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A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

July 13, 2018
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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contents:

Baker-Polito Administration Proposes Education and School Safety Package:


On Friday, July 13, 2018, the Baker-Polito Administration filed supplemental budget legislation that proposes providing $150 million to K-12 and higher education programs. The money would include funds to support school safety, strengthen mental health programs in schools, provide additional pathways to higher education, and address substance abuse prevention. The legislation also proposes additional funding for FY18 circuit breaker and regional transportation reimbursements, which districts would be able to carry forward for use in FY19. The Department will be following the legislation and will keep districts informed of relevant developments.

Picture of the Week:

We’re still getting caught up on the things students did this year. Back in February, members of the SkillsUSA’s State Officer Team visited the State House, were introduced on the Senate floor, and met individually with their senators. (Photo courtesy of SkillsUSA Massachusetts)
Nine students in red blazers and black pants or skirts stand outside the State House hold a declaration.

Advisory on Janus Decision:
 

Attorney General Maura Healey has released an advisory on public sector workers’ rights and employer obligations in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME.
 
The attorney general’s advisory  states: "Under Janus, public employers may not deduct agency fees from a nonmember’s wages, nor may a union collect agency fees from a nonmember, without the employee’s affirmative consent.
 
“All other rights and obligations of public sector employees and employers under state law remain. Public employees retain their statutory rights under Massachusetts law to organize, to join unions, and to engage in collective action for mutual aid or protection under Chapter 150E of the Massachusetts General Laws."

 

Superintendents should consult with their district’s labor relations counsel for further guidance.

Early Warning Indicator System Release Update:


The next release of Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) data to schools and districts is scheduled to be available on or around August 24. Educators can review EWIS data in Edwin to understand which students are at risk of missing important academic milestones and can develop additional supports tailored to their students' strengths and needs.

The EWIS reports may be incomplete if districts have not met data submission or student claiming deadlines.  
Anyone with questions about whether their district will be ready for EWIS, should ask their district office or the district’s SIMS contact whether student claiming will be complete and if data collections will be submitted on time. The SIMS contacts are listed on each district’s Profiles page: look up the district, select “People” on the left menu, and look for the SIMS contact.
 
The Department will offer a full-day workshop entitled "Maximizing EWIS to Improve Student Achievement" on September 21. Teams should register, if possible, to get the full impact from the session. For more information, email ewis@doe.mass.edu.
 

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grants:
 

The Department will post a second round of the FY19 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant (Fund Code 310) due in part to an increase in funding. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant assists eligible districts in ensuring that homeless students enroll in school, attend school, and have the opportunity to succeed in school.
 
The grant offers three categories of funding:
  • The Support Services category offers funding for a wide variety of activities, including but not limited to tutoring, academic support, and professional development. 
  • The School Housing Partnerships establish a partnership with a homeless/housing service provider to stabilize and re-house families identified by schools as homeless. Eligible districts include those with 5 percent or more of their student body identified as homeless during the school year.
  • The Regional Homeless Education Liaison category funds a regional liaison to be part of a new network of experienced liaisons who will work with DESE to train, mentor, and support local homeless liaisons. Applicants may apply for up to $15,000 for this category.
These are competitive, three-year grants. Anyone with questions can call Sarah Slautterback at (781) 338-6330.

Hate Crime Listening Session:
 

The Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes will hold a listening session from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 25 in Sargent Auditorium at Lawrence Public Library, 51 Lawrence St., Lawrence. All members of the public are welcome and invited to provide input, comments, and feedback on:
  • Best practices for identifying hate crimes, hate events, and bias based incidents in school communities;
  • Major obstacles that educators, administrators, school nurses, and counselors face in addressing such incidents; and
  • Suggestions and recommendations for addressing such incidents.
Please note that task force members will not be answering questions at the listening sessions, public input will be limited by time constraints, and written submissions are also welcome. More information is available online.
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