The MA Board of Education met from 8:30-1:30 today in Malden,
and highlights as they impact Melrose are below. Other topics were discussed
and they can all be found on the BOE web site at http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/.
·
PARCC review (summary from last night’s
special meeting and additional info today)
Bottom line: BOE plans to
vote on PARCC vs. MCASII implementation at their November meeting. October meetings
(10/19 and 10/20) expected to be long and comprehensive.
Notes:
o
Released statewide MCAS and computer-based PARCC
data last night; the rest will be 9/24.
o
Purpose of testing is to identify achievement
gaps and help educators learn to
teach better.
o
Exploring how ready districts are
technologically to take on PARCC.
o
Average cost for PARCC exam (ELA & Math for
all grades) = $32/student; average
cost for MCAS exam (ELA & Math for all grades) = $42/student; it’s unknown where costs will go in the future.
o
Amounts of standardized testing (DIBELS, etc.)
vary significantly by district.
Districts must have the capacity and knowledge to interpret and employ data from assessments as soon as possible in
order to modify teaching and learning
for students – otherwise the testing is a waste.
o
We must learn from district case studies and
research: schools that focus on intellectual
quality and ambition don’t need test prep; no need for prep assemblies either
o
Massachusetts
Study on Assessment Practices in Districts found at (http://www.doe.mass.edu/research/reports/2015/08AssessmentPractices.pdf)
·
Regulations on Autism Endorsement for
Educator Licensure (voted to approve)
Bottom line: Special
education teachers will have the opportunity to earn an endorsement (like a
certification) that provides training in working with students with autism.
Notes:
o
It will be voluntary, and the state won’t tie
districts’ hands re: whom they can hire.
o
Regular ed. teachers may have the opportunity to
earn this in the future (and parents
would like that since it could potentially allow more autistic students to access the general ed. curriculum), but right
now, they don’t have the necessary foundational
skills on which to build.
·
Response to Recommendations from Working
Group on Civic Learning and Engagement
Bottom line: Student
groups and many other groups across the state, as well as legislators who
consistently file bills in favor, are urging DESE to implement civics education
in MA schools.
Notes:
o
The Board says that all six recommendations
previously presented were endorsed but
DESE won’t implement.
o
DESE says there is no budget for this and there
are also many competing priorities.
They don’t want to create another unfunded mandate.
o
Budget Committee of BOE will take this on as
part of their work, and the topic will
be on next month’s BOE agenda.
·
Proposed Revised Science and
Technology/Engineering Standards
Bottom line: The
standards change will impact what is taught in this content area. Budget
impacts include professional development, curriculum materials, etc. This
effort has been in the works for a number of years.
Notes:
o
Timeline: Oct/public comment and district
support; Nov/final edits; Jan/BOE vote to
adopt; Early 2016/DESE publishes frameworks.
o
Main changes since May: ensured every standard
is performance-based; illustrated
specific skills related to practices; clarified the importance of vocabulary; checked content alignment of
draft to current (confirmed, edited, moved
some content to maintain alignment); adjusted format and tone; emphasized state assessment boundaries.
·
Update on Holyoke Public Schools and Update
on Level 5 Schools
Bottom line: Good ideas
are good ideas…schools that are most challenged are doing some excellent work
around family/community engagement, setting a high bar for all learners, and
offering quality professional development time (including collaboration) are
proven strategies that support success.
·
School Finance: Update on Foundation Budget
Bottom line: Areas in
most immediate need of recalculation – employee health insurance, in-district
and out-of-district special education. Final report expected from the
Foundation Budget Review Commission expected by 11/30/15.
Notes:
o
Calculating poverty is important because it
helps determine rates/needs of free and
reduced lunch (now 48 districts enrolling 200,000 students have all free lunch – no stigma and all students eat
nutritious meal to improve learning).
o
Any increases in funding would have to be phased
in and total cost of addressing just
highest priorities is estimated at $800M.
More detail from Worcester School Committee member Tracy Novick here: http://who-cester.blogspot.com/
