State Continuous Improvement

DESE's continuous improvement cycle improves the quality of our work.

Periodically, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) assesses the effectiveness of the work of the Educator Preparation Team through a variety of different means. The Ed Prep Team is committed to their own continuous improvement efforts by recognizing and responding to key trends and learnings identified through feedback, research, and surveys.

Overview of Research Efforts

Focused research questions drive our progress. DESE is guided by three strategies set by the Office of Planning and Research (OPR):

Produce insightful, timely information on key policy issues and program initiatives.
Strengthen the use of data and evidence for DESE and the field.
Transform practices to more effectively implement DESE's highest priority initiatives.

For a quick overview of our research efforts, policy shifts, and progress, please see our slides from our State of Educator Preparation in the Commonwealth meeting.

With support from USED's Institute of Education Sciences, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is examining the extent to which Massachusetts' teacher preparation and licensing systems produce educators who are effective in improving outcomes for students of color. For more information, see the project page.

Resources

	Research Questions	Reports
Field Feedback Survey	How are DESE's engagement and interactions with the field? How can DESE improve the quality of interactions with the field? How can DESE plan for more effective work? What is the depth of impact that key DESE initiatives have on the field?	2017 Survey Report 2016 Survey Report 2015 Survey Report 2014 Survey Report 2014 Survey Response Summary Report
Culminating Report	What are the trends and lessons learned from DESE's Formal Review of educator preparation providers?	2017-2018 Report 2016-2017 Report 2015-2016 Report 2014-2015 Report
CAP Predictive Validity Study	Does performance on the CAP predict candidates' in-service summative performance evaluations the following year? Does CAP provide a signal of future teacher effectiveness beyond what is already captured by the state's traditional licensure tests?	2019 Executive Summary
CAP Implementation Study	What implementation strategies exist and what can we learn from them?	CAP Implementation Study Overview CAP Survey Brief: 2017 Stakeholder Survey Findings Issue Brief 1: Perspective from Year 1 of CAP Implementation Issue Brief 2: Setting the Stage for CAP: Connecting Pre-Practicum and Practicum Experiences
Status of the Workforce Report	What are the demographics and hiring patterns of first year teachers? What are the retention rates of first year teachers? What does learning growth look like for students taught by first year teachers?	2013 Status of the Workforce Report
Study of Teacher Supply and Demand	What is the projected supply and demand for teachers in MA over the next 10 years? What are the supply and demand projects of teachers by demographic group and by state region?	2015 Study of Teacher Supply and Demand Report
Teacher Pathway Study	What are the key outcomes of teacher effectiveness and student learning?	Study Overview Teacher Pathway Study Overview Research Brief First Year Results First Year Report The Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (PRPIL) Study Overview Second Year Report: The Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (PRPIL) Study Overview

Last Updated: July 9, 2021