District/School Administration Administration
The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Nominations to the State Review Panel

The Board of Education's Regulations on Underperforming Schools and Districts, as amended in 2006, call for districts with Commonwealth Priority Schools to develop and submit a District Plan for School Intervention for consideration by a State Review Panel. The State Review Panel provides advice and assistance to the Commissioner and Board in making judgments regarding the adequacy and viability of each District Plan for School Intervention. Specifically the regulations state, at 603 CMR 2.03 (2):

(2) The Commissioner shall recruit highly qualified individuals to serve as members of a State Review Panel.

(a) The Commissioner shall select Review Panel members on the basis of their demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following fields:

1) district or school leadership

2) standards-based elementary or secondary curriculum, instruction, and assessment

3) instructional data management and analysis

4) district, school, or program evaluation

5) educational program management

6) teacher leadership

7) organizational management

8) district or school budget and finance

9) any other fields that the Commissioner deems to be relevant to the review and evaluation of school or district performance or school improvement planning.

(b) The Commissioner shall deploy Review Panel members, individually or as a group, to conduct or participate in the review of school improvement plans and the evaluation of district improvement activities. Review Panel members may be asked to provide advice and assistance to the Commissioner and Board regarding the appropriateness and sufficiency of actions being taken by district and school leaders and by the Department to improve student performance in Commonwealth Priority Schools and Chronically Underperforming Schools.

(c) Candidates for appointment to the State Review Panel shall be approved by the Board.

(d) State Review Panel members may be compensated by the Department for their service.

We conducted outreach for State Review Panel nominees through a mailing to qualified individuals, partner organizations, professional associations and schools of education. I am pleased to present this initial list of distinguished candidates to the Board for your approval. The list provides the names and affiliations; qualifications and resumes of these individuals are on file with the Department's Office of School Performance Evaluation. Panel members will be appointed to a three-year term of service. If Board members would like to recommend any additional individuals for appointment to the State Review Panel, please let me know.

Attachment: List of Nominees