s election results. Despite the prohibition on using the MCAS as a competency determination, public schools are still required to proctor the MCAS.

Weston’s MCAS scores are well above the state average. For the 2025 exams, 82% of Weston High School students met or exceeded expectations for the 10th grade English language arts exam, while 83% met or exceeded expectations on the math exams. The state averages for meeting or exceeding expectations in English and math are 51% and 45%, respectively, according to DESE data released on Monday.

The School Committee previously approved a competency determination in February for students who did not pass the MCAS before the November election. That determination required students to receive passing grades in a 10th grade English class, geometry and biology, physics or chemistry. Students could also earn a competency determination by receiving a passing grade in any class higher in the course sequence or an equivalent course with principal approval.

Carter said there are a “handful of students” in the class of 2026 who did not complete the MCAS before it was repealed.

DESE has set a Dec. 31 deadline for districts to approve a policy and submit it for review. Several School Committee members at the board’s Sept. 15 meeting raised concerns about the tight timeline, but Carter said this policy can evolve over time, if needed.

“I think it’s impossible to get it right the first time, so is this one-and-done?” asked member Tiao Xie.

“I don’t see this as a one-shot deal because competency determination is really at the core of who we are in Weston,” Carter replied. “We have high standards in Weston and we have a track record of getting everyone to those high standards. That’s who we are, so let’s create a process and a system that reflects that.”