February 16, 2018
A Message from the Acting Commissioner:
Our thoughts this week are very much with our colleagues and their students and families in Parkland, Fla. Until we as a society are prepared to confront and solve this problem, we must unfortunately spend time and effort preparing for the next possible occurrence. Please make sure your schools’ multi-hazard evacuation plans are up to date and that you stay in close contact with your district’s public safety officials. Resources about how to talk to children about tragedies are available from the National Association of School Psychologists(including translations in 10 languages), the American Psychological Association (including a Spanish version), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Thank you for all your efforts to keep our students safe.
Update on Funding and Diplomas for Puerto Rican Students:
The Legislature has just approved the $15 million supplemental appropriation proposed by Governor Baker to assist districts serving students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who were displaced by last fall’s devastating hurricanes. The Department will issue information on how the funds will be distributed shortly. The Department is also in the process of setting up a data exchange with the Puerto Rico Department of Education to allow high school seniors who may not qualify for a Massachusetts diploma to request and receive a diploma from Puerto Rico. More information is forthcoming.
Grants Available for Enhancing Data Use:
The Department is pleased to announce a competitive funding opportunity,Supplementary Support to Districts for Enhancing Data Use throughout the School Year, for districts interested in improving their data usage practices. The grant’s purpose is to improve the use of early warning data alongside other resources throughout the school year in order to help students receive appropriate supports and reach key academic milestones. The Department will have a short, optional informational webinar at 1 p.m. Monday, February 26. Registration is open online.
USED Webinars on Funding System Flexibility:
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) will host two webinars for school districts from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 21 and 12:30-2:00 p.m.Thursday, February 22 about a new pilot to allow local educational agenciesflexibility to create student-centered funding systems. The webinars will be identical, and USED will take questions using the chat feature. Pre-registration is not required. The webinars will be recorded, and the recordings – as well as the slides – will be posted online.
The official application is available for download, and the submission deadline is Monday, March 12 for districts planning to implement in school year 2018-19 or July 15 for those expecting to implement in school year 2019-20. The Department can approve up to 50 districts to participate in this pilot.
Anyone with questions about the webinars or the application can contactWeightedFundingPilot@ed.gov.
VISTA 2018 Responses Still Needed:
It is not too late for superintendents and principals educators to share their voice directly through VISTA 2018, the survey that informs how ESE target resources, grants and supports to districts, schools and educators. The Department encourages educators to complete their surveys so that we have a strong enough response rate to make the results reliable and valid.
Results from last year’s VISTA surveys are available online. Superintendents and principals who have not received a link to a survey should contact the VISTA Study Help Desk at MAVISTA@westat.com. Anyone with specific questions about the survey can email Shelagh Peoples, ESE’s VISTA coordinator.
Openings on English Learner/Bilingual Education Advisory Council:
The English Learner/Bilingual Education Advisory Council is seeking members to advise ESE and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on topics related to English learning and bilingual education. The council will meet three to four times a year to discuss topics such as the annual review of ESE’s monitoring of English learner programs in school districts and the assessment of statewide trends and needs as they related to English/bilingual learner education. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and résumé to Sara Niño, ESE liaison to the English Learner/Bilingual Education Advisory Council, at sara.nino@doe.mass.edu by March 14, 2018.
Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools Competition:
Massachusetts is now accepting applications for the 2018 Green Ribbon School Awards. The program honors schools that are exemplary in reducing environmental impact and costs, improving the health and wellness of students and staff, and delivering effective environmental and sustainability education that incorporates science, technology, engineering and math; civic skills; and green career pathways. Applicants may enter the competition as either a school or a district. Massachusetts will select one or more schools or districts to be honored at the state level; those honorees are then elevated to the U.S. Department of Education, where they will have the opportunity to be honored as a national Green Ribbon School winner. Applications are due by March 15. For more information, visit ESE’s Green Ribbon Schools website.
Registration Open for Statewide Convening on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments:
Registration is now open for a statewide convening on safe and supportive learning environments that ESE will hold in collaboration with the Department of Early Education and Care, the Collaborative for Educational Services, and Massachusetts Advocates for Children’s Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative on March 23 in Worcester. The conference will focus on aligning important aspects of social emotional learning, trauma sensitivity, and positive behavioral approaches in order to be equitable and inclusive of all students. Participants will have the opportunity to learn with and from grade-span colleagues and are encouraged to come as community-based teams. The save the date notice and professional development calendar can be found on ESE’s Safe and Supportive Schools webpage.
Upcoming Deadline – School-Attending Children Report:
The deadline for districts to submit their School-Attending Children Report isFebruary 23. More information is available online.