About Massachusetts ASCD

The Massachusetts Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development supports instructional, curriculum and policy leaders in many ways. Members include school and college teachers, department heads, principals, curriculum directors, superintendents, and policy makers.

• Massachusetts ASCD is the recipient of the 2007 ASCD Affiliate Overall Excellence Award.  MASCD's mission is to promote quality teaching and learning by fostering instructional and curriculum leadership. 

• MASCD is leading a grassroots campaign to promote Whole Child education: all children healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. The goal is for each public entity - school, district, selectmen, mayor, community group, and ultimately the state legislature - to pass the Whole Child Resolution.

• MASCD is a founding member of the Working Group for Educator Excellence, helping develop and garner support for the pending Massachusetts educator excellence bill to insure high standards, supports and accountability for teachers and administrators.

• MASCD led a state-wide task force for High School Redesign and supports ongoing high school reform.

• MASCD maintains dialogue with policy makers on issues affecting education and provides information to inform their thinking. MASCD has published FOCUS on Teacher Quality...Not By Certification Alone; Using Student Work to Ensure High Quality Teaching; Learning Communities: A New Definition of Professional Development; and Fit for Learning: A Call to Action. Position statements, MASCD Speaks, include The Framework for History and Social Science: Charting a New Course and Multiple Measures of Assessment.

• MASCD sponsors professional development programs and dialogue on teacher leadership, curriculum development, and effective instruction and assessment. MASCD also collaborates with other professional organizations and the Massachusetts Department  of Education. MASCD co-sponsors the Northeast ASCD Affiliate Conference, held annually in Boston the first weekend in December, and the Leadership Licensure Program for principals, curriculum directors and superintendents.

• MASCD publishes a newsletter/journal and books, and offers several ways for educators to network and to express their views through the web site. Perspectives provides a forum for idea exchange and new developments in education. MASCD books include Mission Possible: Reaching All Learners with Technology, Using State Frameworks to Develop Quality Curricula for Massachusetts Schools, Beyond Technology...Learning With the Wired Curriculum and Teaching: A Career, A Profession. Beyond Technology and Teaching have received the ASCD Special Affiliate Publication Award, and Perspectives has received the ASCD Outstanding Newsletter Award.

• MASCD’s annual Mentor Award recognizes outstanding mentors.

• MASCD is governed by a board of directors comprised of curriculum and instructional leaders. Volunteers assist in many ways. A strategic plan guides the Association’s work. An endowment provides long-term financial stability.

• MASCD is an affiliate of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), a diverse worldwide community of educators forging covenants in teaching and learning for the success of each learner.