UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFEDUCATION

OFFICEOFELEMENTARYANDSECONDARYEDUCATION

DEC2 12015

The HonorableMitchellD.ChesterCommissioner

MassachusettsDepartmentofElementaryandSecondaryEducation 75PleasantStreet

Malden,MA 02148

DearCommissionerChester:

I amwritingregardingtheMassachusettsStateBoardofEducation'srecentdecisiontocontinuetopermitlocal

·educationalagencies(LEAs)inMassachusettsthechoicetoadministeroneoftwoacademicassessmentsduringthe2015-2016schoolyearandtheimpactofthatdecisionontheState'sTitleI,PartAgrantawardundertheElementaryandSecondaryEducationActof1965,asamendedbytheNoChildLeftBehindActof2001(ESEA). Specifically,IunderstandthattheStateBoardapprovedLEAstoadministerassessmentsinreading/languageartsandmathematicsingrades3-8fromeithertheMassachusettsComprehensiveAssessmentSystem(MCAS)orthePartnershipforAssessmentofReadinessforCollegeandCareers(PARCC).

IknowthatweagreethatitiscriticalthatStatesadministerasingleStatewideassessmentinreading/languageartsandinmathematicssothateducators,students,andparentshaveclear,consistentfeedbackabouthowstudentsare doing. AsingleStatewideassessmentineachsubjectservesacriticalequitypurpose,ensuringthat allstudentsarebeingheldtothesamehighstandardsregardlessoftheirzipcodeor background. Infact,asingleStatewideassessmentinreading/languagearts andmathematicshasbeenasignificantpartofthestrong,sustainedplaninMassachusettsthathasmadeitoneofthehighest-performingStatesinthenation.Therecently reauthorizedversionof theESEA,knownastheEveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA),maintainsthe

requirementforeachStatetoadministerasingleStatewideassessment.

Massachusetts'soriginalESEAflexibilityrequestin2011wasapprovedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEducation(ED)based,inpart,onanassurancethattheStatewouldrequireallofitsLEAstoadministerthesameStatewideacademicassessmentsinreading/languageartsandmathematicsalignedtotheState'scollege-andcareer-readystandardstoallstudentsintheStatenolaterthanthe2014-2015schoolyearandeachyearthereafter.Forthe2014-2015schoolyear,contrarytothisassurance,Massachusettspermitted LEAstochoosetoadministereitherMCASorPARCCassessmentsingrades3-8.OnOctober9,2014,inextendingMassachusetts'srequestforESEAflexibilitythroughthe2014-2015schoolyear,EDindicatedthatsuchachoicewasaviolationofsection1111(b)(3)(C)(i)oftheESEA,whichrequirestheStatetoadministerthesameassessmentstoallstudents.EDindicatedthatMassachusettswouldneedtocomeintocompliancebythe

2015-2016schoolyear,andeachschoolyearthereafter,throughtheadministrationofasingleStatewideassessmentsystem.Inresponse,Massachusetts submittedahigh-qualityplantoadministerinthe2015-2016schoolyearthesameassessmentstoallstudentsingrades3-8inreading/languageartsandmathematicsalignedtotheState'scollege-andcareer-readystandards.

400MARYLANDAVE.,SW,WASHINGTON, DC 20202

TheDepartmentofEducation'smissionisto promote studentachievementandpreparationforglobalcompetitivenessby fostering educationalexcellenceandensuringequalaccess.

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Sectionllll(b)(3)(C)(i)oftheESEArequiresthe Statetoadministerthesameassessmentstoallstudents.TheStateBoard'sdecisiononNovember17,2015,appearstomakeMassachusetts'scompliancewiththisconditionunlikely.Therefore,pursuanttotheauthorityin2C.F.R.§§200.207and3474.10,IhavedeterminedtoplaceMassachusetts'sTitleI,PartAawardon"high-risk"statusimmediately.

Inorderto removethehigh-riskstatus forTitleI, PartA,Massachusettsmustprovideevidence,byMay31,2016,thatitselectedandadministeredthesameStatewideassessmentsinreading/languageartsand mathematicstoallstudentsingrades3-8inthe2015-2016schoolyear,andtheStatecommitstodoingsoeach yearthereafter. IftheStatefailstoadministerthesameacademicassessmentsinreading/languageartsandmathematicstoallstudentsingrades3-8inthe2015-2016schoolyear,EDmaywithholdaportionofthe State'sTitleI,PartAadministrativefunds,consistentwithsection1111(g)(2)oftheESEA.

Massachusettsmayrequestreconsiderationofits"high-risk"designationforTitleI,PartAbysubmittingtomeinwriting,nolaterthan10businessdaysfromthedateofthisletter,adetaileddescriptionsettingforththebasisforitsbeliefthatthisdesignationisimproper,includingthespecificfactsthatsupportitsposition.IfMassachusettschoosestorequestsuchreconsideration,thatrequestmustbesubmittedviae-mailtome,withacopytoMillicentBentley-MemonandChueneeBostonat:,aswellasbyU.S.mailorcommercialdelivery.IfldonotreceivearequestforreconsiderationbyJanuary6, Massachusetts's"high­risk"statusforTitle1,PartAwillbeconsideredfinal,andwillbeliftedonlyuponcompletingtheactionssetforthabove.

Massachusettscontinuestohave anaffirmativeresponsibilitytoensure thatitanditsLEAsareincompliance withFederalcivil rightslawsthat prohibitdiscriminationbasedonrace,color,nationalorigin,sex, disability, andageintheirimplementationofESEAflexibility. TheselawsincludeTitleVIoftheCivilRights Actof1964,TitleIXoftheEducationAmendmentsof1972,Section504 oftheRehabilitationActof1973,TitleIIoftheAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct,theAgeDiscriminationActof1975,andrequirementsundertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsregardingthisletter,ortheimplementationofMassachusetts’sESEAflexibility requestorTitle I,PartAprogram,pleasecontactMillicentBentley-MemonorChueneeBostonofmystaffat:.

Thankyoufor yourcommitmentandcontinuedfocusonenhancingeducationforallofMassachusetts'sstudents.

Sincerely,

Ann Whalen

Delegatedtheauthoritytoperformthefunctions anddutiesofAssistantSecretaryforElementaryandSecondaryEducation

cc:MattPakos,MassachusettsDepartmentofEducation