Board Documents — October 2021

Regular Meeting

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148
Tuesday, October 19, 2021, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The meeting will be live-streamed.

Posted: 10/12/2021 11:52 a.m.

Statements from the Public*
Comments from the Chair
Comments from the Commissioner
Comments from the Secretary

Briefing

Routine Business:

Approval of the Minutes of the September 21, 2021 Regular Meeting

Agenda Items:

1. 2022 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, Marta García — Presentation and Discussion

2. Update on School Reopening and Action Steps to Support Schools, Students, and Families — Discussion
   Attachments:
   • Important Reminders When Identifying Close Contacts in School Settings — September 24, 2021
     • Close Contact Decision Tree
   • Extension of DESE Mask Requirement — September 27, 2021
     • DESE Policy on Vaccination Rate Threshold
     • 80 Percent Vaccination Rate Threshold School Attestation Form
   • Positive COVID-19 Cases in Schools
     • Positive COVID-19 Student and Staff Cases in Schools Reported by Districts: September 30, 2021 — Posted September 30, 2021
   • Update on School District Ventilation Improvements
   
   

3. Commissioner Riley's Goals for 2021-2022 — Discussion

4. Board of Elementary and Secondary Education FY2023 Budget Proposal and Report from the Board's Budget Committee — Initial Discussion

5. History, Social Science, and Civics Implementation Updates — Discussion
   Attachments:
   • Investigating History Design Specifications
   
   

6. Mystic Valley Regional Charter School Request for Waiver — Discussion and Vote

Other Items for Information

7. Progress Report on Alternative Assessment Pilot for Educator Licensure

8. Report on Grants Approved by the Commissioner

9. Chronically Underperforming Schools: Quarter 1 Reports

Executive Session

10. Executive Session to Discuss Litigation Strategy

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members

• Ms. Katherine Craven, Chair, Brookline
• Mr. James Morton, Vice Chair, Boston
• Ms. Amanda Fernández, Belmont
• Mr. Matt Hills, Newton
• Ms. Eleni Carris Livingston, Wellesley, Student Member
• Ms. Darlene Lombos, Boston
• Mr. Michael Moriarty, Holyoke
• Mr. James Peyser, Secretary of Education, Milton
• Mr. Paymon Rouhanifard, Brookline
• Ms. Mary Ann Stewart, Lexington
• Dr. Martin West, Newton

Jeffrey C. Riley, Commissioner
Secretary to the Board

* The Board welcomes public comment on matters within its purview. Accordingly, the Board makes available a maximum 30-minute period at its regular meetings for persons in the audience to address the Board for no longer than 3 minutes. Written material of any length may be submitted. Preference will be given to persons who seek to address the Board on specific agenda items for the upcoming Board meeting. Agendas for upcoming Board meetings are generally posted 5 days prior to the meeting on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's website. Persons wishing to speak are strongly encouraged to submit their request before the day of the meeting; contact information is provided below. Preference will be given to those who submit requests by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the regular Tuesday meeting. If time permits, the Chair will allow members of the public who have not contacted the Department in advance to speak in the public comment period; those individuals must sign in prior to the start of the meeting. The Chair may limit the number of speakers due to time constraints and may increase or reduce the time allocated per speaker. While there is no requirement to submit written testimony, a speaker who elects to do so should submit 15 copies of the testimony prior to or at the meeting for distribution to Board members. Requests to address the Board, written testimony, and other inquiries may be transmitted by mail, e-mail, fax, or telephone to: Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148, Phone: 781-338-3112.

Last Updated: October 15, 2021