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A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

December 13, 2019
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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contents:

  1. Board to Meet
  2. Picture of the Week: Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Black Student Union
  3. Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning Finalists
  4. Free Two-Day MTSS Planning Institute
  5. Seeking Arts Educators, Artists, and Art Experts
  6. New Skills for Youth Recap
  7. DESE Resource Corner: Digital literacy and computer science support
  8. For Your Info:
    • Limited Space Available for January DLCS district implementation planning workshops
    • STEM Teacher of the Year

1. Board to Meet:


The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 17 in the South Café on the first floor of the main building of Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner. The first part of the meeting, from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., will be a joint meeting with the Board of Higher Education. The agenda for that meeting includes an update on early college programs, an update on teacher diversity, and a discussion and vote on evidence-based policy making.
 
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold its regular meeting from noon to 3:00 p.m. The agenda for the regular meeting includes:
  • A discussion about the Competency Determination  (download) and a vote on whether to extend the interim passing standard to the class of 2023,
  • A vote to solicit public comment on an amendment that would allow DESE to pilot alternative assessments for educator licensure (download) that will promote equitable access for qualified educators,
  • An update and discussion of next steps related to the Student Opportunity Act (download), and
  • Two matters related to City on a Hill Charter Public Schools (download): the New Bedford school’s decision to surrender their charter at the end of the school year and plans for the network’s Dudley Square and Circuit Street schools to be reconfigured in Boston.
The Department hopes to stream the meeting online at https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134.

Picture of the Week:

On December 6, members of the Black Student Union at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School spoke to members of DESE’s Center for District Support as part of the Center’s Student Voices professional development series. During the two-hour session, BSU Co-Presidents Reham and Maya, member Routh, and teacher advisor Kevin Dua (below, left to right) shared students’ experiences and discussed the BSU’s commitment to address and dismantle racism. The Center is grateful to the students for speaking and for encouraging DESE staff to keep students at the center of the agency’s work.

3. Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning Finalists:


The Department has named 22 schools and districts as finalists for the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning pilot program, a program aimed at involving more students and teachers in deeper learning. The finalists were selected because they have already begun innovative work involving deeper learning and submitted creative proposals for how to enhance that work. They include a variety of types of schools, grade spans, and geographical regions.
 
The next steps in the selection process include:
  • a convening and training, which were held on December 10,
  • an event in each finalist district in which the school or district will convene community members to contribute ideas to the school’s or district’s plan, and
  • a January school visit.
All finalists that complete the three steps will be invited to join the inaugural Kaleidoscope cohort and receive professional development on implementing deeper learning. The Department expects to name a second cohort for fall 2021.

4. Free Two-Day MTSS Planning Institute:


The Department is pleased to offer districts two options to attend the free, two-day Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Planning Institute: Maximizing Student Opportunities. The institute will be held on February 3 and 4 in Springfield and February 11 and 12 in Newton. The Department created this opportunity in response to educator feedback from September’s MTSS Leadership Institute and timed it to support districts with planning related to the Student Opportunity Act. (Please note that although the event will complement the work supported by DESE’s MTSS Academies, enrollment in one of the academies and participation in the September Leadership Institute is not a prerequisite for participation in the planning institute.)

Participants should register for one of the regional sessions as a district team. Teams may include up to 10 people and should consist of: 
  • The superintendent,
  • The district administrator responsible for curriculum and instruction,
  • The district administrator responsible for student support/pupil services,
  • At least two school administrators (preferably one at the elementary and secondary levels), and
  • Other team members as desired (representing departments/roles including, but not limited to: special education, family and community engagement, English learners, nursing, the school committee, union, teachers, student support staff, parents, etc.).
Registration is limited and closes Wednesday, January 15, so please register your team today. In addition, all districts can access materials and videos from the September MTSS Leadership Institute.

5. Seeking Arts Educators, Artists, and Art Experts:


The Department’s Center for Instructional Support is looking for people to serve as committee members for the creation of the Guidebook of Diverse Artists and Artworks. This resource will highlight the in-depth teaching of at least 10 examples of diverse artists and artworks that are representative of the student population in Massachusetts. It will also provide best practices for including these artists and artworks into the arts curriculum so that they are presented in culturally responsive ways. This opportunity is best suited for individuals who have a substantial knowledge of any of the five arts disciplines. More information is available online.
 
Individuals who identify as a practicing artist, arts educator, or museum curator or who in a cultural organizations are encouraged to apply. Applications are due Wednesday, January 15.

6. New Skills for Youth Recap:


Through the New Skills for Youth initiative, a three-year investment by JP Morgan Chase & Co., 10 states led innovative career readiness programs by setting a clear vision and agenda for career readiness, catalyzing and scaling pathways and work-based learning, and ensuring access and equity in career readiness opportunities. In Massachusetts, this led to early college and career pathways that increase access to designated Early College and Innovation Pathways and career vocational technical education. An overview of New Skills for Youth work in all 10 participating states is now available online.

7. DESE Resource Corner


Digital literacy and computer science support: A cadre of DLCS Ambassadors are available to help schools and districts across the state become familiar with the Digital Literacy and Computer Science Framework (download) and curricular units that integrate computational thinking standards in grades 1-6. Districts and event organizers can request an ambassador by emailing STEMwithCT@gmail.com.

8. For your info:
  • Limited Space Available for January DLCS district implementation planning workshops: Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections (BATEC), in partnerships with Dell, is offering free digital literacy and computer science district implementation planning workshops using the Strategic CSforALL Resource & Implementation Planning Tool (SCRIPT), a framework to guide teams through a series of goal-setting exercises to create or expand upon a digital literacy and computer science education implementation plan. Register now for January 9-10 in the Burlington area, January 23-24 in Swampscott, or January 29-30 in the Worcester area.
  • STEM Teacher of the Year: Nominations are open for the Patriots Hall of Fame Presented by Raytheon Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year Award. The winner will receive $5,000 for their school, serve on the Governor’s STEM Council for a year, and receive two tickets and pre-game field passes to a Patriots home game. Nominations are due Monday, January 20.
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