District/School Administration Administration
Board in Brief

Monday, July 24, 1995

This is Board in Brief, issued at the request of Commissioner Bob Antonucci, to bring you up to date on Board of Education developments of interest to the Department staff and the public. The following is a report on the Board meeting held on Thursday, July 20, 1995, at Wellesley College.

Report of the Commissioner

Commissioner Antonucci reported on the progress of the statewide Summer Institutes, which are very successful. He noted that this initiative represents the first time the Department has integrated its professional development efforts in a broad-based team approach involving staff throughout the agency. He has visited the two held so far, at Curry College and Mansfield. "There is a high level of energy and enthusiasm, and tremendous focus on curriculum and content," he told the Board. He invited Board members to attend any of the remaining five Institutes.

Report of the Chairman

The Commissioner and Board welcomed Acting Secretary of Education Michael Sentance, who is serving as a Board member replacing former Secretary Piedad Robertson, and Sarah Hasenfus of Needham, the new student Board member. Sentance was Undersecretary of Education from 1991-1995, and a principal author of the Education Reform Act. Ms. Hasenfus is the new Chair of the Statewide Student Advisory Council, and is a voting member of the Board through June 1996 by virtue of her office.

The Chairman appointed a nominating committee, in accordance with the Board's by-laws. The committee will submit nominations at the annual Board of Education meeting in September, at which time the Board will elect a Vice Chair and two members of the executive committee.

Albert Shanker, President of the American Federation of Teachers, is planning to attend the September meeting of the Board of Education to discuss the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks and other matters related to Education Reform. Board members are reviewing the curriculum framework drafts, and some members have volunteered to review a particular framework draft in detail. Member Frank Haydu commented that the Board takes seriously its review and approval responsibility, but it also respects the very broad participatory process the Department has used to develop and refine the drafts. Board members will submit their comments to the Commissioner and the Chairman by September, in preparation for final review and action on the frameworks planned for the October Board meeting.

Regulations on Evaluation of Teachers and Administrators, and Principles of Effective Teaching and Administrative Leadership

In May the Board approved for public comment the proposed Regulations for the Evaluation of Teachers and Administrators, and Massachusetts' first set of Principles of Effective Teaching and Administrative Leadership. The proposed regulations and principles were disseminated widely for public comment, which ended on July 13. Commissioner Antonucci reported that a few changes in the language and organization of the regulations and principles have been made, based on comments received. The Board voted to approve the final regulations and principles, and commended the Commissioner and staff for their work.

Board Policy on District Spending for Professional Development

The Commissioner reviewed with the Board the FY 1996 state budget appropriation of an additional $75 per pupil as foundation aid, of which school districts are required to spend not less than $25 per pupil on professional development expenditures as defined in regulations of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Commissioner Antonucci said that school finance regulations already define professional development expenditures. "However," he stated, "I believe it is important to communicate to school officials the Board's intent as to how this new state aid is to be spent, consistent with the goals and objectives of the State Plan for Professional Development approved in June." The State Plan provides a framework for strengthening the capacity of teachers and administrators to help all students reach the goals of the Common Core of Learning [ HTML | PDF ].

>Board member Abigail Thernstrom stated, "It is an absolutely crucial issue that teachers participate in quality professional development." Chairman Kaplan emphasized that the Legislature's future support for professional development funding will depend in large part on whether school districts can show they are using the funds appropriately, for programs that result in improved teaching and student learning. After further discussion, the Board adopted the following policy statement:

"It shall be a goal of every local school district professional development plan that the district's teachers, administrators and other professional staff will, through participation in the district's professional development offerings, enhance their ability to support all students in achieving the standards of the Common Core of Learning.

The policy states that school committees and superintendents shall ensure that these professional development plans and offerings be of high quality, and reflect research. "Additionally, the plans shall focus on the Education Reform priority areas of training in the use of the curriculum frameworks, training in new approaches to educational leadership, and the expansion of technology in education."

FY 1996 School Building Assistance Grants and Reimbursement

The Board voted to approve the FY 1996 School Building Assistance priority list, and approved funding for specific projects on the list. Board members discussed the School Building Assistance Act, which is up for reauthorization by the Legislature in June 1996. Member Paul Reville recommended that the Board play an active role in the reauthorization process. He noted that a significant number of projects qualify for reimbursement but cannot be funded this year, and that districts are finding they need to build or renovate schools to meet increasing enrollments and enable students and teachers to use technology. Board members agreed that this issue should get further attention as the Board plans its legislative and budget stragegy for 1996.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held at the Boston School Department headquarters in Boston, on Tuesday, September 19, 1995, at 9:00 am., and a special evening Board meeting will be held on Monday, September 18.