DESE Update: September 28, 2018

MCAS and Accountability Results:

The Department released 2018 MCAS results and school and district accountability and assistance levels on September 27, 2018. (A Spanish version of the announcement is also available.) The release includes the second year of next-generation MCAS results for grades 3-8 and the debut of the state’s new accountability system, which is designed to measure how a school or district is doing and what kind of support it may need. Given that this is the first year under a new accountability system, Commissioner Riley did not designate any new schools as underperforming. He said, “I will continue to do a thoughtful review of the accountability results statewide and monitor how well the new system is providing useful information to districts, schools, parents, and the public about how well a school or district is serving its students and where it might need help.”

The new accountability system found that 68 percent of schools are improving. Four schools exited underperforming status this year: Chestnut Accelerated Middle School, Talented and Gifted (Chestnut TAG) and Milton Bradley Elementary School in Springfield, Elm Park Community School in Worcester, and John Winthrop Elementary School in Boston. In addition, the commissioner commended 52 schools of recognition (download). Congratulations to all of those that were recognized!

Picture of the Week:

On September 6, 2018, Lt. Gov. Polito, Secretary Peyser, Commissioner Riley, and Holyoke Mayor Morse visited Holyoke High School, where they met with students, Superintendent/Receiver Stephen Zrike, and Principal Stephen Mahoney to highlight the district’s early college partnerships with Westfield State University and Holyoke Community College.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month:

The Department is committed to supporting educators’ efforts to identify students who may have dyslexia and to meet their educational needs. This school year, DESE is focusing its work on sharing information about dyslexia and supporting professional development for Massachusetts educators. Please look for updates to the DESE web site this fall and upcoming professional development opportunities from DESE to increase educators’ capacity for working with students with dyslexia.

The Dyslexia Foundation has offered to sponsor the attendance of 12 school district teams at Dyslexia and Literacy: Language Connections to Reading, a one-day conference on Friday, October 12 at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. District teams of at least 10 educators can apply. Call 617-838-4421 or email thedyslexiafoundation@gmail.com for more information.

Training Sessions on the Spring 2019 MCAS Grade 10 Next-Generation Tests:

The Department will hold training sessions this fall to support the transition to the next-generation MCAS computer-based tests for grade 10 English language arts and mathematics. The sessions will cover updated test designs, item types and essays, retest information, and resources.

A mix of face-to-face and remote sessions will be offered as follows:

October 3, 9:00-11:00 a.m.: WebEx session
October 25, 1:00-3:00 p.m.: Holyoke Community College
November 5, 9:00-11:00 a.m.: WebEx session
November 9, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Middlesex Community College, Bedford

While space is limited for the regional face-to-face sessions, large teams can participate in the remote sessions. Interested individuals should register for a session. Please share this information with curriculum coordinators and other interested educators.

Rethinking Discipline Initiative Convening:

The Department’s Rethinking Discipline Initiative has continued its partnership with Engaging Schools to host in-person convenings about restorative and equitable approaches to discipline. Although the convenings are designed for participants in the Rethinking Discipline Initiative, there are a limited number of additional slots available for the first convening of the school year, “Recalibrating Schoolwide Discipline and Student Support: Building a Restorative and Accountable Approach.” The event will run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 19 in Sturbridge. The deadline to register is Friday, October 12. Email Stacy Cabral at Stacy.Cabral@doe.mass.edu for a detailed description of the event, information about availability, and registration details.

U.S. Presidential Scholarship Nominations Sought:

Commissioner Riley is seeking nominations for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. All Massachusetts high school seniors graduating between January and August of 2019 who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and who attend a Massachusetts public or private high school are eligible. Each school may nominate one female student and one male student. Students may be nominated in the general category or the career and technical education student category. More information is available at the link above. Nominations should be emailed to Donna Pisaturo at dpisaturo@doe.mass.edu by 5:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19.

STEM Week:

Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito are planning to declare October 22-26 STEM Week in Massachusetts, and all schools are invited to highlight or enhance their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) course offerings, activities, and partnerships. For example, schools could showcase a high-impact, project-based STEM curriculum like Project Lead The Way; implement a week-long immersive STEM experience, like i2 Learning; promote participation in Hour of Code; invite employers to talk with high school students about internship opportunities through MA STEM@Work, part of DESE’s Connecting Activities; bring in local college students to talk about their experiences participating in a STEM Starter Academy; or invite students from a local school to put on a robotics demonstration.
In addition, regional STEM networks are planning and coordinating STEM Week events. Contact information for each local network is available online.
Anyone with questions about STEM Week can contact Alexis Lian, staff director of the STEM Advisory Council, at alexis.lian@mass.gov or (617) 979-8348.

Public Comment Open for Proposed Changes to Hearing Rules for Special Education Appeals:

The Division of Administrative Law Appeals/Bureau of Special Education Appeals and DESE are soliciting public comment on proposed amendments to the hearing rules for special education appeals. The proposed changes are in response to a monitoring and support site visit that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs made to DESE in 2017. The changes are intended to improve the state’s dispute resolution system.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available on the web site of the Division of Adminsitrative Law Appeals/Bureau of Special Education Appeals or by calling 617-626-7250. Written comments on the proposed amendments may be submitted by mail to Reece Erlichman, Director, BSEA, One Congress St., 11th floor, Boston, MA 02114; by fax to 617-626-7270; or by email to bsea.director@mass.gov. The Division of Administrative Law Appeals/Bureau of Special Education Appeals expects to adopt final rules by December 17. The deadline to submit public comment is November 17.

Additionally, a public hearing regarding the proposed changes will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on November 5 at DESE, 75 Pleasant St., Malden. Members of the public are invited to attend the hearing.

Green Ribbon Schools Application Process Open:

Each year, Massachusetts selects one or more schools or districts to honor at the state level for exemplary work in reducing environmental impact and costs, improving the health and wellness of students and staff, and delivering effective environmental and sustainability education that incorporates STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), civic skills, and green career pathways. State honorees are forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education, where they have the opportunity to be honored as national Green Ribbon Schools/Districts. The 2019 Green Ribbon Schools program is taking applications through Friday, January 11.

This month, Arlington Public Schools and the Mendon-Upton Regional School District were honored in Washington, D.C. as the 2018 National Green Ribbon Schools from Massachusetts. Congratulations to both districts!