June Board of Education: Opening remarks

Here in Malden for the Board of Education meeting; you can find the agenda here. 
Notes on Board and public comment going up here once they start. 
Looks like Member West is remotely participating; members Morton  and Craven are not here

Sagan calls to order
"we need to talk about the NASBE membership"

Riley: congratulations to Trimarchi as she is at her last meeting
Teacher of the Year event last week; great day to celebrate teachers
"it's always great to do that at the end of the year...sometimes I feel teachers get the most appreciation at the end of the summer when parents are ready to send them back to school"
thanks department for the work of months leading to votes today
speaks of number of pages going to Board members; looking to distil information
department work continues
charter schools approvals, teacher licensure audits
designating self as receiver of the Dever School with resignation of Chang
focus back on teaching and learning
honoring Chester by creating an in-house award for DESE workers
Wulfson to present first to Russell Johnston

Public comment:
Sagan is listing people who have signed up, a number of whom are not here
History standards:
History Unerased: LGBTQ history content advisors for new standards
infusion of LGBTQ history; notes the SCOTUS decision of which today is the anniversary
"when every child learns a shared" understanding of history "will begin to heal" pathologies
more inclusive curriculum that includes "dignity, liberty, respect for all"
Institute for New England Native American Studies at UMass Boston
participated in creation of standards
standards important in preparing students for success as higher ed
"assessing and expanding" native peoples in standards
Intertribal Committee on Deer Island
seeking additional format for tribal governments to contribute to the frameworks
"there was a public process and there's no critique of that process, but no government to government process"
concerns about "Deer Island concentration camp and geocide"
no representation of Native American history in high school
strongly urge a supplemental process, so as to not give even unintentional impression of exclusion

LOOK act testimony:
Mass Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages
Language Opportunity Coalition: advocacy on LOOK act and managing piloting of Seal of Biliteracy
here to support regs
originally opposed regs on seal of biliteracy
"thank Department for outreach...and making substantive changes"
will ensure it will be equitable for English learners
still a lot to do to support English learners and to support language opportunities for all students
need to consider "policy, practices, and resources" for English learners, not just in ELL
need pipeline for teachers
support for dual language
partnership between families and schools
support world language programs
"most excited the state is finally recognizing world language ability"
only 26% of MA students are involved in language learning
only 1 in 4 elementary schools have language programs
"language studies have not traditionally produced language proficiency"
believe we will have a seal of biliteracy award program that will be equitable for all students
tiered award program
bilingual education endorsement: teachers qualified for bilingual program
strengthening pipeline of such programs
have urged ELL or dual language certification for teachers in dual language programs
SEI is not enough; is designed for mainstream classroom teachers
all teachers must be ready for demands of teaching in dual language programs
need study in language acquisition; ability to compare and transfer knowledge between languages
Kevin Farr, Mass Association of Vocational Administrators
SEI endorsements offered to voke teachers
support postponement until January 2019
support LOOK Act and concepts that will help students succeed

Trimarchi introducing Maia Matthews who will be Student rep next year

on accountability
I think this is on gifted students being left out of accountability changes?
"demean the students you exclude"

on MLK Charter School being removed from probation
"great deal of transition at MLK which we hope will be longstanding"
"we intend with everything in us to live up to our last name, Excellence"

on waivers
person from Amherst "hardship waiver process used to dismiss candidates of color"
accusation of cronyism
"equitable process in hiring"
Sagan: I don't think it's appropriate to comment on the individuals
Riley: going through audit process and should have wrapped up in next few weeks


coming in at 9:30, a bit more on history standards
Roberta Schaefer, who was a member of the Board of Ed back in the 90's
"unfortunately, the history MCAS was jettisoned by the Patrick administration"
"this inexcusable decision" now can be reversed
has added a list of outcomes to her remarks
"should be assessments" advocates for fifth grade, eighth grade, tenth grade
"I think we've all learned by now that if you're going to test it, it will be taught"
learning about the complexity of the
"culture of tolerace and political moderation"
suggestions about assessment
thinks all students should be required to write a ten page research paper on one of five topics developed annually by the department, and should also do a five minute presenation on the same