A Message from Associate Commissioner Elizabeth L. Bennett
We hope you are enjoying the summer! The approval of the new CVTE Admissions Regulations marks an important milestone for CVTE in Massachusetts. Important practices beginning with the 2021-2022 school year include board/school committee approval, superintendent annual attestation and submission of admissions policy to DESE. Review these important changes and sign up for Technical Assistance using the resources below, and as always, reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns you may have. The next CCTE call will be August 16 and a zoom link will be sent.
Chapter 74 Admissions Regulations CVTE Admissions Regulations and Guidelines
With the approval of the CVTE Admissions Regulations, the CVTE Admissions webpage has been updated with guidelines for application process, admissions polices and practices, and an admission policy submission deadline waiver request form.
Technical Assistance Office Hours
CCTE will also be offering individual district technical assistance office hours this summer as districts develop their new admissions policies. We invite you and your district teams to sign up for these office hours. Topics could include English learner recruitment, developing equitable practices, considerations for students with disabilities, and using CTE-ART (Career Technical Education Analysis and Review Tools), or a general conversation regarding the admissions process.
Office hours will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for 45 minutes at 10:00am and 1:00pm, beginning Tuesday July 27, 2021. Please sign up for your time here. If these times do not work for your team, please propose a time, and we will do our best to accommodate.
As always, please reach out with any questions to either me or your CCTE Liaison during the process.
News & Updates College and Career Ready and My Career and Academic Plan (CCR/MyCAP) – Part 2 Last month in Part 1, we highlighted the value of CCR/MyCAP in engaging secondary school students when they return in September.See link for more. This month we cover opportunities to learn about and engage in Professional Development for MyCAP implementation in the coming school year.
Please join the virtual Introduction for Principals on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 9:00 AM. This is an overview of MyCAP. There is no registration; those interested can join the meeting that day (meeting link).
Funding is available for implementation of MyCAP, specifically for middle schools and high schools that have not yet participated in the CCR/MyCAP Professional Development Series. The funding can be used to pay stipends to participants. The trainings will be held virtually, after-school hours so teams can attend without school day distractions. You can find information about the grant here. And you can find more information about the training and a calendar for the school year activities here.
DESE is also pleased to announce that a scope and sequence for Middle School MyCAP development has been created. Research is clear that for students to be engaged in learning, the work needs to have meaning. Implementing a CCR/MyCAP program in the middle school and continuing in the high school grades ensures students gain the knowledge, skills and experiences in the academic, personal/social and career development domains to be fully engaged in their present and future success. CCR/MyCAP Frameworks are here: grades 9-12 and grades 6-8.
Perkins Applications for FY22
Please register for an upcoming webinar for an overview of the FY22 Perkins grant application. The Federal Grant Programs Office will be offering Zoom webinars on completing the FY22 Perkins grant application for Secondary (fund code 400) and Post Secondary (fund code 401). A walk-through of the application process will cover workbook highlights and reminders, minor changes to the previous year’s application, submission instructions, and where to find related resources. The same webinar will be repeated twice. The webinar will be recorded and will be made available upon request. (Please note we have not yet released FY22 Perkins allocations or RFPs. They are expected soon and we will notify you by email.)
To register for a webinar on your preferred date, select the link below: FY22 Fund Code 400 (Secondary) and Fund Code 401 (Post-Secondary)
Thursday, August 19, 2021 – 10:30-12:00pmRegistration Link Friday, August 20, 2021 - 10:00-11:30am Registration Link
FY22 Perkins Drop-In Office Hours
Monday, August 23, 2021 – 2:00-3:00pm
*Recommended for Post-Secondary (401) and Schedule A Member Supplements (for 400 and 401 Consortia members and lead districts ONLY) Register at this link in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Chiu at Alexandria.w.chiu@mass.gov.
EWIS and Data Usage Sessions
The Department is offering a series of workshops during the week of August 24 dedicated to understanding the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) and other data and how district staff can incorporate this information into their data inquiry habits. The workshops will be helpful for anyone interested in data usage that focuses on improving outcomes for all students, particularly in the current environment, and anyone who wants to understand and use EWIS and locally collected data to support students' academic success and social and emotional well-being.
One session is an introduction to the reports; others cover data meetings and monitoring, and data use and Social Emotional Learning. For details and to register for one or more sessions, please go to August 2021 EWIS and Data Usage. Sessions will also be recorded for future viewing.
Please Update Important Contact Info!
Does your school have a new CVTE Director, a leadership change or other key staffing shifts? Please take time this summer to update school and district contact information in Directory Administration to ensure the receipt of important messages from DESE, and so that correct listings are on DESE's public website (School and District Profiles). CCTE and other teams use these roles for communications.
Spaces Remain for Online STEM AP Courses This Fall
With federal grant funding and a partnership with VHS Learning, DESE is establishing the STEM Advanced Placement Access Expansion Opportunity, a statewide initiative to provide eligible high schools with access to up to seven online AP STEM courses for free. The highest priority schools are those that traditionally have not had the capacity or resources to offer classes, and within those schools, the focus is on students who have been historically underrepresented in STEM. There are still seats open in available courses for fall, and these seats will be distributed to additional schools through August. School leaders who think this initiative will complement their school’s existing work are asked to please schedule a 30-minute consultation with Jennifer Gwatkin.
Reminders Vocational Technical Education Advisory Council
The Department is seeking members to fill potential vacancies on the Vocational Technical Education Advisory Council. The council’s purpose is to advise, assist, and provide support and advocacy for high quality programs that prepare students for a successful transition to further education and careers.
The council is comprised of members appointed by the commissioner on behalf of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Appointments will be for up to a three-year term, and no member may serve more than two terms. Membership includes a diverse group of individuals reflecting state and federal statutory requirements of membership, including local education officials; representatives from higher education, business and industry, labor and trade organizations, and parent/family organizations; and students.
Anyone interested in joining the Vocational Technical Education Advisory Council is asked to please email a resume and letter of interest to Elizabeth L. Bennett (Elizabeth.L.Bennett@mass.gov) by Friday, July 30, 2021.
VTE Frameworks Drafts for Public Comment
The Office of College, Career and Technical Education in collaboration with the MA Association of Vocational Administrators Vocational Framework Administrative Team have scheduled the release of selected Draft VTE Frameworks for Public Comment. Public comment is open until Friday, July 30, 2021. Please use the links at this page (VTE Frameworks) to submit.
Perkins V State Determined Performance Levels
DESE is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to the State Determined Performance Levels (SDPLs) for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for 21st Century Act, commonly known as Perkins V. The U.S. Department of Education allows for revisions to performance measures within Perkins V state. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DESE proposes changes to several SDPLs (2S1, 2S2 and 2S3). To examine the proposed performance levels or weigh in before Monday, August 2, 2021, see the Perkins V Manual website.
Communications Survey
Clear communication is essential to bring us together and plan for a safe future. DESE is continuously working to improve communication with all those involved in and impacted by our public schools. Please take this two-minute survey to help inform DESE's communication efforts. Thank you!
