The BESE agenda for June 28 is out – an MCAS scores are not on the agenda. Is this a case for Scooby Doo?
You may remember the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education put draft amendments to the regulations out for public comment that would raise the MCAS scores for a Competency Determination and add inflexible requirements for the Educational Proficiency Plans (EPP) for students who score at Partially Meeting Expectations on the Grade 10 MCAS.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation for Teachers – MA, MATSOL, 97 state legislators, students and pretty much everyone with common sense raised the red flag on this proposal.
We all waited with bated breath for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education agenda to be posted this week…and nothing. The proposed amendments to 603 CMR 30.00 and 31.00 are not on the agenda and will not be voted on this week.
What does this mean? We don’t know yet. DESE could be allowing common sense to prevail by waiting a year or more to adjust scores. Perhaps the staff agreed that educators should be at the table to develop meaningful supports for students at risk of not graduating or underprepared for post-high school life?
Notably, other proposed regulation changes are also missing from the agenda. It is our understanding the proposals are not scrapped. We can expect to see them return at a later BESE meeting. Happy summer everyone!