District/School Administration Administration
Commissioner's Updates - Archive

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1997

December 2, 1997  

1. Reminder--Reimbursements available for transporting low income students under school choice or to charter schools
2. Request for Services for Spring, 1998 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education evening/weekend/school vacation content institutes in English Language Arts and History/Social Science
3. Flyer regarding uninsured children health insurance awareness campaign
4. Announcement of 1998-1999 Christa McAuliffe Fellowship Program opportunity for one K-12 teacher
5. Memorandum regarding school bus driver shortage
6. Handy rolodex card for Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with new area code

November 12, 1997  

1. College-to-School Report, issued by the Board of Higher Education.
2. This is being released publicly on Thursday November 13. The report includes information on the need for remedial education in Massachusetts institutions of higher education for high school graduates from the class of 1995. Individual high school reports are included.
3. Announcement of grant opportunity in the area of educational technology--under federal Technology Literacy Challenge Grant, "Projects with Statewide Impact."
4. Memorandum on appropriate certifications for persons engaged in reading instruction.
5. Board-in-Brief summary of November 4 Board of Education meeting.
6. Brochure describing school-to-work activities underway in sample Massachusetts communities.
7. Memorandum providing new contact hotline for superintendents for teacher certification matters.
8. Request for nominees for federal teacher recognition program--Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science.
9. Invitation for participation in Governor's Fitness Awards Program.

October 20, 1997  

1. Recertification Guide for Massachusetts Educators. This is being mailed within the next two weeks to all teachers at their home addresses. We are providing this advance copy for all superintendents and principals. We are ready to recertify educators now.
2. Fall, 1997 update on educational technology. This newsletter contains useful information about educational technology developments of considerable interest.
3. Fall, 1997 edition of "The Connector," - newsletter describing statewide school to-work activities.
4. "Notice of agency interpretation of regulation," concerning school construction projects. Please read this notice in full, and I especially draw your attention to the final paragraph.
5. Board-in-Brief, summary of October 8 MA Board of Education meeting.
6. 1998 Teacher of the Year. The 1998 Teacher of the Year is available to districts for professional development.
7. Announcement of November professional development opportunities for food service directors (sent also to food service directors).

October 3, 1997  

1. History and Social Science Curriculum Framework
   School districts will be receiving additional copies of this framework for all teachers in late October or early November. Additionally, this newest framework will be distributed to all public libraries in the near future;
2. A memorandum regarding the MCAS English language arts question tryout administration
3. Invitation to the Administrators' Leadership Institute regional conferences
4. Information about Massachusetts Family Literacy
5. An advisory opinion on the sex offender registry law.

September 17, 1997  

1. The 1997-1998 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Professional Development Program, with the comprehensive calendar of opportunities for professional development sponsored by the ESE for the year;
2. An invitation to prospective charter school leaders to attend a conference for applicants on Saturday, October 4 in Worcester;
3. Several items concerning the Massachusetts Summit: The Promise of Our Youth, set for Sunday October 26 at Northeastern University in Boston. This day-long event will set the action plan for Massachusetts for achieving educational, service, mentorship, health and safety goals which the state has committed to achieve by January 1, 2000. It is the Massachusetts follow-up to the President's summit with Colin Powell held in Philadelphia in April. I am encouraging Superintendents, charter school leaders and others to contact their municipal officials to join the local delegations which will be attending this important occasion.
4. A memorandum about "Learnfare," the program in which specific school attendance requirements are set for certain school age children as a condition of eligibility for state benefits, with instructions for a streamlined school reporting process;
5. Materials for the spring 1998 dual enrollment program for qualified high school juniors and seniors; and
6. An invitation for participation in a grade 4-6 student art contest.

September 8, 1997  

1. Charter school application, laws, and proposed regulations
2. Request for nominees for certification review panel
3. 1997-1998 Attracting Excellence to Teaching loan forgiveness application
4. FY 97 state wards reimbursement memorandum and backup materials
5. Guidance on Individuals with Disabilities Act amendments
6. Summary of transitional bilingual education statutes and regulations
7. Copy of materials for high school and middle school administrators and guidance counselors from the Board of Higher Education on new state admissions standards
8. Conference invitations:
   • Technology conferences (October dates)
   • Literacy in Primary Grades (October and November dates)
9. Notification of state employees' school volunteer program
10. Request for Superintendent data update

August 18,1997  

1. State Testing Schedule for 1997-1998
2. Brochure on new Horace Mann charter school opportunities
3. Chapter 74 non-resident tuition rates
4. State legal holidays for 1997 and 1998
5. Guidelines on Teen Dating Violence
6. Press release from Gov. Cellucci on school report cards
7. Board-in-Brief summary of August 14-15 State Board of Education meetings
8. Several school nutrition matters, including
   • advisory on chicken nugget contamination matter
   • school lunch and breakfast reimbursement rate memo
   • school nutrition task force recommendations
   • accuracy of labeling advisory
9. Guidelines on lead in school drinking water
10. Directory of educator preparation programs
11. Flyer announcing Blue Ribbon Schools (secondary) opportunity
12. Announcement of US Senate Scholarship program for juniors and seniors
13. School health education profiles -- executive summary
14. School bus safety poster and booklet
15. Up-to-date "Education Fact Sheets"
16. 1996-1997 School District Profiles book

August 27, 1997  

July 11, 1997  

1. Announcement of two new significant grant opportunities for early childhood programs
2. Announcement of changes in fees for teacher certification, and upcoming availability of recertification applications
3. Memorandum on changes in state School-to-Work office
4. Opinion from the US Department of Education on the Supreme Court's June 23 decision on Title I service delivery by public teachers in private schools
5. Board-in-Brief summary of June 16, 1997 Board meeting

June 4, 1997  

1. Schedule for End-of-Year Report workshops
2. Report on bilingual education issues by READ Institute
3. Parents' Guide to Special Education Appeals matters
4. Transportation cost reimbursement information and pro rata calculations, by district
5. Federal survey required for recipients of Dwight D. Eisenhower professional development funds
6. Department memorandum on out-of-state special education programs

May 20, 1997  

1. Flyer announcing summer institutes for English and history/social science
2. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers two-year sabbatical opportunities for seven MA educators
3. Final revisions to regulations for Transitional Bilingual Education
4. One-page survey request for information on special education services costing more than $16,000
5. FY 98 school lunch, breakfast and milk program update requested
6. Memorandum on changes to GED policies/fees
7. Guidelines from US Department of Education on laws affecting students on F-1 visas
8. Memorandum on request for nominations for educator talent pool for MA
9. Board-in-Brief summary of May 12, 1997 Board of Education meeting
10. Class of 1996: Plans of High School graduates (individual high school information)

May 7, 1997  

1. Education Reform Progress Report
2. Poster requesting nominations for technology grant awards
3. Memorandum requesting response on school choice status
4. Notice re: cancellation of May Education Reform study group conferences
5. Advisory on reporting cases of suspected child abuse and neglect
6. FY 95 Per Pupil Expenditure Report (community and state totals)
7. Technical assistance papers on school-aged child care
8. School Library Media Standards (by MA School Library Media Association)

April 23, 1997  

1. Summer institutes in mathematics, science/technology
   We will have the announcement of summer institute professional development opportunities in English Language Arts within a few weeks, and the prospective list of summer opportunities for history/social science as well, pending approval of that final curriculum framework. The focus of our summer institutes is on academic content in these core areas, providing opportunities for teachers to gain added proficiency in their specific disciplines.
2. Parental notification law
   I have enclosed both an advisory on the new law which takes effect September 1, requiring parental notification by districts on matters of sex education in school curriculum, as well as the proposed regulations for resolving disputes under the law. As you will see, I am recommending that disputes be resolved locally, not at the state level, and only be brought to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a last resort.
3. Dual enrollment program -- Fall 1997 applications
   Please note that the House just passed the FY 1998 state budget, which now proceeds to the State Senate and then to conference, in which the funding for the dual enrollment program is made part of a block grant combined with several other programs. Therefore, although it is clear that this program has strong support, it is not yet clear what the funding levels for FY 1998 will be when the state budget is ultimately adopted.
4. Report on student exclusions/alternative education statistics by community, 1995 - 1996 school year
5. Board-in-Brief summary of Board of Education's April 14 meeting
6. Research document on the subject of reading, with cover note from Board Chairman John Silber

April 3, 1997  

1. Spring 1997 Technology Update
2. Invitation to regional technology workshops in May
3. Announcement about distribution of the curriculum frameworks for all teachers
4. Invitation to Title I conference in Hyannis in May
5. 1995-1996 Dropout report

March 18, 1997  

1. Draft of the history/social science curriculum framework.
2. Technology Challenge Grant Available.
3. Goals 2000 Education Reform Study Group grants available.
4. Request for Services: Summer Content Institutes in English Language Arts and History/Social Science.
5. Safe schools video order form.
6. Statewide coordinator for mathematics and science--two year sabbatical opportunity
7. Violence Prevention month (May 1997)--suggestions from Executive Office of Health and Human Services
8. Board-in-Brief summary of March 10, 1997 Board of Education meeting
9. TV Turnoff week poster
10. Gifted and Talented conference program notes

February 21, 1997  

1. Request for comment on proposed revisions to regulations on transitional bilingual education
2. Reminder materials about March School-to-Work conference in Boston
3. Memorandum about "Opening Doors" brochure regarding high school planning

January 30, 1997  

1. Invitation to March frameworks/assessment workshops
2. Notice of two new grant opportunities--District Based Alternative Certification and Induction Year Mentor program
3. Notice of Christa McAuliffe Fellowship Program
4. Revised State finance regulations for public comment
5. Invitation to March School-to-Work conference in Boston
6. January 15, 1997 Board-in-Brief

January 10, 1997  

1. Educational Technology -- update on Information Management System, and request for data
2. Memorandum clarifying current status of time and learning issues
3. Tuition figures for school choice
4. Tuition figures for charter schools
5. Notice about the 1997-1998 Teacher of the Year nomination program