Board in Brief
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
This is "Board in Brief," issued at the request of Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester to bring you up to date on Board of Elementary and Secondary Education matters. This is a report on the special meeting held on Monday evening, September 21, 2009 and the regular meeting held on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden.
Special Meeting
Board Planning Committee
Chair Banta said that the planning committee met and talked about what Board members heard and discussed at the August 13, 2009 Board retreat. The planning committee included Board members Maura Banta, Harneen Chernow, Gerald Chertavian, Beverly Holmes, and Tom Fortmann.
Dr. Fortmann presented the report of the planning committee. He said the committee was asked to review and summarize the priorities, and that was done in the context of the Commissioner's Working Goals & Priorities. Dr. Fortmann said the Board's discussion had converged on three high level items: (1) educator quality or effectiveness; (2) English language learners; and (3) family engagement and student support.
Educator effectiveness was the most consistent and frequent theme that was raised at the retreat, was an overarching theme, and will be part of the Race to the Top application. English language learners have the largest proficiency gap, overlap with Latino students, and have the greatest potential for gain. Family engagement has the potential for impact while at the same time having a modest budget impact. Dr. Fortmann noted that the issues of ELLs and family engagement are under active study by the Proficiency Gap Committee. Given this, the planning committee recommends that the Board focus on educator effectiveness.
Dr. Fortmann said the commissioner agreed to provide the Board with a framework for educator effectiveness and a progress report on working goals and priorities. In the future the Board will also address benchmarks.
Dr. Fortmann said the planning committee also discussed the advisory councils, and noted that with 17 councils, there are too many to engage. The committee's recommendation is to ask key councils to report on specific items of high interest to the Board. Dr. Fortmann said the planning committee agreed on three other recommendations: (1) the commissioner should refine option #2 from the May 2009 charter school memo; (2) the Board should schedule another retreat in January or February 2010; and (3) the Board should initiate a discussion with the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Education.
Educator Effectiveness
Commissioner Chester said no single factor is more determinative to success than the quality of educators - leaders and teachers - who work with students. The commissioner said that enhancing that effectiveness will go far toward closing gaps. He said this is an area where we have much to be proud of and also much work to do.
Commissioner Chester said the Department's goal is to create a creative, systematic framework and to share it with the Board. Tonight's discussion will be the first of an ongoing discussion that relates to the state's Race to the Top application.
Associate Commissioner David Haselkorn made a presentation to the Board on educator effectiveness summarizing core propositions and identifying strengths and weaknesses of the current system.
Associate Commissioner Haselkorn said the proposed strategic goal is: Every classroom in the Commonwealth staffed by an effective educator, in schools and districts organized to support student achievement and success. Commissioner Chester said the state must work hard to find a dialogue that honors and relies on hard working professionals in the teaching force, while addressing places that are not measuring up and improving the trajectory of learning there.
Commissioner Chester said the state has a number of levers it can operate to influence educator effectiveness. This year, the work will be to look at the continuum and build a more intentional approach to support policy.
Regular Meeting
Comments from the Chair
Chair Banta said she and Commissioner Chester participated in a meeting of the commissioners and board chairs of Early Education and Care, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Higher Education, convened by Secretary Reville, on school and college readiness. The chair also participated in an Achieve/American Diploma Project meeting in Washington, D.C., where Joanne Weiss from Secretary Duncan's office made a presentation on global competitiveness in relation to the four assurances in the Race to the Top application. Chair Banta noted that graduation requirements in 19 states include a mandated course of study, while in Massachusetts MassCore is a recommended course of study for high school students.
Chair Banta appointed Board members Gerald Chertavian, Michael D'Ortenzio Jr., Tom Fortmann, Jeff Howard, and Ruth Kaplan to serve with her on the Board's Budget Committee. The chair asked Board member Jeff Howard to give an update on the work of the Proficiency Gap Committee.
Comments from the Commissioner
Commissioner Chester said he has substantial concerns about the Fall River School District, where the Department has been engaged for a number of years. The Department has asked the school committee to address nine conditions in their Recovery Plan, which the committee has agreed to do by the end of September. The commissioner said the children of Fall River deserve a much better education than they have been receiving, and the Department will continue to work with the school committee, the administration, and the teachers' association to see to it that they meet their responsibilities.
Comments from the Secretary
Secretary Reville said the commissioners' and chairs' retreat among EEC, ESE, and DHE, as well as the UMass President, produced an excellent conversation around common interests and goals. The secretary said the group chose two areas in which to focus its work: (1) school readiness, and the connection between early childhood and primary grades; and (2) college readiness. Secretary Reville said that work on the state's Race to the Top application was proceeding well, and that there has been a lot of encouragement in Washington, D.C. The secretary said the Patrick Administration submitted its legislation on readiness and on the smart cap lift for charter schools, and the bills were heard at a September 17th hearing. Secretary Reville said there is reason to be concerned about the budget as revenues lag, and that the FY11 budget may be more challenging to balance.
Comments from the Public
Eight individuals addressed the Board on the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School.
Gloucester Community Arts Charter School
Secretary Reville thanked the individuals who testified during public comment on the issue of the granting of a charter to the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School. Secretary Reville said that he made a mistake in sending the February 5, 2009 email to Commissioner Chester, and apologized to the citizens of Gloucester and the members of the Board. The secretary said the email represented only a snippet of an ongoing conversation on this matter. He said as secretary and as a Board member, he has many conversations with the commissioner. Secretary Reville said that before he sent the February 5, 2009 email, the commissioner told him he viewed two of the charter proposals as non-starters, but one was worthy of further consideration. The secretary also noted the commissioner's independence, citing Commissioner Chester's proposal to add a fiscal trigger to the charter approval recommendation, which the secretary and members of the Administration opposed. Secretary Reville said he communicated his opinion to the commissioner that he thought the Gloucester prospectus was viable and that there was merit in granting the charter. Secretary Reville said the commissioner works for the Board, not for the secretary. He asked Board members to raise their hands if any had received any communication from him or from the Governor on whether to award this charter. No Board members raised their hands. Secretary Reville said he continues to be impressed with the Gloucester Public Schools and is seeking a "third way" to resolve the charter school matter.
Commissioner Chester said he remains troubled by the perception that lingers about the process of granting this charter. The commissioner said he assessed the merits of the application in conjunction with the enormous amount of input received. He said he had visited two charter schools with an arts focus that had troubling academics, and that the focus on academics was one of the most compelling aspects of this application. He said there is no lack of pressure on the commissioner from all sides. Commissioner Chester said, in the end, he made up his own mind on the Gloucester charter proposal and made his recommendation based on its merits.
Chair Banta thanked members of the Gloucester community for attending the Board meeting. The chair said she and the commissioner received a letter from Governor Patrick the previous evening. She assured the people of Gloucester on behalf of the Board that the community is respected and heard. Chair Banta announced that the Board would convene a meeting in Gloucester and invite the school committee, officials, and the charter school to discuss issues raised today and possible next steps.
Annual Meeting: Election of Vice-Chair
Under the Board's by-laws, the September meeting is the annual meeting of the Board, at which the vice-chair is elected. The Board re-elected Harneen Chernow as Vice-Chair.
Charter Schools: Policies, Procedures, and Regulations
Commissioner Chester said he is recommending changes in the regulations on charter schools, and that Board approval would launch a public comment period. The proposed changes relate to three areas: (1) the recommendations of the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Education around census, Board member attendance at public hearings, and locations of public hearings; (2) proposed changes to the Board's process for deliberating on charter school decisions; and (3) additional recommendations for amendments to regulations to improve the accountability system for charter schools.
Commissioner Chester agreed that whether through procedures or regulations, it should be clear that a Board member who attends a public hearing should report back to the Board. On the issue of staff recommendations, he said the memos he receives from Department staff are intended to be a starting point, not the end point. The commissioner also reiterated that his recommendation on the Gloucester charter school was based solely on its merits, and not on any perceived deficiencies in the Gloucester Public Schools.
Commissioner Chester said if the Board delegates this authority to the commissioner, he would notify the Board before taking action on any amendments and the Board could decide to address the matter itself.
The Board voted to approve the changes to the charter school regulations.
Ms. Kaplan asked that Section 1.04(3)(b) of the proposed regulations be amended to provide that a Board member who attends a public hearing shall report back to the Board on the hearing. The Board assented to this amendment to the proposed regulation.
2009 MCAS Results
Commissioner Chester said that he released the statewide 2009 MCAS results on September 2, 2009 at Brockton High School before an audience of the school's junior class. Dr. Fortmann also attended the announcement. Commissioner Chester presented an overview of the results and cited the impressive progress made at Brockton High, the largest high school in the state with over 4,000 students, two-thirds of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, three-quarters of whom are students of color, and one-third of whom are from families where English is not the first language spoken. The commissioner said that the school leadership at Brockton High has created a climate of "schooling is our business" where students are supported but also held accountable.
School and District Accountability Redesign
Deputy Commissioner Karla Baehr presented the latest version of the redesigned accountability and assistance framework - the triangle and a graphic that describes Levels 3-5. Deputy Commissioner Baehr said the Department has developed a rubric for school principals to use to assess where they are on the essential conditions. The deputy commissioner said there is a balance between accountability and meaningful assistance by the Department.
The Board voted to approve proposed amendments to the current regulations on underperforming schools and districts, and thereby launch a public comment period; and to allow the Department to proceed with two major reviews at two charter schools that fall within the same nine-month period.
Race to the Top: Planning for Federal Funding Competition
Commissioner Chester provided an overview of the state's Race to the Top Application and work with the Department's consultant, Bridgespan. The Department has identified four working groups related to the four assurances outlined in the application: high standards and assessments, educator policy, school turnaround, and data systems to support instruction. The Department is also currently engaging stakeholder groups to obtain their input. The commissioner said he will place this topic on each Board agenda through the end of the year.
Process and Timelines for FY2011 Budget
Commissioner Chester said that Chair Banta has appointed a budget committee, and that the committee will meet before the Board's October regular meeting. The commissioner said that last year, the Board created two budgets - a maintenance budget and a budget that identified the Board's priorities if additional revenue became available. He said it is unclear what the fiscal climate will look like, but the starting point will be the Board's priorities. Commissioner Chester said he is looking forward to seeing the recommendations of the Proficiency Gap Committee. He said the budget process to identify Board priorities may not have resulted in getting what was asked for, but it is a critical process that provides him with direction from the Board on which priorities he should advocate.
Advisory Council Appointments and Annual Reports
Commissioner Chester presented proposed appointments and reappointments of members to the Board's advisory councils and the councils' annual reports. The commissioner said the Department created a chart showing the advisory councils' recommendations relating to priority areas. He said the Department is looking for people from a diversity of roles and backgrounds to serve on the councils, and invited Board members to suggest additional names.
Dr. Stotsky said that only one parent was listed on the Parent and Community Education Advisory Council among many professionals, and asked whether the Department could be more active in recruiting parents. The commissioner said the Department would get information on which members on that council are parents of children currently attending public schools.
The Board will vote on the appointments at the October 27, 2009 regular meeting.
Statement from Chair
Chair Banta said that she would contact members to get dates that would work for the scheduling of the Budget Committee meeting. The chair also said she is committed to scheduling a meeting in Gloucester as soon as possible, and that she hopes the entire Board can attend.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden. The Board will hold a special meeting on Monday evening, October 26, 2009.
last updated: September 22, 2009
|
State Government · State Services 
