The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Report of the Proficiency Gap Task Force

To:	Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
From:	Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner
Date:	May 14, 2010

At the April 27, 2010 regular meeting, Board member Jeff Howard presented the report of the Proficiency Gap Task Force, A Roadmap to Closing the Proficiency Gap. This month, the Board will hold a more in-depth discussion of the report's findings and implications as part of a special meeting on Monday, May 24, 2010. Dr. Howard will introduce the chairs of the four subcommittees - Instructional Leadership; Early Literacy; Family and Community Engagement; and English Language Learners - and ask those individuals to present their findings and recommendations.

At our regular meeting on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, the Board will continue its discussion from the previous evening. I will also propose that the Board vote to receive the report of the Proficiency Gap Task Force and direct me to review its recommendations and present to the Board my proposed next steps at a future meeting.