District/School Administration Administration
Board in Brief

Thursday, July 2, 1998

This is "Board in Brief," issued at the direction of David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education (interim), to bring you up to date on Massachusetts Board of Education matters. The following is a report on the special meeting of the Board held on Wednesday morning, July 1, 1998 at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Massachusetts Teacher Tests

At the request of Governor Paul Cellucci, Chairman John Silber convened this special meeting of the Board to reconsider its June 22 vote setting the qualifying score for the Massachusetts Teacher Test. Nearly 1,800 prospective teachers took the first certification tests of communication and literacy skills and subject knowledge in April. The passing score originally set by the Board would have prevented 44%, or about 800 prospective teachers, from gaining certification to teach in the Commonwealth's public schools. The Board's June 22 vote stated that as of October, all test-takers would be required to achieve a higher passing score, as recommended by panels of educators who reviewed the tests.

Governor Cellucci addressed the Board before its discussion of the issue. He urged the Board to adopt the panel-recommended higher qualifying score starting with the first test administration, rather than waiting until October. Applying the higher passing score to the April test would mean that 59% of the test-takers (an additional 263 people) would not pass. The Governor stated, "Education reform is not without conflict and controversy, but we must send a clear message that we are going to hold the line for high standards."

Chairman Silber said he supported the Governor's request that the Board reconsider its previous vote and adopt the higher qualifying score. He said, "Our proper concern is for the welfare of the children in our schools who have the right to well-prepared teachers, and to the taxpayers who are paying for their education. The establishment of this test and setting the proper standards for certification is, in my opinion, the most important contribution that this Board has made to education reform. With the expansion of the school-age population and the aging of our teachers, the teacher corps will be largely transformed over the next ten to fifteen years. By setting a progressively higher standard over time for admission to the teaching profession, we ensure that all future appointments will meet the threshold of competence. I hope the Board today will vote to accept the standard proposed by the Panel."

Board member Abigail Thernstrom moved that the Board reconsider its June 22 vote and set the qualifying score at the panel-recommended level. She said it was unfortunate that the original vote may have sent to the public a message that was incorrectly heard. Member Roberta Schaefer, who seconded the motion, listed factors that affected the Board's June 22 decision, including questions of notice and fairness, and the fact that other states have set lower standards for certification tests. On the other hand, she said, since all teachers should meet high standards, and candidates who do not pass may take the test again, she was supporting the higher standard.

Board member Bill Irwin said that he also believes in high standards for teachers and for students, but he maintains his original position that the standard should be raised step by step, since the test is new this year. Member Stanley Koplik, Chancellor of Higher Education, reaffirmed his previous vote for the higher standard. He added that the Board of Higher Education is convening a meeting of public and private higher education officials on July 27 to discuss ways to address the high failure rates on the certification test.

Board member Edwin Delattre, who was unable to attend the June 22 Board meeting and therefore did not vote, said that he supports the higher standard. He noted that testing prospective teachers to see if they meet high standards for literacy and content knowledge is necessary, but testing alone is not sufficient to improve the quality of teaching and public education. Member James Peyser, also speaking in support of the higher standard, stated, "If we are going to err, we should err on the side of caution to protect students from incompetent teachers."

The Board voted 6-1 to set the qualifying score for the teacher certification test at the higher level, as of the April 1998 test administration. Candidates who took the test in April will receive their scores within a few days. Those who did not pass the test may take it again in July or October at no cost.

The Board also reaffirmed that as of September 1, 1998, all candidates for initial (provisional/advanced provisional) certificates must take and pass the communication and literacy skills test as a condition for certification. This includes applicants for administrator and support staff certificates, as well as teacher certification candidates. Candidates for certification in fields in which a subject matter test has been developed also have to take and pass that test. So far, subject tests have been developed in 30 certificate areas.

Also at the Board meeting, Frank W. Haydu III announced that he was resigning as Interim Commissioner of Education. He thanked the Board, the staff of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the entire field of public education for their support. He stated that the key to education reform is the interaction between students and teachers in the classroom. He encouraged the Board to listen to master teachers and master principals when setting state education policy.

A New Commissioner

The Board accepted Mr. Haydu's resignation, and unanimously voted to appoint Deputy Commissioner David P. Driscoll to serve as Interim Commissioner. Dr. Driscoll was appointed as Deputy Commissioner in 1993. Previously, he served as the Superintendent of the Melrose Public Schools.

Next Meeting of the Board of Education

The next regular meeting of the Board is tentatively scheduled for September 15th.

"Board in Brief" and other ESE documents are available for review at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's web site: www.doe.mass.edu