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A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

March 2, 2018
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News from Acting Commissioner Jeff Wulfson and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contents:

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Meeting:


The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met February 27, 2018 and voted to grant a charter to the proposed Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School, Lawrence, allow Veritas Preparatory Charter School in Springfield to expand by 108 seats, and put the Helene Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter Public School (download) in Boston on probation. Board members also approved amendments to regulations concerning MCAS and changes to the competency determination standard required for high school graduation.
 
Video of the meeting is available at https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134.

School Safety and Student Activism in the Wake of the Parkland Shooting:


As district and school leaders revisit their school safety measures in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., one resource that might be useful is the 2014 Massachusetts Task Force Report on School Safety and Security.
 
District and school leaders may also see student activism in response to the shooting. At the beginning of the this week's Board meeting, Acting Commissioner Wulfson said he is confident that superintendents and principals will handle student activism in response to the incident sensitively. "We talk a lot here at this board about the importance of teaching students about civic engagement and how democracy works. This is it. This is as real as it gets. If this is not what we call a teachable moment, I don't know what is, and I hope our educators take advantage of this opportunity to help model and teach their students about how we bring about change peacefully in a democracy."
 
The Council of Chief State School Officers has put together guidance for state and local school leaders on school walkouts in general, and the resources it lists include "How Schools Can Support Student Activism," a blog post from 2017 National Teacher of the Year and Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Sydney Chaffee.

Picture of the Week:

At the February 27 Board meeting, Phoenix Academy Lawrence student Dasani Canario (center) spoke in favor of granting a charter to Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School, Lawrence, which will serve students from Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen when it opens as its own district. (The current Phoenix Academy Lawrence is part of the Lawrence Public Schools, and the district supported Phoenix's application for a charter.) Trisha Perez Kennealy (left), a member of the Phoenix Board of Trustees, and Tamara Soraluz (right), Phoenix Academy Lawrence's head of school, joined Dasani. The Board approved the charter, and the school is scheduled to open later this year and serve high school students who have dropped out or who are at risk of doing so. 
Phoenix Academy Lawrence student Dasani Canario speaks at a microphone at the Feb. 27 Board meeting. On the left is Trisha Perez Kennealy, a member of the Phoenix Board of Trustees. At right is Phoenix Academy Lawrence Head of School Tamara Soraluz.

Good News on Graduation and Dropout Rates:


The Department announced this week that the state's four-year graduation rate improved for the 11th consecutive year, with 88.3 percent of students who entered as ninth graders in the 2013-14 school year – or who transferred into that same cohort at any time during high school – graduating within four years. In addition, the graduation rate for all major ethnic and racial groups and for urban districts continues to grow, and the state's annual dropout rate fell to 1.8 percent in 2016-17, the lowest overall rate in more than three decades.
 
"I hope teachers and students are proud of the personal accomplishments that are behind each of the numbers we release today," Acting Commissioner Wulfson said. "We will continue to support districts in this work and recognize that challenges remain, especially in addressing the needs of English learners."

Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council to Meet:


The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough. Topics for discussion include the weighting of indicators in the accountability system and an update on ESE’s redesigned assistance model.

VISTA Survey Still Open:


The Department has extended the VISTA survey window until March 16. The Department encourages superintendents and principals who have not already done so to take this opportunity to provide ESE with needed feedback. This is particularly true for the roughly 15 percent of superintendents and principals who have partially completed their surveys. Westat allows participants to re-enter the survey where they left off, making it easier to finish providing feedback, and completed surveys improve the reliability and validity of the information collected. Educator voice matters to ESE. Please take advantage of the extended survey window to share feedback on ESE's core strategic initiatives.
 
Anyone with specific questions about the survey can email Shelagh Peoples, ESE's VISTA coordinator.

WIDA Early Years Modules:


In partnership with the Department of Early Education and Care, WIDA developed online learning opportunities for educators who work with English language learners who are 2.5 to 5.5 years old. The modules provide administrators, educators, instructional assistants, consultants and trainers with opportunities to interact with content and apply the content to practice. The modules are available online, but only for a limited time. Visitors to the page will have to register the first time they go to the page, but registration and the modules are free of charge for Massachusetts educators through May 31. For help registering, email the Office of Student and Family Support at achievement@doe.mass.edu.

For your info:
  • ESE seeking a literacy and humanities director: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is looking for a high-performing individual to fill the role of director of literacy and humanities and to advance student learning in English language arts/literacy, history and social science, and the arts. The Department seeks an individual who has deep knowledge and understanding of English language arts and literacy, including children's development as readers, writers, and critical thinkers; knowledge of the humanities, including history and social science and the arts and an understanding of how to integrate across disciplines; demonstrated experience building and managing a team to meet ambitious goals; an understanding of the connections between and power of curriculum standards and assessments; and a commitment to being a strong leader in the Commonwealth to advance students’ knowledge and skills in literacy and humanities. Interested candidates should apply online.
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