Massachusetts
NECC's Massachusetts work proceeds on four fronts. Center staff are consulting with the state's Executive Office of Education to support a statewide network of six Readiness Centers and staff continue working on a system to parallel the system supporting the ten large urban districts. Work on that parallel system is bearing fruit with the rollout of a network of District and School Assistance Centers, which will function within the larger system of Readiness Centers. NECC is continuing its work on high school dropout prevention and recovery by working with DESE staff to plan and facilitate two statewide meetings and hosting a monthly webinar series featuring presentations by local districts on strategies and evidence-based programs and policies to improve graduation and retention rates. Massachusetts has also engaged NECC to consult on designing and facilitating sessions with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) staff, district leaders, and external partners to strengthen mathematics teaching and learning, particularly for special populations, with a view to extending those practices into other content areas.
NECC recently completed work on the review of the DESE Mathematics Improvement Initiative and helped develop a presentation of findings and recommendations to the Massachusetts Board of Education. This year’s work on dropout prevention grows out of NECC’s earlier support for DESE activities to foster cross-district collaboration through statewide meetings and online study groups. The Center also helped the DESE create and support a professional learning community among representatives of 15 urban districts focused on dropout prevention and high school redesign. In prior years, NECC worked with the Massachusetts Department of Education's Office of Reading to support the creation of a PK–16 statewide literacy plan.
Contact
Steve Hamilton is the NECC liaison for Massachusetts.
Email: shamilt
wested.org
Related events
Massachusetts Readiness Centers Network Meeting
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Bridgewater, MA
Bridgewater State College
In service of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, NECC staff will facilitate a meeting of representatives of the six Massachusetts Readiness Centers for the inaugural meeting of the Readiness Centers Network. Announced by Governor Patrick last fall, the Readiness Centers are intended as a key strategy to improve teacher quality from early childhood to higher education.
An invitation-only event.
Contact: Carol Keirstead
Email: ckeirstead
rmcres.com
Massachusetts Urban District Dropout Prevention Teams Meeting
8:30 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Worcester, Massachusetts
College of the Holy Cross
In conjunction with the Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Work Group, NECC coordinated this first whole-group meeting of the Massachusetts Urban District Dropout Prevention teams. Dr. Jay Smink, executive director of the National Dropout Prevention Center and author of Helping Students Graduate: A Strategic Approach to Dropout Prevention, was the keynote speaker. Participants also took part in a cross-district consultancy process to promote peer sharing and learning in the continuing development of district dropout prevention plans.
An invitation-only event.
Contact: Karen Laba
Email: klabarmcres.com
Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Advisory Group Meeting
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Worcester, MA
Worcester Technical High School
NECC staff facilitated a meeting of the Advisory Group to review and discuss plans for the 2009-2010 school year.
An invitation-only event.
Contact: Karen Laba
Email: klabarmcres.com
Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Initiative Meeting
Worcester, MA
Holy Cross College
This was the kick-off meeting of a state effort to help urban districts address problems related to school dropouts.
Contact: Karen Laba
Email: klabarmcres.com
Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Initiative Meeting
Malden, MA
MA DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
NECC staff worked with Massachusetts DESE staff to design a January conference and ongoing study groups on droupout prevention and recovery.
Contact: Steve Hamilton
Email: shamiltwested.org
Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Initiative Meeting
Malden, MA
MA DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
NECC staff met with DESE staff to plan a January conference and support ongoing study groups.
Contact: Steve Hamilton
Email: shamiltwested.org
Massachusetts Dropout Prevention and Recovery Initiative Meeting
Malden, MA
MA DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) Office
Initial meeting between Massachusetts DESE and NECC staff members.
Contact: Steve Hamilton
Email: shamiltwested.org
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mathematics Team Meeting
Malden, MA
NECC facilitated an all-day meeting to organize and strengthen a forthcoming report on math education.
Massachusetts Statewide Systems of Support Regional Meetings
NECC staff facilitated five regional meetings that brought local districts together to apply for state grants designed to spur inter-district collaboration on areas in need of improvement.