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

Briefing for the January 27, 2009 Meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

The next regular meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will be on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's new offices at 75 Pleasant Street in Malden. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. and will adjourn by 12:30 p.m. If you need overnight accommodations or any additional information about the schedule, please call Belinda Wilson at (781) 338-3118.

Overview

The agenda for our first meeting of 2009 begins with discussion and action on several charter school matters, including votes on five charter renewals and on revocation of one charter. The Board will then discuss a progress report on the curriculum framework review process and an initial review of the draft revisions to the English Language Arts framework; get an update on the work we are doing to redesign our state system of accountability and assistance; take a vote to invite public comment on proposed amendments to the regulations on regional school districts; and take a final vote on amendments to the regulations on vocational-technical education.

Comments from the Chair

Chair Banta will report on current issues and activities.

Comments from the Commissioner

1. 21st Century Skills Task Force Recommendations. This month we will discuss two issues linked to 21st century skills. Our discussion on the curriculum frameworks (Tab 6) and on the redesign of the state system of accountability and assistance (Tab 7) both have 21st century dimensions and are informed by the recommendations of the task force. In addition, we are conducting an inventory of work being done in the Department and in districts across the Commonwealth that relate to 21st century skills. We also are cross-walking the Task Force recommendations with the Board priorities that were established at last summer's retreat. I will bring these to the Board in February.

2. Budget update. I will update the Board on our budget planning. Secretary Reville will brief the Board on the education budget perspective from the Governor's office.

3. Graduation rate data. The Department will release its annual report on school district graduation rates later this week or next. I will send you a copy at that time. At our February meeting I will make recommendations for some changes to the graduation rate standards used in our determinations of adequate yearly progress, in order to comply with federal requirements.

4. Reports to the Legislature. The Department has filed the following reports with the Legislature, in response to directives included in the FY09 budget and the General Laws:

   • Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Strategic Plan    reports on the state's strategic needs and priorities for education policy. The plan is informed by our retreat in August 2008, discussions with education stakeholders, Governor Patrick's Readiness Project, and our ongoing work on goals and priorities.
   • Audio-Digital MCAS Pilot Program    reports on the collaboration between the Department and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic to provide audio-digital read-aloud editions of the Grade 10 English Language Arts and Mathematics MCAS tests for a small number of students with disabilities such as dyslexia and/or vision impairments who use this technology routinely and whose IEP or 504 teams believe it is the most appropriate assessment method.
   • Professional Development Expenditures    summarizes public school districts' reporting of professional development expenditures as part of the required End of Year Financial Report in four areas: professional development leadership, teacher/instructional staff professional days, substitute salaries for teachers/instructional staff, and professional development stipends, providers, and expenses.
   • Students with Disabilities Annual Report 2007-2008    addresses the Massachusetts State Performance Plan which the Department prepared with input from educators, administrators, advocates, and other interested parties to set goals and measure our progress on 20 federally specified indicators. It provides data analysis on gender, related services, disability, and placement; MCAS results for students with disabilities; and information on special education finance and educational collaboratives.

Comments from the Secretary

Secretary Reville will brief the Board on budget issues and other matters.

Items for Discussion and Action

Charter Schools:

1. Charter Renewals for Six Schools: Barnstable Horace Mann, Marstons Mills Horace Mann, Boston Preparatory, River Valley, Roxbury Preparatory, and Salem Academy - Initial Discussion

   Six charter renewals are presented to the Board this month for initial review and discussion: Barnstable Horace Mann, Marstons Mills Horace Mann, Boston Preparatory, River Valley, Roxbury Preparatory, and Salem Academy. Associate Commissioner Jeff Wulfson and Charter Schools Director Mary Street will be at the Board meeting to respond to questions about charter school matters. The Board will vote in February on these six charter renewals.

2. Charter Renewals for Five Schools: Berkshire Arts & Technology, Conservatory Lab, Hill View, KIPP, and Robert M. Hughes - Discussion and Vote

   The Board had an initial discussion on the charter renewals for these five charter schools - Berkshire Arts & Technology, Conservatory Lab, Hill View, KIPP, and Robert M. Hughes - at the December 2008 meeting. I recommend that the Board vote on these renewals this month.

3. Uphams Corner Charter School: Commissioner's Recommendation to Revoke Charter - Discussion and Vote

   The Board renewed the charter of Uphams Corner Charter School in 2007 with five conditions that the school had to meet by specified dates. At our December 2008 meeting I reported on the school's progress and presented my recommendation that the Board should revoke the school's charter, based on its failure to meet the conditions, including its persistently low academic performance and its lack of success in taking the steps necessary to relocate to the Uphams Corner area. We have invited the charter school's board chairman (Mr. Binns), executive director and founder (Mr. Mayo) and principal (Mr. Fils-Aime) to address the Board at this month's meeting before you discuss and vote on my recommendation.

4. Information on New Charter Applicants - Initial Discussion

   At the February meeting I may recommend that the Board grant charters for new charter schools. This month we have included in your materials an overview of the process for reviewing and granting new charters and a summary of the three charter applications that are pending.

5. Waiver of Procedural Regulation, 603 CMR 1.04(3)(b) - Discussion and Vote

   The charter school regulations call for a member of the Board to attend public hearings about pending charter applications. In this year's application cycle, a Board member was present at the hearings on December 4 and 9, 2008, but despite best efforts, no Board member was able to attend the hearing on December 11. Department staff members were at each hearing, and the Board will receive a full report on the testimony presented. Audiotapes are available as well. To ensure that our process is consistent, I recommend that the Board vote to waive its procedural regulation with respect to attendance at the third public hearing.

Other Matters for Discussion and Action:

6. Update on Curriculum Frameworks and Initial Review of Draft Revised English Language Arts Framework - Discussion

   This month we are updating the Board on our progress in reviewing and revising the curriculum frameworks, with a focus on the English language arts framework. The work is proceeding well. The Board now has the first of several opportunities to review and discuss draft revisions to the English language arts framework. Deputy Commissioner Jeff Nellhaus and Susan Wheltle have been guiding this work and will be present to respond to your questions.

7. State System of Accountability and Assistance: Next Steps in Accountability Redesign - Discussion

   As we discussed with the Board in October, the Department is undertaking a redesign of the framework for school and district accountability and assistance. Deputy Commissioner Karla Brooks Baehr and Associate Commissioner Lynda Foisy will report on our progress and anticipated next steps. We will also brief the Board on our current review of the Fall River school district, which is going through a leadership transition. The Board-appointed Advisory Council on Accountability and Assistance has been meeting since November and will present its first of two annual reports to the Board at the February meeting, at which time I plan also to present the Board with a progress report on our development of an MCAS growth model.

8. Proposed Amendments to Regional School District Regulations, 603 CMR 41 - Initial Discussion and Vote to Solicit Public Comment

   This month we are proposing some amendments to the regulations on regional school districts, relating to regional school budgets and formation of regional school districts. With the Board's approval, we will solicit public comment on the proposed amendments and plan to bring them back to the Board in April for final action. Associate Commissioner Jeff Wulfson will be at the meeting to answer your questions.

9. Amendments to Vocational-Technical Education Regulations, 603 CMR 4.00 -Discussion and Vote

   In November 2008 the Board voted to solicit public comment on proposed amendments to revise the sections of the Vocational Technical Education Regulations, 603 CMR 4.00, that relate to licensure of vocational technical educators. The amendments would add one new vocational technical teacher license and align the licensure provisions more closely in several areas with the Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval Regulations, 603 CMR 7.00, and the Recertification Regulations, 603 CMR 44.00. We have made one wording change based on the single comment we received. I recommend that the Board vote to adopt the regulations.

Other Items for Information

10. Education-Related News Clippings

    Enclosed are several recent articles about education.

11. Report on Grants and Charter School Extended Loan Terms Approved by Commissioner (if any)

    At our January 27th meeting I will update the Board on any pending grants or extended loan term approvals.

12. Boston Foundation Report on Boston's Charter, Pilot and Traditional Schools

    The January 2009 report of the Boston Foundation, Informing the Debate: Comparing Boston's Charter, Pilot and Traditional Schools, received widespread attention. Board members have received the full report. The introduction and summary of findings are enclosed under Tab 12.

13. NGA/CCSSO/Achieve International Benchmarking Report

    I am honored to serve on the International Benchmarking Advisory Group convened by the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State Schools Officers, and Achieve, Inc. Enclosed under Tab 13 is the executive summary of the recent report, Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education.

14. Quality Counts Report: Massachusetts Excerpts

    The 2009 Quality Counts report on English language learners in Massachusetts, published by Education Week, is enclosed for your information under Tab 14.

15. Directions to the Meeting

If you have questions about any agenda items, please call me. I look forward to seeing you at our new offices in Malden on January 27th.