Educator Services

Teachers' Top Three from ESE — February 16, 2017

1. New Resource: Updated Guide on Behavioral Health Services for Students
   MassHealth behavioral health services can help schools support students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. MassHealth and the Massachusetts Children's Behavioral Health Initiative recently released a revised and updated school personnel guide. The guide is for anyone in school buildings who interacts with students and includes information such as:

   • Basic information on MassHealth and eligibility;
   • Descriptions of MassHealth's home- and community-based behavioral heath services;
   • Guidance on how to help families select the right starting point for their children; and
   • Specific steps to help families access services.
   In addition, the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative has a new website that includes other resources for educators.

2. Get Involved: Comment on Massachusetts' Every Student Succeeds Act Draft Plan
   A draft of ESE's state plan under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is posted online, and we want your feedback! The draft, which includes which criteria should be used to measure school success, was informed by nearly a year of engaging with a wide range of people, including at five public forums across the state. An executive summary of the draft plan is available as a Word document.
   
   The public comment period is open through March 9, 2017. Please submit feedback through this survey or email essa@doe.mass.edu. We plan to submit the plan to the U.S. Department of Education for approval on April 3.

3. The Buzz: Teachers Inspire at Annual Convening
   The Department's Center for Instructional Support held its annual convening this week in Marlboro, and as usual, the two teachers who gave the keynote addresses kicked the events off in spectacular fashion. The theme for the convening was "Ensuring Every Student Succeeds: Setting Ambitious Expectations." Michelle Ryan, social studies department head at Randolph High School and the 2015 Massachusetts Milken Educator, spoke Tuesday morning, and her energizing speech is available on our website. Massachusetts 2017 Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year finalist Sydney Chaffee spoke Wednesday morning, and we will share her remarks in a future edition.