on educators responding to protests

 It is days like today that I recall then Acting Commissioner Jeff Wulfson's words in 2018, speaking of the protests that followed the Parkland shootings: 

 We talk a lot here at this board about the importance of teaching students about civic engagement and how democracy works. This is it. This is as real as it gets. If this is not what we call a teachable moment, I don't know what is, and I hope our educators take advantage of this opportunity to help model and teach their students about how we bring about change peacefully in a democracy.

Remarkably, DESE sent it out as part of the Commissioner's update that week 

January meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: opening remarks

The agenda is online here.
You can find the livestream here.

Senator Jason Lewis is called forward.
"I'm here all the time; this is my first opportunity to come by" a meeting
I believe he may have been teased about turning up today
school funding bill was "many years in the making"
"no organization was more important in our success than the Department"
thanks Riley, Wulfson "and particularly the school finance team"
"we lost track of how many models we ran" to understand the impact of proposed changes
now need to support superintendents and school committees "in making the best possible use" of resources

Tim Nicolette from Mass Charter School Association
supporting charter amendments of Pioneer School of Science and Veritas
also to support reports
"we consider accountability to be the backbone of charter schools in Massachusetts"

City on a Hill Charter School (which is relinquishing the charter for New Bedford and co-locating the Boston campuses)
"was a difficult road from the beginning" in New Bedford
financially unstable and "not serving students the way it should be"
thanks Department for assistance for making transition smooth
"we believe it is an important part of the bargain"
two Boston campuses: 9-10 in one building and 11-12 in another
"fully confidence" in director of school
consolidation amendment to be a single high school in Boston
"a midyear co-location had its share of risks"
"I do believe the best days are ahead of us"
Education Law Task Force: asks for consideration of disciplinary records of schools
13.3% of students out of school suspension, 14.3% at other location
"even higher for Black students and those with disabilities"
over half for non-violent, non-drug, non-criminal offenses
used to enforce cell phone policy
"suspensions are one of the leading indicators of failure to graduation high school and involvement with the criminal justice system"
asks for conditions on renewal around student discipline

Pioneer Charter School of Science student and alum
speaks of his own successes through to college; works as a software engineer now
"forever grateful" for the school
another: freshman in college
"not only a place of learning from textbooks, but is a community that helps you understand the outside world"

Veritas Prep (in Springfield)
founder turns it over to parents
parent who grew up in Springfield, part of adult life has been supporting Springfield Public Schools
wanted to send them to Springfield public schools, did get a middle school magnet seat
son begged her not to send him to his neighborhood school
younger son had similar anxiety, developed migraines
began to think of other choices; he got a seat at Veritas
now she works there, as well
hopeful this can continue through high school graduation
another: have always received communication with administration and teachers
relationships between teachers and parents
"high qualified school for a 6 to 12 grade program"
daughter is "very happy to go to school every day"
"everyone respects everyone who goes there"
"supporting learning more each and every day"

charters renewal: Paulo Freire
students feel the love, feel the optimism in their lives
support Commissioner's recommendation
"building a school like this is a marathon"
met ten of the eleven conditions before us
comprehensive plan, "setting clear and specific benchmarks and deadlines"
monthly leadership teams
"have created and will continue to create thoughtful and meaningful action plans"
"have moved into a new school building"
"has changed the atmosphere and climate...a former factory building...it didn't have very many windows"
bulk of student body comes from Holyoke

Boston Green Academy (Horace Mann)
request that the Board consider academic conditions rather than probation for the school
statewide measures of enrollment, financial health have been spoken to and removed
over the past nine years have worked to grow five year graduation rates, reduce dropout rates, and increase growth rates
submit application in six months; have only been improvements during the years of the school
"drastically strengthened our school...know we have more work to do"
believe work left is a limited set of academic concerns
believe there are two remaining areas of concern: middle school MCAS scores and low accountability rating
"specific academic concern, not a global one"
"we are not in the sixth percentile statewide" but of middle schools
"probation is existential; conditions are not"
Q on chronic absenteeism: charter is for students at risk
strive to focus their effort where they are supported and challenged
similar to Boston schools
home visits, school counselors who are focused on chronic absenteeism
dropout rate is very small, compared to the rest of the district
ingrained as part of the culture of the school

Davis Leadership Academy:
gratitude to Board to provide evidence for progress since being placed on probation
list of ways in which students are involved
93% of educators identify as people of color
cites MCAS scores
has worked hard to establish its as an academic success
highly qualified teachers in front of our students

testimony on Ch.74 programs
Quincy: 1912 industrial school then trade school then part of Quincy High
"very concerned about the impact these changes will have on comprehensive high schools across the state"
hours needed to complete a 74 program vary
imagine all comprehensive high schools will apply for waivers "but is that really what you want"

Chair notes that the December meeting was cancelled due to snow

Giving thanks

For those in positions of public trust, that they would serve with integrity and uphold the dignity of all.”
-from today’s intercessions at St. Paul’s Cathedral

In a week in which we both traditionally give thanks and we saw the "landmark" "monumental" insert-other-awe-inspiring-descriptor-here school funding bill signed, it is important to me to take a second to say thank you.

This year has seen what at least in my memory is an unprecedented level of new appreciation for what we might have dismissed as career bureaucrats at the federal level.
They have their parallels at the state and local level, too.
I got some credit this week for the work I've done explaining school funding in Massachusetts. I appreciate that.
I also know that I can only do that as well as I do because there are a still-surprising to me number of people in Boston and in Malden and closer to home who answer my emails and phone calls and such. I came to the realization this year that the number of people who can answer a question I run into on Massachusetts school finance is small. I'm glad they answer me, still.
I won't name names--there are too many places where, far too much like the national atmosphere, that would only harm--though I will note that this week also saw an unprecedented amount of tweeting from the Deputy Commissioner.
Perhaps, though, we can be a little less quick to use "bureaucrat" and "administration" dismissively, and recall that some who "serve at the pleasure of" serve us.
And some do it well.

October Board of Ed: FY21

Wulfson: FY19 supplemental budget
with the hope that it will allow the Comptroller to close the books
"because they're in the year end appropriations, they'll go to the general fund as revenue"
"basically adds to the city or town's year end surplus...and gets carried into next year's"
"doesn't automatically give more revenue to the school department; it gives more revenue to the city or town who could choose to appropriate that at a later date"

Mills: goals for the department should reflect the core strategies for the year
ask for focus for year
key priorities: investments in partnership with districts, targeted interventions, increased literacy resources, arts and health frameworks PD
and will there be additional needs with changes in foundation budget
another meeting in two weeks, then budget recommendations before the Board in November
 and that's a wrap

October Board of Ed: competency determination going forward

Riley: have kept the old standard for two classes, considering doing it for a third as we consider what a new standard could be going forward
Wulfson: continuing series of discussions and briefings this year
most momentous decision this year
should recommendation currently out for public comment be adopted, interim standard will extend through 2023, current 9th graders
this discussion is about the class of 2024 and beyond
key element in this process will be appointment of advisory committee for his recommendation to come to you
committee will have access to student work samples
engage with educators in the field: K-12 and higher ed
public comment
consider if there should be more than one cut score to represent different levels of achievement
statistical work on what MCAS results in the past can teach us about the likelihood of success after high school
"some interesting finds of that study"
presentation on that at the joint meeting with Higher Ed in January at Mount Wachusett Community College

Craven: widespread passage
hard to articulate success rate connection with others
Wulfson: 95%

Mills: recommendation will go to Commissioner
Riley: yes, and then you take the vote
oho...and that determination is under the purview of the Board, which is a public body. They are advising the Commissioner, yes, but on something that is not under his purview. There is an argument here that this advisory committee would also be a public body

Wulfson in response to Q from Moriarty: descriptions at each grade level had been re-thought

March Board of Education: charter funding

I was running low on battery today, so I only tweeted out my notes on this charter school funding presentation by Deputy Commissioner Jeff Wulfson, which you can watch here. As I said on Twitter tonight, it's rare that you can watch the Department actively grappling with policy quite like this, with the exception recently of accountability.
Tweets are as follows: 

November Board of Ed non-liveblog

Coming to you remotely and later from the livestream found here; the agenda is here
I had not previously noted that you can watch what we in Worcester call "the bullpen" (where the admininstrators sit) on the livestream
McKenna remotely participating; several people missing/late

Riley: notes joint meeting on early college process
health frameworks review now underway; meeting over next six months for recommendations on revised frameworks, which haven't been updated in twenty years; hope is for public comment this summer
informational memo on civics bill to Board...update on implementation coming
notes story on Helen Y. Davis charter school in Globe, that school was put on probation before his time (Sagan notes board had put on probation) and that they will be back before Board early next year

public comment: Robert Sandborn, representing Cape Cod Regional Tech and MAVA
opposing phasing out of engineering test for science MCAS
"seems counter-intuitive" given emphasis and direction of study
he has a section here of history of their opposition 
schools that choose to revamp their science departments to emphasize technology and engineering "took a leap of faith encouraged by the department"
speaks of last month's STEM week work (that includes engineering)
districts will have revamp for next year's class of ninth graders
Sagan: one of the questions we'll have to grapple with is you can't have a test for everything; what are your alternatives if this test goes away?
Sandborn: we have a limited amount of staff...we'll have to revamp...we'll have restaff or retrain
Sagan: why couldn't they couldn't teach what they are already doing and test biology?
Sandborn: I'd have to add staff...to prepare for biology MCAS
Peyser: technology engineering is all ninth graders?
Sandborn: started with ninth and tenth graders, have now shifted to ninth graders

...now CCRT testimony (still from Sandborn), Barnstable approved for Ch.74 program
only became aware there was an application for that because he heard from a state senator
 falling enrollment rates, 9-12 charter school, hyper-competitive environment
"incentivizing a comprehensive high school" to have
Barnstable "will apply for every program I don't have"
"alternative universe to Fall River" where Barnstable superintendent Mayo-Brown did this before
"I do not have a waiting list"
this is really interesting...a regional vo-tech fighting a municipal district's vocational program (that the vo-tech doesn't have)
"nothing more than a blatant attempt to keep students in the Barnstable district"
Cape Cod calls for a more nuanced decision making program
says other districts will follow "deregionalization"
"may want to address the access issue...may want to mandate students visit our school"
"if you don't want to help, please do no more harm"

The next public comment is going on about the dangers of wifi again, which has no basis in scientific fact, so you can see here and the links above for the science on that...

Budget item:
Bell and Wulfson up on this
Craven (who chairs the budget committee)
Commissioner and Craven were talking about Ch. 70
updates as we go through process "certainly January" once budget comes out
recommendations today to Secretary Peyser, priorities we'd like to see for the budget
"feel we have a pretty good package here"
"items the Board has consistently stood up for like ELL...STEM learning initiative...next generation assessment piece and the civics education"
"more targeted assistance might be deserving of discussion and how that goes into the Chapter 70 piece"
Bell: memo from the budget committee was done with a lot of effort from staff
Wulfson to provide an overview of where we're going on the foundation budget
"there's been a lot of interest in the field and moving forward even more rapidly than we have in the past couple of years on the recommendations of the 2015 Foundation Budget Review Commission"
"the Legislature's conference committee on this last summer did a lot of great work, but time ran out"
"we're thinking about where they left off, and reviewing that work, and having a lot of internal discussions with a goal to presenting a number of ideas for the governor to consider with his House 1 budget proposal"
"there's interrelationships with other big education aid accounts..."
focus on the need for significant new education dollars targeted for those districts where the education gap is greatest urgency
many are same district where dollars are limited
when you talk Ch. 70 aid and other education aid, large proportion of state aid
"very much in conversations with executive office of administration and finance" on how they fit in larger budget
Craven: feel a special responsibility for Holyoke district as a receivership district
"if we change one thing for one district, it has a ripple effect"
"we discovered about 30 districts in the same situation in net school spending"
WE DISCOVERED?!?!?!
Wulfson: the districts that we're most concerned about, most challenged student population, supported by municipalities that are barely funding them at the net school spending requirements
great many districts that have been able to spend well above requirement, so question of how much additional aid they should get is part of discussion
also smaller rural districts where declining enrollment creates a very different situation, foundation budget doesn't solve issue
"every group of school districts has a different set of needs"
"we understand the Board's imperative that closing the achievement gap has to be the first and foremost goal if we're going to be talking about literally hundreds of millions of dollars in new education aid over the next decade"
"make sure that investment pays off in student performance in closing the achievement gap"
Bell: more focused and more surgical in targeted assistance
additional targeted assistance as part of supplemental budget
another source of funding to address that
Craven: city of Lawrence had seen a big influx of money from the cityside prior to receivership
(someone want to bring the receipts on that one, please? because here's what the state reporting says: from -5.4 to 0.8 net school spending the year the state took over)
...it's sort of that same situation..."as those clear out, there are going to be others following quickly behind" I have no idea what she's referring to here: receivership districts? districts underfunding NSS?
Sagan asks Riley "as someone who has been on both sides of this"
Riley: very clear from FBRC that funding system is broken
"obviously saw that during my time in Lawrence"
"they were put back on an even plain" (true; they got UP to NSS under receivership)
average district is 20% over...many cities barely at minimum (note that it's more like 29% now)
Legislature need to fix issue
"group of struggling districts, often with our most needy kids, not getting the funds they need"
Moriarty: this is structural, there's no quick fix
"that 20% gap...I think is exactly what was looked at in the original education reform"
"just to get a relative equivalent education"
"kind of back to 1993 in the fiscal situation at this time"
Sagan: want to make sure we're not underdoing what we need to do (refers question to Peyser)
Peyser: not just about the funding "it's how the funding is being used"
"as much as there has been attention paid to the formula itself...we need to also be thinking about how those funds are being used in a strategic way...districts are given resources to...I don't want to say guarantee success...investing in those things...as opposed to thinking this just about a funding thing"
Sagan: Department stands ready to use those tools
Stewart: budget committee briefly discussed sending a letter in response to the Foundation Budget Review Commission's recommendations
bring forward a draft at the next meeting, as the Governor is bringing forward House 1
Sagan: think we could entertain that
Craven: the targeted assistance..."anything that adds money to everyone isn't" as useful
Sagan: we know money isn't correlated always
Craven: the Department since 1993 has been in the position of not having those tools, since the bargain was the increased dollars came with the ed reform oversight
"now it's for something new...the Board may benefit from the knowledge the Department has built up in expertise for districts" (this is appalling...this is money OWED under the CURRENT system)
Peyser: certainly in your advice to me in your role
Sagan: if there's anyone else you feel should get it, since you've got the message
Board approves memo

soliciting public comment on high school science competency
final vote will be in February
Wulfson: not asking Board to make decision on anything other than soliciting public comment
same interim passing standard as in ELA and math in MCAS switch
"get that process going so students who will be the first to take this test" can be prepared for it
remove from regulation what specific science tests will constituent the determination
Commissioner has indicated that he is not yet ready to make a recommendation on removing other (non-biology) MCAS science options
computer science gaining popularity
would like Board to be able to have flexibility to respond to changes without extensive timeline of changing regulation
West: striking through names of tests throughout; is "technology and engineering" included in "science" which is what will remain?
Wulfson: always has been considered one of the science competencies
Approved to send out for public comment

and that's it! 'though I have THOUGHTS on much of this...

Mass Board of Ed for April: opening comments

The agenda is here. The new commissioner is on today. Chair Sagan is travelling, so he'll be participating remotely, and Vice-Chair Morton will be chairing the meeting.
Updates as they're warranted.

Riley: thanks everyone for welcoming and support in transition, "which happened last week"
need to bring back "teachers and students at the forefront of education"
officially delegated Lawrence receivership to the board in Lawrence
went to vocational award ceremony in Worcester
joint committee event on early college

Public comments:
Lisa Guisbond, Citizens for Public Schools
know all are dedicated to making schools successful, strong as they can be
giving each member a copy of The Testing Charade by Daniel Koertz
from which she is quoting...

In loco parentis

You may have heard that we're having a big anniversary here in Massachusetts this year: it's the 25th anniversary of the Education Reform Act of 1993 this June 18.

It's also the 25th anniversary of the McDuffy decision this June 15. Pick your celebration.

Thus far, most of the proclamations have been marked by their crediting the local level; Acting Commissioner Wulfson more than once has led with the hard work in classrooms and has spoken of the superintendents and district leaders having the work of implementation.
We've even gotten an occasional reference to the money involved.

Which is why, after the local districts spoke up so loud and clearly a year ago November, it is frankly bizarre to have the parent voice at the State House celebration tomorrow be that of the reincarnated group that pushed for the lifting of the charter cap.

Reincarnated, of course, because they were forced to disband due to failure to comply with campaign finance laws.

Of all of the things the state leadership could be bringing to mind on this festive occasion, which also will mark the beginning of the tenure of a new Commissioner, they're choosing illegal finance activity over a ballot question the Governor, Secretary, and Chair of the Board of Ed were all on the (very) wrong side of?

Interesting choice, gentlemen.

March Board of Ed: Opening Comments

This gets rolling at 8:30; the agenda is here. Posting as we go.

Sagan: was heartening to see this (competency) adopted in some schools, more that we could do
didn't get to what we could do; could come back to
next Commissioner to be sworn in at 10 am next Thursday at the State House as part of the Leading the Nation celebration (to which all are invited)
still being decided which Commissioner will sit at April meeting
May will be in Marblehead, as student member Hannah Trimarchi will be hosting, plan on a late start

Wulfson: never expected to be in this role
fully expected to finish in school finance
"has been a very humbling experience"
"many inspiring leaders" in the Commonwealth
"very full nine months"
"we've dealt with transitions in Southbridge and Lawrence and hurricanes in the Caribbean"
got the ESSA plan
thanks to the Board, to all at the Department, to MASS, Commissioner's office
goal is to make every one of our 1800 schools one we'd be proud to send any of our children to
Sagan: thanks for work; "sounded more like a retirement speech than we think you intended"
normal that we'd be doing a formal review; not for acting

Peyser: in light of Jeff's valedictory, express deep gratitude for Jeff's leadership
"not lost any momentuum to drive reform and change in our schools"

McKenna: will there be a chance to do something more formal?
Sagan: yes

Public comment

on last night's presentation: adaptive assessment is the policy level that gets districts to look at individual student growth
incentive to dramatically change their models
allows students to flow through the ladder of the sequence at their pace
qualities and skills developed in students


Testimony in favor of appeal of Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter:
student lives in Springfield and attends school; speaking in favor of expansion
grandmother read about it in the newspaper
"so much more being taught here"
"more academically inclined than other schools"
student: if asked why I was there, I would say because my mom made me go
now can understand almost 2.8 billion people in this world.
let my sister attend this school
Sagan: why doesn't your sister get in with sibling preference?
student: still on the waiting list
Sagan: why are students leaving?
student: looking for more variety
student: looking for sports after school
Morton: no coop sport program with other schools in area?
student: used to have a soccer program..."it was definitely not what we hoped for"
have own soccer program now, it's JV, we're still trying to build that up
have more students to build up clubs and teams would really build up our program
parent of fifth grader from Holyoke: daughter can speak three language
"I'm an impoverished citizen..."has never beent treated differently
"don't understand the attack from adjecent towns and districts"
"think it's jealousy"
glad daughter has the chance to even the playing field in life

panel in opposition to the appeal
Peter Demling, Amherst School Committee
ask that the Commissioner's decision be upheld
reasons for rejecting expansion have not changed
school has not addressed concerns
gaps of achievement subgroups have not been addressed
addressing this should be first action
prior to any future consideration
Cara Castenson, chair of Pelhem School Committee
four students in PVCICS would be contribution to regional district
"has become a reality"
paying almost $90K in charter tuition
town also forced to take measures
Pelhem voted to pursue full regionalization with Amherst
"were the school being forced to close, it would be a loss to the town of the Pelhem"
school is doing well for students served
school is center of community
"small community schools have served as the backbone of public schools for generations"
Sagan now pressing on reimbursement of students to charter
Castenson notes that district was notified late, after budget had been passed, that students had moved
Sagan presses issue of reimbursement
John Provost superintendent in Northampton
spirit of advocacy and spirit of inquiry
last speakers on how they've been involved in students relocated by Hurricane Maria
15 communities in PVCICS have taken over 900 students; all of us have been immersed in this process
Sagan: "were you implying that the students didn't answer your question? Don't answer that."
he  wasn't

Greenfield Virtual says last night is "preaching to the choir"
competency based will take us to the next level
"we will to transcend the confines of time and space"
"truly grateful for the increase in funding accorded in September"

Board of Ed for December: accountability system

Wulfson: why we're doing this work
believe state has an obligation to identify schools in need of intervention and to work with those schools
1800 schools in the Commonwealth and most are doing a really good job
believe we have an obligation to identify and shine a spotlight on the schools that are doing really well
believe we have an obligation to share information with parents
believe we have an obligation to provide information to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth
required by both federal and state law to hold districts accountable and report on their performance

Board of Ed in sum

Crossposted from MASC 
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met on Tuesday, November 28. The agenda is posted here. 
The meeting opened with updates from Acting Commissioner Wulfson, who spoke of the recently signed LOOK bill on bilingual education. He commented that it was "designed to provide additional flexibility for English language learners," and he told the Board that they would receive a complete update at their December meeting. He also spoke of the results of the first school climate survey, which students took after completing the MCAS this past year. He said it was a "first attempt to quantify some qualitative measures." He noted that the influx of students coming from Puerto Rico not only has continues, but appears to have picked up, with the state having passed 1400 new students last week; the state continues to monitor that and is discussing what is to be done with and for districts both this year and next. Finally, he warmly praised East Boston's McKay School, which he recently visited and was among the schools positively profiled in a recent Boston Globe article.
Secretary Peyser gave a brief update on the administration's interagency opioid work.
Public comments included opposition to wireless internet access and testimony from the head of the two virtual schools in support of the proposed tuition increase (see below).

November Board of Ed: MCAS as graduation requirement

backup is here
Wulfson: this year's ninth graders first to take new high school MCAS as their competency determination
because it's new, they haven't seen it yet
more rigorous
"for that class and the class behind them, that this Board set an interim passing standards for the  competency determination set...equivalent to the current passing level of the current MCAS test"
intended as an interim moving: beginning conversation of raising bar for classes subsequent
sending proposal out for official public comment
return in February to adopt them
"have done extensive outreach to the field...superintendent and principals have been very, very supportive of this approach"

West: implicit in this step that we're taking is an additional conversation about where the bar should be set after this transitional period
Wulfson: agrees
Board has signaled to field that over the long run, we are raising expectations
Board votes to send to public comment

November Board of Education: opening comments

The agenda for today is here. The meeting starts at 8:30; posting as they go once we start. The livestream is here. 
No comments from the Chair
Wulfson: Governor signed the "Language Opportunity for Our Kids" bill
designed to provide additional flexibility for English Language learners
very demanding timelines
staff developing implementation
will plan on a comprehensive look at that bill at December meeting
also training for vocational teachers
Complaints filed by private schools, under IDEA complain not receiving appropriate funding
schools have now taken appeal to federal DoE
summary of school climate survey: "first attempt to quantify some of the qualitative measures"
provided school level results to principals and superintendents
first time given; still a work in progress
still discovering how useful state and schools will find it
done in partial fulfillment under the anti-bullying act
Students still coming in from Puerto Rico; "if anything it seems to have accelerated"
passed the 1400 mark last week
about 800 in Springfield, Holyoke, New Bedford, Worcester, Boston
still working with districts both for this year and for coming years
had "a wonderful visit" at the McKay School in East Boston
Globe article spotlight on East Boston
"very much engaged staff working collegiality"
McKay "perfect example of a school...doing well and our accountability system recognizes it...it's a Level 1 school"

Peyser: opioid work
curriculum: personal skills and habits to deal with substance abuse and use
ESPERT screening
comprehensive schoolwide systems for information sharing for interventions
schools are organized to ensure that students get the kids of supports that they need not only to avoid addiction but also to deal with those should they happen
interagency effort is ongoing

PUBLIC COMMENT
Virtual schools: first round of comment is the anti-wifi people
as a reminder, here's the science and also here; I'm not using my space for their misinformational fearmongering
The proposal is for virtual schools tuition to increase from the school choice amount ($5000) to $8190
Tech Connections Virtual Schools: proposed allocation
currently 1700 families have enrolled; has implications in how schools are designed to meet the needs of each student
options to families
Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual Schools: "a school of hopes and dreams"
Mental health conditions, debilitating physical conditions, aspiring artists and athletes
change of learning platforms; fully aligned with Massachusetts curricular frameworks
teachers innovate to engage students


Social Studies:
Kerry Dunne: 20 year educator, curriculum coordinator in Weston
President of Mass Council for Social Studies
appreciate the effort to update the standards after 20 years
support for the draft proposed; improvement over current framework
critical to communicate what grade and what content new state assessment will take
"and we would welcome a non-traditional assessment"
clear and firm guidance
"the sad fact is that history and social studies have not been a priority for many years"
a strong statement from the Commissioner that every student needs to have history and social studies on their schedule from a certified teacher
quality, preferably digital resources and quality PD
Haverhill supervisor on history and social studies
also worked on revision
shift from "a laundry list of dates and dead guys..to our nation's story" and the world
build lifelong learners of history
"if we teach more history, we will save the English teachers"
"truly go deep into controversial topics...the struggle is real"
"if we are going to continue to strive for a more perfect union, it may as well start with us"
"there is no better place to continue to be the change than in our classrooms"
iCurrulum (? I think?)
we're getting a ream of survey stuff here 
working on how to discuss controversial issues
Mass state coordinator for the "We the People" program
served on the commissioner for civic learning and engagement
dates and facts "has always minimized" the study
"opportunity for students to critically examine what is being studied"
"to understand the conflicting messages they will hear and confront throughout their lives"
"history is often a varying number of shades of grey"
"dispositions that are most essential for a democratic citizenry"
"our democracy is fragile"
"to create a nation of skeptics, not cynics"

Renewal of Four Rivers Charter
superintendent of the Mohawk Regional District Michael Buoniconti
urges not to renew
"this is a rural issue"
"here to speak about a specific case"
"I understand the need for charters where you have underperforming, failing schools"
"our families have good choices in traditional public schools"
"I'm looking for a partner in Malden"

"A solemn Councel forthwith to be held / At Pandæmonium*"

There were a lot of articles on the MCAS circulating this week.
I can't say we're any the wiser.

I saw this one from Bay State Banner getting shared a good deal, with the quotes being pulled from it either being of the variety that asserted that the new MCAS showed we were going to definitely and for sure have a college ready kids or, on quite the other hand, that it showed that we truly have gone down a long wrong road in education. What I didn't see being shared was Paul Reville's blunt assertion that it's a higher bar, or anyone pointing out that it even straightforwardly is a different test.

Likewise, the Fox 25 coverage resisting the emphasis on MCAS was shared a good deal, approving of Superintendent Jackson's comments about deemphasizing test prep. I didn't see anyone link that to something like Holliston's demographics (7% economically disadvantaged, 3% ELL) and talk about what that meant in Hollison versus places where there might be a valid concern of state intervention or of kids not making it through. I suspect it's closer to what it looks like in Pentucket Regional, where the parents are citing a drop on schooldigger (and a reflection on property values) as a reason for concern.

Today, we had a Globe article, which somehow ascribed to parents and districts confusion the Globe itself had fostered in its coverage: comparing last year to this, speaking fearfully of a "drop" in scores, and lending little lucidity to an already fraught issue.

Two things I didn't see get as much attention were Acting Commissioner Wulfson's note (and I'd put money on that being him; it sounds like him) in yesterday's Weekly Update (note that the doe.gov website is down for the weekend) and an interview with Daniel Koretz, which, contrary to the boosts I largely saw it get, is more about putting standardized testing into perspective than getting rid of it entirely.

I saw a lot of assertions, a number of them false, and I didn't see a lot of attempts to grapple with making good public policy.

Asserting that a single round of a new test demonstrates much of anything other than it being a new test with new systems and materials on which students hadn't been tried is something of a fool's game. You can do it, but it really isn't any different than when I gave my students a test in a format they weren't accustomed to on material they weren't as familiar with.
And we knew we were going to see these results. We've known for months.
Thus I'm frustrated with the idea that, of itself, means much of anything. We can't know that these kids are any better prepared until we get them to whatever we're preparing them for: can they construct more logical arguments? can they reason through a problem? do they write any better than in the past? There are particular things we were told that this test is supposed to do better: does it? I don't think we know that yet.
By the same token, having a harder test itself is no slur against anything. If you as a teacher feel the assessment isn't accurately gauging where your students should be, you create a new one. What I'm not hearing asked enough is if this test is it. If it isn't, how? And what needs to be different?

I'm also deeply and profoundly frustrated by the ways in which the pandæmonium of the extremes is making it impossible to take advantage of openings for conversation. For example: right now, the state is in the process of working through the statewide history and social studies standards. At the end of that, we know, the state is going to implement a statewide history assessment. There have been a significant number of discussions at the Board of Ed that have opened to the door towards this NOT BEING AN EXAM LIKE MCAS. Wulfson and some members of the Board clearly agree that the best way of assessing actual knowledge and skills of social studies and civics is through community and project based knowledge. I have yet to hear or see anyone attempt to work with or on that. If that advantage isn't taken, there are absolutely those who want to see another "run it through the machine" exam, and if you don't think they're already talking, you're wrong. But that conversation is being drowned out by the shouting going on over the changes in the 3-8 ELA and math test.

There's also development a school report card going on, which includes, as ESSA opened the door to, a lot more things on it than test scores. What is that going to look like? What is going to be emphasized? How is the state and how are districts going to highlight that such that an actual variety (however meager in comparison to what we might like) of things are being evaluated? Is that, in other words, going to mean something now? Can we add things? And what is it going to look like to evaluate some schools that maybe are really good at narrow things being evaluated on a wider array of them?

And finally, is anyone, anywhere, going to attempt to have a conversation about what they're looking for in a new Commissioner? We don't hire them often. They have a significant amount of power. Are we just going to shrug and take whatever Chair Sagan and Secretary Peyser decide between them? Because they're absolutely the ones steering that ship.

Some of the above leads back to my perpetual call for better education coverage, yes. Some of it also points to a question of who is actually interested in making public policy versus staking out positions. Public policy means you don't get all your own way, and it means you have to pay attention to things like the $230 million a year we get in Title I funds (that's why we have a federal law to follow) and the 99% (and not shrinking) of kids who took the exam again in a year in which it "didn't count." It means you have to talk to people who disagree with you and maybe get to think they're at least well motivated if wrong.

If we don't do that, decisions are going to happen, anyway, and they're going to be made by those who have the ears of those in power and by those who show up to talk. And that isn't going to serve the kids nor the broad array of--

agriculture, arts, sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures, and a natural history of the country; to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and frugality, honesty and punctuality in their dealings; sincerity, good humor, and all social affections, and generous sentiments among the people.

...all that well. Nor will it preserve our rights and our liberties.

_________________________________________
*lines 755-6, Book 1, Paradise Lost, John Milton
and yes, Milton is talking about Hell

Acting Commissioner Wulfson on assessing districts

Quote in full from yesterday's weekly Commissioner's Update:

It was great seeing many of you at the MASS/MASC conference on the Cape earlier this month. I’m always impressed by the breadth and depth of the panel sessions and presentations on so many vital topics. One session that particularly stood out for me was a presentation by Wakefield Superintendent Kim Smith on the very robust set of rubrics they’ve been developing to measure student growth and learning. MCAS scores are part of it, but so are many other qualitative and quantitative dimensions of student performance. We all know that MCAS does not measure all of the content and skills that we want our students to know. But how often do we hear the complaint that a district is shortchanging some element of the curriculum because “it’s not on MCAS”? I believe it is neither feasible nor desirable for us to expand the state testing program to incorporate every dimension of student learning. So it’s nice to see districts like Wakefield that are willing and able to put MCAS scores into perspective and develop comprehensive local measures to support their educational goals.

Remarks from Acting Commissioner Wulfson at MASS/MASC annual conference

I was (regrettably) on my phone during this, so I'm reconstructing this from my tweets; it is a reconstruction.

Acting Commissioner Wulfson opened by saying that he was going to say what he's been too shy to say for 23 years, and warned that by the time he gets done, no one, including members of his family, may be speaking to him.

• Real changes and progress in schools takes years, whether it's curriculum changes, school turnaround, or other things. The average tenure of a superintendent is now 3 years. What are we doing to support superintendents to stay longer?
• Kids need more time in school, particularly those with greater needs.
• All kids need access to computer science (praising MASS for taking this up).
• Educator licensure is "way too complicated" and needs pruning. There should definitely be some requirements of what you need to know and to do, but the system needs reworking.
• Buildings are expensive to build; we should fix them, not keep building new ones.
• "When did taxes become a four letter word? The original Tea Party was neither anti-government nor anti-taxation."
• Regarding school transportation reimbursement: It “doesn’t seem right to me that Dighton-Rehobeth gets 80% and Taunton gets zero.” 
• On charter schools: “When the kid arrives mid year from Guatemala, he’s going to the district schools” BUT ALSO "there are good charters out there and districts should learn from them." 
• And there is excellent work being done by districts across the state every day.

And I'll close with the same thing I tweeted when he ended: "This is why MASS President (and Taunton Superintendent) Julie Hackett said that if it were up to her, she'd just cross out the "Acting" before "Commissioner." 

I don't always agree with him, and I think he's wrong sometimes, but he never takes criticism personally (at least publicly), he's always up front about what he knows and thinks, and he genuinely cares, not just about kids, but about people doing work in school districts, and sees himself as on the same team. That matters a lot. 

Board of Ed: recap of MCAS results

Wulfson: new test grades 3-8 ELA and math
"by all accounts it was an extremely successful administration"
expressed appreciation to staff "and many hundreds of teachers who engaged with us in all the aspects of test results and scoring"
school and district results provided last week
student and parent reports will be delivered today
providing materials for parents and schools
"not directly comparable"
"designed to signal readiness for academic success at the next grade level"
"a single data point...we caution against reading too many conclusions into it"
transition year because of Board's decision to have an accountability pause to reflect switch to new test as well as new requirements from ESSA
"vast majority of schools did not receive an accountability level this year"
seven Commendation schools
Randolph district exited level 4 status
existing level 4 schools showing good progress, want to see sustained progress over time
some will be good candidates for exiting next year if they maintain progress to date
goal in Level 5 is not to see how fast we can get in or out, but lasting progress
Doherty: very comprehensive presentation and "quite dense"
hope will pause to consider mistakes of the past and not make those mistakes going forward
one mistake was "using test far too much"
"to label schools as failing schools"
NCLB: all students proficient by 2014: a lot of schools labelled failing schools

Evening meeting of the Board of Ed

coming in a bit late here to the presentation; I'll see if I can pick up what I missed later

.@MASchoolsK12 Jeff Wulfson on #MCAS: Students did work they've been doing all along. What's changed is standard is more rigorous. #maedu pic.twitter.com/qmOIpLx32Y

— JC Considine (@ConsidineJC) October 23, 2017

The Board of Ed meets Monday and Tuesday

The Board of Education holds its October meeting Monday and Tuesday of next week; the agenda is posted here.
The Monday evening portion is the MCAS results discussion as well as the discussion on district and school accountability measures. And yes, I'm going to go to that, as well, because it's necessary.

Tuesday morning is their regular meeting; the briefing from the Acting Commissioner is here. Along with the usual round of Acting Commissioner, Chair, Secretary, and public comment, they'll elect the vice-chair (memo on that here).
We'll hear a recap of the previous night's presentation followed by discussion of the competency determination, aka the MCAS graduation requirement, usually taken in grade 10; at the previous meeting, Acting Commissioner Wulfson spoke of the need for an interim step on the transition to the grading standards of the new test, and this looks like more on that.

There's a discussion of the FY19 budget (with no backup. And by the way, I'd be interested in the revenue stream the Department runs on).

There's an update coming on the Level 5 districts and schools. This includes an update on the search for a new Southbridge receiver; they plan to have the position posted in mid-October...UPDATE: I am told the position is posted. There are also updates on the Dever and UP Academy in Boston, Morgan Community in Holyoke, and Parker Elementary in New Bedford. It's interesting to note that in two of those cases, the schools are now operating under their district superintendent, 'though reporting directly to DESE. There's also a schedule of upcoming presentations, which includes one of the Springfield Empowerment Zone (Interesting, as it isn't under a level 5 designation).

There's a report on the revoking of educator licenses (this came up during the revisions to licensure regulations), on which the Globe reported today. I'm interested if the increase in the revoking of licenses is as a result of increased reporting or something else.

Among the reports going to the Board (but not for discussion) is one on school breakfast.

Liveblogs next week!