Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council Meeting Highlights
Stay updated with the latest discussions and developments from the Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council Meeting on June 4, 2025. Topics include DESE updates, district reviews, competency determination, planning for the upcoming academic year, and more. Explore the council's charge, norms, and accountability structures for a comprehensive overview of the educational landscape. Engage in meaningful conversations and promote student-centered decision-making in this essential advisory council meeting.
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Presentation Transcript
Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council Meeting June 4, 2025 1
Agenda Welcome, Introductions, and Review of Norms DESE Updates District reviews Accountability system review Reimagining DESE s data reporting tools Competency determination (CD) Planning for SY2025-2026 Council s charge Council norms DESE s accountability and assistance offices (structure and roles) Meeting format Next Steps and Closing 2
Welcome and Introductions Introductions: Council Co-Chair: Barish Icin Council members BESE Liaison: Dr. Marty West DESE staff 3
Discussion Norms and Meeting Protocols Promote risk-taking by not assigning specific comments to individual members in meeting summaries & minutes. Maintain respect before, during, & after meetings. Seek clarification & check understanding to avoid mistakenly attributing ideas to an individual or organization represented on the council. Keep improvements in student learning at the core of the discussions. Students should drive the conversation. Stay engaged in the issues. Actively address implicit biases & instill cultural proficiency in discussions. Encourage discussion from all voices of members. Be additive, not repetitive. Let members know if pre-reading or other pre-meeting assignments require more than 30 minutes of preparation time. Make it fun! 4
AAAC Charge for SY24-25 The School and District Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council (AAAC) advises the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education on matters pertinent to the development of school and district accountability in the Commonwealth. To accomplish that goal, the Council will: Continue to advise the Department and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on the implementation of the currently approved district and school accountability and assistance system. Provide input and feedback on potential changes to the district and school accountability system, ensuring that the system produces high-quality, objective, and unbiased information that allows the Department, districts, and schools to partner together to advance the Department s Educational Vision and Strategic Objectives. 5
DESE Updates 6 6
District Reviews The revised District Standards and Indicators have been used for all reviews in SY2025, providing a greater level of detail in the reports Reports from this year s reviews are being published upon completion Districts that have been selected for a review in SY2026 were notified in late February DESE is finalizing a contract with an external partner to support the district review process in SY2026 DESE will adjust the review process in SY2026 based on feedback from AAAC to include post-review debrief meetings and findings calls DESE will be updating its district review website in the coming weeks 7
Accountability System In the 2023-2024 school year, DESE convened an external advisory committee to review and develop recommendations for potential changes to the state s district and school accountability system Using the committee s report, an internal group of DESE staff, representing a broad range of program offices and expertise, has been engaged in ongoing discussions related to potential future changes to the system In consultation with the Commissioner, this work will continue in SY2025- 2026 The Council will receive ongoing updates, and discussion topics will be proposed as needed 8
DESEs Data Reporting Tools In Spring 2025, DESE and EOE IT launched a joint effort to reimagine our School and District Profiles and other DESE data reporting tools (DART, RADAR, Education-to-Career Data Hub, etc.) Stakeholder engagement included surveys, focus groups, and interviews (virtual and in-person) Input will be used to better understand: Which tools our users rely on most How and why they use these tools What needs are not met through the existing tools In the coming months, DESE and EOE IT continue the work of developing a future Profiles that: Integrates existing tools Addresses pain points and/or gaps Better meets the needs of the wide range of stakeholders they are intended to serve 9
Competency Determination New regulations are related to the Competency Determination (CD) and NOT a broader set of statewide graduation requirements Statutory language for CD only covers through grade 10 Regulations are meant to serve as a bridge to a longer-term solution from the Statewide Graduation Council and Legislature Statewide Graduation Council has begun its work with three meetings and two open listening sessions 10
Changes to CD Regulations Removed obsolete language regarding the MCAS; Defined terms found in the new statutory language to provide clarity (i.e., satisfactorily completing coursework and showing mastery ); Specified minimum requirements to earn the CD; Added United States history to the areas included in the CD, beginning with the graduating class of 2027; Offers a narrow option for students in exceptional circumstances to earn the CD by attaining a qualifying score of at least Meeting Expectations or Exceeding Expectations on the relevant high school MCAS test; and Requires that districts adopt a CD policy and certify to DESE that the policy complies with the regs, DESE can audit the quality of districts CD policies. 11
Competency Determination Next Steps DESE is currently developing guidance that clarifies the requirements and addresses next steps, including: Answers frequently asked questions about new requirements Defines process and timeline for what must be adopted and submitted to DESE Reaffirms requirements for students with disabilities and English learners Outlines commitments by DESE around public reporting of policies and local requirements 12
Planning for SY2025-2026 13 13
Council Charge and Norms In consultation with the Commissioner, DESE will develop a charge for the Council for SY2025-2026 In consultation with the Council Co-Chairs, DESE may propose a review/revision of the Council s current meeting norms, to align with the charge, priorities, meeting format, etc. 14
SY2025-2026 Meetings Potential agenda items: Ongoing updates and discussions regarding the accountability system (review work, potential system changes, etc.) DESE s accountability and assistance offices (structure and roles) Meeting format Discussion of in-person versus virtual meetings 15
Next Steps and Closing 16 16
