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The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Briefing for the November 20, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

To:
Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
From:
Jeffrey C. Riley, Commissioner
Date:
November 9, 2018

The next regular meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) will be on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's 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 12 noon. If you need overnight accommodations or any additional information about the schedule, please call Helene Bettencourt at (781) 338-3120.

Overview

Only two items are on the business agenda for the regular meeting this month. First, the Board's Budget Committee will present its report and the Board will discuss and vote on its education budget priorities for FY2020. Second, I will present, for discussion and a vote to solicit public comment, proposed amendments to the competency determination regulations to set the interim standard in science for students in the high school graduating classes of 2023 and 2024.

Regular Meeting

Comments from the Chair

Chair Sagan will report on current issues and activities.

Comments from the Commissioner

  1. Early College Joint Committee — November 7, 2018. The Early College Joint Committee (ECJC) met on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. The Department of Higher Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff provided updates on the initiative; representatives from a designated Early College program offered reflections; and the ECJC discussed ongoing policy considerations. At the joint meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and Board of Higher Education in January 2019, there will be a staff presentation on the initiative, followed by discussion.

  2. Health Curriculum Framework Review Process. The Department has begun the process to review and update the 1999 Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Framework Download PDF Document, starting with assembling a review panel that is broadly representative of the field and reflects diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The panel will meet approximately monthly over the next six months to provide the Department with recommendations on a revised framework that will outline the fundamental skills and knowledge students need to maintain overall health and wellness. The framework will guide schools and districts in implementing health education, including sexuality education; physical education; social and emotional learning; and family and consumer science. We anticipate presenting the draft of the revised framework to the Board in late spring/summer 2019 for review and to release for public comment. Following public comment and further revisions, we aim to present the final document to the Board for approval during late fall/early winter of school year 2019-2020, so that districts can prepare to implement it beginning in 2020-2021.

  3. Civic Education Bill Signing. On November 8, 2018, Governor Baker signed An Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement. This bill will complement recent actions taken by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. In June, the Board voted to approve a revision of the History and Social Sciences curriculum framework, which will improve the impact of civics education across multiple grade levels and subject areas. This new law will make it a requirement for Massachusetts public high schools and school districts serving eighth-grade students to provide at least one student-led, non-partisan civics project for each student and creates a Civics Project Trust Fund, which will be used to assist Massachusetts communities with implementing history and civics education state requirements, particularly in underserved communities.

Comments from the Secretary

Secretary Peyser will brief the Board on current issues and activities.

Items for Discussion and Action

  1. Board of Elementary and Secondary Education FY20 Budget Proposal and Report from the Board's Budget Committee — Discussion and Vote

    The Board's Budget Committee, chaired by Katherine Craven, will present its report at our November 20 meeting. Based on the committee's recommended priorities, the Board will discuss and vote on its FY20 education budget proposal. Consistent with Mass. General Laws c. 69, § 1A, I will transmit the Board's recommendations to the Secretary of Education, who "shall then prepare and submit a budget request on behalf of the department to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education, and the secretary of administration and finance."

  2. Proposed Amendments to Competency Determination Regulations on High School Science, 603 CMR 30.00 — Discussion and Vote to Solicit Public Comment

    At this month's meeting we will continue the discussion we began in September regarding the MCAS high school science assessments, as we transition from the legacy assessments to the next-generation assessments. Consistent with our discussions, I recommend that the Board vote this month to solicit public comment on proposed amendments to the regulations regarding the science portion of the competency determination (CD) required for high school graduation. The memo under Tab 2 provides details. After the Department reviews the comments and determines whether further changes are needed, I plan to bring the amendments back to the Board for a final vote in February 2019. Associate Commissioner Michol Stapel and Lucy Wall of our legal staff will join us for the discussion.

Other Items for Information

  1. Report on Grants Approved by the Commissioner

    Enclosed is information on grants that I have approved since the last meeting, under the authority the Board has delegated to the Commissioner.

  2. Summary of VOCAL School Climate Survey Findings

    In spring 2018, the Department conducted an optional statewide school climate survey (Views of Climate and Learning, or VOCAL) in grades 5, 8, and 10, at the end of the MCAS test administration. On October 25, we provided participating districts and schools with aggregate data on their students' responses. Statewide, 79 percent of eligible students participated. They generally reported positive school climates, with grade 5 students reporting a more positive climate than those in grades 8 and 10. Districts and schools received data on an overall climate index, as well as aspects of student engagement, safety, and environment and summaries of responses to individual items. In a few weeks we will provide more detailed reports with subgroup breakouts and a district-wide bullying index. The Department will assist districts to interpret and use the data. A summary of the VOCAL survey findings is under Tab 4.

  3. Parent Guides to the Massachusetts Learning Standards.

    The Department recently released brief, user-friendly guides designed to help families understand what their children should be learning in each grade. The guides are available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and simplified Chinese. They include examples of grade-level standards, conversation-starters for parent-teacher conferences, and suggestions for supporting students' learning at home. The guides currently include ELA, math, and science and will be updated to include history and social science in 2019. More information is in your materials under Tab #5.


If you have questions about any agenda items, please call me. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting in Malden on November 20.