The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Innovation Schools Regulations - Proposed Amendments to 603 CMR 48.00
The Innovation Schools initiative, authorized under the 2010 Act Relative to the Achievement Gap, gives educators and other stakeholders the opportunity to create schools with increased autonomy and flexibility while keeping school funding within districts. The Executive Office of Education (EOE) has been actively engaged with Innovation Schools, working with staff from our Department.
In 2010 the Board adopted Regulations on Innovation Schools. This month, I am recommending that the Board vote to solicit public comment on several proposed amendments to the regulations, which are attached for your review. The proposed amendments to the Innovation Schools regulations would:
(1) expand the definition of "teacher," which would provide greater clarity and certainty in the innovation schools approval process;
(2) require that the innovation plan establish a process and schedule for seeking approval of the plan by the teachers who must approve the plan; and
(3) establish a process by which amendments may be made to an innovation plan during its 5-year operating period. All three of those changes will provide greater clarity and certainty to the innovation plan approval process. With the Board's approval, we will solicit comment on the regulations and bring them back to the Board for a final vote early in 2013.
Bridget Rodríguez, Director of Planning and Collaboration at the Executive Office of Education, will be present at the Board meeting to answer any questions.
Attachments:
