October Board of Ed: update on STEM initiatives

update on STEM
"trying to extend that STEM Week feeling!" Erin Hashimoto-Martell, Associate Commissioner

October Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: opening comments

The Board of Ed meets today at 9 AM. Their agenda can be found online here. 

It clearly cannot be said enough

 “Generative AI is an unethical technology in any way it is sliced.”

Excellent piece "The ethical case for resisting AI" from Dr. Chuck Pearson, writing from the perspective of a chemistry teacher.
Because I tend to approach this from my own framing in English and history, this part particularly struck me: 

It occurs to me that there are a lot of us in STEM fields who need to be thinking about our fields not as technical disciplines where problems need to be solved by any means at the students’ disposal, but as liberal arts where the path the student takes to the solution is as important as the solution itself. If only the answer matters, then absolutely we should be employing technology in any way we can. We need to take the attitude that it isn’t just the answer that matters. 

And the very nature of the technology itself is the evidence that the answer isn’t the important thing. How the answer is obtained, how much damage is done by the technology doing the answering, how much does the student lose by not exercising the tools they have to do the answering? 

When everything is said and done, what are we telling our students about their humanity? What messages do we send about how they are developing their minds to engage the world around them?

He also has a really good set of links for the mess of massive problems--environmental, intellectual property, human rights--that are part and parcel the use of generative AI.  

September Board of Ed: opening comments

 The agenda for today is here; livestream will turn up over here.

They've started late due to traffic. Hearing the Orange Line is slow today, too.

Public comment: none (no one commenting)

Peyser: celebrating the Ch.766 50th anniversary tomorrow
Forerunner of the IDEA law, ADA law
STEM week is coming: October 17-21
next meeting is in STEM Week "so I am sure you will all dress accordingly and wear your party hats"
Craven: mother and sister of people with Down's Syndrome
father used to talk about Ch.766 all the time
shows book given to her parents when her sister was born
"adding color to the law" is really important
"these things didn't happen without groups of dedicated parents"
today's efforts on dyslexia are also championed for parents

Election of vice-chair
reworking of subcommittee, as well
Moriarty nominates Hills as vice chair; passes
Craven appoints Rouhanifard and Canavan to teacher diversity
Mohamed and Plankey to budget (along with Stewart)
wants to have a special committee on pandemic literacy recovery
Moriarty to chair, Rouhanifard, West, Lombos

Riley: most schools have been back for a month
"quiet opening, quiet is a good thing"
Staffing challenges
licensure flexibilities and ways of getting people into the field
"President said yesterday that the pandemic is over, and while we know that is technical true, we have to live with it"
have asked districts to have supplies on hand
MCAS scores coming next month: think a 3 to 5 year recovery
"as we predicted on this Board being out of school would have two major impacts" mental health (this is actually not supported by research) and academic
process prior to the pandemic: Boston coming in

Hills: be very clear about flexibilities that could and couldn't happen if there is a surge
remote schooling not counting towards 180 days
Riley: may have seen snow days are going to be snow days; kind of a side note but important to say
Moriarty: "lean harder into them" on receiverships
have to understand where they're at
Rouhanifard: underscore 3-5 year
"typically...where there's disregulation...there are academic challenges as well"
"high dosage tutoring" being used in some districts
"creating sustainable solutions"
Riley: "people are using SOA... to avoid a cliff effect"
Rouhanifard: West mentioned Medicaid funds (municipal districts don't get the Medicaid reimbursements, generally)
Canavan: speaking of program in Tennessee; scaling
"like the idea of a statewide strategy"
Plankey: some districts have clubs run by students for tutoring
conversations between students, helping social-emotional pieces
Riley: have chances to go look at things in the field

Lisa Graf: public comment
bullying: aggressor expanded to include member of school staff
hope will consider adversives used to control students as examples of bullying

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for April 2022: opening and public comments

The agenda for today's meeting is here. It's a regulation-heavy agenda, with proposed updates on competency determination in MCAS (to vote), on certification of mastery (for initial discussion), education licensure for vocational licensure (for initial discussion), and for licensure (for staffing flexibility). 

public comment 

I missed Lisa Jeanne Graf's testimony which is here
Gerry Mroz arguing we need standards above competency determination; arguing that the system has "stagnated" and that the competency determination is a low bar

BPS panel caught in traffic, Charlestown High School teacher Sarah Grimmett arguing that receivership is a failed model
"saying 'no' to state receivership"
"can personally speak on success of early college and career pathways" program
"so many factors seeking to destabilize our school"
labels that were designed by those outside of our community
"please keep in mind what we actually need"
resources, inclusion done right, update to buildings
increased funding for wraparound services
listen to school communities and increase resources
"even holding the threat of receivership over us is taking valuable attention away from what is really important: our students"
Justin Perez: senior at Charlestown High School: values diversity of community
dreams of vocational learning there
taking a gap year; financial implications of college
"schools and BPS should be able to come up with plans on teaching their own populations"
"I really believe that if we give power to the state we diminish the community"
Jaden Pinet, senior at Charlestown High School, member of school site council
brought student perspective on hiring process, on budget
value the most our community and the diversity
"share and celebrate our differences"
"feel Charlestown feel like more than just a school"
"what needs to change is amount of support and resources"
what is at issue is not an issue of competency
Suleika Soto: no coincidence that just as Boston, a majority city of color, is moving towards an elected School Committee, state is moving towards receivership
notes lack of voice and resources in receivership districts like Lawrence
"why not give us more resources and give us a chance to work us out for ourselves?
"we need more social emotional support, not threats"
this Board should be upholding local voices
Sugey Scannell, mother of BPS students (who is testifying in Spanish)
as the mother of immigrant children, one of the main resources I moved here is the education of sons
want them to capable and competitive, get close to the American Dream
"I believe we have a school system that works. Like everything in life, it's not perfect, but it works."
have interpretation of ten languages in Boston meetings; wanted to testify at a prior DESE meeting and was denied
"I don't have the trust that you have the capacity to direct our schools...that DESE has the best interest of our children in their plans"
we have seen when the state intervenes, the indexes are not consistently improved
relationship of teachers and students get worse; more difficult to retain teachers 
Best way of supporting staff is giving a raise
"we must update the infrastructure...expanding the curriculum...supporting...extra activities"
Boston has great universities, hospitals, "and the best public schools"
"the last thing that we need is instability that comes with receivership of the state"

Chair Craven: has asked for a task force on mental health
"important for the Board to be seen as having a proactive stance"

Secretary Peyser: budget update
House deliberating budget, dealt with education amendments last night
House fully funds early college expansion
expansion of MassGrant plus, of interest for graduating seniors
Thursday is STEM Summit

Commissioner: collaborating with MIAA, MASS call to action on addressing bias and hate seeing around athletics

March Board of Ed: Opening comments

 The Board of Ed meets at 9; the agenda is online here. 
There's been much online discussion of the Commissioner notifying Boston that he's doing another review. This has been--again, online--been seen as a step toward state receivership (which I am much less sure is accurate), so expect to see public testimony on that. However, NOTHING ABOUT BOSTON IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. 

updating as we go

Craven: gratitude to National Guard, MEMA, and Other Partners (first item on the agenda)
speaks about Springfield "a great shining example" of the state cooperating with districts
"knowing that we've turned the corner" on the pandemic (what?)

Reilly: board has asked for a meeting to update on Boston (Two year anniversary)
Cassellius has made significant progress: MassCore, bathroom upgrades
concern about special education, English learners, on time bus arrival data, graduation data
"not on the agenda today" but later this spring
meeting with superintendents later this week 

Peyser: eight new early college programs
up to fifty statewide
STEM summit on April 28; online, in person, mostly the morning
supplemental budget: note $140M to Ch. 766 special ed schools to support workforce to maintain capacity and staff

Craven: haven't had a joint meeting with Higher Ed in two years; want to have one before the end of the fiscal year

Public comment:

Mayor Michelle Wu: notes her position as both the Mayor and as BPS mom
thanks to partnership 
see DESE's review as progress we've made as well as places for follow-up
lifting up young people across state and city
"I have seen firsthand dedication and commitment to achievement"
commitment of our families and educators
have seen places where we fall short
"we must do better"
tomorrow Boston School Committee takes up budget
pushing for a "whole of government approach"
notes work of city in "what ends up showing up in our schools and classrooms"
excited to work on search for superintendent
"It is with all of this in mind that I firmly oppose receivership"
would be counterproductive

Councilor Julia Mejia
"good morning, everyone: y'all ready for this?"
humbling to be back as chair of education, as have come as a parent in the past
conversation is as much person as it is professional
stood alongside parents in Holyoke opposing receivership "and we all know the outcome of this"
"every single time that we advocated for dollars we were met with opposition"
receivership "is the wrong move"
has voted to place three districts in receivership
Southbridge and Holyoke worst and second worst performing
Lawrence, following an uptick, is now in the lowest ten percent
wrong time when 77% of voters are seeking an elected school committee
"that kind of thinking lacks innovation and intentionality"
show what is possible "when we lean into discomfort"
"let's all take responsibility and accountability around this"

Marcela Sliney speaking about her son who has dyslexia
asks for help for students across the state

Lisa Guisbond on update on accountability
call on you to stop the harm caused by your current inaccurate rating system

Vice-chair of the Lawrence School Committee Jonathan Guzman
here to oppose putting another district into receivership
strip rights of own elected body that support the needs of the people
"why do you still think that takeovers are saving...when you've been in control of the Lawrence Public Schools for ten years"
all have made a commitment to be anti-racist, but to do so must first show some respect for communities of color
current back in bottom 6% of districts
invest in teachers year after year, can get a job in a community with higher pay and better working conditions
Students passed from grade to grade with attainment; standards lowered 

Greater Commonwealth Virtual School Board member Jennifer Reynolds on renewal recommendation
Salah Khelfaoui, executive director
"do our best to offer" students what they need 
students who in some cases choose to go back to their schools
Patrick Lattuca, superintendent of TEC Academy also speaking on renewal

Jessica Tang, BTU President
educators and families on the ground are increasingly concerned about discussion about receivership
upends teachers' plans to have this second audit
further frightens families and staff
"receivership cannot and should not be part of any BESE conversation" if your goal is to support the Boston Public Schools
citing experiences of those who have experienced school-based receivership
parent is now giving testimony
notes inaccessibility of meetings of the Board
Packets sharing data on why receivership isn't the answer
Samantha Laney: fifth grade teacher
now teaches in Boston, did teach in Lawrence under receivership
"keeping high needs students out keeps test scores up"
says she had no business being in Lawrence as a young white teacher who was new
turnaround DESE seeks doesn't work
notes vote of Boston for elected school committee
"will we not allow Boston to suffer the same fate as our sisters in Lawrence"

Secretary Peyser is allowed to then give a small lecture responding to public comment
Riley notes this is not on the agenda
Craven pushes him to give timelines and such; Riley continues to note that this is not on the agenda
Lombos wants to know about timeline; Riley says he doesn't have it in front of him.

April 2021 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: opening comments

 The agenda is here. The livestream will show up here. 

updating as we go once it starts

Public comment

on schools reopening
Andover mother: high school student
Three foot guidance requires students to be in hybrid model
hybrid model with half the students in a field house attending classes remotely being floated for next year
noise of 500 students in field house
"imagine if a school shooter entered" the field house
Andover has applied for a new high school for ten years
"how can I go to a bar and sit next to a stranger unmasked" and my child can't sit two feet from another

West Springfield parent says parent rep on Board didn't represent parent interests
asks Mary Ann Stewart to resign
thinks labor rep repped MTA
asks that districts not be held harmless for enrollment
districts need to understand that 
asks teachers to be opted out of MTA if they don't think they're essential workers
says he is running in West Springfield and other parents should do

testimony on career and tech ed admission
Dan French, Citizens for Public Schools
testifying on disportionately impacts of current admission process to vocational schools
students from Chelsea:
impacts of students who are not first language speakers
disproportiate disciplinary impact on students of color
Black and brown children more adultified than their white peers
are handed higher expectations with less resources
"if we want our children of color to succeed, this policy needs to change"

comprehensive health framework
lack of revised health framework which is 20 years old
two rounds of revisions; last feedback last June
"students cannot learn if they are not healthy"
critical in educating the whole child
"absence of equity in the frameworks"
reconvene the panel; share the feedback; make public comment available
so the revision can be completed

Chair Craven:
Thank you to Board members for those who have participated in anti-racism training 
"really intensive training to what the Department has been doing"
members have immersed themselves in vocation school issue

Commissioner Riley:
FAFSA completion campaign
campaign on getting it completed: billboards, social media
Dyslexia guidelines released with early ed; promoting document far and wide
Student advisory council and mental health; will have a presentation on DESE work and grants
"a lot of good work there...and a lot of it spurred on by the students"

Secretary Peyser:
Mass STEM summit coming May 6

Update on reopening:

Riley: 90% of elementary schools open for five days a week
those serve about 300,000 students (so less than a third of the full K-12 public school students)
(that doesn't mean that many kids are back in buildings) (I've since been told that this does represent actual students attending; the state's collecting this?)
6-8 by April 28
serving almost 200,000 students (again, not all of those actually in buildings)
high school "sometime next month" but "in process" and will let people know ahead
84 waiver requests, 35 approved for grade 5, 43 for incremental return, 10 denied
pool testing: program has found low positivity rates
state using federal funds to pay to the end of the year
excellence road map for next year
Hills: any elementary waivers still open? Riley, all decisions on elementary made

October Board of Ed: opening remarks

The agenda is here. 
The livestream is here.
posting as we go once it starts
Opening by James Morton, Vice Chair who says Chair Katherine Craven is on her way

Public comment:
what's missing in this theory of action: students deserve to be challenged at the level at which they need challenge
"we don't talk about those kind of issues here very frequently"
"we're developing people, we're developing adults..."

Commissioner Riley: welcomes Paymon Rouhanifard to his first meeting
"we're thrilled to have him"
second annual STEM week last week; had the chance to visit many schools
see students do many engaging tasks, involved in deeper learning
Boston comprehensive review: over 900 classrooms in about 100 schools observed
report finalized this winter
supplemental budget coming out this week, we think
have to "legally" figure this out by October 31..."legally is so strong a word" quips the Secretary
over 500 schools express interest in Kalidoscope; over 60 schools have begun formal application
finalists around Thanksgiving, selection around turn of year

Secretary: thanks all of those who participated in STEM week
"already producing tremendous results"

June Board of Education: arts standards

the backup is here
Ron Noble: in February, draft went out for public comment, have made amendments accordingly
intro's Dawn Benski, who will be leading implementation
Craig Waterman: four big shifts
ID's 11 artistic practices, complex knowledge and skills developed over time in arts education
recognizes media arts as a discipline
consistent organizational structure across disciplines
greater detail in eight grade spans
guiding principles: culturally aware instruction, social emotional learning, and engaging communities in the arts
Moriarty: notes "what the frameworks do and do not do" but be sure they know they don't have option of not doing it
Craven: two decades since updated
Benski: supporting implementation through regional arts ambassador teams
PD in each region of the state
Stewart: arts integration, networks
how to integrate various components?
Waterman: made lots of intentional decisions to support integrations
McKenna: concern about resources here
"I wonder what kinds of resources there are to provide the resources there are?"
both online modules and PD for teachers
2019-20 a transition year, full alignment 2020-21
Waterman: "obviously local districts need to allocate local resources for proper implementation"
Hills: in terims of time, how are these new frameworks being received in time pressure
Noble: hope it leads to cross-discipline practice in elementary schools
have tried to embed the framework with cues for things they're already responsible for

FRAMEWORKS ADOPTED

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday

Let me note by the way that we've entered the biannual "city council takes up school committee items" that happens every election year; that was last week, but there are more items on this week's agenda. We're also seeing the school committee agenda flooded with items, as happens every election year. That'll get a lot of reports generated (maybe) but it doesn't get work done.

In any case, the Governance subcommittee has a meeting scheduled this week on Tuesday (it says Thursday, but I'm going to guess the date is what's right) with a number of items that...look like they belong in finance? However both a possible lunch policy and adherence to the recess policy are the agenda, which I know is of interest to many.

As a side note, having to click through means one can miss meetings; Teaching, Learning, and Student Support met on March 20. This report on Hanover Academy raises more questions than it answer. There was also a report on snow day remote learning (which looks mostly as though it is another copy of DESE's information on it).

The full Committee meets Thursday. The agenda is here. The superintendent's report is on AVID.

The mostly-online back and forth over a post by Mr. Comparetto (see the first Worcesteria item here) is being taken up by the EAW president Roger Nugent, who calls Mr. Comparetto's comment "racist."

Mr. Nugent is also requesting additional speech and language pathologists.

There are appointments and recognitions.

The same backup is coming back on online grading and has anyone yet asked about doing it in house?

Mr. O'Connell is suggesting the use of Confronting White Nationalism in Schools: A toolkit. I'll just leave that there.

Somehow we're still seeing prior year payments, this one for $60.00 to the LearnWell for in-district tutoring.


There is a request that the committee accept a donation of $5,700 from the Goddard Scholars Academy PTO for Chromebooks.

Mr. Monfredo is collecting books and suggests that administrators highlight programs in their schools during the report of the superintendent.

Miss McCullough is proposing "Adulting Days."

Oddly, Mr. Monfredo and others are suggesting now that the Committee send a letter requesting "Foundation Funding Bill that would benefit the GateWay Cities," which is odd coming from a committee that received the clear comparisons they did.

There is a request for dates and times of spring cleanups.

Mr. Comparetto is proposing: district school committee seats; mentorship opportunities; a report on teacher diversity; a grow your own teacher program; a report on One City, One Library; a report on farm-to-school programs; an internship program; a moratorium on high-stakes testing; a report on progress of the strategic plan; a request for additional budget hearings; a report on wraparound coordinators; an update on immunizations; after school and out of school programming.

Mr. O'Connell is asking for information on Stembus.org

Miss Biancheria is asking for a report on "Stand for the Silent."

And there is an executive session on a grievance, a workers comp case, possible litigation around a teacher, and Jane Doe v the Worcester Public Schools.

December Board of Ed: Teacher Leadership

The backup on this is here.
Riley: focused this year on teaching
bringing up panels...

Center for Instructional Support talking about three initiatives: revising the arts curriculum, STEM ambassadors, and curriculum ratings

October Board of Education: opening remarks and STEM panel

The meeting begins at about 8:30; the agenda is here. Posting as we go once it starts.
Sagan calls the meeting to order and has no opening comments
no public comment today

Riley: "I was under the impression that I could cancel the Board meeting if the Red Sox win; I was disappointed to find that this was not the case"
Sagan quips that it is the reverse; he can cancel for a period of reflection if they lose

The Board of Ed meets October 30

...and the agenda looks a bit different...
The Board of Ed meets Tuesday for the month of October. You can find their agenda online here.

After opening remarks, first up is a panel of STEM educators, as this current week has been declared STEM week in Massachusetts (please tell me we will be having a "Humanities week" as well.)

Being couched differently than in other years ("Student, School, and District Performance Results" with a h/t to whomever at the Department is ensuring Oxford commas are used), the accountability report comes before the Board on Tuesday; this will be both MCAS results (there's a link on the memo to a summary of results) and the overall accountability information. (I'm also finding "will join us for the discussion" versus "will be available...to answer your questions" to be an intriguing decision on phrasing.)

Chronically underperforming schools are reporting out; for simplicity's sake, let's call these the receivership schools (the memo is a Word doc).

There will be a report of the budget committee on FY20.

The Board will get an update on implementation of the LOOK Act.

Thanks to Mary Ann Stewart for asking the question; the Commissioner is sending along a memo on Question 3 and its possible impact on schools. In sum, the regulations on schools would not be changed if Question 3 fails (remember, a "yes" vote keeps the laws as we have them, including public accommodation); I'll add a note that this doesn't change the harm this would do to students everywhere else that they go.

Also being sent to the Board, but not on the agenda: an update on early college (full update coming at the January joint meeting with the Higher Ed board), a report on grants received by the Commissioner (another Word doc), a memo on the scheduling of district reviews (which sounds like a "don't have too many people bugging the district at once" thing), and a fairly lengthy memo on charter reauthorization. 


And yes, there will be liveblogging. 

September Board of Ed: MCAS competency certification

backup memo is here
Wulfson intro's, praising the assessment group for all the juggling they've done
Stapel: update on MCAS and on competency determination
two years of next generation testing in grades 3-8 in English and math
this spring (2019) is first tests in grade 10
adding science as well in spring of 2020
participation rate (has a chart) "really happy to see that" rate over 99%
89% of students grades 3-8 tested on a computer
continued phase-in of computer-based testing: grades 3-8 in all three subjects; grade 10 in ELA and math; high school science in 2020
official embargoed data to districts on 25th
planned official release is Sept 27th
parent guardian reports get to superintendents on the 28th
Sagan asks if they only get their own results or get everyone's "so if they leaked it, it would only be their own results" which clearly takes many aback
been two decades since we've set a bar for high school
plan is to vote in winter of 2019-20 for standard beginning with class of 2023
"they will be entering high school next fall" so want to make that decision while they are still in their ninth grade year
advisory committee in summer/fall 2019 to inform that decision

West: hope competency determination could be informed by where kids end up
(aka after graduation)


On Science: (this is Katie Bowler) some of same considerations
which science tests are/have been taken: 75.8% in biology, 20% in physics, 3.3% in tech/engineering, 0.6% in chem
"definitely the sequence"
"the chemistry is usually a grade 10 or 11 tests...typically have already taken a biology test"
Tech/engineering "has just not increased"
Peyser: chemistry test-takers have already taken bio? Yes, most have already taken another
number is first time test takers: transfers or others missed, usually taking chem and others
Peyser: what would we expect those students to do?
bio or introductory physics still offered
Sagan: just following this: "we're not creating a cul de sac of failure for kids"
Peyser: is there a way of students to meet the competency determination that is sufficiently aligned and sufficiently rigorous by taking another test?
would like to keep that on the table
Wulfson: portfolio review is successful for most students
adding a mid-year physics assessment, so students entering will not have to wait until the end of the year
Peyser: computer science added "I think the next question people are asking is 'what's our assessment strategy?'"
interest in the exception to the rules; and what message is being set to the room
Morton: having portfolio reviews is going to be important
need to be figuring out how we're going to introduce kids to STEM earlier in life
ensure we aren't creating an unintended consequence
Wulfson (to question) engineering: "the built world rather than the natural world"
Matthews: when tests are phased out, I wonder if it's more cost effective if students would be expected to take tests outside of schools and would that be covered
Wulfson: this is being driven by budgetary considerations
"is it a good use of our limited resources" to provide a test for only a few students
"we certainly can't expect students to pay for something that's required"
ESSA requirement that we "give all students the same test"
argument to date is all are under the MCAS umbrella; same intention
McKenna asks about how hard it is to recruit good biology and physics teachers to high poverty schools
Riley: always in high demand

continuing to investigate ways to reduce the testing time
and turn around time on results; working to make that closer and closer "so while those students are still in that classroom, the teacher can have results"
lots of opportunities around computer-adaptive testing

Joint Ways and Means hearing on education

I'm posting this morning from the Old Chapel at UMass Amherst, where the Joint Committee on Ways and Means (the money committee) is starting shortly. Looking like there are some UMass students here to talk about tuition, among others.

Joint Board of Ed meeting

The K-12 Board of Ed meets jointly with the Higher Ed Board this morning at Bridgewater State. They'll be talking about early college and about MCAS.
Then the K-12 Board has its regular meeting.
scheduled to start at 9...we'll see...
meeting called to order; members now introducing themselves. As I don't know the Higher Ed members, I'll do my best. 
Bridgewater State president introducing his campus, which is the state's single largest producer of teachers.
Commissioner Chester: terrific discussion, to advance a conversation,
focused on early college

May Board of Ed: FY17 update

The Board's update is here
Chester: Senate W&M budget has been released, Senate considering amendments to the budget "as we speak"
timeline
"today marks the beginning of floor debate by the full Senate"
if tradition follow suit, they'll wrap up late Thursday or early Friday
on balance, the Senate having the latest tax figures
has increased funding in our budget:
$100M above current spending
it's investment in local aid accounts
it's really $10M above the House
different in the kindergarten program: House continued status quo, Senate appropriated $2M for an $18M program
$10M above current for circuit breaker
did not support initiatives in STEM arena
"it's pretty much what we face each year" funding focused on local districts
strong budget in financing local school districts
Wulfson: Senate outside section on FBRC implementation
Senate finalize this week; conference committee early June; consolidated budget going to Governor to be signed by July 1