In the summer of 2025, DESE required all districts to determine their own way of measuring student competency in select subjects as a requirement for graduation. 

DESE stated:

The "competency determination" shall be based on the academic standards and curriculum frameworks for tenth graders in the areas of mathematics, science and technology, history and social science, foreign languages, and English, and shall represent a determination that a particular student has demonstrated mastery of a common core of skills, competencies and knowledge in these areas, by satisfactorily completing coursework that has been certified by the student's district as showing mastery of the skills, competencies, and knowledge contained in the state academic standards and curriculum frameworks in the areas measured by the MCAS high school tests described in section one I administered in 2023, and in any additional areas determined by the board. (M.G.L. c. 69, s. 1D (i)  DESE FAQs)

Please see the Natick School Committee’s policy, (approved November 2025) in regards to Natick High School’s Competency Determination for graduation.

CD Policy 

For further information regarding the process and requirements for completing CD at Natick High School, please see the presentation below.

CD Presentation