Joint Higher Ed and K-12 Boards meet together next week

The annual joint meeting of the K-12 Board of Ed and Higher Ed is this coming Tuesday at 9:30 at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner. That is followed by a meeting of each bard separately. The agenda is online here.
The Joint meeting, from 9:30 to 11:30, has as scheduled updates on early college, on teacher diversity, and on "Evidence Based Policy Making," none of which have any backups posted.
The Elementary and Secondary meeting, which is scheduled to start at noon, after the usual round of opening comments, has:

• a discussion and vote to amend regulation 603 CMR 30.00. This would extend the interim passing standard--the one set for the classes of 2021 and 20222--for MCAS to the class of 2023. You can find the redline version of the regulations here. 
• a discussion and a vote to solicit public comment on a proposed amendment to educator licensure. This would amend the regulations to allow for a pilot alternative assessment to the MTEL test, which is currently required of teachers. As the Commissioner writes:

  During my listening and learning tour over the last year, I often heard from the field about individuals who are or could be great teachers but have been unable to pass the MTEL. As is true for most educator license tests in other states, overall pass rates on MTEL vary based on race and ethnicity, causing concern that MTEL requirements may discourage qualified educators of color from entering the profession. At the same time, we have an ongoing commitment to ensure that teachers know the content they are being asked to teach and have the deep knowledge they need to foster deeper learning for our students. 

• an update on the Student Opportunity Act, including next steps: "We are in the process of developing templates and guidance for these plans, and I will provide more information at our December 17 meeting" is the update on those plans due April 1.
• an update on charter schools, which is really all about City on a Hill, as the license for New Bedford is surrendered and the plans for the remaining sites discussed.

The Board is also receiving a copy of their budget request letter, a report on grants, and a report on the chronically underperforming schools, which will not, it appears, be taken up at the meeting itself.

I will be there for the beginning; I'll have to watch the end later on.