School and District Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council
The 15-member Advisory Council on School and District Accountability and Assistance (AAAC) advises the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on matters pertaining to the development and implementation of the Commonwealth's School and District Accountability and Assistance system. To accomplish that goal, the Council:
- Reviews and advises the Department and Board on the policies and practices of the Center for School and District Accountability.
- Develops and administers through the Department a post-audit survey of audited school districts and an annual survey to any schools and districts receiving technical assistance.
- Presents its findings and recommendations to the Board at least two times annually.
- Reviews and comments on all regulations relative to the accountability and assistance program areas before Board approval.
The Board appoints members of the Advisory Council upon recommendation of the Commissioner. The Commissioner must recommend:
- 6 members selected from among three nominees offered by identified stakeholder groups:
- Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
- Massachusetts Teachers Association and the American Federation of Teachers of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association
- Massachusetts Elementary Principals Association
- Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and
- Massachusetts Charter Public School Association
- 1 representative of business/industry with a "demonstrated commitment to education "
- 8 at large members with "demonstrated record of achievement or academic expertise" in areas related to accountability and assistance.
SY2020-2021 Meeting Schedule
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|
| October 23, 2020 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Remote participation — Online |
| January 27, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Remote participation — Online |
| March 18, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Remote participation — Online |
| May 12, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Remote participation — Online |
Council Members
| Name | Title | Institution | Membership Type |
|---|
| Erica Brown | Chief of Policy and School Supports | Massachusetts Charter Public School Association | Massachusetts Charter Public School Association representative |
| Ethan Cancell | Executive Director of Assessment, Accountability, Technology & Student Data Research | Brockton Public Schools | At-large |
| Tiffani Curtis | School Supervisor | Holyoke Public Schools | At-large |
| Jason DeFalco | Superintendent | Blackstone-Millville Regional School District | At-large |
| Samuel DePina | Secondary Superintendent of School Operations & Safety | Boston Public Schools | Massachusetts School Administrators Association representative (secondary) |
| Heidi Driscoll | Academic Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment | Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School District | At-large |
| Sharita Fauche | Co-Director | Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network (CPLAN) | At-large |
| Tim Piwowar | Superintendent | Billerica Public Schools | Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents representative |
| Jennifer Randall | Associate Professor of Research, Educational Measurement & Psychometrics; Associate Dean of Academic Affairs | University of Massachusetts Amherst | At-large |
| Bertha-Elena Rojas | Board of Directors, Chair of Advocacy Committee | Multistate Association for Bilingual Education (MABE) | At-large |
| Ron Sanborn | Principal | Charles Jaworek Elementary School (Marlborough Public Schools) | Massachusetts School Administrators Association representative (elementary) |
| Paul Schlichtman | Past President | Massachusetts Association of School Committees | Massachusetts Association of School Committees representative |
| Mary Skipper | Superintendent | Somerville Public Schools | At-large |
| Nancy Urbschat | Business Owner | TSM Design | Business/industry representative |
| (vacant) | | | Teachers union representative |
Council Charge
The statutory Charge of the Council
The AAAC members reflect a broad range of experience and expertise and they have served the council well. Individuals who are interested in bringing similar insight and experience to this advisory group are encouraged to send a letter of interest and resume to Erica Gonzales, staff liaison to the AAAC, at erica.m.gonzales@mass.gov .
DESE Staff Contacts
Erica Gonzales, Liaison to the Council
Russell Johnston, Senior Associate Commissioner
Meeting Materials and Minutes
AAAC Meeting Notes March 18, 2021
AAAC Presentation March 18, 2021
AAAC Meeting Notes January 27, 2021
AAAC Presentation January 27, 2021
AAAC Meeting Notes October 23, 2020
AAAC Presentation October 23, 2020
Archived meeting materials and minutes will be made available upon request.
Last Updated: May 4, 2021