MASC

DESE has just released model language for collective bargaining on educator evaluation.

Report of the Regional Schools Committee--Corrected version. The 2011 Delegate Manual did not include the 2011 version of the Regional Schools Report prepared by Regional School Committee Chair Ellen Holmes, a member of the Ashburnham-Westminster School Committee.

The District Governance Support Project has invited a number of districts to be the first participants in its new innovative professional development curriculum designed to engage school committee members and superintendents in new ways of aligning their goals, agendas and action plans to bring about improvements in student achievement, fiscal stability and board operations.

The Attorney General has announced proposed regulations authorizing remote participation in public meetings in certain circumstances.  These regulations, if finally adopted, will allow municipalities to authorize remote participation for local public bodies, and will allow remote participation for county, district, regional, and state public bodies to be authorized by those bodies (or in limited cases by other officials).

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is soliciting public comment on the proposed amendments to the regulations on evaluation of educators.

The Joint Committee on Education will hold hearings on regionalization and collaboration; and MCAS and accountability.

MASC President Dorothy Presser, General Counsel Stephen Finnegan and Executive Director Glenn Koocher testified before the Committee on Public Service on Tuesday, March 8 in support of Governor Patrick's proposal to allow municipalities to join the Group Insurance Commission. Testimonies below (pdf)

Commissioner Chester responds to questions about waivers to the 180-day requirement in light of the number of snow days school districts have already had to call this winter.