Common Core and Other Hot Topics

In this issue:  Common Core Ballot Question Threatens Student Progress | Beacon Hill Focus on Education | Helping Mentors Prepare Kids for College/Career

MBAE, through our Future Ready initiative, is a proud member of the Alliance for Vocational Technical Education, a group that believes every child should have access to high-quality career/vocational technical education (CVTE) programs and that CVTE programs should satisfy the short-term and long-term needs of Massachusetts employers. We applaud and support Governor Baker’s call for $83.5 million in the 2017 budget to support these programs and new capital grant funding. CVTE can help put students on a path to success and meet the needs of employers.

Common Core Ballot Question Threatens Student Progress

Flying mostly under the radar in recent months, the ballot measure that would repeal the Common Core has escaped the close examination it deserves. If passed, it would have a devastating impact on Massachusetts schools, upending every district in the state by:

• forcing all schools to go back to using academic standards from 2001 and 2004 that are not aligned with college and workforce expectations;
• throwing out six years of educators’ hard work aligning lesson plans, materials, report cards, and assessments to these standards; and,
• squandering countless hours and investment in professional development aimed at improving curriculum and instruction so students can meet the higher bar set by the 2010 standards.

Last week, an appeal of the Attorney General’s certification of the End Common Core Ballot Question was filed with the Supreme Judicial Court. MBAE’s Chairman Bill Walczak is one of ten taxpayer plaintiffs who filed the appeal. MBAE supports the appeal for three primary reasons:

• The ballot measure fails to meet the constitutional requirements to be placed on the November 2016 ballot.
• The quality of education provided to all children, and Massachusetts’ status as a national leader in student achievement, are at risk if the proposals in this ballot question were to become law.
• A regular process already exists to thoroughly review and update the standards, and a review of the 2010 standards will soon get underway.

This third point is critical. If proponents of the ballot measure are truly interested in ensuring Massachusetts has the best standards, they could have a much more positive impact by taking part in the time-tested process already getting underway to evaluate and adjust the 2010 standards. If they choose not to seize that opportunity, we could fairly conclude that politics and ideology are what’s at the root of their agenda.

To read MBAE’s statement on the appeal click here.

To find out more about the significant cost implications and challenges other states have experienced when trying to rewrite their standards read this story from Crain’s New York Business about what’s happening in New York and this one from Hechinger Report about Louisiana.

Beacon Hill Focus on Education

In addition to the release of Governor Charlie Baker’s FY17 Budget for the Commonwealth, this week has brought proposals focused on education from Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo. MBAE welcomes this attention to issues that we believe are high priorities, and is reviewing these proposals through the lens of our New Opportunity to Lead agenda, that stresses the importance of systemic innovation to equip our schools and educators to meet the needs of our students in the 21^st century. Here are a few of the things we’re looking at:

• School Funding – As a member of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, we advocated for a student-centered approach to allocating and spending state education dollars and doing more to connect these funds to student outcomes. The Governor deserves credit for proposing more funds for vocational technical education and for suggesting long-overdue changes to the charter school reimbursement system. As we analyze these further, we will be looking for evidence that student-centered learning is supported by money following the student; funds are targeted to results rather than programs; and, transparent data is generated about the effectiveness of these resources to inform future decisions and provide consistency and predictability for districts.
• Charter Schools – MBAE continues to support relief from the charter school cap for the lowest performing districts in the state. Legislative proposals call for raising the cap to allow up to 12 new schools in districts performing in the lowest 25% statewide as does a question that will appear on the November ballot if the legislature fails to act. More information is available at Great Schools Massachusetts. MBAE agrees that the cap should be lifted, but wants to see legislation go further and provide charter-like authorities to all underperforming schools, regardless of school model. In fact, there is evidence that the flexibility and autonomy provided to Level 4 and 5 (Lawrence) schools in the 2010 Achievement Gap Act have been critical in turning around those schools – whether they are classified as innovation schools, regular district schools or anything else.
• Early Childhood Education – A central feature of the Speaker’s and Senate President’s education priorities is early childhood education. We agree that investments in early childhood education lead to better outcomes for students later in their lives. The Pre-K for Massachusetts campaign is emphasizing the need for quality, as well as additional capacity, which is essential to see the gains we want for our children.

In the weeks ahead, we will be devoting more attention to these and other education issues and welcome your participation!

Helping Mentors Prepare Kids for College/Career

There is no more effective tool to help kids get ready for the future than a caring, influential adult that can guide the way. To equip these parents, teachers and counselors with the information they need, MBAE’s Future Ready initiative, with support from Partners Healthcare and Verizon, has developed the Future Ready Mentor Toolkit. The toolkit includes a recommended course of study, middle and high school checklists, financial literacy activities, and information regarding career exploration, college planning, and financial aid.

To learn more about Future Ready, check out the website and contact Future Ready director Jackney Prioly Joseph.