Graduation and Dropout Rate Events:
In late February, the Department announced that the state's four-year graduation rate improved for the 11th consecutive year, and the state's annual dropout rate had fallen to 1.8 percent, the lowest overall rate in more than three decades. The Department will offer a deeper dive into these data in a webinar at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3.
In addition, on Wednesday, April 25, the Office of College, Career and Technical Education will host the Spring Dropout Prevention and Re-Engagement Work Group Gathering focused on grade 9 success. Students who fail even one course in grade 9 are 14 times more likely not to complete high school in four years, and the current state average for completing and passing all grade 9 courses is at 79 percent. Great Schools Partnership will bring its knowledge, experience and research to the day. The Gathering is open to any district or school that wants to improve ninth grade success for ALL students. Registration is open online.
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2018 VOCAL School Climate Survey:
The Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) is an annual voluntary survey that DESE sponsors. The 2018 VOCAL surveys will be administered to students in grades 5, 8, and 10 at the end of the MCAS test administration. Last year, approximately 70 percent of students across the three grades participated in the VOCAL pilot. The VOCAL survey measures students’ perceptions of three dimensions of school climate: engagement, safety, and environment. Districts and schools that choose to have their students participate will receive summary measures of their students’ responses (an overall school climate index score and index scores for the three dimensions) and aggregate information on item-level responses. This FAQ has more information on the content, administration, and reporting of VOCAL data. Please note that in the MCAS manuals, the VOCAL surveys are referred to as student questionnaires.
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Diverse and Learner-Ready Teachers Initiative:
On March 21, the Council of Chief State School Officers announced the Diverse and Learner-Ready Teachers Initiative, a network of nine states, including Massachusetts, that will connect with each other and experts in the field over the next year to create and implement plans to diversify their educator workforce and support the cultural competence of future and current educators to meet the needs of all students.
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ESE Resource Corner
"How Do We Know?" Initiative: The Department's “How Do We Know?” Initiative web pages are intended to support districts in using, building, and sharing evidence to improve student outcomes. This site is DESE's repository for information and guidance for districts on evidence-based practice.
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- We the People Middle School Showcase: The first annual We the People Middle School Showcase will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 9, at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute at Columbia Point, Boston. Educators and administrators are invited to observe students from six Massachusetts schools showcase their work using "We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution", a civics curriculum developed for sixth through eighth graders. Educators can also learn about the institute's educational offerings. For further information and to register, please contact Roger Desrosiers at rdesros@gmail.com.
- Youth Preparedness Council: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the application deadline for students in grades 8-11 who are interested in joining the Youth Preparedness Council. The council brings together teens from across the country who are interested and engaged in community preparedness. Council members are selected based on their dedication to public service, their efforts to make a difference in their communities, and their potential to expand their impact as national leaders for preparedness. Applicants must submit a completed application form, two letters of recommendation, and academic records. All applications and supporting materials must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. PT March 30.
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- WIDA seeks input on framework: In 2019, WIDA will introduce a standards-based instructional framework. Currently, the organization wants to know whether the draft framework for WIDA English language development meets the needs of educators and students. The organization is asking all educators and administrators who work with English learners to share their feedback via a survey that will be open until April 20. Please share this link with others who may be interested.
- Recent recognitions: The Department received national recognition from two organizations in recent weeks: The National Council on Teacher Quality published a “databurst” which highlighted the Commonwealth's efforts to identify the most pressing needs in our teaching workforce and to align our teacher preparation programs with those needs, and Massachusetts was one of five states highlighted in a report from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers on high quality charter authorizing.
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