5. Spring Event for Elementary Principals:
The Department’s Early Learning Team and the Massachusetts School Administrators Association will host a statewide event from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on May 30 in Worcester for principals of schools that serve students in preschool through grade 3. The convening will include a keynote presentation from the Boston Public Schools Early Childhood Department, networking opportunities, and a chance to talk about early learning topics.
Registration is open online. Elementary principals who register will receive a separate email in May with additional details. Anyone with questions can contact the Early Learning Team at 781-338-3010 or achievement@doe.mass.edu.
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6. Comments Sought on Proposed Changes to Accountability System:
The Department is soliciting public comment on proposed changes to the state's district and school accountability system. A summary of the accountability system and the proposed changes is posted online. People can submit comments about the proposed changes in one of the following three ways:
- Through DESE’s online survey,
- By sending an email to esea@doe.mass.edu with the subject line “Public Comment on Proposed Changes to the Accountability System”, or
- By mailing comment to: Erica Gonzales, Accountability Coordinator, Office of District and School Accountability Reporting, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148
Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31. The Department will share the proposed changes and related public comment with the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in June 2019. If the Board approves the changes, DESE will implement them starting with the accountability results that will be released in fall 2019.
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7. Reminder about School Choice Reporting Requirement:
The inter-district school choice law (G.L. c.76, s.12B) requires all districts to accept incoming school choice students unless the school committee votes not to participate or votes to limit the number of incoming students in particular grades. School committees must take the required vote annually before June 1.
This year, DESE is fully implementing an electronic reporting system, eliminating the need for districts to send individual letters regarding school choice participation. All districts must report their school choice participation plans no later than June 1. The Department will publish the information on DESE’s school choice webpage to inform families of these options. Please note that if the district does not submit a response, that district will be listed as open to school choice enrollment.
Anyone with questions can contact Rob O’Donnell at rodonnell@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-6512.
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8. DESE Resource Corner
Resources to support standards-aligned teaching and learning: The Department has updated two resources to support understanding and implementation of Massachusetts’ learning standards.
The Massachusetts Standards Navigator now includes content standards and practices from the 2018 History and Social Science Framework and maps showing how standards connect to one another within and across grades and content areas. Educators, students, families, and others can use the Standards Navigator to explore the Massachusetts learning standards and find related resources such as student work exemplars, quick reference guides, and definitions of terms. The Department will continue to update the Navigator throughout 2019.
The Online Calibration Training Platform now includes calibration tasks aligned to the English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Frameworks. Teams of educators can now use the Online Calibration Training Platform to build and refine a shared understanding of what it means for instruction to be at, below, or above grade-level standards. Join the over 400 educators and 90 districts that have already started using this professional development tool to calibrate instructional expectations and strengthen the quality of feedback provided to teachers.
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- Splash at Harvard: On April 27, undergraduate students at Harvard University will hold Splash at Harvard, in which they will teach classes on a variety of subjects to high school students. Registration is $20, and financial aid is available. Registration closes at noon on April 19.
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- STEM Week planning: Massachusetts’ STEM Week will be held from October 21–25, and the theme this year is “See Yourself in STEM.” The Department encourages districts to work with their school leaders and regional STEM Networks to participate. Anyone with questions can contact Alexis Lian, staff director of the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, at alexis.lian@mass.gov or 617-979-8348.
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