The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Briefing for the January 14, 2019 Special Meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) will hold a special meeting on Monday, January 14, 2019, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department) offices at 75 Pleasant Street in Malden. If you need overnight accommodations or any additional information about the schedule, please call Helene Bettencourt at (781) 338-3120.
Two items are on the agenda for discussion at the special meeting. No votes will be taken.
The Board's regular meeting this month will be on Tuesday morning, January 22, 2019. Materials for the regular meeting will be sent separately.
Special Meeting
School and District Report Cards — Discussion
Senior Associate Commissioner Russell Johnston, Associate Commissioner Rob Curtin, Erica Gonzales, and I will present a preview of the redesigned school and district report cards that the Department will be publishing later this month, as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The redesign has benefited from input by parents and other stakeholders. Joining us for the discussion will be Bibb Hubbard, Founder and President, and Erica Gray of Learning Heroes who will share their research on parents' outlooks on education in Massachusetts.
Update on Automated Test Scoring — Discussion
Deputy Commissioner Jeff Wulfson, Associate Commissioner Michol Stapel, and I will update the Board on our progress in investigating the use of automated test scoring to help score English Language Arts essays on the next-generation MCAS tests. This follows up on our initial discussion at the May 2018 Board meeting. Automated essay scoring has the potential to report test results to students, their parents, and schools more quickly than at present.
If you have questions about any agenda items, please call me. I look forward to seeing you in Malden on January 14.