DESE Update: November 2nd, 2018

1. Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Meeting Recap:

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met October 30, 2018 in Malden, and a recording is available online at https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134. Agenda items included a discussion with a panel of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators and students, a review of the 2018 MCAS and accountability results released last month, first-quarter reports on chronically underperforming schools (download), an initial discussion about the Board’s FY2020 budget proposal, an update on implementation of the Language Opportunities for Our Kids (LOOK) Act, and a discussion about protections for transgender students.

Picture of the Week:
At the October 30, 2018 Board meeting, students from Randolph and educators from Randolph, Everett, and Boston were part of a panel on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Pictured: Randolph Community Middle School teacher Chakara Cardillo, Randolph students, and Commissioner Riley.
2. Upcoming Technology Webinar:

Don’t miss the last webinar of EducationSuperHighway’s E-rate Category 2 Masterclass series on November 5. EducationSuperHighway will provide district technology leaders information on how to evaluate E-rate bids and avoid potential pitfalls, how to get buy-in from district leadership, and best practices for filing E-rate forms. Registration is open online for “E-rate Category 2 Masterclass #3: Bid Evaluation Best Practices.”

3. Plan Now for Annual Student Government Day in April:

The Department is honored to sponsor and coordinate the 72nd annual Student Government Day Program from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2019 at the State House in Boston. This program encourages students from Massachusetts public and private high schools to learn about the structure of state government, become engaged citizens, and develop an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of living in a democracy. Students will assemble at the State House, where most will replicate activities of the General Court (Massachusetts State Legislature), while others will meet as constitutional officers or as members of the Supreme Judicial Court. Registration is now open, and more information is available online. Schools are encouraged to elect one student designee and one student alternate for Student Government Day.

4. Updated RADAR Reports, Webinars, and Online Tutorial:

The Department recently updated its Resource Allocation and District Action Reports (RADAR) — a suite of innovative Excel-based reports for a new approach to resource decisions. On October 1, DESE launched an updated website and RADAR Benchmarking reports. Two upcoming webinars will give districts a chance to learn more about the reports and ask questions. Please register for either 12:00-1:00 p.m. Thursday, November 15  or 12:00-1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 6; both will cover the same material.

In addition, districts can reference an online tutorial for help getting started with RADAR and additional training on how to use the benchmarking reports, and DESE has produced a short video about the benefits of using RADAR in district’s planning and budgeting. Please email radar@doe.mass.edu with any questions or comments.

5. Save the Date for Convening on Homeless and Hungry Students:

The Department of Higher Education and DESE are beginning to strengthen the channels between those in K12 and those in higher education who provide outreach and support services to students who are homeless or hungry. Every district has a designated liaison as mandated by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and most Massachusetts public campuses have a single point of contact (SPOC) for students who identify themselves as experiencing housing and/or food insecurity.

The Departments invite all district liaisons and college single points of contact to attend a statewide convening from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, November 30 at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center. Participants will have an opportunity to meet, help inform the development of a statewide protocol for the educational progression of homeless students, and participate in a training session led by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY).

More details about the convening, including registration information and a detailed agenda, will be available soon. Please contact Sarah Slautterback at sslautterback@doe.mass.edu (DESE) or Katy Abel at kabel@dhe.mass.edu (DHE) with any questions.

6. Public Hearings Scheduled on Proposed Charter Schools:

The Department has scheduled two public hearings in the coming weeks to invite community members to comment on final applications for proposed charter schools in Haverhill and Lawrence. If approved, the schools would open in fall 2019. The proposed schools are Equity Lab Charter School, which would serve up to 640 students in grades 5-12 in Lawrence, and Massachusetts Wildflower Montessori Public Charter School: Haverhill, which would serve up to 240 students in grades 1-8 in Haverhill.

Public hearings will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 3 at UMass Lowell’s Haverhill Campus, Innovation Hub Haverhill, 2 Merrimack St., Third Floor, in Haverhill and Wednesday, December 5 in Lawrence Public Library’s Sargent Auditorium, 51 Lawrence St., Lawrence.

In addition to the hearings, members of the public can submit written comments about the proposed schools through December 21, 2018 to: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, c/o Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148 or by email to charterschools@doe.mass.edu.

7. Elementary Principals Professional Development Series:

The Department’s Early Learning Team and the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA) will host a series of networking and professional development opportunities for elementary principals (preschool to third grade) during the current school year. The series will commence on December 14 with a statewide kick-off event that will include a keynote presentation, networking opportunities, and workshops on early learning topics.

The kick-off will be followed by regional networking sessions in January and March that will include professional development, site visits, and additional networking opportunities. Registration for the kickoff is open online. Elementary principals will receive separate emails this winter when registration for the January and March networking opportunities opens. Anyone with questions can contact the Early Learning Team at 781-338-3010 or achievement@doe.mass.edu.