District/School Administration Administration
Board in Brief

February 10, 1998

This is "Board in Brief," issued at the request of Commissioner Bob Antonucci, to bring you up to date on Massachusetts Board of Education matters. The following is a report on the meeting held Tuesday, February 10, 1998, at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden.

Report of the Chairman

Chairman John Silber, remarking on Commissioner Antonucci's resignation as Commissioner to become president of ICS, a subsidiary of Harcourt Brace, said, "Commissioner Antonucci has provided distinguished leadership, and he will be missed. Best wishes on this splendid offer, and for an exciting new adventure."

Silber said he hopes the Board will name an interim commissioner before Antonucci departs. A national search for a permanent replacement will be underway with publication of advertisements beginning this weekend in Education Week, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the New York Times, and The Boston Globe.

On other matters, the Chairman noted his deep concern that the Legislature has failed to revise the special education law. He urged members of the Board to contact the Legislature to reconsider the matter.

Report of the Commissioner

Commissioner Antonucci thanked the Board, noting his gratitude to this Board and Governor Cellucci, the former Board Chairman Martin Kaplan and Governor Weld, and everyone involved in advocating for education reform. He said, "We have done much, and we have much more to do. I hope the good work we have begun will be carried forward."

Antonucci reported on three charter school hearings which were held in January to take public comment on the applications that have been filed for new Commonwealth charter schools and Horace Mann charter schools. A special meeting of the Board is scheduled for late February, when new charters will be awarded.

Commissioner Antonucci noted his disappointment that it appears the Legislature will not enact special education reform this year. He is hopeful that the Legislature will reconsider, and move the bill forward.

Governor Cellucci Addresses the Board

Governor Paul Cellucci joined the Board to discuss his initiative on character education and other educational issues. Commenting on Commissioner Antonucci's departure, Cellucci said, "Bob, you have shown exceptional leadership, and you have been a model of dedication and innovative approaches, including support for charter schools. The public schools have improved as a result of your work. You have skillfully guided the implementation of the Education Reform Act, and the foundation has been laid. Neither you nor the Board has flinched when making the tough decisions. I respect and admire all you have done. Best wishes."

Governor Cellucci addressed the issue of character education, asking the Board to ensure that all schools incorporate character education throughout the school day. He stated, "Our children need to be prepared for the performance of their social and civic duties. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important, but values need to be reinforced as well. We need good citizens for a tolerant and civil society, and I urge the Board to assist by encouraging the use of literature to instruct students in courage, honesty, compassion, loyalty, perseverance, respectfulness, responsibility and self discipline."

On other educational matters, the Governor reaffirmed his commitment to full funding of Education Reform, he said that testing and accountability are crucial to success and that low standards are unacceptable, and he urged the Board to move swiftly and thoroughly in their search to find a permanent education commissioner.

Regarding his proposed $270 million increase in the FY 99 budget for education, the Governor said 90% of the new education money should go directly to classrooms. He said that one-half of that amount would be ample to hire 4,000 new teachers, and the other half could go toward new textbooks and materials. Further, he agreed with Chairman Silber that this money could be used for after-school tutoring programs and summer school.

Performance Standards for the MCAS Revised

At the January 1998 meeting the Board voted to establish general descriptors for four levels of student performance for the statewide testing program, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). The levels voted on in January were Level IV Advanced, Level III Proficient, Level II Deficient and Level I Failing. A proposal by Board member Roberta Schaefer to change the descriptions was approved by a unanimous 9-0 vote. The new levels will be:

Level 4--Advanced (Student performance at this level consists of a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of rigorous subject matter, and an ability to provide sophisticated solutions to complex problems);

Level 3--Proficient (Student performance at this level consists of solid understanding of challenging subject matter and the ability to solve a wide variety of problems);

Level 2--Needs Improvement (Student performance at this level consists of partial understanding of subject area knowledge and skills, and the ability to solve some simple problems); and

Level 1--Failing (Student performance at this level consists of minimal understanding of subject area knowledge and skills, and an inability to solve simple problems).

Lawrence Public Schools Memorandum of Agreement Ratified

Commissioner Antonucci reported that the Department has moved rapidly to implement the Memorandum of Agreement signed by Dr. Silber, Mayor Dowling and him on January 27, 1998. On a unanimous vote, the Board formally ratified the Agreement.

Antonucci has assigned Deputy Commissioner David Driscoll as his representative in the Lawrence Public Schools, and Driscoll reported on his activities to date. He noted three critical ingredients needed for success in the schools: a focus on improving student achievement; the need for the Lawrence education community to work together toward that goal; and a commitment by all parties to assume responsibility to improve the system.

Driscoll reported that there appears to be a positive change in attitude among Lawrence officials and educators, which he credits to the signing of the Agreement. Asked if the High School will gain accreditation soon, Driscoll responded that accreditation "is a long way off." He presented to the Board his Action Plan for the Lawrence Public Schools, which outlines key activities and benchmarks.

School Building Assistance Rates Proposed

The Board voted to seek public comment on proposed annual school building construction cost standards. The new rates represent an increase of approximately 3.5% over the current cost standards. Board member Jim Peyser stated his concern that Massachusetts school building costs are high, and he recommended an analysis comparing them to the costs of non-public construction in state and the costs of school building construction in other, comparable states.

Two additional amendments to the regulations were discussed, one to clarify which provision of the state building code applies to expansion and renovation of existing buildings, and the other to address capacity in school buildings to support new technology. Noting the importance of technology in the schools, member Stanley Koplik said, "You cannot build a building today without that wiring capacity." On a unanimous vote, the Board voted to solicit public comment on these changes, and will vote on the amendments later this spring.

"House One" Budget for Education Reviewed

The Board reviewed Governor Cellucci's FY 99 budget proposal for education, which is generally very positive for public elementary and secondary education. The Governor's proposed increase for early childhood education is not at the level the Board proposed, and Commissioner Antonucci and Chairman Silber will advocate a $165 million increase for early childhood education when the House Ways and Means Committee meets in Springfield on February 24 for a hearing on the FY 99 budget.

Grants for Safe Schools Approved

The Board approved 27 grants to school districts totaling $39,764 for the Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students.

Next Meeting

There will be a special meeting of the Board in the last week of February to vote on charter school applications. The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, March 10, at 9:00 a.m., in Malden.