November 10, 2017

A Note from the Acting Commissioner:

It was great seeing many of you at the MASS/MASC conference on the Cape earlier this month. I’m always impressed by the breadth and depth of the panel sessions and presentations on so many vital topics. One session that particularly stood out for me was a presentation by Wakefield Superintendent Kim Smith on the very robust set of rubrics they’ve been developing to measure student growth and learning. MCAS scores are part of it, but so are many other qualitative and quantitative dimensions of student performance. We all know that MCAS does not measure all of the content and skills that we want our students to know. But how often do we hear the complaint that a district is shortchanging some element of the curriculum because “it’s not on MCAS”? I believe it is neither feasible nor desirable for us to expand the state testing program to incorporate every dimension of student learning. So it’s nice to see districts like Wakefield that are willing and able to put MCAS scores into perspective and develop comprehensive local measures to support their educational goals.

Aid for Families Fleeing Puerto Rico:

The Baker-Polito Administration released a memo this week summarizing state government’s efforts to welcome and assist families who have fled Puerto Rico following the hurricane there and announcing that the administration will propose supplemental appropriations for the current fiscal year to support newly arrived students.

Other supports include:

Elected officials or others not seeking direct assistance but who have general questions about the Commonwealth’s overall hurricane evacuees support efforts, can email MAHurricaneRecoveryResources@MassMail.State.MA.US or contact Rachel Madden, Undersecretary at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, at 617-727-2040.

Spring MCAS High School Field Tests and Question Tryouts:

Superintendents, charter school leaders, assistant superintendents, collaborative leaders and high school principals were sent an “On the Desktop” message on November 9, 2017 that provides additional information on the spring 2018 MCAS English Language Arts and Mathematics field tests and announces the voluntary question tryouts in biology and introductory physics.

For the ELA and mathematics field tests, each high school will participate in either ELA or math and will be expected to have at least 25 percent of its 10thgraders participate. For the biology and introductory physics question tryouts, participation is voluntary.

Field testing is an essential element of designing a high-quality assessment. In future years, field testing of new questions will be done within the regular MCAS ELA and math test administration, something that is not possible this year as we transition to a new test format.

Testing dates, the test design, and more information about the two different types of administrations is available in these FAQs.

Please feel free to contact the Office of Digital Learning at odl@doe.mass.eduwith questions about technology, and contact the Office of Student Assessment Services at mcas@doe.mass.edu with any questions about the field tests and question tryouts.

Reminder: New Policy Brief Available on Teacher Equity Gaps:

The Department recently commissioned a policy brief summarizing research on how much difference access to effective educators can make on student outcomes and analyzing Massachusetts data on the size and impact of teacher equity gaps. Inequitable access to effective teachers for low-income students increases achievement gaps in Massachusetts by up to three weeks of learning per year in mathematics and six weeks per year in English language arts. For more information on the Department’s work on this topic, please see the Massachusetts Plan for Equitable Access to Excellent Educators, the 2017 Equity Plan Update, or either of two four-page Equity Playbooks that summarize this information.

Chapter 74 Career/Vocational and Technical Education Supply and Demand Study:

The Department is interested in understanding the level of student interest in and access to Chapter 74 approved career/vocational technical education (CVTE) programs across the Commonwealth and has partnered with Professor Shaun Dougherty of the University of Connecticut and Isabel Harbaugh of Harvard University in this new research effort. This project is aligned with the state’s goal of aligning education, economic development, and workforce policies and strategizing around how to meet employers’ demand for skilled workers in each region of the state. Districts with Chapter 74 CVTE programs should have received information about participating in this new research effort to collect and analyze data relating to Chapter 74 program admission and assignment. The Department thanks everyone in advance for their support of this effort.

Identifying Department of Children and Families Social Workers:

On July 10, 2017, Governor Baker signed Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2017. This Chapter contained an amendment to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 233, section 20N. This amendment sets forth important requirements which will help keep Department of Children and Families (DCF) social workers safe. The amendment requires the DCF-issued identification to be accepted as proof of the social workers’ identity. It goes further to state that no person, facility, school, law enforcement agency, jail or house of correction shall require a DCF social worker to provide an identification documentation other than the DCF state-issued identification nor shall the social worker be asked for their  home address or personal telephone number. Second, the amendment requires law enforcement to redact a social worker’s home address and telephone number before releasing any report that contains such information. We encourage you to share this letter with your district and school leadership.

The Department of Children and Families appreciates districts’ cooperation in adhering to this law and protecting the safety of DCF social workers. Anyone with questions should feel free to call DCF General Counsel Andrew Rome at 617-748-2015.

ESE Resource Corner

New Turnaround Practices research and resources: The Department’s Statewide System of Support office is excited to share new research and resources grounded in the Turnaround Practices. The following resources are now available online:

  • Lessons Learned in Massachusetts High School Turnaround: A Resource for High School Leaders – This resource by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) provides evidence of best practice in implementing the Turnaround Practices at the high school level.
  • Supporting English Learners and Students with Disabilities: Strategies from Turnaround Schools in Massachusetts – This resource by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) provides evidence of best practice in meeting the needs of English Learners and Students with Disabilities in turnaround schools.
  • Two New Turnaround Practices Videos – The Department collaborated with RMC Research Corporation and the Northeast Comprehensive Center to generate two new videos to add to our turnaround practices video library, one on The English High School in Boston, and one on William N. DeBerry Elementary School in Springfield.

Anyone with questions or who would like additional support with these materials  can contact Erica Champagne or Michael Seymour.