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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Incoming education commissioner outlines priorities
BOSTON (SHNS) – Literacy, teacher recruitment and retention, and promoting bilingual education are at the top of the priority list for the state's new K-12 commissioner of education. Pedro Martinez will begin running Massachusetts's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on July 1, after former Commissioner Jeff Riley stepped down in March 2024 and over a year of interim leadership. Speaking at his first public event in Massachusetts since he was chosen for the role, Martinez outlined some of his priority goals on Tuesday at a Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education event in Boston. Among them is getting students back on track when it comes to reading. 'This issue has been front and center for students, as students return from the pandemic. And by the way this is national. Anybody who was a parent of a young child remembers, and remember our third and fourth graders today, those were children that were going to start their education during the pandemic period. So it's not a coincidence,' Martinez said. Teachers, education advocates and state officials in Massachusetts have been talking about improving student literacy for years, as young people have struggled with reading and writing after the pandemic. On last year's state testing, 41% of third through eighth graders scored in the 'meeting or exceeding expectations' range for English Language Arts. Currently the superintendent of Chicago Public Schools, Martinez said that in the city 'we realized that the only way to really solve this is we had to go back to the basics.' 'So we had to bring them in as soon as possible,' he said. 'So we expanded universal preschool across every one of the 77 communities. Free, full-day preschool. There we started laying the foundations.' In Chicago, they began 'implementing the foundational skills from pre-K through fifth grade — some people call it the 'science of reading,' ' he said. 'The instruction incorporates best practices such as abundant reading of diverse texts, frequent opportunities for students to write about what they read, and teaching students how to communicate with digital environments.' Science of reading is not one specific curriculum program that districts can buy, but a collection of research based on phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. The approach to teaching reading differs from past approaches partially by emphasizing phonics instruction — teaching students to understand how letters and groups of letters link to sounds and spelling patterns — though it is not wholly based on phonics. The term science of reading has been around for over a century, but has recently become shorthand to discuss using cognitive research on how children's brains work while reading, and using more classroom time on learning to sound out words and work on comprehension. 'I'll tell you, going into classrooms and seeing kindergartners write about something they've read, it's priceless, especially in high-poverty communities,' Martinez said. Gov. Maura Healey launched a program dubbed 'Literacy Launch' last year that secured $20 million in the state budget, in addition to $38 million in federal literacy grants, focused on getting higher-quality literacy materials into dozens of districts, which they're hoping will translate into improved reading scores and an improvement in the foundational skill on which all other learning depends. 'I know that Massachusetts recently adopted a long-term plan to improve literacy as well. I commit to you I will do everything in my power to ensure that that plan is successful,' Martinez said. In addition to literacy, Martinez said he'd be focused on recruiting and retaining high qualified educators. He shared a story about a teacher who he said changed the trajectory of his life. His sixth grade teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, Mr. Asher, 'was the first teacher that told me I was actually below grade level. He was actually the first teacher that said, 'I'm going to hold you accountable and you're going to make sure that you're going to rise up to that challenge.'' Martinez credited Mr. Asher with his coming out of 6th grade above grade level, and eventually becoming the first in his family to graduate high school and finish college. 'Mr. Asher changed my life,' he said. 'A highly qualified educator is the number one way to really close achievement gaps, and therefore, how we recruit, how we retain teachers — there are proven strategies across the country — and that's what I really want to look at.' He recommended a few ideas, including teacher residency and internal recruitment programs. In Chicago, he said, the district created a program called Teach Chicago Tomorrow. 'We're always complaining that we can't find highly qualified teachers, but guess where the students start? They start in K-12, right? In the districts. And so in Chicago we started working with the higher ed community, identifying students that had a passion for education, giving them really a clear path for them to be able to not only get support financially, get mentorship all the way through finishing to become teachers in our schools,' Martinez said. He added that thousands of paraprofessionals also moved into teacher roles through a similar program. Another priority Martinez highlighted Tuesday was bilingual education. 'I think we need to go even deeper in Massachusetts,' he said. 'One of the blessings that I feel is to be bicultural, to be bilingual is such a gift. It is such a gift. And so why wouldn't we want that for all of our children in Massachusetts? Why wouldn't we want all of our children to have access to multiple languages? Martinez immigrated to Illinois from Mexico when he was five years old. The last priority he highlighted was helping connect Massachusetts students to higher education. He talked about working in the San Antonio school district in Texas, where he saw people move from out of state to take advantage of Texas's strong economy while local students struggled to get jobs. 'Texas imports a lot of their labor, and then we have individuals that grew up in Texas, and there was a mixed bag. And so my question in Massachusetts, how do we make sure that it's our students that live in Massachusetts? How do we make sure that it's our students that are taking advantage of the amazing, amazing higher ed infrastructure that exists in the state?' he said. He added that 'one thing that I'm really anxious to talk to everyone about is, how do we get rid of this conversation of careers or college? That's not a thing everybody.' Martinez proposed working with community colleges and creating pathways in manufacturing, technology and health care to connect higher education and career opportunities for students after high school. 'I can't help but just recognize where I'm at in Massachusetts. This is a rich history, as everybody talked about, of education here,' he said. 'I can just imagine in 1993 when many fine individuals in this room came together to pass the Massachusetts Education Reform Act that has now put Massachusetts, in my opinion, number one in the nation. So think of this moment now. This is a time when we can come together, we can build a similar bold vision about what we expect our students to be able to do after high school.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Post MCAS, here's how the state proposes measuring graduation readiness
Here's what to know: State would require students to pass specific classes Massachusetts law requires all students to demonstrate their competency to graduate high school. To meet this so-called 'competency determination,' students since 2003 had been required to pass 10th grade MCAS exams. Related : Advertisement That changed in November, with Now, the state education department is proposing a new way for students to demonstrate their competency and, thus, meet state-level expectations. Under the department's proposed regulatory changes, presented at Tuesday's board meeting, the state would for the first time require students to master specific coursework. Specifically, students, beginning with the class of 2026, would be required to satisfactorily complete at least the following classes: two years of high school English Language Arts Algebra I and Geometry or Integrated Math I and II one year of biology, physics, chemistry, or technology/engineering In addition, the students in the class of 2026 and beyond also would need to show 'mastery' in those classes. Students can demonstrate mastery, according to the proposed regulation, through an end-of-course exam, portfolio of work, or an equivalent measure determined by a local district. The proposed regulation adds US history as a required course and area of mastery for students beginning with the class of 2027. State: Changes would restore equity Some advocates in the wake of Question 2 worried the lack of a uniform graduation requirement could lead to inequitable student learning experiences. Related : Robert Curtin, chief officer for data, assessment, and accountability for the department, said the state's proposed regulations are intended to provide a 'minimum level of equity across districts.' Advertisement The new competency determination would serve as a baseline graduation standard for all students in the state and would apply in conjunction with a local district's graduation requirements. For example, a local district also may require students to pass two years of a foreign language. Critics of the proposed regulation, though, argue it isn't rigorous enough. A coalition of advocacy groups, including the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, is calling on the department to incorporate G.P.A. requirements into the regulation, for example. Fight over MCAS scores continues Under the department's proposal, students without access to traditional transcripts, such as migrant or homeschooled students, could use a passing MCAS score to satisfy the state-level competency determination. The advocacy groups say all students should have that opportunity — an option backed during Tuesday's meeting by vice chair Matt Hills, of Newton. The state's largest teachers union, meanwhile, said the continued use of MCAS scores in determining a student's fate 'would undermine the goal of Question 2, which was to promote more authentic teaching and learning.' 'What we learned during the Question 2 campaign from students, educators and families is that they want schools that focus on the critical thinking skills and academic foundations that matter, and not on test prep,' Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy said in a joint statement. Related : The state board on Tuesday agreed to present the department's formal proposal for public feedback. But it will also ask, at Hill's request, that the public weigh in on whether MCAS scores should be included as an option for the competency determination. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is accepting public comments on the proposed regulations through April 4. The state education board is scheduled to issue a final vote on the regulations on May 5. Advertisement Mandy McLaren can be reached at
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Amid Mass. school budget crises, lawmakers weigh how to fix school funding system
The recommendations could address budget challenges districts are facing due to causes including recent high inflation, the end of federal pandemic relief funds, and the rising costs of special education and student transportation. 'There are few issues as important as ensuring we have well-funded, high-quality public schools for all of our children, no matter what communities they live in,' Lewis said. 'Even though the inflation rate has come down to more manageable levels, we had several years where inflation was quite high, and that has a real impact on school districts.' Related : Advertisement Lewis helped lead the creation of the But that financial boost has been School leaders, teachers unions, and advocates have Advertisement Ed Lambert, director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, said it made sense to try to address some of the challenges identified by Lewis, but said the state should not just be focused on how much money it provides districts. 'We need to really be prioritizing, along with how the money is distributed, how the money is being spent,' Lambert said. 'If they're not spending it on evidence-based practices ... you can change the formula all you want, it's not going to make a difference.' Lambert's group is one of those that would get a seat on the commission, according to the bill. Other drivers of rising costs include Making district finances more difficult is the state's property tax cap, which limits increases to 2.5 percent annually unless voters Colin Jones, deputy policy director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a progressive think tank that would get a seat on the commission, said in a statement his group has not taken a position on the bill, but immediate action is also necessary. 'Over the past five years, the Student Opportunity Act has added $1 billion in school funding across Massachusetts,' Jones said. 'Even with that incredible progress, it is a fitting time to have a systemic review of K-12 funding.' Related : Advertisement Lewis acknowledged the budget challenges go beyond the schools, and said he would also support reexamining how the state distributes other local aid, but education is his priority. 'The school budgets are typically by far the largest part of municipal budgets, so if a community is looking to have to make budget cuts, that's often going to fall disproportionately on the schools,' he said. This year also marked the Lewis noted the commission would take years to produce a new school funding formula and said the state should try to provide more funds to school districts on an annual basis in the meantime. based on enrollment, except the state does not cut aid to districts with falling populations. That could even include examining areas of potential cost savings, Lewis said, such as having small districts with declining enrollment share resources or consolidate. Advertisement The commission would include members of both parties in the state Legislature, the state education department, teachers unions, various municipal and school associations, and five appointees of the governor. The commission would also consider removing or altering a requirement for the state to assist even the wealthiest towns with their school budgets. The state calculates a 'foundation budget' required to adequately educate the community's students (though districts can and do spend more) and funds at least 17.5 percent of the foundation budget for every district. Lambert said the commission should address that provision as well as the annual per-student increase received by every district, as both run counter to the system's goal of sending Christopher Huffaker can be reached at
