AFT Massachusetts has submitted comments on proposed revisions to the state’s school and district accountability framework.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has proposed changes to both the regulations and the system under which schools and districts are assessed and classified.
In a letter to DESE signed by newly elected President Beth Kontos, AFT MA expressed deep concerns about the proposals, calling them a "missed opportunity," and urged the Department to move in a different direction: “Why not hit the reset button and begin the process anew?”
The letter suggests creating a “special task force to see if a consensus can be forged around a fundamentally different approach to school and district accountability.”
DESE’s public-comment period runs until May 18, 2018. DESE may further revise the regulations and system based on stakeholder feedback before bringing the new framework to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval. DESE says that the Board is expected to vote on the proposed changes at its regular monthly meeting scheduled for June 26, 2018.