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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Residents, Officials Say 'No' to Proposed Berkshire Gas Rate Hike

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:12AM / Saturday, February 07, 2026

The hearing included representatives from state's rate division, the hearing officer and Department of Public Utilities Commissioners, at right, Chair Jeremy McDiarmid and Liz Anderson

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local officials and residents argued against Berkshire Gas's proposed 22 percent increase on the average customer's bill during a public hearing on Wednesday evening at Berkshire Community College.

State Sen. Paul Mark and state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, John Barrett III and Leigh Davis stood before members of the state Department of Public Utilities in "strong opposition" to the rate hike.

The Berkshire delegation joins Gov. Maura Healey, local higher education institutions, and community members who find the increase, estimated to be about $54 a month for residential heating, unaffordable for a vital service.

"While there was a time that this was our hometown Berkshire Gas, in reality, it is not anymore. This is a multinational company. It's a multinational company whose CEO makes $3.23 million a year. That's $62,000 a week," Farley-Bouvier said.

"Now that is more than what most people in Berkshire County make in a year."

The proposed increase has been attributed to capital investments and rising operational costs, and Barrett said a significant driver of those costs is the Gas System Enhancement Program, which "has raised serious concerns for years."

GSEP costs passed down to ratepayers have increased by more than 300 percent without clear evidence of proportional improvements in safety or leak reductions, he added, and the Attorney General's Office is reviewing those concerns as they relate to Berkshire Gas's 2026 GSEP spending.

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