Commissioner's Weekly Update 11 1 19 - Application Webinar for Kaleidoscope, Innovation Pathways, Board Recap

A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

November 1, 2019

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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

1. Application Webinar for Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning:

The Department encourages schools and districts to apply for the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning’s inaugural cohort. The application deadline is November 15; in advance of the deadline, interested schools and districts are invited to participate in a webinar on Thursday, November 7, which will provide support for leaders developing their school’s or district’s application. Registration for the webinar is available online, and participants can choose from a 10:00 a.m. session and a 3:00 p.m. session.

Schools and districts in the Collective will have access to opportunities, training, and incentives to try new approaches to teaching and learning. The Department will use the lessons learned in the pilot to refine the process, share successful deeper learning techniques, and leverage what was learned for students across the Commonwealth.

Picture of the Week:

On October 23, Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito were joined by officials from American Student Assistance at Lawrence High School to announce the availability of $1.8 million in grants to help high schools across the Commonwealth develop programs that prepare students for college and careers. The Baker-Polito Administration also awarded grants to 21 Massachusetts high schools to develop Innovation Pathways programs aimed at giving students knowledge and internship experiences in growing industries in the Commonwealth. The grants totaled more than $354,000.

3. Board Recap:

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met on October 29 and discussed five items: a report on the Curriculum Ratings by Teachers (CURATE) and Open Sci Ed initiatives to strengthen instructional materials, planning the competency determination standard for the class of 2024 and beyond, an update on activities to serve students with dyslexia, an update on the school finance bill, and the Board’s FY21 budget proposal. A video of the meeting is available at https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134.

4. Charter School Amendments and Renewals:

This winter, Commissioner Riley will present decisions and recommendations to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education about renewing the charters of 20 schools and amending the charters of three schools to include changes to the grades served and/or the maximum enrollment. To request a copy of a renewal application or amendment request for expansion, please call (781) 338-3227 or email charterschools@doe.mass.edu. The Department anticipates these matters will be brought to the Board no earlier than December 17, 2019 and no later than February 25, 2020. The commissioner invites written comments about charter renewals or amendments for a school located in the commenter’s district or that enrolls students from the commenter’s district.

More information on charters that are up for renewal and the November 1 deadline for written comment on the renewals is available online. More information on schools requesting charter amendments resulting in an expansion and the November 15 deadline for written comment on those is also available online.

5. Dropout Prevention and Re-Engagement Convening:

The Dropout Prevention and Re-Engagement Work Group’s fall convening will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20 at the Devens Commons Center. The event will include a brief presentation on My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) as well as the most recent data on metrics that indicate a risk of dropping out. The second part of the day will be a panel presentation by DESE staff highlighting current initiatives and supports for English learners, students with disabilities, tiered systems of supports, and alternative education. This will be followed by breakout sessions on the same topics led by school personnel who will share their current efforts in those areas. The final activity of the day will be the popular Case Consultancy.

The Department encourages schools working on dropout prevention and re-engagement issues who want to network with others to register teams of two to six people encompassing a variety of roles.

Following the Case Consultancy, DESE staff will hold optional “office hours” from 12:30-2:30 p.m. for schools to discuss dropout prevention initiatives with staff or to receive 1:1 support from DESE staff on DESE data tools such as the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS), District Analysis and Review Tools (DART), and others. Participants should bring laptops to review their data in these tools.

Schools should register their team for the workshop by Friday, November 15.

6. NAEP Results Released:

On October 30, the National Center for Education Statistics released the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, and for the eighth consecutive time, Massachusetts fourth and eighth graders scored first or statistically tied for first on the reading and math NAEP tests. Although Massachusetts remains the highest performing state in the country, this year’s results point to areas with room for improvement and opportunities to close achievement gaps between groups of students.

Commissioner Riley said, “The additional funding and accountability from the 1993 Education Reform Act helped propel Massachusetts to the top of the nation. Money used well can make a substantial difference. Today, we again face plateaus in Massachusetts’ results. Our new emphasis on innovative, engaging instruction, coupled with more support for our poorest districts, can help our students become proficient.”