DESE Comprehensive Review Scheduled for May

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The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has selected Wachusett Regional School District to participate in a district review from May 1st through May 4th.  All districts will eventually undergo this review, and are randomly selected each year.  The purpose of the district review is to provide formative and actionable feedback on district practices, enabling district leaders to reflect on progress and strengthen staff and student performance. To meet this goal, DESE has contracted with a third party, the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), to assess the district’s current practices as they relate to the Massachusetts District Standard.  The district’s participation in this review will result in a culminating report that provides information about the strengths and challenges of current practices. 

Making these determinations requires on-site data collection, including a limited number of focus groups and multiple classroom observations in addition to a collection and review of documents.  The following provides an overview of the schedule:
  • Family and middle school/high school student focus groups will take place in the district from Monday, May 1, 2023 to Wednesday, May 3, 2023.  The purpose of the focus groups is to capture the voice of various stakeholder groups.  Participants’ comments will not be attributed to individuals and individuals will not be identified in the report.  A few middle school and high school students will be invited to attend focus group interviews, however, they will be notified in advance and written parent/guardian consent will be required prior to participation.  Preparation is not needed for the focus groups that will encompass approximately 60 minutes.  Focus groups will take place virtually and in person.  
  • All families are invited to participate in a virtual focus group meeting on Monday, May 1, 2023 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM to gather perspectives on communication with families, opportunities for family involvement and leadership, opportunities for students within the district, and more. If you are interested in joining, please register ahead of time at:
    https://air-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcud-GoqT4iGt0rrwPFv918WUDXMfzTyNux
  • Classroom/Instructional observations will take place in each school in the district over the course of four days from Monday, May 1, 2023 through Thursday, May 4, 2023.  The purpose of these observations is to gauge the quality of instruction overall in the district.  Data collected from the observations will be used in aggregate and will not reflect individual teacher performance or identify teacher names, student names, classroom numbers, subjects, or specific grade levels. 

District reviews are conducted according to Chapter 15, Section 55A of the Massachusetts General Laws. Please contact Jane Daly, Deputy Superintendent, at jane_daly@wrsd.net or 508-829-1670 if you have any questions about this process. 

As always, thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
James Reilly

Superintendent

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