This resource focuses on implementing early warning systems, with a focus on the “ABCs” (absenteeism, behavior referrals, and course failure) which are highly predictive indicators for dropping out. Includes staffing, scheduling, and other resource shift examples, and highlights “do now” and “build toward” practices.

This robust new teacher support resource collection includes a Growing Teachers Playbook with five models for sheltering and developing rookie teachers, a video featuring teachers talking about their first year as a teacher, a tool to assess if your school has established the conditions for growing great teachers, case studies, and much more.

This practical resource compares the costs of different coaching models and options for shifting and prioritizing coaching investments.

Read about schools and one district that rethought the Grade 9 experience in order to create the best possible foundation for high school success. Each case study identifies the “change package” that led to improved student outcomes, resource and scheduling shifts, and structures that supported educator collaboration.

These tools provide an orientation to different mental health and social emotional/behavioral assessment screeners schools can use to identify students who may need targeted or intensive support. The SHAPE library is free to use but requires users to register for an account.

Explore different shifts and improvements four districts made in order to implement a stronger MTSS approach. These case studies are based on interviews with leaders from each district in early 2020 after 1-3 years of MTSS implementation (varied by district). The case studies include discussion questions teams can use to unpack strategies and lessons learned.

Use CASEL’s online tool to review and compare programs that help students develop strong social and emotional skills. Search by grade or grade level, program approach, setting, student characteristics, and other criteria.

This online interactive training module was developed by DESE and guided by partnership work with LEAP districts and collaboratives. It is intended to deepen understanding of the impact that poverty can have on student performance.

This suite of school improvement tools is based on TNTP’s Opportunity Makers report which profiled seven public schools that have changed the trajectory academic outcomes for students. The collection includes a baseline self-assessment tool and action guides focused on three trajectory-changing practices: Belonging, Consistency, and Coherence.

This guidance and AI Literacy for Educators training module are designed to help districts that opt to move forward with AI develop thoughtful, responsible, and equitable approaches. Grounded in the Commonwealth’s educational vision, they offer a foundation for local policy development, educator training, AI literacy, and the creation of adaptive systems that evolve alongside emerging technologies.

This short guidance sheet includes resources and case studies of how schools aligned resources (staffing, schedules, interventions, etc.) to support a stronger MTSS system.

Edwin Analytics is a powerful reporting and data analysis tool that gives authorized districts and state level users access to new information, reports, and perspectives on education and programs that specifically support improvements in teaching and learning. 

Use this online toolkit to reflect on and refine family communication practices that support the full range of families you serve.

Schools can use this tool to explore their unique artistic and cultural assets and pinpoint opportunities to advance the arts and cultural vitality of their learning community.

A toolkit to help early childhood care providers, families, and schools support the transition to Kindergarten. Available in English, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

The E2C Hub brings together data from across three agencies to help educators, students and families, policy makers, researchers, and others understand how Massachusetts children progress from early care, through K-12 education, and into higher education and the workforce.

Find workshop materials from DESE’s 2025 Instructional Leadership Institute. Session topics included instructional vision and planning, designing for school belonging, scheduling, student support structures, multilingual learners, budgeting, and more.

Ground your learning community in DESE’s vision for Massachusetts students. Available in 8 languages.

This guide presents an overview of information related to K–12 edtech and provides insights and suggestions to support administrative teams as they plan for the future of edtech in their districts and schools.

In recent years, DESE has published and utilized several frameworks and resources that capture elements of great schools and levers to create conditions that improve student outcomes. The Coherence Guidebook pulls them together into one place to illustrate a systems-level path toward deeper learning.