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English Learner Education

The Massachusetts Blueprint for English Learner Success

Planning and Professional Learning

The Massachusetts Interactive Blueprint for EL Success is intentionally designed to support existing planning processes and improvement at all levels of the education system, in addition to supporting educators with knowledge, tools and strategies for EL success.

The Office of Planning and Research provides Planning for Success guidance, resources and tools as well as a recommended strategic planning and continuous improvement process.

The guidance below supports the three phases of the Department's Planning for Success process, and the capacities planning teams should take into consideration to ultimately ensure transformation, full integration of planned initiatives for ELs into daily practice, and continuous improvement.

Check out the Blueprint for English Learner Success and learn more about related resources featured in the Blueprint Dashboard through this video: The Massachusetts Blueprint for English Learner Success.

Blueprint Professional Learning Modules and Related Resources

The Blueprint Professional Learning Modules and related initial implementation resources are designed to support educators at the classroom, school, and district levels in developing a deeper understanding of the Blueprint for English Learner Success and use it to improve their students' experiences and outcomes. This set of tools build on existing Blueprint resources (planning guidance above and Blueprint Quick Reference Guides). They are designed to guide educators and teams in strengthening their ability to plan for and implement change practices to improve English learners' experiences and outcomes. These resources are organized as a progression of online learning modules and initial implementation process and tools that build educator capacity for:

  • Understanding essential conditions for English learner success as outlined in the Blueprint,
  • Evaluating current practices in relation to Blueprint criteria, and
  • Developing strategies and action steps to move towards the Massachusetts Vision for English Learner Education represented by the Blueprint pillars.

Blueprint modules and initial implementation resources were developed in developed in collaboration with the Blueprint Advisory Group and piloted by district teams during the spring of 2021. The Blueprint Advisory Group was composed of educators at the classroom, school, district, and state level. It also included members from relevant organizations that support educators and student learning in key areas of the Blueprint. Piloting district teams also included educators at each education level featured in the Blueprint.

Blueprint Modules

The professional learning modules help educators learn more about the Blueprint for English Learner Success and evaluate their practice alongside it to make informed decisions that support improvement. For a brief overview of Blueprint Modules 1 and 2, review the Blueprint Modules Overview infographic . Click on links below to learn more and/or engage with each module:

  • Module 1: Introduction to the Blueprint for English Learner Success

    Module 1 is a self-paced online course that presents background information about the Blueprint and provides an opportunity to practice using the Blueprint to address a problem of practice or challenge in one's area of influence. Although this is a self-paced course, educators are encouraged to collaborate with others as they engage in Module 1 to maximize learning. Educators can earn 15 Professional Development Points (PDPs) towards the SEI relicensure requirements engaging with activities in the course and submitting their completed Module 1 Workbook as evidence of learning.

  • Module 2: Self-Assessment with the Blueprint for English Learner Success

    Module 2 is designed to be a hybrid course (facilitated & self-paced) for educator teams that include individuals across levels (classroom, school, and district), led by an internal facilitator in your school or district. It incorporates individual activities using materials online and four facilitated sessions that guide participants in using the Blueprint Self-Assessment Tools. Through this process, teams identify current areas of strength and areas for improvement for English learners in relation to the Blueprint using relevant data and evidence. Module 2 also helps teams prioritize the most high-leverage areas for focused improvement planning at the individual, school, and district levels. Educators can earn 15 Professional Development Points (PDPs) towards the SEI relicensure requirements engaging with activities in the course and submitting their completed Module 2 Workbook as evidence of learning. Please note that although this module is designed as a hybrid course for educator teams, some educators may engage with the course and self-assessment process individually. If you choose to engage with the course as an individual, you will find suggestions for how to complete the course and connect with others throughout the module. For more information about participating in Module 2 or if you are interested in receiving training to facilitate this module, contact el@doe.mass.edu .

    Blueprint Self-Assessment Tools. A core component of Module 2, the tools guide educators in evaluating their practice in relation to Blueprint criteria using relevant evidence. They are structured for educators across levels (classroom, school, district, and state). Module 2 activities and facilitated sessions are designed to scaffold use of these tools to maximize team learning and decision-making for improvement.

Resources Supporting Initial Implementation

Initial implementation resources provide a process and related tools educator teams can use to dig deeper into high leverage areas for improvement educators identified in Module 2. The process is aligned to Planning for Success (PfS), Massachusetts' recommended district and school strategic planning and continuous improvement process. It includes a series of consecutive steps that support educator teams in developing goals and actions for improvement. It is intended as a guiding framework for facilitated working sessions that bring together the whole team to collaboratively develop an understanding of current problems, ideas for improvement, and implementation plans. As a framework, this process and related resources provides flexibility so teams can use them in ways that respond to local characteristics (ongoing initiatives, focus, team composition, etc.). For more information about how the process looks like in practice as facilitated with piloting districts, see below.

To learn more about the process and resources supporting educators use of the Blueprint for improvement planning, review the Blueprint Initial Implementation Process infographic and materials presented below:

StepsTools and Resources
Step 1. Explore the Problem

In this first step, educator teams explore an area identified in need of improvement during Module 2 and reach consensus on root causes and contributing factors using a fishbone diagram and relevant data.

Step 2. Develop Goals and Change Ideas

Next, educator teams collaboratively develop goals for improvement and select change practices or ideas they will implement to make progress towards this goal using a driver diagram and relevant data.

Once they have a completed driver diagram, teams can develop a Theory of Action to communicate ideas for change to a wider audience.

Step 3. Plan for Action

Then, educator teams Identify actions to implement change ideas selected to accomplish goals and map out tasks, persons responsible, a timeline, relevant progress monitoring measures, and other key considerations.

Last Updated: September 20, 2022

 
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