State/National News

Due to coronavirus pandemic, Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education looks to waive MCAS testing requirements for certain students

Posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jackson Cote, Masslive
Date: 5/26/2020
Link: Complete Article

State education officials are looking to waive certain high school testing requirements for many students in Massachusetts due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley posted a memo ahead of the board’s Tuesday afternoon meeting in which he recommended modifying the “competency determination” for high school graduation for… [Read More]

Baker-Polito Administration, WGBH and Special Guests to Celebrate the Massachusetts High School Class of 2020 with a Virtual Commencement Ceremony

Posted on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: 5/23/2020, WGBH
Date: 5/22/2020
Link: Complete Article

In partnership with WGBH, Governor Charlie Baker will deliver a commencement address to the Class of 2020 as part of a celebration for graduating seniors from 668 public and private schools across the Commonwealth, to be aired in a special broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9. Massachusetts Commencement 2020 will feature congratulatory remarks… [Read More]

High School Seniors Are ‘Making Lemonade out of Lemons’ With Graduations Online, at Drive-Ins and on Racetracks

Posted on Friday, May 15th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Katie Reilly, Time
Date: 5/14/2020
Link: Complete Article

Briauna Leonard graduated from high school at home wearing pajamas and sitting at her kitchen table beside her cat, Mr. Pickles, watching the salutatory address that she recorded a week earlier in an almost empty auditorium. “It was a little heartbreaking, honestly, to work your way up for 12 years, and you look forward to… [Read More]

How to reach students without internet access during coronavirus? Schools get creative

Posted on Monday, April 27th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Amadou Diallo, NBC News/The Hechinger Report
Date: 4/19/2020
Link: Complete Article

This article about students without internet access at home was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. On the Friday before spring break at Meigs Middle School in Decatur, Tennessee, special education teacher Matt Coe was busy preparing new lessons for his students now that schools were set… [Read More]

Baker orders schools to stay closed through end of school year

Posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Toness, Stout, Vaznis , Boston Globe
Date: 4/21/2020
Link: Complete Article

Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday ordered the state’s schools to remain closed through the remainder of the school year. “It’s the right thing to do, considering the facts on the ground associated with the COVID 19 pandemic,” Baker said. He said there was no “authoritative guidance” on how to operate schools safely and how to… [Read More]

MCAS Requirement Waived for Mass. Students This Spring

Posted on Monday, April 13th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Josh Sullivan, NBC Boston
Date: 4/11/2020
Link: Complete Article

Students in Massachusetts won’t have to take the MCAS exams this spring, amid school closures across the state due to the coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Charlie Baker signed the law that cancels the exam requirement for graduating high school. “Cancelling MCAS testing for the remainder of this school year will enable our teachers and students to… [Read More]

Early Education and Care programs to suspend operations; Some Emergency Child Care Programs will be established

Posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood and Care Programs
Link: Complete Article

Governor Baker has ordered all early childhood education programs across the State of Massachusetts to suspend providing childcare by 11:59 P.M. on Sunday, March 22, 2020. This will remain in effect until April 6, 2020. At the same time, the Department of Early Education and Care (“EEC”) is establishing a process to approve Exempt Emergency… [Read More]

Schools Closed In Massachusetts Until At Least April 7th

Posted on Monday, March 16th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: news staff, WROR
Date: 3/15/2020
Link: Complete Article

Part of the restrictions Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker imposed on the state on Sunday evening was a statewide closure of all schools in the Bay State. The Governor said that school districts were working to find alternative methods of learning for students while they are out. “We understand that many districts rely on school buildings… [Read More]

Education Dept. Reverses Plan to Cut Rural School Funding

Posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Erica Green, New York Times
Date: 3/4/2020
Link: Complete Article

WASHINGTON — Facing a bipartisan backlash led by Republican lawmakers, the Trump administration is backing off a bookkeeping change that would have drastically cut federal funds for rural schools – at least for a year. Betsy DeVos, the education secretary, will allow states to more easily qualify for funding under the Rural and Low-Income School… [Read More]

From “flat Earth” to climate change denial, kids are deluged with fake science. Now teachers are fighting back

Posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Ines Novacic, CBS News
Date: 3/5/2020
Link: Complete Article

Melissa Lau, a middle-school science teacher in Piedmont, Oklahoma, with over 19 years of experience, stood by the doorway of her classroom as the last few of her first-period sixth grade students filed in and took their seats. “Hey guys, you need your papers from yesterday, and a pencil,” said Lau, launching into the day’s… [Read More]