The MCAS can was kicked down the road again with the postponement of the July 25, 2022 BESE meeting.
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was scheduled to meet on a rare Monday meeting on July 25, 2022. However, the meeting was postponed for unknown reasons and the fate of the proposed MCAS score increase remains in the balance.
UPDATE from State House News Service:
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was supposed to meet Monday, but its meeting was scrubbed because two members’ time on the state board has expired and the new appointments are not yet ready for a meeting… The meeting could be rescheduled for early August, once the new members are sworn in and have gone through board training, the DESE official said. – Colin A. Young/SHNS
On the agenda for the July meeting were some additional regulations posted for public comment, approvals for charter school contracts and a vote to approve the “accountability lite” proposal.
Nevertheless, the BESE is poised to persist on approving the clunky regulatory language related to the Competency Determination with just a vague assurance that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will do a better job of making sure schools, students and parents are aware of their rights to an Educational Proficiency Plan (EPP), MCAS Performance Appeal and MCAS Portfolio Appeals
We do know that Commissioner Jeff Riley had received over 650 pages of public comment on the proposed score increases. Only one individual and three organizations supported the proposed score increase – and surprise – none of the supporters represent parents, educators or public schools.
So what changed from the Commissioner’s original proposed MCAS Competency Determination language after hearing public comment from hundreds of education experts and organizations representing thousands of education professionals? Commissioner Riley carefully considered public comment and decided to move forward with his original proposal. Nothing changed.
At the time of publication, no make up date for the BESE meeting has been announced and we do not know if there will be changes to the original agenda.
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