BCC Students in Nursing Programs Maintain High Pass Rate for Licensure Exam

08:16AM / Tuesday, February 13, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass —?Berkshire Community College (BCC) reports that its Practical Nursing (PN) students had a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) licensure exam in the 2023 calendar year, while Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) students had a 91.43 percent pass rate for first-time test takers.

All 17 PN students passed, and 64 out of 70 ADN students passed.

NCLEX uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to deliver the exam, ensuring a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence. The passing standard for the NCLEX is the cut point at which the minimum ability is determined to require safe and effective practice nursing at the entry level.

"Our nursing students continue to maintain impressively high pass rates, which are consistently on par or higher than the average pass rates statewide," said Lori Moon, BCC Dean of Nursing. "It's a competitive program, and our students work hard. I'm very proud of their accomplishments."

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MassDOT, CSX Agree on Improvements to Support Berkshire Flyer, Passenger Rail

Staff Reports iBerkshires
06:01AM / Thursday, October 08, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state Department of Transportation and CSX have reached an agreement for local infrastructure improvements that will be a "major step" to making the Berkshire Flyer a permanent seasonal service.

Gov. Maura Healey's administration said the improvements will also help toward the years-long project of expanding passenger rail in Western Massachusetts.

"People in Western Massachusetts have been clear that they want better rail connections, and we're delivering," Healey said in a statement released on Thursday. "This agreement puts the Berkshire Flyer on a path toward permanent seasonal service and invests in the infrastructure we need to keep expanding West-East passenger rail service between Boston and Albany. Combined with new federal funding for modern trains, we're giving people more choices, supporting local businesses and better connecting Western Massachusetts to opportunities across the Northeast."

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the Berkshire Flyer is an important asset to the city and that he was grateful for the investment to make it permanent.

The Berkshire Flyer was established in 2022, connecting the Berkshires directly to New York City for the first time in a half-century. The Amtrak service was based on the seasonal Cape Cod Flyer with the goal to increase tourism opportunities. The 2026 season expanded service with an additional round-trip, including new opportunities for Berkshire County residents to travel to New York City.

The administration also announced that new federal funding awarded to Amtrak for additional modern trainsets will support Compass Rail services, including the Berkshire Flyer and the future Inland Route between Boston, Springfield and New Haven.

Under the new agreement with CSX, MassDOT will fund construction of a siding and other track improvements in the Pittsfield area to increase rail capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight operations. MassDOT will also explore the feasibility of a new platform at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center.

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