And speaking of PARCC updates

Here's today's message from Commissioner Chester:

Assessment Recommendation and PARCC Results:

The Department expects that on Tuesday, Commissioner Chester will announce his recommendation to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education about what form statewide assessments should take in the future. District leaders will receive a copy of the recommendation in an On the Desktop message.

Also early next week, ESE will release school and district PARCC scores to the public. Districts already have access to their own results, and ESE will send an On the Desktop message to superintendents with the information that the press will receive.

On November 16, the Board will hold its sixth and final public comment session on PARCC at 4 p.m. at Malden High School, 77 Salem St., Malden.

On November 17, the Board will vote on the commissioner's recommendation. That meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. and will be at ESE's offices at 75 Pleasant St., Malden.  At 3 p.m. November 17, the commissioner will have a conference call with superintendents to discuss the Board's decision. Closer to that date, ESE will send out directions for registering to the call.