Burlington Adding 8th Grade Algebra Class, Solidifying HS Competency Requirements

Burlington students will soon have expanded ways to access the district's math curriculum, as a part of the district's ongoing work to rework the course pathways and make them accessible to all students.

At the November 18 School Committee meeting, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lisa Chen provided an update on the course pathway review process. In the 2026-27 school year, said Chen, the district will offer a pure high-school-level Algebra 1 course for 8th graders, conditioned upon grades, previous MCAS scores, teacher recommendations, and scores on iReady, the district's diagnostic and progress monitoring assessment. This is in addition to the two current offerings, standard 8th grade math or a class that combines standards from both 8th grade and Algebra 1. Student performance in their 8th grade class, along with teacher recommendation, will determine their placement for freshman year math.

The district has been working for a couple of years under Chen to review the math curriculum at all levels, especially the pathways leading from sixth through 12th grade, as parent feedback has suggested the course progression is too rigid and doesn't allow for enough acceleration and individualization. The new pathways, said Chen at a previous meeting, will have multiple on- and off-ramps, allowing students to take the course that makes the most sense for them each year without locking them into (or out of) a certain path.

"We're continuing to work with [outside consultant] Dr. Thunder and the math department in determining the criteria from grade 6 to accelerated grade 7 and grade 8 math," said Chen, who is also working with the math department on vertical alignment of so-called "power standards" in order to ensure students are mastering the foundational skills each year to move on to the next grade successfully.

Chen mentioned the success of last summer's Algebra 1 review skills course, with approximately 75 students attending the free sessions in July and August. The district plans to gauge interest in offering both an Algebra 1 review skills course and potentially an Algebra 2 review skills course in summer 2026.

Also discussed at the meeting were the competency requirements for Burlington High School, in light of the fact that the state is no longer requiring a passing score on the MCAS standardized assessment for graduation.

Burlington High School principal Mark Sullivan presented a second look at the state-level competency requirements, which were developed in collaboration with other Middlesex League principals and are separate from the local graduation requirements set forth by the district.

"It represents the minimum academic standards to get a diploma," Sullivan said, "and it's completely separate from our own local graduation requirements. I think the intent is to ensure that students are meeting the essential competencies that MCAS used to measure, but they're allowing us to use multiple measures instead of a single high-stakes test, which the MCAS was regarded as." Those multiple measures, he said, could include course grades, a final exam, portfolios or capstone projects and other measures identified in the district's program of studies. "It's really intended to give us some flexibility and reduce that reliance on a single test."

The difference between the competency determination (a state-level minimum requirement) and the local graduation requirements (which are aligned with state frameworks and more prescriptive and thorough) was discussed at length at this meeting and the previous one. While the two documents can be confusing to look at alongside each other, the key thing to know is that the local graduation requirements are still in effect. This includes a requirement for four years of math, four years of English-Language arts, and much more.

Take a look at the Competency Determination Policy and Graduation Requirements on the district's website.