District/School Administration Administration
Board in Brief
Tuesday, May 22, 2001

This is "Board in Brief," issued at the request of Commissioner David Driscoll to bring you up to date on Board of Education matters. This is a report on the regular meeting on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.

Regular Meeting

Chairman James Peyser opened the meeting by commenting on recent articles in the New York Times about student testing. He said, "While no testing system is immune from errors, in Massachusetts we have designed the system to prevent and promptly address any testing errors. We publish MCAS test items annually so that they are open to review. We provide a detailed item analysis to schools for each student. Students have multiple opportunities for re-testing after grade 10, and we are instituting an appeals process as well. We also ensure that the long composition and, at grade 10, open response questions, are scored by at least two people. All of these safeguards benefit students and help to ensure the integrity and quality of the tests."

Chairman Peyser updated the Board on the first meeting of the newly-formed Education Management Audit Council (EMAC), which he chairs. EMAC will be responsible for auditing and evaluating schools and districts in relation to education reform.

Commissioner Driscoll reported that the Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee for the Competency Determination had its first meeting in May, and will meet again in June. Based on the committee's work, the Commissioner will bring recommendations on MCAS appeals policies and procedures to the Board for initial review in September.

Chairman Peyser and Commissioner Driscoll presented a certificate of appreciation to student Board member Jody Kelman, who is graduating from Concord-Carlisle Regional High School and coming to the end of her one-year term on the Board of Education.

Presentation on State Action for Education Leadership Project

Commissioner Driscoll announced that Massachusetts is one of 15 states to be awarded a $50,000 planning grant from the State Action for Education Leadership Project National Consortium, a partnership made up of the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Education Commission of the States, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Governors Association. The project aims to help states develop and enact innovative policies and practices to strengthen school and district leadership. The Board and Department are working in partnership with Governor Jane Swift, Senator Robert Antonioni, and the state associations of school superintendents (MASS), school committees (MASC), elementary school principals (MESPA) and secondary school administrators (MSSAA). The Commissioner said he anticipates the project will lead to a subsequent implementation grant of up to $250,000. "We need a full-court press to address the impending shortage of qualified teachers, principals and superintendents," he added, "and this leadership project is an important part of our strategy."

Draft of Recommended Standards for Instructional Technology, PreK- 12

The Board had an initial discussion on the draft of the Recommended Standards for Instructional Technology, for use in schools from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. State law (G.L. c. 69, § 1D) authorizes the Board to include in the academic standards it publishes "...a fundamental knowledge of technology education and computer science and keyboarding skills." The draft will be posted on the Department's web site for public comment, and the Commissioner will bring the final document back to the Board this fall.

MCAS Performance Levels

The Board voted unanimously to rename the first level of MCAS student performance as Warning rather than Failing, at all grades except grade 10. The change will be reflected in the reports of the results from the Spring 2001 MCAS administration. The Board also adopted names for the three performance levels that will be used to report the results of the new grade 3 MCAS Reading Test: Proficient, Needs Improvement, and Warning.

School Performance Review Matters

The Board voted to accept the improvement plan submitted by the Roosevelt Middle School in New Bedford, which was declared under-performing. By statute, the Roosevelt School has 24 months to implement the plan and demonstrate improvement in student performance. The Board also received an update on the recent panel review process, including the candidates for designation as under-performing schools, as well as candidates for the exemplary schools program.

State Plan for Professional Development

The Board had an initial discussion on the updated state plan for professional development. State law (G.L. c. 71, § 38Q) requires the Board annually to approve "a plan for providing statewide assistance in the preparation and implementation of professional development plans." The Commissioner will work with the Board of Higher Education and other interested parties to refine the plan as needed, and will bring it back to the Board for a vote at the July meeting.

Technical Amendments to Regulations on Educator Licensure (603 CMR 7.00)

The Board voted to adopt technical amendments to the Regulations on Educator Certification/Licensure. The regulations, as amended, will take effect on October 1, 2001.

School Building Assistance

The Board voted to approve annual amendments to the cost standards in the School Building Assistance Regulations, which will affect school construction projects in FY 2002. The Board also approved two emergency School Building Assistance grants, and approved waivers of the School Building Assistance cost standards for eight separate school construction projects.

Charter School Matters

The Board approved the management contract for the Boston Renaissance Charter School. State law requires the Board to approve the terms of any contract between a charter school and an educational management organization. The Board also voted to permit the New Bedford Global Learning Horace Mann Charter School to open in the fall of 2002 instead of in 2001.

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Wednesday, June 20, 2001 at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden