With the imminent release of the Readiness Project report, Governor Deval Patrick is continuing to assemble a strong leadership team to act on these recommendations to improve public pre-K to higher education in the Commonwealth over the next decade. So, it is no surprise to those who have been involved with her work at MBAE and in other education leadership roles, that Maura Banta, Chairman of MBAE's Board and IBM's East Coast Regional Manager for Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs has been appointed to chair the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. She takes over from current Chairman Paul Reville, co-founder of MBAE, who has been appointed to the new position of Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth, overseeing the three state education agencies responsible for early childhood, K-12, and higher education. MBAE is proud of its association with such strong, experienced and committed leaders, and is ready to continue its role on behalf of the business community to accelerate progress on education reform and ensure that all of our students receive a high quality and equitable public education.
In this issue...
- New Education Accountability System Proposed
- Partnership for 21st Skills Task Force Formed
- Elementary Science Education Report and E-Forum
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Legislature Acting on Education Accountability |
Education Committee Co-Chairs Propose New Approach 
Accountability is one of the three components - along with high standards and equitable funding - that is at the core of the educational reform compact established by the Education Reform Act of 1993. Although it is a critical element in the progress Massachusetts has made in student achievement since then, there have been repeated attempts to eliminate or dramatically weaken a system that is often cited as a national model. Fortunately, Senator Robert Antonioni and Representative Patricia Haddad, co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Education, have crafted a proposal that will maintain this important function and address the need to connect it with technical assistance to help correct deficiencies identified during school and district evaluations.
The bill, H. 4859, will establish a new office of accountability and assistance in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that will conduct reviews of schools and districts (75% underperforming and 25% chosen randomly and from higher performing districts) using proven measurements to assess their performance. A 13-member Advisory Council will guide the new office, which is charged with sharing best practices with all districts annually and conducting surveys to evaluate its own performance. Although MBAE favored retention of an independent office, the expertise that Commissioner Mitchell Chester brings in this field is cause for optimism that contention over this important activity can be put to rest and the Commonwealth can move forward with a credible and effective system for ensuring that the substantial public investment in education is resulting in positive gains for children and for our communities. |
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Task Force on 21st Century Skills |
Seeking Comments on Educating Students for Success |
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Recognizing the changing demands of a competitive global economy, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has convened a Task Force on 21st Century Skills to advise the Board about how to integrate 21st century learning into the curriculum and instruction of the state's public schools. MBAE is represented on the Task Force by Board member Robert Richardson, East Coast Education Program Manager at Intel Corporation in Hudson, MA. The Task Force will make recommendations about how standards, assessments, accountability, curriculum, professional and teacher development can all be influenced to reflect and develop the critical skills that students need to succeed in a 21st century economy and society. These skills include oral and written communication, critical thinking, technical literacy, global and cultural competency, problem-solving, and other applied skills necessary for success. The Task Force is soliciting comments which may be sent electronically to 21stcenturyskills@doe.mass.edu by clicking the link below. Share Your Comments
The Board of Education is also seeking candidates to serve on the many Advisory Councils established by various statutes. Business community participation is particularly important and anyone interested should click here for information about the Advisory Councils and their areas of focus, as well as how to indicate your interest in serving on one of these. |
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Elementary Science an Essential Foundation for STEM Talent |
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School Audit Report and E-Forum |
 The Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy has issued the first report of a two-part study on opportunities for Massachusetts students to learn science. This research analyzes students' opportunities to learn science in high- and low-performing schools and, importantly, profiles the promising practices of schools that are beating the odds and succeeding at educating students to high levels in science.
Opportunity to Learn Audit: Elementary School Science, the report issued this week, finds that "Elementary school is the fundamental starting point for students, and as such, carries the potential for future scientists and scientifically-literate citizens to be developed and encouraged." The second part of the study will focus on grades 9 to 12, where most efforts to interest more students in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields have been directed.
This month's Rennie Center e-forum provides comments from three Massachusetts STEM education leaders about the report. This issue becomes more timely and urgent as the 2010 requirement for students to pass a science MCAS exam to earn a Massachusetts high school diploma approaches.
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| MBAE Thanks our Supporters |
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MBAE's work is made possible by the financial support of generous individuals and -
Abt Associates
AT&T Foundation
Braver
Citizens Bank
Comcast
The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
EMC Corporation
IBM
Intel
Pearson
Shields Healthcare Group
Slowey/McManus
TD Banknorth
Verizon | |
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