In 2024, Massachusetts residents voted to repeal the requirement that students pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam to graduate high school. Following the removal of the longstanding graduation exam requirement, Governor Maura Healey signed Executive Order 639 establishing the K-12 Statewide Graduation Council.

Led by the Secretary of Education and the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Council was organized by the Executive Office of Education (EOE) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to develop recommendations for new graduation requirements. The Council included a broad range of stakeholders, including students, parents and caregivers, educators, school counselors, labor representatives, education advocacy organizations, higher education representatives, legislators, and industry leaders.

Historically, graduation requirements relied heavily on standardized assessments. The Council explored a more comprehensive framework; one that considers not only academic knowledge, but also skills, experiences, and readiness for life after school. This included:

• College and career readiness
• Civic engagement
• Real-world skills and competencies
• Opportunities for applied learning

PCG supported the state in defining how to assess students’ competency, gathering stakeholder feedback about what graduates should know and be able to do as well as how students should demonstrate mastery of content. To support this process, PCG conducted a landscape analysis of practices that promote post-secondary success, including examples from Massachusetts districts and from other states.

“The goal is to create graduation expectations that prepare students for success after high school. Whether that path leads to college, the workforce, or the trades,” said Lenworth Williamson, Senior Consultant at PCG.

In collaboration with the Council, PCG facilitated the creation of the Vision of a Massachusetts Graduate. Informed by thousands of survey responses and eight statewide listening sessions, the Vision of a Massachusetts Graduate identifies six key skills and competencies, centered around three core qualities: Thinkers, Contributors and Leaders, that will guide the preparation of high school students for the real world.

“We’ve done listening sessions across the state, both in person and virtual, and a statewide survey with nearly 7,000 responses from all types of residents to weigh in on what students should know and be able to do,” said Williamson.

PCG supported the interim report for the Governor and Legislature in December 2025 and the final report which was released on June 17, 2026, outlining recommendations shaped through stakeholder engagement and extensive public input.

In the final report announcement, Massachusetts Secretary of Education Steve Zrike stated:

“The Graduation Council’s recommendations create a rigorous and nation leading standard that is relevant to the realities students will face after high school. It is critical that a Massachusetts diploma signals to employers, higher education, caregivers, students, educators and to school districts that a graduate is prepared for post-secondary success regardless of their chosen path.”

Building on the administration’s Vision of a Massachusetts Graduate and Initial Statewide Graduation Framework, the final report recommendations establish a set of expectations for all students while creating new opportunities for career exploration, civic engagement and digital learning. The recommendations include expanded access to MassCore coursework, work-based learning experiences, civics readiness, and artificial intelligence and digital literacy. If adopted, this framework would create the most comprehensive statewide graduation requirements in the nation.

Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez stated in the announcement:

“These comprehensive high school graduation recommendations are a once-in-a-generation chance to better prepare Massachusetts students for success, especially the students who are furthest from opportunity. As co-chair of the Statewide Graduation Council, I know how much research, input and care went into this work, and as a first-generation high school and college graduate, I know how important it is to help students build their path to a promising future.”

As Massachusetts redefines what it means to be prepared for life after high school, the work of the Council represents a shift from measuring achievement through a high stakes test to recognizing the broader knowledge, skills, and experiences students need to succeed. Through this collaborative process, Massachusetts is building a more comprehensive approach to graduation, one designed to better prepare students for college, career, and life beyond high school.

Learn more: 

• K-12 Statewide Graduation Council
• Governor Healey Releases Final Recommendations to Modernize High School Graduation Requirements
• PCG’s Education Services and Solutions