District/School Administration Administration
Board in Brief

Thursday, October 26, 1995

This is Board in Brief, issued at the request of Commissioner BobAntonucci, to bring you up to date on Board of Education developments of interest to the Department staff. The following is a report on the Board meetings held in Boston on Monday evening, October 23 and Tuesday, October 24,1995.

Curriculum Frameworks

The major agenda item for the Board on Monday evening and Tuesday morning was a continuing review of the curriculum frameworks. Commissioner Antonucci and Chairman Kaplan led the Board discussion of four frameworks (English, the Arts, Mathematics, and Science and Technology) and the common chapters, all of which have been revised based on extensive public comment. Board members had each reviewed at least one or two draft frameworks in detail. They discussed each framework and made several suggestions to make them clearer and more concise. Chairman Kaplan and other Board members commended the Department and everyone involved in writing the frameworks, acknowledging the enormity of this undertaking, which has involved review of the drafts by thousands of teachers and others. Following the meeting all five current drafts were posted on the internet at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website (http://www.doe.mass.edu)replacing the March 1995 version. The Board expects to review and discuss the frameworks in Social Studies, Health and World Languages at the November meeting.

Report on Education Reform

Commissioner Antonucci introduced Jack Rennie, Chairman of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, who presented a report entitled, "Within Our Reach: A Progress Report on Education Reform." The MBAE report states that the process of education reform implementation is off to a good start, but it is imperative that everyone involved stay the course. The MBAE recommends that the Governor and the Legislature increase their advocacy of education reform, limit amendments, fund a strong assessment system, prioritize early childhood education, and sustain financial commitment. The MBAE recommends that the Board and the Department establish clear, specific, high standards in the frameworks, move ahead on assessment, provide better data on the impact of reform, integrate School to Work into public schools, integrate performance evaluation, professional development and recertification, advocate some needed amendments in school finance, and focus on student performance. To the business community, the MBAE recommends "get involved and stay involved" in education reform, for the long-term good of the Commonwealth.

Chairman Kaplan said he is "very proud that the MBAE report reflects positively on the Board's and Department's actions, decisions and priorities in so many important areas." The Boston Globe editorialized about the report on October 24, noting it is agreed that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and its independent Board are leading education reform, and should not be reorganized. Board members will discuss the report in detail at the November Board meeting.

School-To-Work Update

Peter Koch, Director of the Mass Jobs Council and John Niles of the School-to-Work Office briefed the Board on the progress of the School-to-Work initiative. In August 1994, the Board and the Mass Jobs Council formally established the School-to-Work Committee as the representative of both boards to accomplish the purposes of the federal School-to-Work Opportunities Act in Massachusetts. Board members voiced their disappointment that the Mass Jobs Council is not keeping them informed on important issues. Board member Bill Irwin said parental support is vital for School-to-Work to succeed. At Mr. Irwin's urging, Mr. Koch said he will look into appointing a labor person as the eighth member of the MJC Executive Committee.

Preliminary Discussion on FY97 Budget Proposal

The Commissioner presented an overview of some issues for the Board to consider in relation to the FY97 budget request. The Board will review and approve the budget proposal at the November meeting.

Report of the Commissioner

Commissioner Antonucci reported that two exemplary Massachusetts teachers have been selected for special honors. Kathleen Sherman, an inclusion teacher with the Falmouth Public Schools, was honored as the 1996 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year at a State House luncheon on September 20. The 1996 Christa McAuliffe Fellow is Jonathan Kearns Cooper-Wiele. He teaches critical thinking and is the data processing coordinator at the Timilty Middle School in Boston. Both teachers will be invited to attend the December Board meeting.

The Commissioner commended three Department employees who were honoredrecently at the annual statewide "Pride in Performance" dinner. They are: Richard DeFilippis, who teaches at the Massachusetts Hospital School (an Institutional Schools program); Chris Lynch, who assists local and state officials with school funding issues; and Barbara Solomon, liaison to school districts for Title I and other instructional programs. They will be invited to attend the December Board meeting.

Commissioner Antonucci reported that the Department, along with the Executive Office of Education and the Attorney General's Office, recently filed an amicus ("friend of the court") brief in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the case of Pyle v. South Hadley School Committee. The Court is to decide whether state law permits school officials to prohibit student expression that may reasonably be considered vulgar, even if it causes no disruption or disorder. Our brief in support of South Hadley urges the Court to conclude that high school students in Massachusetts have the freedom to engage in non-school-sponsored expression, unless the school officials reasonably conclude that the expression could disrupt the educational mission of the school.

Matters Requiring Formal Board Action

School Building Assistance: Lowell

The Board voted to authorize a School Building Assistance grant to the City of Lowell for a renovation and addition project at the Lowell High School. The State supplemental budget included language to increase the initial school building assistance authorization by the amount needed to meet the State's share of this project.

The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 1995, at 9:00 a.m., at the Massachusetts Archives in Boston. Also note the December Board meeting has been moved to December 12, 1995.