Commissioner's Update
June 8, 2009

Dear Superintendents and Leaders of Charter Schools and Collaboratives:

In this Update I have three announcements and six items for your review.

New Regulation on Educator Licensure (Math Subtest for Elementary and Special Education Teacher Licenses)

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted on May 19th to adopt an emergency regulation establishing a three-year transition phase (until June 30, 2012) for implementing the Mathematics subtest portion of the General Curriculum test for licensure of elementary and special education teachers. During the transition phase, candidates who score between 227-239 will be deemed to have passed the Mathematics subtest for the purpose of their first stage of licensure. These teachers will be required to retake the Mathematics subtest and score 240 or above in order to be eligible for the next stage of licensure or to renew their initial license. The subtest became operational in March 2009 and is part of the Board's 2007 initiative to strengthen teaching and learning of mathematics at the early grades. The Board invites public comment on the emergency regulation.

Amendments to Regulations on Regional School Districts

The Board also voted on May 19th to approve amendments to the regulations governing regional school districts with respect to three issues: a transition period following the creation of new regional school districts, procedures for member towns to determine the method of assessing regional district costs, and procedures to be followed if a town fails to hold a town meeting to reconsider a previously rejected regional district budget. You will find the updated text of the regional school district regulations at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr41.html.

Recruitment of Candidates for Massachusetts Board of Education Advisory Councils

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is seeking candidates to serve on the Massachusetts Board of Education Advisory Councils. The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 established the Board of Education's Advisory Councils to advise the Commissioner and the Board of Education on matters related to their specific areas of focus for the purpose of enhancing efforts to improve public education and advance student achievement. We are seeking a wide range of diverse constituents including educators, parents, students, business leaders and other community members who have a demonstrated interest in and commitment to excellence in public education in addition to content experience and expertise specific to the interest of the advisory council.

Advisory councils generally meet four times a year at locations and times determined by their members. Several councils will have openings for the fall of 2009. Members are appointed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for a term of three years and they serve without compensation. Nominations will be accepted through July 31, 2009, and recommendations will be made to the Board in September. Interested parties should submit 2 copies of a letter of intent along with 2 copies of the resume to Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906, (attention Advisory Councils). To learn more about the advisory councils, please go to www.doe.mass.edu/boe/sac/.

Items Posted at www.doe.mass.edu:

1. Legal Requirement for Educators to Renew a Professional License
2. Science and Technology/Engineering Competency Determination Requirements for Junior and Senior Transfer Students
3. ESE Research Update
4. MEPA Reporting and Guidance to Districts on Planning Instructional Programming for English Language Learner (ELL) Students
5. Preliminary Schedule for Release of Spring 2009 MCAS and AYP Results
   [ No longer available ]
6. Recruiting Underway for Mass Academic Challenge   

Sincerely,

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education