The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 in Everett. Their agenda can be found here; the meeting was livestreamed here.
The meeting opened with public comment, with several supporting the proposed changes to teacher licensure. The superintendents of both virtual schools, both of which were recommended for recertification spoke. The Valley Opportunity Council spoke on the importance of adult education, including someone who spoke of earning her GED and now attending college.
Chair Craven addressed the prior day’s Ways and Means hearing on education and local aid, noting that the state’s education funding formula is entirely under the control of the Legislature. She said, “never-ending streams of money is not meeting a constitutional standard” and that the Board should focus on “where we can use our energy in ways that are meaningful rather than hortatory” (echoing the McDuffy decision, which ruled the state’s constitutional language on education was “not merely aspirational or hortatory, but obligatory.”)
Acting Secretary Kershaw spoke of celebrating school breakfast week in New Bedford, where the food was “local, healthy, nutritious, and loved.” She also visited early education classrooms at Lawrence High School yesterday, while there for the Ways and Means hearing. She acknowledged both the Governor’s provision within the budget as well as the urgency of school districts.
Commissioner Martinez thanked the Chair for her words on Chapter 70. Acknowledging that he is still learning the complexities of the formula, he said change is “started by the Legislature.” Chair Craven interjected “it’s owned by the Legislature,” to which the Commissioner added “we’re willing partners.”
The Commissioner spoke of his recent visit to the Southbridge Public Schools , and he noted that they are on track to release the report of the graduation council in June.
The Commissioner also updated the Board on recent Department interaction with the Fall River Public Schools. The Mayor contacted the Department requesting an investigation of the School Committee. The Department conducted the most recent Comprehensive District Review in 2025, which did indicate concerns about the governance of the district. DESE has announced that it will do a targeted follow-up specifically on governance of the district. Both Craven and Vice-chair Hills expressed concern about “mission creep” by the Department into a democratically-elected School Committee. Martinez said that he would bring back content.
The Board recognized Henry Wan, Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year, of Harrington Elementary in Lexington. Mr. Wan, whose speech to the Board can be viewed here, wove portions of the Michael Jackson song “Man in the Mirror” through his presentation. He noted that the award was especially meaningful as a child of immigrants. He said, “”every single child has the potential to contribute meaningfully and powerfully to this world.”
The Board next turned to proposed revisions to educator evaluation, proposed in response to the Mass Leads Act, signed in November of 2024. Commissioner Martinez was at pains to emphasize that these proposed regulatory changes were but one small part of larger efforts towards diversifying the educator workforce. The proposed amendments were back before the Board for a vote after being out for 60 days of public comment.
Two changes were proposed in response to public comment:
1. school based employment does not need to be all at one school
2. passing score on a licensure test for a Career Technical teacher license in the field of the license sought
The Board had a quite lengthy discussion on this matter, splitting the requirements of the communications test and the subject matter tests, discussing in part passing the amended regulations on a pilot basis. The Board finally resolved to request further data from the Department and postponed the matter to their April meeting.
The Board passed without discussion the renewed certificates for the two Commonwealth virtual schools.
The Board received a report from Isabella Chamberlain, their student member, who gave a mid-year report on the State Student Advisory Council, which can be viewed here. She gave the report as the students have noted that the report traditionally is given at the end of the year, just as the Board is taking the summer off (and some students are graduating), making it difficult for the report to gain traction. After explaining the makeup of the SSAC, she shared that they had decided after a data party to focus this year on Utilizing Student Voice to Impact Wellness with a focus on Emotional Wellbeing; Bullying and Harassment; Nutrition and School Nutritional Environments.
Some of the statistics she shared on the basis of which the SSAC made their decision:
The Board next meets on April 27.