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Educator Effectiveness

State Continuous Improvement

DESE's continuous improvement cycle improves the quality of our work.

Periodically, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) assesses the effectiveness of the work of the Educator Preparation Team through a variety of different means. The Ed Prep Team is committed to their own continuous improvement efforts by recognizing and responding to key trends and learnings identified through feedback, research, and surveys.

Overview of Research Efforts

Focused research questions drive our progress. DESE is guided by three strategies set by the Office of Planning and Research (OPR):

  • Produce insightful, timely information on key policy issues and program initiatives.
  • Strengthen the use of data and evidence for DESE and the field.
  • Transform practices to more effectively implement DESE's highest priority initiatives.

For a quick overview of our research efforts, policy shifts, and progress, please see our slides from our State of Educator Preparation in the Commonwealth meeting.

With support from USED's Institute of Education Sciences, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is examining the extent to which Massachusetts' teacher preparation and licensing systems produce educators who are effective in improving outcomes for students of color. For more information, see the project page.

Resources

 Research QuestionsReports
Field Feedback Survey
  • How are DESE's engagement and interactions with the field?
  • How can DESE improve the quality of interactions with the field?
  • How can DESE plan for more effective work?
  • What is the depth of impact that key DESE initiatives have on the field?
Culminating Report
  • What are the trends and lessons learned from DESE's Formal Review of educator preparation providers?
CAP Predictive Validity Study
  • Does performance on the CAP predict candidates' in-service summative performance evaluations the following year?
  • Does CAP provide a signal of future teacher effectiveness beyond what is already captured by the state's traditional licensure tests?
CAP Implementation Study
  • What implementation strategies exist and what can we learn from them?
Status of the Workforce Report
  • What are the demographics and hiring patterns of first year teachers?
  • What are the retention rates of first year teachers?
  • What does learning growth look like for students taught by first year teachers?
Study of Teacher Supply and Demand
  • What is the projected supply and demand for teachers in MA over the next 10 years?
  • What are the supply and demand projects of teachers by demographic group and by state region?
Teacher Pathway Study
  • What are the key outcomes of teacher effectiveness and student learning?
Study Overview

Last Updated: July 9, 2021

 
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

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