Section 30.03 - Standards for Competency Determination(1) Students in the graduating classes of 2003 through 2009 shall meet or exceed the Needs Improvement threshold scaled score of 220 on both the English Language Arts and the Mathematics MCAS grade 10 tests in order to satisfy the requirements of the Competency Determination.(2) Students starting with the graduating class of 2010 must satisfy one of the following two conditions in both English language arts and mathematics to earn a competency determination. (a) meet or exceed the Proficient threshold scaled score of 240 on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests; or(b) meet or exceed the Needs Improvement threshold scaled score of 220 on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests and fulfill the requirements of an Educational Proficiency Plan.(3) Students in the graduating classes of 2021 through 2025 must satisfy one of the following two conditions in both English language arts and mathematics to earn a competency determination. (a) meet or exceed the threshold scaled score on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests administered in 2019 or later that has been determined by the Commissioner to be comparable to the threshold scaled score of 240 on the grade 10 MCAS tests administered before 2019; or(b) meet or exceed the threshold scaled score on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests administered in 2019 or later that has been determined by the Commissioner to be comparable to the threshold scaled score of 220 on the grade 10 MCAS tests administered before 2019 and fulfill the requirements of an Educational Proficiency Plan.(4) Beginning with the graduating class of 2026, students must satisfy one of the following two conditions in both English language arts and mathematics to earn a competency determination: (a) for students in the graduating classes of 2026 through 2030, meet or exceed the threshold scaled score of 486 on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests; beginning with the graduating class of 2031, students must meet or exceed the threshold scaled score of 500 on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests, or(b) meet or exceed the threshold scaled score of 470 on the English Language Arts and Mathematics grade 10 MCAS tests and fulfill the requirements of an Educational Proficiency Plan.(5) Students starting with the graduating class of 2010 shall, in addition to meeting the requirements found in 603 CMR 30.03(2), (3) or (4), take a discipline-specific high school Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS test approved by the Board, by grade 10. To earn a competency determination: (a) Students in the graduating classes of 2010 through 2024 shall meet or exceed the Needs Improvement threshold scaled score of 220 on a discipline-specific high school Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS test.(b) Students in the graduating class of 2025 shall meet or exceed the scaled score threshold on a discipline-specific high school Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS test administered in 2022 or later that has been determined by the Commissioner to be comparable to the scaled score threshold of 220 on the high school Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS tests administered before 2022.(c) Beginning with the graduating class of 2026, students shall meet or exceed the threshold scaled score of 470 on a discipline-specific high school Science and Technology/Engineering test.(d) The Commissioner may waive the requirement to take the test by grade 10 for an individual student for good cause. Good cause for such a waiver may include a student's illness or a student's transfer into the Massachusetts public schools after grade 10.(6) Starting in the third consecutive year that the History and Social Science high school assessment is administered, in addition to meeting the requirements contained in 603 CMR 30.02(2) through (5), students shall meet or exceed the passing standard on the History and Social Science high school assessment.(7) Educational Proficiency Plans for each required content area shall be updated at least annually while students are enrolled and shall include, at a minimum: (a) A review of a student's strengths and weaknesses in the content area.(b) The full-year courses the student will be required to take and successfully complete in both grades 11 and 12 that will move the student toward meeting grade level expectations on the grade 10 curriculum framework standards as well as on grade 11 - 12 standards in English language arts or Algebra II or Model Mathematics III standards in mathematics, and a description of the tutoring or other individualized academic supports the student will receive.(c) A description of the assessments the school will administer on at least an annual basis to inform changes to a student's Educational Proficiency Plan, identify opportunities for additional tutoring or other individualized academic supports, and determine whether the student is making progress toward meeting expectations, or has met expectations on the grade 10 standards. These assessments must include applicable MCAS tests or other diagnostic or summative tests approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as aligned to the curriculum frameworks and appropriate for this purpose. For students yet to achieve a scaled score of 470 on any MCAS test required for high school graduation, assessments must include multiple opportunities to retake applicable MCAS tests until a scaled score of at least 470 has been achieved.(d) The Educational Proficiency Plan for a student who is actively enrolled and successfully progressing in the Mass Core curriculum, an approved Chapter 74 vocational-technical program, or a designated Early College or Innovation Pathway program does not need to separately include the requirements of 603 CMR 30.03(7)(b) and (c).(e) The Educational Proficiency Plans for adult learners, students who have exited high school without a Competency Determination, seniors who have already completed all their required courses in the relevant subject matter, students who are not continuously enrolled or are enrolled in an alternative program, and students who enroll in senior year, do not need to include the full-year courses described in 603 CMR 30.03(7)(b) or the assessments described in 603 CMR 30.03(7)(c).(8) A student in the graduating classes of 2010 through 2025 achieving a scaled score of or comparable to 240 or higher on an MCAS test or a score determined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on another approved test will be deemed to have achieved proficiency in the subject area and to have fulfilled the Educational Proficiency Plan in that subject. A student in the graduating classes of 2026 through 2030 achieving a scaled score of 486 or higher on an MCAS test will be deemed to have met expectations in the subject area and to have fulfilled the Educational Proficiency Plan in that subject. Beginning with the graduating class of 2031, a student achieving a scaled score of 500 or higher on an MCAS test will be deemed to have met expectations in the subject area and to have fulfilled the Educational Proficiency Plan in that subject. For students who have not achieved this score threshold, the principal or head of school (or his or her designee) will determine whether the student has fulfilled the Educational Proficiency Plan.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1361, eff. 3/23/2018.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1389, eff. 4/19/2019.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1411, eff. 2/21/2020.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1454, eff. 10/15/2021.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1477, eff. 9/2/2022.