23MACISGW2 - QandA.pdf

75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906 Main Telephone: (781) 338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370

Questions and Answers Document

Alternate ID: 23MACISGW2

COMMBUYS Document #: BD-23-1026-DOE02-DOE01-77790 Q:

Q: I want to submit my product, ______________, but it has not undergone review from any external evaluator. Would you still consider it for CURATE?

A: The CURATE Project screens submissions to our review, and requires a rating of "Meets expectations" for Gateway 1 (Alignment to Standards)" and at least "Partially meets expectations" for Gateway 2 (Implementation, Support, and Assessments) from either EdReports or a comparable, DESE approved Gateway Evaluator. At this time, __________________ would not be eligible for a CURATE review. However, if in the future ______ meets our screening requirements, we would welcome a future submission. Thank you for expressing interest in CURATE.

Q: This appears to be for comprehensive core programs, do you also have a process for supplemental or intervention programs?

A: At this time, the CURATE Project does not have capacity to address supplemental or intervention programs. We do recognize that this is a need in the field and will hope to include it in the future.

Q: In the bid solicitation (23MACISGW2), priority subjects for review in 2022- 2023 were "K-8 Science, K-12 Digital Literacy and Computer Science and ELA K- 5 and 9-12.” I understand the bid is a rolling opportunity; do you have a projected timeframe for when Math wil be designated as a priority subject for review?

A: The CURATE Project centered Math K-12 as a priority area in SY21-22, and reviewed Math K- 8 and 9-12 throughout both semesters to address this content area. Because of this, we will not be prioritizing a Math review in SY22-23, and will instead be focusing on other subjects/grade levels for which there is a dearth of information (e.g. K-8 Science, ELA 9-12, K-12 Digital Literacy and Computer Science). We will revisit Math when our Massachusetts districts express need for more information, and also when there is a critical mass of publisher submissions/expressed intents to bid. We currently do not have an estimate of when that would be.

Q: How do I get added to the distribution list so that I am notified of changes in CURATE (e.g., priority subjects, accepted Gateway Evaluators, etc.)?

https://edreports.org/ https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-23-1026-DOE02-DOE01-77765&external=true&parentUrl=close https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-23-1026-DOE02-DOE01-77790&external=true&parentUrl=close__;!!CUhgQOZqV7M!jWrUwNKPGY_eqtdAJkJPO8zb5VE6N9HKXRVOudp_OOPBoAwEOCPAOwiqxuh7i-5f8kDou64gXr0Xu_aTJ1MV2fU$

A: Please email DESE-CURATE@mass.gov and you will be added to our publisher contacts for updates to the CURATE Project. Thank you for expressing your interest and we look forward to further partnership.

Q: Good afternoon, we have the following initial questions about the 2022-2023 DLCS bids for CURATE.

1. Is the published 2016 DLCS Curriculum Framework on the DLCS website the most recent standards for DLCS? Are any updates to those 2016 standards planned in the near future?

2. Would nationally defined computer science courses like “AP Computer Science Principles” or “AP Computer Science A” fall under this review process?

3. Regarding the 6-8 and 9-12 grade bands, can you confirm our understanding that the DLCS standards simply represent what students should know by the time they graduate each grade band? They are not intended to define a specific course (though one course can certainly meet all standards). Districts could, for example, use multiple courses over a multi-semester or multi-year period to meet 100% of DLCS requirements for a grade band.

4. Does Massachusetts define any specific course standards like “Computer Science I / II”, “Web Design”, or “Video Game Design” outside of the general DLCS requirements? Other states often define specific courses in these areas under a CTE / Information Technology umbrella, and we want to ensure we’re not missing anything. If these types of courses are defined by the state, are they invited for submission to this review?

A:

1. Correct. The 2016 DLCS Curriculum Framework is the most recent set of standards for

DLCS. We are not planning any updates in the next year. Additionally, you may review any entries of your curricula in the MA DLCS Curriculum Guide. The review in this guide will be used by the CURATE panel.

2. We do not currently review AP courses as part of the CURATE project. Those courses cover content that is, typically, above the level of the state content standards and therefore outside of the scope of this project.

3. Your understanding is correct. The DLCS standards are by grade band and not by grade.

We expect students to know the content by the end of the grade band. Therefore, it may require multiple courses over multiple years to reach 100% of DLCS requirements.

We do not expect one DLCS curriculum to cover all of the standards for an entire grade band.

4. At this time, these courses are not defined by the state, nor invited for submission to this review.

Q: We have had a few of our courses approved at the state level, but I wasn't sure if this met the criteria specified in the document. What does it mean to:

"meet a minimum threshold established by DESE-approved and contracted Gateway evaluators?"

A: At this time, the CURATE Project is accepting reviews by EdReports or the MA DLCS Curriculum Guide as our DESE-approved and contracted Gateway evaluators. We have posted an open bid, Alternate ID# 23MACISGW1, for any other Gateway evaluators that would like to mailto:DESE-CURATE@mass.gov https://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/dlcs.pdf https://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/dlcs/ https://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/dlcs/ https://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/dlcs.pdf https://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/dlcs/curriculum-guide.pdf https://edreports.org/ https://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/dlcs/curriculum-guide.pdf https://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/dlcs/curriculum-guide.pdf https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-23-1026-DOE02-DOE01-77765&external=true&parentUrl=close apply. We will update our website at https://www.doe.mass.edu/instruction/curate/process.html with more information if further Gateway evalutors are accepted.

https://www.doe.mass.edu/instruction/curate/process.html

75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906 Main Telephone: (781) 338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370