Report to the Legislature: Department of Elementary and ...

Report to the Legislature: Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Strategic Plan

7010-0005 November 2008

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148 Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370 doe.mass.edu

This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D Commissioner

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members Ms. Maura Banta, Chair, Melrose

Ms. Harneen Chernow, Jamaica Plain Mr. Gerald Chertavian, Cambridge

Mr. Andrew "AJ" Fajnzylber, Chair, Student Advisory Council, Brookline Dr. Thomas E. Fortmann, Lexington Ms. Beverly Holmes, Springfield Dr. Jeff Howard, Reading Ms. Ruth Kaplan, Brookline Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, Bridgewater

Mr. Paul Reville, Secretary of Education, Worcester Dr. Sandra L. Stotsky, Brookline

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner and Secretary to the Board

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer, is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public.

We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. Inquiries regarding the Department's compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the Human Resources Director, 350 Main St., Malden, MA 02148 781-338-6105.

? 2008 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please

credit the "Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education."

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5023

Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370 doe.mass.edu

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

350 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023

Telephone: (781) 338-3000

TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner

November 10, 2008

Dear Members of the General Court:

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education respectfully submits this Report to the Legislature on the Department's strategic plan pursuant to Chapter 182 of the Acts of 2008, line item 7010-0005:

"...provided further, that not later than November 17, 2008, the department shall submit a progress report... on efforts by the department to further define and advance the strategic vision of the department, along with a detailed implementation plan for realizing that vision...."

I began as your newly appointed commissioner on May 19, 2008 and scheduled myself extensively with legislative leaders and stakeholder groups so that I could learn more about the state's strategic needs and priorities for education policy. In my candidacy for the position, I signaled that closing gaps in achievement and in expectations for college and career readiness would be among my highest priorities for the K?12 system.

Informed by these discussions and reports of Governor Patrick's Readiness Project, members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and I held a retreat in early August to agree upon the following goals and priorities for the work of the Board and Department over the coming several years. They anticipate that they will revisit this list from time to time to account for changes in stakeholder needs and shifting priorities; hence, they are "working" goals and priorities.

? Educator Development ? Curriculum and Instruction ? Accountability Redesign ? Supports for Students and Families ? State Leadership and Operations

The Department's senior staff has begun assigning staff responsibility for these tasks and identifying the tangible progress expected to be made by June 2009 on each priority. An internal report on progress in each priority area will be completed in summer 2009, in time to inform the Board and Department's agendas for the 2009?2010 school year and the FY11 budget process.

The Department is also in the process of reorganizing its staff to help us reach these goals and priorities more efficiently. This year's budget challenges and hiring freeze have meant that immediate implementation of the full planned reorganization was not possible. Nonetheless, the Department is making efforts to reallocate staff and prioritize new hiring to move the agency closer to its planned structure over time. More details including the organizational chart can be found in the text of the report.

If you have any questions, or would like further discussion, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

Table of Contents

Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 1 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Working Goals and Priorities, 2008?2010.......................................................................... 1 Implementation Plan ........................................................................................................... 4 Proposed Department Organizational Chart ....................................................................... 6 Appendix A line-item 7010-0005 .......................................................................................7

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