class of 2021 in reading and math
Curtin: last spring, graduates of '20, and science through class of 2023 modified
plan had been for administration of 2021 in ELA and math in January
waiting to see what trajectory of virus was coming out of winter break "primarily from a safety concern"
announcement was made "to postpone" as it is the Board's decision on competency determination (aka if the Board votes 'no' they need another option)
"we are not providing these students with a diploma" as that is a local determination
the competency determination is the piece that is the state's part
note this is not automatic: last year, only about 2/3rds of seniors earned it
"it is not a given"
Hills: based on history, what percent of students would have ended up passing ordinarily?
Curtin: "it is not high"
fading in and out
over 92% of students have earned it; "need to offer an alternative pathway, given that we will not be offering" the test
Hills: the broader MCAS issue "for me" has nothing to do with this issue
Morton: commend department in getting 92% of students having passed it already
motion, second
Moriarty: "these loosening of standards always concern me a great deal" don't think it helps students
"always feel this is taking away from them"
lessens diploma
do more for these students who aren't taking and passing MCAS
"I hate anything that loosens this system; I don't think it's already strong enough to begin with"
have to accept realities
"I am going to vote for this, but I am deeply sorry to do this; I did not come here to lower standards."
Riley: will discuss more opportunities at February meeting
ACCESS testing: (back to Curtin)
deadline extended out to May 20: hope is there will be more students coming to school
"our intention around the use of the data this year is for diagnostic value"
ACCESS at core is diagnostic test: have looked for federal government about accountability
intent is to not use it in bulk, but to use it as a diagnostic test
"it is a federally required test"
"unless that changes, that federal requirement exists"
get data into hands of educators so they can think about programming
test is also required for a student to exit English learning programs
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
January Board of Ed: competency determination for class of 2021
January Board of Ed: updates on COVID
on to Riley's updates
"continued to inform districts of new development in COVID-19" and state action
modify testing this spring: sampling approach and reducing time administering
accountability relief: no new underperforming and chronically underperforming schools this year
air purifiers: purchased by DESE, shipped to districts; 2 to 3 air exchanges
pool testing in process of being set up
six weeks of kits, support, and results for no cost to districts
rapid antigen test program as well for symptomatic individuals
flu vaccine removed as a requirement: mild flu season to date
request for flexibility around certain federal requirements
US Ed: defer requirement to ID comprehensive and targeted support
await more information
$800M in federal aid; $733M to districts directly, needs based
10% under DESE's control to ID needs throughout system
$5.6M to all districts and charters receiving some under formula grant (who otherwise wouldn't)
seeking more on Biden's proposed additional plan
SOA plans...were finally really due
high school teacher internships: professional development to begin later in February
Hills: federal flexibility: "there was nothing having to do with MCAS in Massachusetts"
Riley: awaiting any movement from the federal government
Hills: "trust me, I'm not looking for it"
and I think Fernández is asking a question we can't hear?
ACCESS testing query: reasonable cause to revisit EL requirements
DESE has extended window to take place to May
was recommendation to consolidate multiple tests
questions around not knowing how many children will show up; possible high numbers not
results might be incomplete or invalid
reluctance for families to send children into buildings
also relief on low participation
other options for determination of competency as is being done for seniors and MCAS
matters of practicality: some real challenges with transportation, technology, and staffing issues
recommend they be taken seriously
Riley: awaiting ground rules at federal and state level (state level?)
more coming
Lombos: want to fully support Fernández says
have made their cases; I don't think we have to rehash those points
want to revisit MCAS and ACCESS requirement
"other ideas and ways...would love to have more conversation about"
January Board of Ed: opening comments
The agenda is here; the video will be here.
updating as we go
coming in late as the initial broadcast had no sound...missed several rounds of public testimony...and again...and now?
public testimony on ACCESS testimony:
requesting suspension of ACCESS and MCAS
"why are we worrying about a test when our children are struggling with isolation"
"poor allocation of our resources"
"I really have no sensible answer" for why you're doing this now
only widening gaps, measuring who has had access to the internet
"we ask was it worth it"
"you keep asking us to make it worth, but is it worth it?"
find a different way to make it work without high stakes testing
regional vocational schools admission
Cabral: superintendent of Taunton
our responsibility to advocate for our students and our families
advocate for our children
speaks of his own family history, parents directing to access to education
admission denies some students access to vocational schools
once denied admission, they have little chance to transfer later
"many at risk students lose interest in education, because the curriculum does not seem to have" real world application
urge those with a voice in authority to create systemic changes
"should not be a one-time opportunity or a decision made by a 13 year old in 8th grade"
should not forget those new to our country
create greater opportunity for students to access opportunities and to gain them if they were denied access
"leaves comprehensive schools at the mercy of regional vocational schools"
quotes student in Taunton High in their drafting program: hoping internship with lead to full time employment
NAACP: Juan Cofield
education has been a central concern of NAACP "almost from its inception"
"in support of a change in admission policy of the voke schools" for equal access of these schools to students in the Commonwealth
students of color represent a significantly smaller number of students enrolled
"dramatic underrepresentation" of students of color in regional voke schools
"there must be an open enrollment policy for voke schools"
Constitution of the Commonwealth; 14th amendment on equal access
"should be a function of capacity" rather than the chance of the students getting in
"currently exclusionary admission policy practice is just simply illegal and it discrimates against protected classes...it is blatant race-based discrimination"
should require a lottery system for admission for 21-22 school year
Kevin Murray, Mass Advocates for Children
sound went out again
evolution of admission for programs
"has turned these schools into another form of selective admission schools"
Commissioner has attempted to encourage voluntary changes, with no results so far
and he's speaking of some proposed changes but I don't know what those are or what group he's talking about
teacher licensure proposal
speaker: have been a substitute, general curriculum MTEL is all that stands before her
Has taken the MTEL over 20 times and have spent over $1000 on books and prep material
have been to public schools with teachers who never took the exam
"make a necessary change in public education"
lack of diversity in teaching
Chair Katherine Craven: thank Board for participation in anti-racism training
will follow up with second round in spring
Amanda Fernández on teacher diversity: except she can't hear the meeting
committee met last month and will continue to meet quarterly
Updates on current work
new potential areas of work; financial support for college students, other opportunities
Matt Hills being added to the Commissioner's review committee
Evidence-based policymaking; adopted with Board of Higher Ed
West: at Feb. 1 meeting with discuss progress on student longitudual data system
Secretary Peyser: who I think is talking about finance but is fading in and out
"vast majority of" federal resources still available "has not been drawn down"
"suggests our schools and districts are going to be going into FY22 in pretty good shape"
references Globe article on reading: incumbent on schools to provide interventions
"the early years are critical for building reading skills"
"very hard to recover" if students don't build reading skills early
Riley: announcement of guidance counselor award
dyslexia guidance
STEM Advanced Placement access opportunity
Saturday, January 23, 2021
And so to FY22
And so, on to FY22.
Governor Baker's address to the annual Mass Municipal Association yesterday gave the traditional handtip of what's coming on the state budget. He said his budget that will be filed Wednesday (called "House 1" as it's the first budget of the new Legislative session; next year is "House 2"; and no one ever explains these things) will "fully fund" the first year of the Student Opportunity Act.
Hm. Okay. I have some questions, which I went through in a gif Twitter thread yesterday:
If you don't want to run through the 90210 gifs, I'll note in brief:Okay, #MAEdu, let's talk FY22 and the Student Opportunity Act: https://t.co/o1tgppGy4K pic.twitter.com/FabP2qOsbI
— Tracy O'Connell Novick (@TracyNovick) January 22, 2021
- Baker says he's funding the "first year" of SOA. This is not, however, the first year of SOA; this is the second year of SOA. It didn't get funded last year. The reset of the clock without comment repeats the error of the implementation of the original school funding reform, when some aspects did not kick in the first year.
School funding builds on itself. A year missed is never recovered. - What are the numbers being used? If what this is based on is the October enrollment as counted, that is missing kids that were held out this year; there are thousands of preschool and kindergarten students that are, should this be in any kind of check by fall, going to be back in classrooms, joining those who would normally be turning up this year. Districts are going to get slammed with enrollment, with funding that's based on those students not existing. That's a problem. We should be holding enrollment harmless this year.
- Unless the Governor has been enlightened, I would assume he's going to claim he's "fully funding" the SOA if the low income count does the one year middle ground proposed last year--that is, the higher of the direct certification count OR the FY16 % of low income students--plus a bit more in funding. That isn't equitable implementation as required by the language of the law itself. There being more poor kids across the state is no excuse for each of those children being funded at a lower increase.
- And speaking of low income, do we have any real idea of how many kids are low income now, given the pandemic and unemployment? If we're basing that on October's numbers, are we sure we've got all the kids that should be counted?
Things I read this week on COVID-19
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| Front page of the New York Times for Tuesday, January 19, 2021: deaths |
Most of this ends up on my Twitter feed and some of it I post on my blog Facebook page, but here's a collection for your reference:
- Just this morning, I read this interview in Der Spiegel with virologist Christian Drosten, who is among those advising the German government. I highly recommend reading it all--there's even a Douglas Adams reference!--but for the questions of schools, this is relevant:
DER SPIEGEL: The issue of school closures was the subject of hours of debate on Tuesday during the meeting between Merkel and the state governors. Why has it been so difficult for scientists to convince people on this issue?
Drosten: To be honest, even without our study on viral loads in children, I would not have considered it likely that children would be spared by SARS-CoV-2. From a purely biological perspective, the mucous membrane doesn't change all that much during puberty. Which means that children can also get infected – and be contagious. That so many doubts about that fact have arisen was always, and still is, confusing to me. - The Danes are sequencing all samples of the coronavirus they get, and they are worried:
Like a speeding car whose brake lines have been cut, the coronavirus variant first spotted in Britain is spreading at an alarming rate and isn’t responding to established ways of slowing the pandemic, according to Danish scientists who have one of the world’s best views into the new, more contagious strain.
Cases involving the variant are increasing 70 percent a week in Denmark, despite a strict lockdown, according to Denmark’s State Serum Institute, a government agency that tracks diseases and advises health policy.
Note that the "strict lockdown" noted above includes even primary schools. They're discussing closing preschools
- Referenced in that article and discusses further here, there's some concern that the variant that's been spreading from the U.K. is more deadly:
England’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, offered an example. He said that among 1,000 men in England age 60 or older who get infected, the original virus would kill 10. The new variant, he said, would kill 13 or 14. That would represent a 30 percent rise in mortality, though it is important to note that absolute risk of death remains low. - Here in the U.S., we (whew!) inaugurated a new president who got right to work on this. For coverage of what the actions mean for schools, I do recommend reading the actual executive order to the Secretary of Education issued by President Biden which directs delivery of:
...evidence-based guidance to assist States and elementary and secondary schools in deciding whether and how to reopen, and how to remain open, for in-person learning; and in safely conducting in-person learning...
I've seen some online consternation at the word "whether" in that part, but, well, read the preceding. Good coverage of this, as always, from Chalkbeat, and more here from EdWeek, which notes that the executive order is only a beginning; there's the vaccine rollout, major testing needed, and simply overall:
More likely to be influential are the administration’s broader efforts to contain the virus’s spread and get Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible. - And speaking of vaccines, here's ten minutes with Dr. Anthony Fauci on vaccines and such, a satire piece on "Fauci unchained" and a reflection in the New England Journal of Medicine reflection on lessons from measles on vaccination of children.
Note that the Moderna trial is looking for participants from ages 12-17 and one of the sites is in Worcester.
There's concern about the national vaccine supply, and of course, the Massachusetts vaccine rollout has been slow and racially inequitable.
In the meantime, there are things we can do to drive down the spread now.
Monday, January 18, 2021
...regarding in school transmission
Early last week, I received a lengthy, footnoted letter from a Worcester Public School student, pressing for a return to school buildings.
Let me note first: I do so love getting emails from students! or any contact at all from students! Keep those coming!
It repeated--not surprisingly, as this has been the main push in much of the press--the idea that schools were safe from COVID transmission. As I haven't done a blog post on that--I just keep tweeting out links to things--I am excerpting here that section of my response to the student letter, for both myself and others who might find it useful.
The science of transmission of COVID-19 in schools is something that I've been reviewing with care since last spring.
It has been apparent from fairly early on that children more often get coronavirus asymptomatically; the CDC, for example, notes that as many as half of COVID-19 cases in children may be asymptomatic. On the same page, they note the main issue that has plagued us from the beginning:
Without widespread testing of all--including asymptomatic!--individuals, we simply do not know the rates of coronavirus among us.The true incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is not known due to lack of widespread testing and the prioritization of testing for adults and those with severe illness.
We do, though, have research from places that have been doing testing. The models, which like those you cited, are from Europe, give us troubling perspective on the reality of COVID-19 in schools. In mid-December, the German magazine Der Spiegel had what has been one of the better reviews of this research as of that date. As you'll see in the piece, Austrian researchers have been, since late summer, been conducting research in 240 schools in Austria in which students and teachers are being regularly tested. This weekend, the Wall Street Journal included an update of that research in an extensive article they did on schools across Europe now closing; they've found:
In Austria, a nationwide survey by universities and medical institutes found that children under 10 showed a similar rate of infection to those between 11 and 14, and that the children in general were getting infected as often as teachers, said Michael Wagner, a microbiologist at the University of Vienna who oversees the study.
“That is very different to what has been claimed for months, that younger children are less frequently infected,” said Mr. Wagner. The study, funded by the government, regularly analyzes samples from up to 15,000 children between the age of 6 and 15, as well as teachers who show no symptoms.
The United Kingdom has been widely held up for keeping schools open even during their fall lockdown. The U.K. also is regularly testing 2% of their population. During that fall lockdown, when just about everything but schools were closed, (to quote from the WSJ again):
Scientists also point to data from the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics, which conducts a weekly random survey of the population. Just before the Christmas break, when schools were still open, the positivity rate among children was higher than in most adult groups, especially in those older than 11.
That stuns Benjamin Linas, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine who has advocated for opening schools under strict safety measures. “You can only open your school safely if you have COVID under control in your community,” Linas says.
Schools can and do contribute to community transmission, and we must, above all, hold the lives of those in our district at high enough value to appropriately manage that.
...
Superintendent Binienda's goals
I realized that in the flurry of, well, everything, I never did a post on Superintendent Binienda's goals for this year. After a lengthy subcommittee discussion, and further editing at the full committee level, they were passed December 17; they can be found online on page 23 here.
They're important to know both because, of course, they're the grounds on which the superintendent is evaluated, but I think also they reflect a number of the concerns that have been forwarded by the community over the past several years.
Professional Practice Goal:
During the 2020-21 school year, create a school and district community environment that promotes two way communication with families and provide resources for effective student learning and performance.
Student Learning Goal:
Fifty percent of students in grades four, five and six that participated in the Fall start baseline assessment will achieve a student growth percentage of forty or higher by June of 2021.
District Improvement Goal 1:
Increase diversity of new hires to 17% by June 2021 and continue to improve both the recruitment and retention rates. (Strategic Plan Benchmark 2021)
District Improvement Goal 2:
By June 2021, develop an annual budget that is aligned with the Strategic Plan.
District Improvement Goal 3:
Lower the out of school suspension rate by five percent for Special Education Group C students with emotional disabilities through evidence based targeted intervention and resources by June 2021.