DESE Instructional Leadership Institute 2025

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In August 2025, DESE hosted the 3rd Instructional Leadership Institute on

Session topics included:

  • Creating a coherent instructional vision

  • Translating instructional vision into practice

  • Using DESE Instructional Planning Tools

  • Designing for school belonging

  • Student support structures

  • Building systems and high quality curriculum for multilingual learners

  • Making effective budget decisions

  • Scheduling

  • Distributed leadership

Resources

Instructional Leadership Institute 2025 Session Materials

Source

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Building Systems to Support the Whole Child Amid COVID-19

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Multi-Tiered System of Support Leadership Institute Poster.

DESE offered a webinar, hosted by the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy and the Center for Optimized Student Support at Boston College, focused on systems to remotely identify and organize a response to students’ strengths and needs in this moment of crisis. In particular, the webinar focused on successfully closing out the academic year while simultaneously beginning to plan for supporting students through the summer and into the fall. District and school presenters included Somerville Public Schools and the Parker Elementary School in New Bedford.

Resources

Presentation Slides

Source

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, Center for Optimized Student Support at Boston College

Principles of Effective Practice for Integrated Student Support→

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Center for Optimized Student Support Logo.

For over half a century, it has been recognized that contexts beyond school – like health, social-emotional well-being, family, and neighborhood – can account for up to two-thirds of the variance in student achievement. Developmental systems theories and neurobiological disciplines have more recently begun to explain the link between these outside factors and educational outcomes. This research provides insight into why experiences like poverty and trauma can inhibit learning, and what can be done to counteract their effects.

Resource Links

Principles of Effective Practice for Integrated Student Support

Source

Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support