Background

Ballot Question 2 did not eliminate competency determination (CD) as a requirement for earning a high school diploma in Massachusetts. It shifted the responsibility for awarding CD from the state to local districts, applying equally to charter schools and traditional districts, starting with the Class of 2025.

Purpose

This policy ensures compliance with the new state law and updated DESE guidance, and guarantees that all Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) students meet both local graduation requirements and required Competency Determinations before earning a diploma.

Implementation Guidelines

Class of 2026 and beyond:

• Students will demonstrate competency through Boston Day and Evening Academy’s local Competency Determination (CD) system, a competency-based model requiring satisfactory completion of 10th-grade–level coursework.

Former Students:

• Boston Day and Evening Academy will follow Boston Public School policy for former students who met local graduation but not state CD.

Boston Day and Evening Academy Competency Determination Requirements

Overview

CD is awarded through satisfactory completion of standards-based coursework aligned with Massachusetts 10th-grade curriculum frameworks in English, mathematics, and science. Students must demonstrate mastery of core skills and knowledge in order to earn their CD in each content area. Boston Day and Evening Academy uses a competency-based, asynchronous model, where students do not earn credit based on seat time or traditional numerical grades. At BDEA, satisfactorily completing coursework means a student has demonstrated proficiency in identified competencies and benchmarks associated within a course, which are aligned to Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

To earn full credit, a student must:

• Demonstrate proficiency in each required competency and benchmark as measured by the competency and benchmark rubrics.
• Provide sufficient evidence of proficiency through classwork, tasks, projects, and/or assessments aligned with course competencies and MA Curriculum Frameworks.
• Engage in ongoing feedback and revision to strengthen their work until demonstrating proficiency.

At Boston Day and Evening Academy, showing mastery means a student has demonstrated the required level of proficiency in the competencies and benchmarks identified for a course through authentic evidence of learning. Students show mastery by successfully completing one or more of the following for each course:

• Final performance task or summative assessment that demonstrates proficiency via application of key knowledge of content and skills aligned to course competencies.
• Final presentation or portfolio of work that provides evidence of learning and demonstrates proficiency in the competencies and benchmarks addressed by the course.

Prior Coursework

Boston Day and Evening Academy reviews enrolling students’ prior transcripts and applies previously completed coursework toward Competency Determination eligibility. Coursework completed at other institutions is recognized and presumed to meet CD requirements when course titles indicate content reasonably aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Following enrollment, staff review each student’s transcript to determine any remaining coursework needed to meet CD and graduation requirements.

As a competency-based school, BDEA also recognizes that students may enter having already mastered content associated with CD-related courses, even when such mastery is not reflected on their transcripts. In these cases, students may demonstrate proficiency through diagnostic assessments aligned to course competencies and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Students who demonstrate mastery through this process are exempt from completing the corresponding BDEA course.

This process ensures that students are able to build on prior learning and have equitable opportunities to meet the requirements necessary to earn a Competency Determination.

Students with Disabilities

Boston Day and Evening Academy ensures that all students with disabilities have equitable opportunities to meet the Massachusetts requirements for Competency Determination (CD).

Special education provides extra support and specially designed instruction for students who qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Eligibility is determined through a comprehensive evaluation conducted by the IEP Team, which includes the student and their parents or guardians.

In accordance with IDEA, Section 504, and MGL c. 71B, BDEA provides each student with a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. Services are individualized and may include academic and therapeutic support from teachers, specialists, and community partners.

All students with disabilities participate in MCAS or MCAS-Alt as determined by their IEPs, with accommodations and modifications implemented as required. BDEA’s competency-based model allows flexible pacing, individualized instruction, and multiple ways to demonstrate mastery, ensuring equitable access to the curriculum and the opportunity to earn the CD.

If an IEP Team determines that a student requires an out-of-district placement, responsibility for that placement and the student’s ongoing path toward CD attainment transfers to the district of residence.

English Learners

Boston Day and Evening Academy ensures that all English Learners (ELs) have equitable opportunities to meet the Massachusetts requirements for Determination (CD). ELs participate fully in BDEA’s competency-based program while receiving English language development instruction aligned with WIDA English Language Development Standards and Massachusetts regulations (603 CMR 14.00). Instruction is scaffolded to make grade-level content accessible and to build academic language within all courses.

Supports are individualized based on English proficiency and may include small-group instruction and targeted interventions. All English Learners participate in MCAS assessments with approved accommodations following DESE guidelines.

BDEA’s flexible, student-centered design ensures that ELs can access the curriculum, develop English proficiency, and demonstrate mastery to earn the Competency Determination.

Appeals Process

Boston Day and Evening Academy’s competency-based model provides ongoing, individualized opportunities for students to meet Competency Determination (CD) requirements. Because learning is self-paced and progress is reviewed continuously, there is no single decision point for CD eligibility. Students demonstrate mastery as they are ready and have multiple graduation opportunities throughout the year.

If a student or parent/guardian has questions or concerns about progress toward meeting CD requirements, they may submit a written request for review to the Director of Instruction at any time. The Director of Instruction will review the student’s academic record and communicate directly with the student and family to clarify progress and outline next steps.

This process ensures transparency, open communication, and equitable access to the Competency Determination for all students.

Boston Day and Evening Academy Graduation Requirements

Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) requires students to complete all assigned Roadmap Modules and associated competencies in order to graduate. BDEA operates on a trimester system, with each course lasting one trimester. BDEA regularly reviews and updates its graduation requirements to ensure academic expectations remain rigorous and aligned with postsecondary readiness. When graduation requirements are updated, students are held to the requirements in effect at the time of their enrollment. BDEA honors the graduation expectations under which each student initially enrolled.

BDEA operates two academic programs—Flagship and 2.0—each with different graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements for BDEA Flagship Students vary based on the student’s enrollment date, as outlined below: