High school students in Massachusetts could need to pass tests tied to specific coursework in order to graduate, under new draft regulations being considered by state officials — a year after voters chose to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement.
Preliminary draft regulations from Gov. Maura Healey’s Statewide K-12 Graduation Council, which was created to recommend a permanent graduation standard following the November 2024 ballot vote, propose that students demonstrate “mastery” by taking end-of-course assessments “that are connected to specific courses and that are designed, administered, and scored by the state, promoting a uniform standard across Massachusetts.”
Voters last year passed a ballot law decoupling the MCAS exam from diploma eligibility by a 59-41 margin. Key state leaders — including Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano — opposed the initiative petition, warning of long-term consequences for educational consistency and equity.
Supporters of the ballot law argued that MCAS was a “one-size-fits-all exam” that created unnecessary barriers to graduation for about 1% of students annually. Critics said it failed to adequately measure student learning, and have continued to argue that removing a statewide test risks worsening disparities in educational standards across school districts and undermines the credibility of a Massachusetts diploma.
Under the Graduation Council’s early proposal, end-of-course exams and other demonstrations of learning could take MCAS’s place in determining graduation readiness.
In addition to assessments, the draft regulations suggest that students complete capstones or portfolios, “defined by the state, and designed, administered, and assessed locally, promoting customized opportunities for deep and authentic demonstration of mastery.”
Jason Fraser, president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and a member of the advisory council, published the preliminary recommendations in a letter to MASC members seeking feedback. He raised concerns about the direction of the proposal, particularly the possibility of new standardized tests emerging under a different name.
“Based on the ‘Mastery’ section of the Preliminary Recommendations, we fear that the language suggests the possibility of state-created, state-graded, high-stakes testing,” Fraser wrote.
He warned that such testing “could be used for accountability... or, more critically, a graduation requirement,” which he argued would “directly conflict with the will of Massachusetts voters, who spoke decisively in a recent ballot initiative to abandon high-stakes testing as a condition for graduation.”
Fraser added: “Reintroducing such measures, even under a different name, risks undermining both voter intent and the trust of our communities.” His letter also noted that Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler has emphasized that council members are advisory, and “the final recommendations to the Governor would be his and his alone.”
An Executive Office of Education spokesperson stressed that the council’s work is still in progress.
“The Statewide K-12 Graduation Council is charged with recommending a new vision for statewide graduation requirements that ensure all students leave high school with the skills necessary to succeed in college, careers, and civic life,” said Alana Davidson. “The Council has spent months on stakeholder engagement, research, and discussion, including conducting eight statewide listening sessions and collecting thousands of survey responses. No recommendations have been decided at this time. The Council is still in discussions on recommendations and will continue to build consensus with many stakeholders.”
The Graduation Council has been meeting regularly since spring to review graduation standards across the U.S., examine existing Massachusetts policies, and collect public input. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, more than 400 stakeholders — including students, parents, educators, business leaders and advocates — participated in eight listening sessions held across the state. A separate statewide survey generated responses from over 6,600 individuals, with another 103 district leaders participating in an additional survey focused on current graduation practices.
The council is expected to release its initial findings later this fall, with a final report and proposed roadmap to come in 2026. According to DESE, the recommendations are meant to give the state confidence that all students are meeting high expectations.
In addition to academic demonstrations of mastery, the draft framework proposes aligning curriculum requirements with MassCore, the state’s recommended high school course of study. Students would also be expected to complete a “MyCAP” (My Career and Academic Plan), receive financial literacy instruction, and have the option to earn seals of distinction recognizing academic or civic achievement.
The draft rules would also require every student to complete the FAFSA and MASFA — with an opt-out provision — in a move that mirrors similar legislative efforts aimed at increasing postsecondary access. Currently, about 57% of Massachusetts high school seniors complete the FAFSA. That rate drops to just below 40% for low-income students, compared to nearly 70% for their higher-income peers, according to the National College Attainment Network.
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