The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Briefing for the June 26, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
The next regular meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) will be on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department) offices at 75 Pleasant Street in Malden. The regular meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. (coffee will be available at 8 a.m.) and should adjourn by 1 p.m. If you need overnight accommodations or any additional information about the schedule, please call Helene Bettencourt at (781) 338-3120.
Overview
The business agenda for our regular meeting includes discussion and votes on several significant matters of state education policy that the Board has discussed in detail at previous meetings. These include adoption of the learning standards in the 2018 Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework; amendments to regulations for English learner programs under the LOOK Act; the school and district accountability system, including amendments to the regulations; and proposed action steps to increase access to computer science for all students. Also, the Board will receive the end-of-year reports on the four Level 5 schools and hear from the new receiver for the Parker School in New Bedford; vote on two charter school matters; get an update on the FY2019 state education budget; and vote on the usual summer delegation of authority and the meeting schedule for FY2019.
Regular Meeting
Comments from the Chair
Chair Sagan will report on current issues and activities. This is Hannah Trimarchi's final meeting as the elected student member of the Board for 2017-2018. We are grateful for her service and wish her much success in the future. The Board congratulates Maya Mathews, a rising senior at Newton North High School, who has been elected as chair of the State Student Advisory Council and will serve as a member of the Board from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. Maya will attend the June 26 meeting along with Hannah.
Comments from the Commissioner
Mitchell D. Chester award. It has been a year since Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester passed away, and we continue to feel his loss. As we mark the anniversary of his death, we have decided to create an internal award that will both show how Mitchell's spirit lives on in this Department and which will recognize an employee who has embodied Mitchell's values. I look forward to announcing the first recipient of the award at this month's Board meeting.
Celebration honoring excellence in teaching. On Thursday, June 21, the Department will hold a ceremony at the State House to honor 2019 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Jamil Siddiqui, a math teacher at East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School, as well as finalists and semifinalists for the award, the 2018 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year, the 2017 Milken Award winner from Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Speakers will include 2018 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Cara Pekarcik. It is a pleasure to recognize these honorees and to celebrate the great teachers who work with students all across the Commonwealth. Board members are warmly invited to join the celebration at the State House at 10 a.m. on June 21.
Arts framework. This month the Department is embarking on the revision of the 1999 Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework
. Staff from our Center for Instructional Support selected nine local arts education experts who will serve as facilitators of a 61-member review panel that will revise standards in the arts disciplines of dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. The Department has convened the facilitators throughout the spring in preparation for the five review panel meetings scheduled for this summer. While the panel includes representatives from higher education and nonprofit and community organizations, most panelists are current K-12 educators in the Commonwealth. We plan to update the Board in the fall, ask the Board to review and release a draft set of revisions for public comment in February 2019, and conclude the process in May 2019 with a Board vote on the proposed revised standards. The Department encourages Board members, educators, and others to contact Craig Waterman, Assistant Director of Instructional Policy, with comments about or suggestions for improving the current arts standards.Math Institute. On June 5, 2018, DESE's Center for Instructional Support held a Middle Grades Math Institute at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for approximately 300 educators from across the state. I gave opening remarks, and the keynote speakers included Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor Jo Boaler, who spoke via remote video about growth mindset and math education. Our other efforts around middle grades math include math ambassadors, who will work within their own district and partner schools, and a virtual book study for educators.
Comments from the Secretary
Secretary Peyser will brief the Board on current issues and activities.
Items for Discussion and Action
Level 5 Schools: End-of-Year FY2018 Reports and Presentation on Parker School, New Bedford — Discussion
Under Tab 1 are the FY2018 Annual Evaluation Reports from the American Institutes for Research on each of the four Level 5 schools: John P. Holland Elementary School (UP Academy Holland) and Paul A. Dever Elementary School (Dever) in Boston, Morgan Full Service Community School (Morgan) in Holyoke, and John Avery Parker Elementary School (Parker) in New Bedford. At the Board meeting on June 26, Senior Associate Commissioner Russell Johnston and Ventura Rodriguez, Director of the Office of Strategic Transformation, will provide an overview and answer your questions. The Board will also hear from Dr. Fran Roy about the role of the School & Main Institute as the new receiver for the Parker School in New Bedford.
Updated History and Social Science Curriculum Framework — Discussion and Vote
On June 26, I will ask the Board to vote to adopt the learning standards in the 2018 Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework. The Board discussed the revised standards in November 2017 and January 2018, and at the meeting on May 22, 2018, reviewed the revisions the Department made to address suggestions submitted during the public comment period. The updated framework now also includes revisions that address comments from Board members during and following the May 22 meeting. Under Tab 2, you have the updated framework, a resource supplement, a highlights document, summaries of the comments from the public and from our content advisors, a comparison between the January 2018 draft and the revised final version, and other background information. At our meeting, Senior Associate Commissioner Heather Peske and other staff members will present an overview of the latest revisions as well as plans for implementation, and respond to your questions.
English Learner Programs under the LOOK Act: Amendments to Regulations 603 CMR 4.00, 7.00, 14.00, 31.00, 44.00 — Discussion and Vote
In March 2018, the Board voted to invite public comment on proposed regulations designed to improve the instruction of English learners (ELs) in career vocational technical education programs, implement the Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) Act, and align certain regulations with corresponding provisions of the educator licensure regulations. The Department has reviewed the public comments received and has revised the proposed regulations as needed. The materials under Tab 3 provide details. At the June 26 meeting, I will ask the Board to vote to adopt the amendments to the regulations. Department staff from the Center for Instructional Support, the Office for Career/Vocational Technical Education, the Office of Educator Licensure, and the Legal Office will be available to answer your questions.
School and District Accountability and Assistance System, including Amendments to Regulations, 603 CMR 2.00 — Discussion and Vote
At your December 2017 and January 2018 meetings, the Board discussed the overall design of the district and school accountability system and the proposed weighting of indicators. At the March 2018 meeting, the Board voted to solicit public comment on proposed regulations for the new accountability and assistance system. At the May 14 special meeting, the Board discussed the system in detail. The Department has reviewed all the comments on the proposed regulations and made changes where needed. I recommend that the Board vote on June 26 to approve the accountability and assistance system along with the final regulations. Detailed information is included under Tab 4. Senior Associate Commissioner Russell Johnston and Associate Commissioners Rob Curtin and Ventura Rodriguez will join the discussion.
Computer Science: Expanding Access to Computer Science and Recommended Amendment to MassCore — Discussion and Vote
In January 2018, our Board and the Board of Higher Education jointly resolved to form a working group to develop a proposal to expand access for all students to study computer science. Based on this work, I recommend that the Board vote on June 26 to affirm our commitment to expand access to computer science coursework and to amend MassCore, the recommended high school core program of studies, to allow a computer science course that meets specific standards to substitute for either a laboratory science course or a mathematics course. The proposed motion would also initiate a collaborative process with the Department of Higher Education to identify criteria for a computer science course to qualify as part of MassCore, and direct the Department to identify opportunities to increase the capacity of the educator workforce to teach computer science. Detailed information is included in your materials. Commissioner Santiago will ask the Board of Higher Education to vote on a similar resolution on June 19, affirming support for this initiative. At our June 26 meeting, Senior Associate Commissioner Heather Peske and Ken Klau, director of our Office of Digital Learning, will be available to answer your questions.
Charter Schools — Report and Recommendation on Probation for Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School of Excellence — Discussion and Vote
Based on the Department's review of the progress that Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School of Excellence has made, I recommend that the Board vote to remove the school from probation, and that the Board extend the condition related to the school's academic performance, to ensure the progress is sustained. The memo and other materials under Tab 6 provide details. Associate Commissioner Cliff Chuang and Alison Bagg, Director of Charter Schools and School Redesign, will be at the meeting to answer questions about this agenda item and item 7.
Charter Schools — Vote to Waive Regulation Requiring a Week's Notice for Enrollment Lotteries — Discussion and Vote
Two charter schools — Christa McAuliffe Charter Public School and Prospect Hill Academy Charter School — had to change their enrollment lottery date due to major storms in March 2018, and they were unable to provide a full week's notice to the public about the rescheduled date, as required by the charter school regulations. Both schools were able to conduct the lotteries and conclude their principal enrollment processes by the March 15 deadline. Each school has requested that the Board waive the regulation requiring the one-week notice, to allow the results of the rescheduled lotteries to stand. I recommend that the Board grant the waivers.
Update on FY2019 State Education Budget — Discussion
Senior Associate Commissioner/CFO Bill Bell and I will update the Board on the latest information we have on the state education budget for FY2019.
Delegation of Authority to Commissioner to take Necessary Action between Board Meetings — Discussion and Vote
Because we have a three-month hiatus until the next meeting of the Board, I recommend that you vote to authorize the Commissioner to act on your behalf in approving any matters that are not otherwise covered by the Board's previous delegations of authority and that require Board action before the next regular meeting in September 2018. By the terms of the suggested motion, I will consult with the Board Chair in advance of any such action and report to the Board on any matters that have been so approved.
Schedule for Regular Board Meetings through June 2019 — Vote
After checking with members, we have prepared a proposed schedule for regular Board meetings through June 2019. With the Board's approval, we will post the schedule on our website.
Other Items for Information
State Student Advisory Council End-of-Year Report for 2017-2018
Board member Hannah Trimarchi summarized the work of the State Student Advisory Council at our May meeting at Marblehead High School. She will distribute the SSAC's end-of-year report at our June 26 meeting. We thank Hannah for her service to the students of the Commonwealth and to this Board.
Annual Report on Non-Operating School Districts Approved by the Commissioner
By statute, towns that do not operate their own public schools (generally because the town is small and is not a member of a regional school district) must request and receive approval annually from the Board to tuition their students to public schools in other towns. In June 2009, the Board voted to delegate this approval authority to the commissioner. Enclosed is a memo reporting on the approvals I have granted.
Report on Grants and Charter School Matters Approved by the Commissioner
Enclosed is information on grants and charter school matters that I have approved since the last meeting, under the authority the Board has delegated to me.
If you have questions about any agenda items, please call me. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting in Malden on June 26.