District/School Administration Administration
The Board of Education Advisory Councils

The Community Service Learning Advisory Council

Council Statement

The CSL Advisory Council will review, advise, and make recommendations on state service-learning programs and policies to promote academically meaningful, sustained, and high quality service-learning experiences throughout students' schooling. In this capacity, the Council will serve as a resource to both the Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Massachusetts.

Work of the Council:

Plan for 2008-2009
The CSL Council accepts this year’s charge from Commissioner Chester and Board Chair Banta to provide guidance and recommendations about how service-learning can support the Department’s and the Board’s goals of closing the achievement gap and the expectations gap. In addition, the council’s work will make connections to the recommendations made in the Governor’s Readiness Project as well as the 21st Century Skills Task Force Report. In this context, the CSL Council will develop a set of recommendations relative to how service-learning can advance the working goals and priorities of the Board and the Department, which include educator development, curriculum and instruction, accountability redesign, supports to students and families, and state leadership and operations.

Summary of Work 2007-2008:
In 2007-2008, the Community Service-Learning Advisory Council (CSL Council) welcomed nine new members representing higher education, business, schools and community-based organizations this year. With so many new members, the CSL Council spent much of the year reviewing accomplishments, with special emphasis on the White Paper that reported on the status of service-learning in Massachusetts, Fulfilling Our Civic Mission: Service-Learning in Massachusetts, 2006. In addition to continuing to emphasize the White Paper and to build on its research, the Council deliberated on many approaches to promote the practice of service-learning. Possible future projects discussed included more explicit connections with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and with current policy efforts such as Governor Patrick’s Commonwealth Corps. In addition, the CSL Council will explore promoting CSL through pre-service teacher training, increased professional development for teachers, and networking opportunities. The year’s meetings were well attended by members from across the state through the successful use of video and telephone conferencing.

In addition the Council:

• Assisted the Community Service-Learning Specialist at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the recognition of leaders in the field;
• Participated in the state service-learning conference in May 2008;
• Presented at various conferences within and beyond Massachusetts. These conferences include the Mass College of Liberal Arts CSL Conference and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in New York City; and
• Expanded the expertise of the Council by adding nine new members, representing higher education, business, schools and community-based organizations.

Community Service-Learning Advisory Council Meetings-2008-2009:

Thursday, September 18, 2008 from 10 AM - 12 PM
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden
(and via video–locations TBD, please call for information)

Monday, November 3, 2008 from 1 PM to 3 PM (following the All Advisory Councils Meeting to be held from 9-12)
Hogan Center, College of the Holy Cross
1 College Avenue, Worcester, MA

Thursday, February 5, 2009 from 10 AM – 12 PM
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden
(and via video-locations TBD, please call for information)

Go to the third floor receptionist to be directed to the meeting room.

Subsequent meetings will be announced when confirmed.

Links:

Community Service-Learning Advisory Council Members 2008-2009:

Department Liaison:

Kristen McKinnon
Community Service-Learning Specialist
Phone: 781-338-6306
E-mail: kmckinnon@doe.mass.edu