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Mitchell D. Chester
Commissioner of
Elementary and Secondary
Education

Update Archive

Commissioner's Welcome

Superintendents' Checklist

Commissioner's Update
August 27, 2010

Dear Superintendents, and Leaders of Charter Schools and Collaboratives:

In this Update I have five announcements and fourteen items for your review.

Notification of District and School State Accountability "Level" Designation

On April 27, 2010, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted new Regulations on Underperforming Schools and School Districts, 603 CMR 2.00. Key features of the new regulations are outlined in the Framework for District Accountability and Assistance which can be found at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/framework/.

The Department will be notifying schools and districts of their state "Level" designations along with the public release of official 2010 AYP reports on September 9, 2010. This notification will include information about requirements and expectations corresponding to each designation. Implications of the new state accountability framework will be presented as part of the upcoming AYP Accountability and Information Sessions.

Below is a brief description of each of the five levels:

Level 1 Districts
Districts without federal accountability status except one or more schools in Improvement for subgroups or in the aggregate: Districts in Level 1 require the least state support. They will be encouraged to engage in self-assessment measures and targeted improvement as needed.

Level 2 Districts
Districts with one or more school identified for Corrective Action or Restructuring for subgroups and/or in the aggregate but not identified for Level 3 or 4. Districts in Level 2 will receive targeted assistance for identified student groups and access to Department-sponsored professional development opportunities. Districts in Level 2 are expected to use the District Analysis and Review Tool (DART) and other data to revise Improvement Plans.

Level 3 Districts
Districts with one or more schools among the lowest-performing 20 percent (Level 3 schools) will be designated as Level 3 districts. The criteria for identifying Level 3 schools will be based on four-year trends in MCAS performance. By late spring 2011, districts in Level 3 will be required to complete a district self-assessment process aligned with the District Standards and Indicators. Level 3 districts will be given high priority for Department assistance through their regional District and School Assistance Center (DSAC), including resources to assist their efforts to implement the Conditions for School Effectiveness at each identified school.

Level 4 Districts
Districts with one or more identified Level 4 schools and districts formerly declared by the Board as "underperforming" will be designated as Level 4 districts. ESE will appoint an assistance liaison for each Level 4 district to coordinate interventions. Level 4 districts will also receive technical assistance around the guidelines for intervention strategies and benchmarks.

Level 5 Districts
There are currently no Level 5 Districts or Schools in the Commonwealth.

The Center for Targeted Assistance is preparing the rollout of tools and resources that districts can use to help address the challenges associated with their accountability status. We look forward to sharing these with you in the months ahead.

Title III Conference Calls

The Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement will offer monthly conference calls in order to provide technical assistance to English Learner Education Directors in Title III districts. The conference calls will occur the third Thursday of each month, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., beginning September 16, 2010. Links to registration information for each call will be available on the Department's ELL home page approximately two weeks prior to each conference call date, at http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/.

Training Opportunity for Educators Conducting 2011 MCAS Alternate Assessment

Educators who are conducting the 2011 MCAS-Alt are invited to attend one of the Educators' Training sessions being held across the state in late September through mid-October. Information will be provided for educators who are conducting the MCAS-Alt for the first time and for those with previous MCAS-Alt experience. Workshop sessions will include a range of topics including 2011 MCAS-Alt portfolio requirements, data collection strategies, and Competency Determination requirements. Updated materials on current assessment requirements will be distributed at these sessions. The registration deadline is September 22. I encourage you to designate staff conducting the MCAS-Alt to attend the appropriate training session. Additional information is available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt/resources.html.

MCAS and MEPA Testing Schedule

As a reminder, the MCAS and MEPA testing schedule for the 2010-2011 school year has been available for administrators to use when establishing district and school calendars. The schedule has now been revised to reflect the suspension of History and Social Science testing in spring 2011. Also now posted at http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/cal.html are sample schedules for the English Language Arts test administration window in March-April. Please direct questions about the schedule to the Student Assessment Services Unit at 781-338-3625.

2010 MCAS and AYP Data Review and Reporting Schedule

As a reminder, the Schedule for Review of 2010 MCAS and AYP Data and Release of Results has been posted to the Department's website http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=5636.