MA’s Remote Learning Regs Should Specify Consistent District Grading Policies, Return of MCAS in 2020-21

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Critical for high expectations, accountability to return after lost spring

BOSTON – The COVID-19 pandemic-related revisions to Massachusetts’ remote learning regulations should restore state and local accountability by specifying that any remote academic work shall, to the same extent as in-person education, prepare students to take MCAS tests, and that grading criteria should be the same across in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments, according to a new policy brief published by Pioneer Institute.

“Unlike last spring, the Commonwealth has had plenty of notice that schools would likely be at least partially remote in the fall,” said Jamie Gass, Pioneer’s director of education research and policy.  “It’s imperative that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education send a clear and explicit message that core academics, grading, and MCAS expectations will be fully restored in the 2020-21 school year.”

Due to COVID-19, MCAS was canceled in the spring of 2020, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association supports pending legislation that would cancel MCAS for four years.

A database of Massachusetts school district reopening plans published by Pioneer Institute finds that as of August 18, about 90 percent of all students are enrolled in districts that have announced their plans. A full 200 districts, representing 526,229 students, have decided to reopen with a hybrid of in-person and remote learning options for parents. Fifty-five districts, representing 251,172 students, have opted to reopen fully remote. Since that time, Boston announced plans to reopen remotely.

The policy brief, “Accountability in Massachusetts’ Remote Learning Regulations,” written by David S. Clancy and Dr. John G. Flores, serves as Pioneer’s public comments on the proposed state regulations, which will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

About the Authors

David S. Clancy, a resident of Concord, Massachusetts, is a partner in the law firm Clancy & Shine LLC, which focuses on civil disputes. Mr. Clancy was previously partner at an international law firm, from which he retired after a 20-year career, also practicing civil litigation. Among other professional activities, Mr. Clancy served three terms on the Board of Editors of the Boston Bar Journal, and has published multiple articles in that and other legal publications.

Dr. John G. Flores is CEO and executive director emeritus of the United States Distance Learning Association, and an authority in the field of education, technology, and telecommunications. Flores led a Global Association focused on the application of distance learning for varied constituencies using varied technologies. He has held leadership positions as a School Superintendent, University Executive Dean and Business CEO for Distance Learning companies. He received his M.A. from Boston University and his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut focusing on educational technology, instructional design and leadership.

About Pioneer

Mission: Pioneer Institute develops and communicates dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond.

Vision: Success for Pioneer is when the citizens of our state and nation prosper and our society thrives because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and when our government is limited, accountable and transparent.

Values: Pioneer believes that America is at its best when our citizenry is well-educated, committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise, and both willing and able to test their beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas.

Get Updates on Our Education Research

Related Research

Dr. Sheila Harrity on Worcester Tech & MA’s Urban Voc-Tech Schools

Dr. Harrity shares insights from her distinguished career in voc-tech schooling. She discusses how Massachusetts voc-tech schools leveraged provisions of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act to achieve academic and occupational excellence, built strong partnerships with industry and higher ed, and dramatically reduced dropout rates. Dr. Harrity reflects on Worcester Tech’s national acclaim, VIP visits from President Barack Obama and the late former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, and school reform policy challenges, while offering three key strategies to strengthen urban voc-techs nationwide.

Brown’s Pulitzer Winner Gordon Wood on the American Revolution’s 250th Anniversary

Prof. Wood explores the pivotal events and ideas that sparked the American Revolution. He discusses the political tensions of 1775, King George III’s imperial policies, and the colonists’ transformation from subjects to citizens. Wood highlights Benjamin Franklin’s rise, James Otis’s speech against the writs of assistance, and George Washington’s crucial military leadership. He also reflects on overlooked Revolutionary era patriots like Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and George Mason, the role of Minutemen, and how Lexington and Concord galvanized the colonies towards American Independence.

Jeffrey Meyers on F. Scott Fitzgerald & The Great Gatsby’s 100th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview noted literary biographer, Dr. Jeffrey Meyers. Dr. Meyers discusses The Great Gatsby on its 100th anniversary. He explores F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic life, his marriage to Zelda, and how their tumultuous relationship shaped his iconic novel. Dr. Meyers delves into the timeless themes of Gatsby’s yearning, the elusive American Dream, and 1920s decadence while analyzing major characters and symbols like Daisy, the green light, and Gatsby’s reinvention of himself. He also reflects on Fitzgerald’s later struggles and enduring literary legacy. In closing, Dr. Meyers reads a passage from his biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Hoover’s Dr. James Lynn Woodworth on CREDO, NCES, & Data-Driven Policy

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. James Lynn Woodworth, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Dr. Woodworth discusses the role of data in shaping K-12 education policy. He explores the impact of assessments like NAEP, PISA, and TIMSS on global education trends, the challenges of declining U.S. student performance, and the uncertain effectiveness of federal K-12 spending.

UK’s Dr. Paula Byrne on Jane Austen’s 250th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Helen Baxendale celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with Dr. Paula Byrne, Lady Bate, a distinguished biographer and literary critic. Dr. Byrne explores the key influences that shaped Austen’s life, the major themes of her novels, and the enduring relevance of heroines like Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood. She also shares insights from her books The Real Jane Austen and The Genius of Jane Austen, shedding light on Austen’s love of theater and the lasting appeal of her works in Hollywood.

We Have a Long Way to Go for Massachusetts Residents to Have the Government Transparency We Deserve

As Pioneer Institute observes Sunshine Week,?we are disappointed by the legislature’s attempts to deny what the vast majority of voters want: an audit of the legislature by our State Auditor. Trying to avoid an audit further exacerbates the loss of public trust. After all, what are we left to think? Do they have something to hide? That is not the government our founders intended; nor is it what 72 percent of Massachusetts voters wanted. This year, during Sunshine Week, we are entirely focused on the top three actions to bring sunlight to the state legislature. They are: 

EdChoice’s Robert Enlow on School Choice

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice. Mr. Enlow discusses his decades of leadership in school choice advocacy, from his early work with the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation to spearheading policy reforms nationwide.

Frontier Institute’s Trish Schreiber on School Choice & Charter Schools in Montana

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities.

The Lost Decade Calls for Replacing “Social Justice Education” with Education Rich in Liberal Arts, includes a foreword by John McWhorter

Book finds that marginalized students suffer most from turn away from academics 

UK Oxford’s Robin Lane Fox on Homer & The Iliad

In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview Robin Lane Fox, distinguished classicist and Emeritus Fellow at Oxford. Prof. Lane Fox offers profound insights into Homer’s Iliad and its enduring significance. He explores the epic’s historical and literary context, from its roots in oral tradition to its lasting influence on Western culture.

Director/Actor Samuel Lee Fudge on Marcus Garvey & Pan-Africanism

https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/3809857/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/64587551/thelearningcurve_samuelleefudge.mp3 In…

Cornell’s Margaret Washington on Sojourner Truth, Abolitionism, & Women’s Rights

In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Margaret Washington, the esteemed historian and author of Sojourner Truth’s America. Prof. Washington delves into Truth’s remarkable life, from her early years in slavery in New York to her transformation into a powerful abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and religiously driven reformer. She explores Northern slavery, the Second Great Awakening, her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, and her Civil War-era activism. Prof. Washington also reflects on Truth’s enduring legacy as a symbol of justice, equality, and resilience in American history. In closing, Prof. Washington reads a passage from her book, Sojourner Truth’s America.

UK Oxford & ASU’s Sir Jonathan Bate on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet & Love

In this special St. Valentine's Day episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview renowned Shakespeare scholar Professor Sir Jonathan Bate to discuss the timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Exploring its enduring greatness, Sir Jonathan delves into Shakespeare’s classical influences, particularly Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and how Elizabethan literature shaped the portrayal of lovers. 

Curious Mike’s Visit to Rain Lily Microschool

In this episode of Microschooling Journeys, Curious Mike visits Rain Lily Microschool in Nassau County, Florida.  He visits: Wow.  Then he hears the two founders origin story.  Kati is a veteran Montessori teacher frustrated with culture and teacher respect issues in her former school, dreaming of a place where all parents felt welcome. Tania trains in Cuba, and then with her husband makes the fraught journey to USA, and ends up working her way up the ladder.  Like many, they have a dream of “their own” little school - but how?   Enter Wildflower Network.  It’s a network for teacher-led microschools, and they help people just like Kati and Tania: with septic tanks, with website creation, with touchy legal issues, with building a sliding scale tuition model that can tap Florida’s public dollars.  This episode is a little different stylistically: it’s Mike’s monologue. Tune in next time for an interview with Matt Kramer, CEO of Wildflower’s 70+ campuses, about expanding these innovative schools nationwide.

Steven Wilson on The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), which helped propel the state’s schools to national and international success. He explores the intersection of K-12 curricula with race- and class-based politics and discusses themes from his upcoming book, The Lost Decade.

Steven Wilson on The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), which helped propel the state’s schools to national and international success. He explores the intersection of K-12 curricula with race- and class-based politics and discusses themes from his upcoming book, The Lost Decade.

U-Pitt.’s Marcus Rediker on Amistad Slave Rebellion & Black History Month

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview historian Marcus Rediker, Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History at the University of Pittsburgh and author of The Amistad Rebellion. Prof. Rediker explores the 1839 slave revolt aboard the schooner La Amistad. He recounts the leadership of Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinqué) and the wider history and human toll of the transatlantic slave trade. 

Notre Dame Law Assoc. Dean Nicole Stelle Garnett on Catholic Schools & School Choice

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Nicole Stelle Garnett, Associate Dean and John P. Murphy Foundation Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, and a national expert in education law and school choice. Dean Garnett discusses the vital role Catholic education plays in fostering faith, community, and the pursuit of “the true, the good, and the beautiful.” She explores the challenges posed by the decline of Catholic schools in urban areas, as outlined in her book Lost Classroom, Lost Community: Catholic Schools' Importance in Urban America, and highlights policy solutions such as expanding educational choice options to support Catholic school families.