Center for School and District Partnership (CSDP)

New Student Assistance

Overview

As part of a statewide effort, the Department is providing support for districts experiencing the impact of newly opened emergency assistance family shelters through the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) and the Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI). DESE offices are focused on supporting districts in developing the systems needed to:

Authentically welcome students and their families and efficiently and accurately enroll, screen, and place students into appropriate classroom settings,
Provide effective English Language Development and Sheltered English Instruction in welcoming classrooms,
Staff a sufficient number of well-trained educators, and
Holistically support students and families based on their individual needs.

Technical Assistance

A virtual webinar was held on Thursday, October 12, that included an overview of our recommendations for supporting new students, as well as relevant resources that are available to support. View a recording of the webinar.

Districts who wish to access technical assistance should contact Allison Balter
Consider using this Needs Assessment as a resource to identify needs.

General Resources

Additional Resources

Translation/Interpretation	Endorsement/Licensure	Professional Development
Targeted districts will be given access to DESE's interpretation and translation contract, including phone interpretation and document translation. If your district is interested in this resource, please contact Lauren Woo *Other Resources* DESE Guidance for the Provision of Interpreters in the Education Setting Language Ambassador training module and guidance Approved translation and interpretation vendors: PRF 75 Sign up for Interpreter in the Education Setting trainings	Information about RETELL and MTEL *SEI Endorsement Courses* DESE will contract with a provider to offer virtual, no-cost SEI Endorsement courses to target districts Number of courses to be determined based on district need and projected enrollment Districts interested in SEI endorsement courses should contact Diana Gentile *ESL MTEL Vouchers* Currently exploring MTEL vouchers for ESL MTEL Free-of-cost MTEL prep modules for ESL MTEL can be accessed here.	*Ongoing Consulting & Training* DESE will contract with a menu of providers to offer professional development for districts that may include direct staff training, Professional learning communities, courses/modules that provide a minimum of 10 hours of training DESE will partner the vendors with districts based on vendor expertise/ availability and district need Districts interested in professional development services should contact Allison Balter

Translation/Interpretation

Endorsement/Licensure

Professional Development

Targeted districts will be given access to DESE's interpretation and translation contract, including phone interpretation and document translation. If your district is interested in this resource, please contact Lauren Woo

Other Resources

DESE Guidance for the Provision of Interpreters in the Education Setting
Language Ambassador training module and guidance
Approved translation and interpretation vendors: PRF 75
Sign up for Interpreter in the Education Setting trainings

Information about RETELL and MTEL

SEI Endorsement Courses

DESE will contract with a provider to offer virtual, no-cost SEI Endorsement courses to target districts
Number of courses to be determined based on district need and projected enrollment
Districts interested in SEI endorsement courses should contact Diana Gentile

ESL MTEL Vouchers

Currently exploring MTEL vouchers for ESL MTEL
Free-of-cost MTEL prep modules for ESL MTEL can be accessed here.

Ongoing Consulting & Training

DESE will contract with a menu of providers to offer professional development for districts that may include direct staff training, Professional learning communities, courses/modules that provide a minimum of 10 hours of training
DESE will partner the vendors with districts based on vendor expertise/ availability and district need
Districts interested in professional development services should contact Allison Balter

Last Updated: December 8, 2023