Regular October meeting of the Board: opening comments

You can find the agenda here. The meeting begins with comments at 8:30; updating as we go. 
Interestingly, it's a quiet morning here: few staff, not many in crowd. 
All here save Margaret McKenna, Katherine Craven, and Michael Moriarty: Moriarty and Craven are on the way


No opening comments from Sagan

Wulfson: contingency planning for an influx of students from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands continues
government-wide task force established by Governor
looking at a number of ways we may be able to assist districts
probably number in hundreds
have been advised to consider the possibility that the numbers may become very much larger
Sagan: "I know you have a slush fund to possibly help the districts" (to surprised laughter)
Wulfson: have McKinney-Vento; talking about supplemental appropriations; some MEMA funds

continuing revisions of social studies standards; revisions this school year
working group in Legislature related to civics education
coordination on science with higher ed
posting some updated guidelines on social-emotional curriculum (originally from anti-bullying act)

lawsuit on translation: status report to court this month
broad areas of agreement in principle; may not need preliminary injunction
preliminary hearing thus postponed; status report November 13

Auditor opinion to Framingham: educator evaluation an unfunded mandate?
determined requirements do not fall under unfunded mandate provisions
program on books for reimbursment never been funded; DESE should develop guidelines for making reimbursement payments if there were an appropriation for that

increasing participation in school breakfast program
continue to believe that school principals and superintendents are in best situation to determine delivery models for their schools

Public comment:
Cateria Albert (sp?) from Newton
input on quality of future commissioner: interest in gifted education
tells of her son who was working ahead of his level
"many kids like him across Massachusetts"
concerned with tears were bullying, but not being educated at level a form of being bullied

Craven and Moriarty here

"there is no perfect commissioner...but it is up to you to accommodate that asynchronty"
"We need a Horace Mann...we need someone to say 'what is it going to be like 10, 15 years from now?'"
need a commissioner who will understand things like competency-based education

Laura Trendal (sp?) from Northborough
"please find someone who understands the gifted and twice-exceptional learners"
cites Massachusetts as 49th in the nation in gifted education
"these kids are fending for themselves"
"too insular and do not look to other states as we should"

Jay Gonzalez, candidate for governor
former Chair of early ed, former secretary of finance
raises serious questions if members of this Board have been forthright
"you and the public deserve better"
Peyser invited to weekly strategy sessions with FES
invites him to be forthright to public
participated in strategy for campaign, solicited donations, if used any state resources
"the people of Commonwealth deserve public leaders...that are following the rules"