Commissioner's Update
October 2, 2006

Dear Superintendents, and Leaders of Charter Schools and Collaboratives:

In this Update I have four announcements and two items recently posted at www.doe.mass.edu for your review.

Update

Massachusetts Conference for Women

This year's Massachusetts Conference for Women will include a Young Women's Program geared toward junior and senior high school girls. This unique, one-day event offers women an opportunity to hear practical advice on everything from career advancement and professional development to money management and life skills from leaders in the fields of health, media, business, finance and personal development. The Young Women's Program will provide sessions that address topics most relevant to teens, and will feature speakers including actress Jessica Biel. The keynote speaker for the day will be author and poet Dr. Maya Angelou.

Scholarships are available for teenagers who want to attend the conference, which will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. I would encourage you to let your female students know about this opportunity, and to consider attending the conference. More information can be found online at www.maconferenceforwomen.org.

2006 MCAS State Results and Grade 10 Results Are Available Online

The 2006 MCAS state results    were released on September 20. The link to the press release is www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.asp?id=3074. The 2006 MCAS Grade 10 results are also available online and can be accessed at www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.asp?id=3084.

School and district results for students in grades 3-8 will be released to the public on October 16. Please note that superintendents will receive these results electronically on October 10 and principals will receive them electronically on October 11, but the results are embargoed until the official public release on October 16.

Annual Technology Plan Data Collection

The online forms for the annual Tech Plan Implementation Report will be open for districts to enter their data for the 2005-2006 school year from Oct. 10 to Nov. 21. Districts need to report on their progress in implementing their technology plan to be eligible for technology grants and E-Rate discounts.

To access the forms, log in to the Department's security portal and click "Tech Plan." The first page contains instructions for completing the forms. Use the drop-down menus to select your district and the year "2005-2006".

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will review each district's data, and technology plan through 2008. Districts should either post their technology plan on their web sites or email them to bozols@doe.mass.edu for review. Letters of approval will be sent out by February 2007 so districts will be eligible for FY2008 technology grants and E-Rate discounts.

Contact Baiba Ozols at bozols@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-6831 for more information.

Online Professional Development

Educators can apply online to participate in courses offered by the Partnership for Technology Professional Development (PTPD). The PTPD will offer courses through three of the top professional providers in the state: The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), The Massachusetts Elementary School Principals Association (MESPA), and Virtual High School (VHS).

Courses will be offered in three periods: December 2006 to Feb. 2007, March to May 2007, and June to August 2007. Courses will be delivered using a combination of online and face-to-face approaches, with all courses using MassONE as the delivery system. The courses include:

• 21st Century Literacy Skills for Teachers
• Creating Assessments Using Online Tools
• UDL in the General Education Curriculum
• Teacher Tech: Digital Media in the Classroom
• Principles of Curriculum Design
• Leadership for the 21st Century: Teaching, Learning, and Technology

This program provides a cost-effective way for districts to build their capacity to use technology in teaching and learning. The courses will be offered at no cost to the participants. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference given to districts that are enrolling teams, followed by those offering stipends to teachers to share what they learned with their colleagues. Course descriptions, syllabi, and application forms are available at http://vessunweb1.doe.mass.edu/tutorial/ptpd_survey.htm.

Postings at www.doe.mass.edu:

1. Update on Flu Pandemic Planning
   
2. November is Family Literacy Month
   

Sincerely,

David P. Driscoll
Commissioner of Education