Last Night At School Committee

Last night's Boston School Committee meeting began with an executive session, during which members received an update on a labor agreement between the district and the Administrative Guild, which represents the secretaries and clerks working in Boston Public Schools (BPS). The public portion of the meeting opened with a hearing on the Massachusetts School Choice Plan for the 2025–2026 school year. However, with no public speakers present, the meeting moved swiftly to the Superintendent's report. Tragedy and Accountability Superintendent Mary Skipper began her report by acknowledging the recent tragic deaths of two BPS students. Chair Jeri Robinson and Superintendent Skipper expressed condolences to the affected families. Superintendent Skipper also referenced ongoing collaboration with TransDev, the city's contracted school bus provider, to prevent future incidents. However, a Boston Globe article published this week revealed that the bus driver involved in one of the incidents had an expired certification. Notably, the Superintendent did not directly address this detail, and we will continue to monitor for follow-up. Madison Park & Building Trades Partnership Superintendent Skipper went on to highlight a new partnership between Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions. The agreement guarantees direct entry for the top-performing 50% of Madison Park graduates into pre-apprenticeship union training programs. This marks the largest such agreement in the state and provides a meaningful career pathway for BPS students into the trades. The Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) presented next, reporting on a recent visit to the Massachusetts Attorney General's office, where students advocated for a districtwide cell phone policy. The current policy (see page 20) has not been comprehensively updated in two decades. While individual schools have adopted varied approaches, the absence of a consistent, modern policy remains a pressing issue. One of the evening's most intense exchanges occurred during the vote on whether BPS should participate in the Massachusetts School Choice Program. Although Superintendent Skipper had previously cited capacity constraints, she reframed her opposition by warning that a pilot program could divert focus from core priorities such as inclusive education and early college pathways. Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez issued a detailed rebuttal. He argued that the district was prioritizing fear over innovation, and emphasized the potential for school choice to support Boston's workforce—many of whom reside outside the city—and promote equity and integration. He also contested claims regarding financial burdens, noting that many are not grounded in evidence. Ultimately, the school committee, once again, voted to opt out of school choice.  Later in the meeting, Boston Green Academy presented its charter renewal application. The district also provided an update on graduation requirements for students in alternative education settings. BPS reaffirmed its post-2021 graduation standards and highlighted alignment with other urban districts across the state. Superintendent Skipper added that the updated framework expands early college and career access for alternative education students. The final presentation focused on the proposed Urban Achievers Private High School. Committee members and district leaders expressed strong support, praising the additional school choice it would offer to Boston families. The enthusiasm stood in contrast to the hesitance shown around broader school choice discussions earlier in the meeting. During the meeting, Member Cardet-Hernandez raised a key concern about the impact of frozen or rescinded federal grants. Superintendent Skipper confirmed that many grants are currently stalled due to legal challenges, which is affecting the district's budget planning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was a long one, lasting just over four hours. The main agenda item of the night was a recap of the new contract agreed to between the Boston Teachers' Union (BTU) and the district. Before this recap, the Superintendent gave a lengthy update on happenings in the district, which included a note about a new transportation policy. While this was not an agenda item, the district did announce a new policy that may remove some students from routes who do not ride the bus for 10 days in a row. There were few questions about this policy and members further encouraged the district to increase the “on-time” rate of buses earlier in the year than seven months into the school year.  District leaders then presented to the School Committee on the details within the newly agreed upon BTU contract. More specifically, the Superintendent and her team outlined updates to an increase in wages for paraprofessionals as well as a new model for serving students with disabilities. The district's explanation of the revisions to the model for special education were convoluted, at best.  Another area of concern that emerged from the district's presentation was the financial implications of the new contract, with the Superintendent's team stating they felt “uncomfortable” with the cost of the contract. The contract, as well as the supplemental appropriations necessary to fund the contract, passed the school committee vote unanimously.  After a short public comment period and a few votes on small grants, the meeting moved on to a discussion of transformation schools. As mandated by the Systemic Improvement Plan (SIP), these quarterly updates provide a glimpse into the progress, or lack thereof, of the district's most underperforming schools. While two principals from these schools shed some light on some positive news, the majority of the presentation touched on many of the same points we have been hearing, mainly, continued concerns about student achievement and chronic absenteeism. School Committee members asked pointed questions about potential alternatives to transformation schools and whether we are using the best data practices to monitor their growth. Due to the district moving out of the SIP, there was uncertainty about how this information will continue to be shared moving forward, but we will continue to keep an eye out for updates on them in the future.  Finally, the meeting wrapped up with a discussion on the Massachusetts School Choice Plan for SY 2025-2026. In the past, and last night, the district has opposed having the district opt-in to school choice, which would allow students from other cities and towns to enroll in BPS. Member Cardet-Hernandez proposed to allow municipal employees, including teachers, who live outside of Boston, to enroll their kids in BPS. This potential pilot program received significant pushback from the Superintendent and her team and was shut down without any further conversation.  The School Committee will next meet at 6pm on Wednesday, May 14th. We are looking forward to hearing more from our district's leaders.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting lasted three hours, and it centered on two main topics: Boston emerging from the State Improvement Plan (SIP) and the vote on the FY26 budget. The meeting began with Chair Robinson recapping major news from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) board meeting on Tuesday. In short, DESE announced that the SIP, which expires in June, would not be renewed by the state. While state officials praised the district's improvements and work, it was clear that the results of the SIP were a mixed bag. Nevertheless, the state is now moving the district out of the SIP, and the Superintendent spent a large portion of her report highlighting the vast improvements including bus arrival times, increased test scores, and new career pathways for BPS students. However, School Committee and DESE board members had words of caution given the urgency of necessary improvements in BPS. The oversight will officially end on June 30th, but the School Committee did note that they will look to continue internal oversight. Clearly, though, there is much work to be done in the district given the results shown below and in a recent report by the Boston Policy Institute.   After a short public comment period that hit on major pain points from the community, the meeting moved on to the vote on the FY26 budget. While there was not much suspense as to whether the budget would pass or not, School Committee members did raise certain concerns about its scope and priorities. More specifically, members questioned, once again, how the budget fits into the district's long-term plan, the presence of school accountability measures, and the needs in the district that still need to be addressed. Though one member voted no, the budget ultimately passed, with six yea votes.   The School Committee meeting ended with a presentation on an amendment to the code of conduct. In short, due to a change in state law, the district had to adjust their use of discipline, and they are moving more towards a system of “progressive discipline.” There will be a vote at the next School Committee meeting on the amendment.  Finally, as mentioned during this week's podcast, we will be tracking the questions and requests made by School Committee members during the meetings. As we have seen, oftentimes, inquiries about the state of affairs, data, and other relevant matters are asked, but questions are left unanswered. As part of each blog post, we will be monitoring these questions and whether they have been answered. Here are some from last night:  Can we create a task for achievement and opportunity gaps? - Dr. Stephen Alkins  In the district, how many psychologists are there per student? - Chair Jeri Robinson  Where are we now [in terms of priorities in the budget]? - Chair Jeri Robinson? The School Committee will next meet at 6pm on Wednesday, April 16th. We are looking forward to hearing from the Superintendent about the district's new contract with teachers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting lasted around five hours, hitting on many important topics. Before the official meeting, the School Committee hosted its third and final budget hearing for the FY26 budget. The Superintendent and her team answered questions from School Committee members, including inquiries about the role of federal funding in the budget, how long-term goals are achieved in the budget, and the cuts made to community advancement programs. Questions were also asked about accelerating student performance, which was highlighted in a recent report published by the Boston Policy Institute. Following the conclusion of the budget meeting, the regular School Committee meeting began. Chair Robinson announced that the district had reached a tentative agreement with the Boston Teachers Union following months of negotiation. While main details were not discussed, the Superintendent and her team said that they would provide an update at a future meeting. Following this, the meeting moved into public comment, where nearly every speaker was a community member representing schools on the proposed closure and merger list voicing their pleas to keep their school communities open. After public comment and quick votes on grants and the renaming of the Sumner/Philbrick school, the School Committee voted on the Core Program Statement of Interest to the MSBA for Madison Park Vocational High School. Last month, during a City Council hearing, the Mayor's team announced plans to seek MSBA funding for a new Madison Park facility, with the estimated cost rising to nearly $700 million—up from the originally earmarked $500 million. While there was not much further discussion after last meeting's comprehensive discussion, School Committee members did question what alternative plans were in place if the district did not receive the money. Once again, the O'Bryant School was only tangentially mentioned and there was minimal discussion about what the future will hold for that community. In the end, the School Committee unanimously voted to approve the Statement of Interest. Finally, the School Committee meeting ended with a vote on the aforementioned school closures and mergers. The public comment during the evening was filled with tangible emotion from community members, and it was clear that this carried over to School Committee members as well. Multiple School Committee members harped on the difficulty of these decisions and the necessity of making hard choices for the benefit of long term district health. The Superintendent and her team responded to questions about how educators will be supported during the transition as well as the assistance BPS is offering to families that will be forced to change schools. Moreover, the Superintendent stated that no child reassigned during this process would be forced to leave their current school again. However, due to the lack of a long-term facilities plan, there is no way to track this across the district; hence, it is unclear how this process will occur. Nevertheless, their answers seemed to satisfy the School Committee as the closure and merger plan passed by a vote of five to one. The shift in facilities will take place in June 2026.  Next week, the School Committee will vote on the revised budget. The meeting will take place on March 26th at 6:30pm. Looking forward, the Superintendent noted that we will hear about the new contract with the BTU in April. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was a jam packed meeting covering many important topics. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where she provided an extremely brief update on transformation schools. This update is a requirement as part of the district's Systemic Improvement Plan with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and usually provides insights and data about some of the lowest performing schools in the district. However, the Superintendent's team did not provide these data points and insights. The Superintendent also highlighted acceleration academies that took place during February vacation, but did not discuss the impact of this strategy on student performance. School Committee members raised concerns about the lack of data presented, as well as highlighting the need for better procedures to ensure that data requested to the School Committee is actually presented in a timely fashion.   Following a public comment period that raised issues regarding topics such as facilities and exam schools, and quick votes on grants and approval of the accelerated repair project submissions to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the School Committee voted on the competency determination requirement for the class of 2025. As the state continues to lack a revised, temporary policy for the state's competency determination, schools districts across the state are creating their own revised policy. The Superintendent and her team proposed a policy that requires current seniors to earn a passing grade from a list of coursework if they did not previously pass the MCAS. Last night's vote was preceded by conversation about the usage of the MCAS as a graduation requirement, which the district is allowed to utilize. While the School Committee engaged in a conversation that explored this and how the competency determination connects to its graduation requirements, the conversation was cut short after the Superintendent's team noted they needed to act on only the competency determination, and the School Committee voted in favor of the policy unanimously. The committee then heard two quick reports on an update from the Boston Student Advisory Council and the naming of the Sumner/Philbrick school to the Sarah Roberts Elementary School.   The final discussion focused on a Core Program Statement of Interest to the MSBA for Madison Park Vocational High School. Last month, during a City Council hearing, the Mayor's team announced plans to seek MSBA funding for a new Madison Park facility, with the estimated cost rising to nearly $700 million—up from the originally earmarked $500 million. Committee members raised concerns about the absence of the O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, which shares the same building, in the proposal. They also questioned the city's backup plan if MSBA funding is not secured and how the district plans to increase Madison Park's enrollment by 1,000 students. As these concerns remain unresolved, a vote is scheduled for the next meeting on March 20.   Over the next several weeks, the School Committee will hold several public budget hearings (March 5th @ 5:30pm, March 19th @ 5:30pm) and will vote on the final budget on March 26th. The next School Committee meeting will be on March 20th at 6:30pm on Zoom, which will be preceded by a budget hearing at 5:30pm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was full of reports and initiated the kickoff to the FY26 budget process. After a short Superintendent's report and lengthy public comment period, the committee voted for a minor revision on the revised exam school admissions policy, which reduces the number of tiers from eight to four, with each tier receiving an equal allocation of invitations. The School Committee has voted on numerous adjustments to the policy year after year and School Committee members continued to raise questions about the distribution of bonus points via schools rather than individuals, a solution that supports the core intent of the policy, before ultimately approving the policy.   The School Committee heard three reports last night. The first report was a proposal for accelerated repair funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). While the district typically presents proposals every year for funding from the MSBA, School Committee members raised major concerns about funding these projects without a long-term facilities plan to guide the work. Missing from the report was the news that the City would be seeking funding from the MSBA to renovate Madison Park, which is a reversal from the City's promise last year to fund a renovation of Madison Park quickly using funds from the City of Boston.   The second report of the night was an update on the competency determination– or graduation requirement– for the Class of 2025. Following the passage of Question 2 on the November ballot to remove the MCAS as a graduation requirement, the district and state have yet to come up with updated graduation requirements. Last night, the district announced that students who did not pass the MCAS would need to pass certain approved courses in English, Math, and Science. There was much discussion over the lack of guidance and support from the state in defining graduation standards. The School Committee did not discuss the implications of the district's alignment to MassCore as their graduation requirement starting next year when only 51% of students completed the requirement last year.   The final report of the evening was the Superintendent's FY26 preliminary budget. This report kicked off the FY26 budget process, which will culminate in a final proposal that will be voted on in March. This year's budget is $1.58 billion, which is a $53 million increase from last year. While the report discussed investments in certain areas, School Committee members raised major concerns over the goals and impact of these investments. These concerns were compounded by the recent release of NAEP results, which show that only 31% of 4th graders scored proficient in reading, and only 26% of 8th graders scored proficient. As the results show widening achievement gaps and increased spending, there was no discussion as to how the budget would address these gaps.   Over the next several weeks, the School Committee will hold several public budget hearings (February 13th @ 5:30pm, March 5th @ 5:30pm, March 19th @ 5:30pm) and will vote on the final budget on March 26th. The next School Committee meeting will be on February 26th at 5:30pm on Zoom.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was the first meeting of 2025, and the majority of the meeting was spent discussing the district's facilities plans. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where she discussed the district's commitment to supporting all students in wake of federal immigration policy. Following a short report on a proposal to amend the bell schedule at UP Academy Dorchester, the meeting moved on to public comment. With nearly 35 speakers, there was a large contingent of families and students raising their concerns about the exam school admissions policy and its unintended consequences. The School Committee was originally slated to vote on an amended policy proposal presented in December, but that vote did not take place. The vast majority of public testimony came from parents, teachers and community members to keep the Dever Elementary School open,    The main report of the evening on an update on capital planning and long-term facilities plan proposals. Two weeks ago, Mayor Wu and Superintendent Skipper announced plans to close or merge multiple schools as part of the district's facilities strategy, and last night, the Superintendent's team shared these proposals along with plans to support the students and families affected. The report highlighted that the district intends to close about 17% of its school buildings by 2030 and anticipates at least a 3% decline in enrollment. These projections come after repeated requests from the School Committee for future enrollment data. However, there was no implementation or discussion of a comprehensive master facilities plan to guide these decisions (click here to hear more about implementing successful long term facilities plans), prompting the School Committee to raise concerns over the implications of not having a plan on families and on the budget. The committee is expected to vote on the proposals in March.   The next School Committee meeting will be held via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5th, where the Superintendent will present her preliminary FY26 budget proposal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting was the last meeting of the year, touching on some of the most discussed topics this past year. This was the first meeting following Mayor Wu's announcement regarding the reappointment of Vice Chair Michael O'Neill to his seat, after the conclusion of a public nomination process that saw numerous candidates apply. The meeting began with public comment, as the committee initially lacked a quorum. Public testimony included discussions on hiring, transportation, and enrollment patterns. After a short Superintendent's Report and a quorum present, the School Committee then took action on the collective bargaining agreement between Transdev and United Steelworkers Local 8751. School Committee members did not raise concerns regarding continual low performance that is not included in the contract, and instead, voted unanimously for the contract.   The School Committee heard two reports last night, with the first report being a finance update for FY24-26. This is a yearly report that precedes and previews the budget season, which will kick off in February. The Superintendent and her team described it as a traditional budget, with plans to fully fund every school despite an ongoing enrollment decline and major revenue challenges noted by the Mayor. School Committee members did not ask any questions regarding the impact of enrollment decline, and there was no conversation about the lack of school closures or mergers in the update.   The final report of the evening was a recommended exam school admissions policy. The recommendation comes after numerous years of changes to the exam school admissions policy, which you can hear more about here. Last year, the School Committee passed an amendment to adjust the number of bonus points a student who attends a Title 1 school (40% or more low-income) receives based on the tier where they live. This year, the Superintendent and her team proposed reducing the number of tiers from eight to four under the current policy, with each tier receiving an equal allocation of invitations. They also plan to continue reviewing the policy's impacts this spring. However, the proposal did not address how this shift would affect the number of bonus points students receive and did not include simulations to show the potential impact on student assignment. School Committee members did not raise questions or concerns regarding these omissions and will vote on this matter in January.   The School Committee will reconvene on Wednesday, January 6 at 5pm for their annual organizational meeting, and it will be held on Zoom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode of Deep Dives, we're excited to explore an educational program making a significant impact in Boston: the Alexander Twilight Academy. Named after the first African American college graduate in the U.S., this academy is designed to help students from underrepresented backgrounds in Boston achieve their full potential. Ross is joined by Annie Weinberg, the founder and school leader of Twilight Academy, and two of her remarkable students, who share the history and impact of Twilight Academy, their personal journeys, and how ATA has supported their academic and leadership growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting was focused on hiring and transportation. The meeting began with public comment, after Chair Robinson announced that there would be no Superintendent's Report. Public comment featured a little less than 50 testimonies, with the majority of speakers members of the Boston Teachers Union advocating for a fair contract and working conditions. Over the past few months, BTU members have continued to testify at the School Committee about the need for a two-teacher model as part of the district's inclusion plan and other important considerations. Last night's public comment emphasized the BTU's clear message to the district, which comes as other towns in Massachusetts have dealt with teacher strikes. The School Committee heard two reports last night. The first report was regarding a tentative bargaining agreement between Transdev, the district's transportation provider, and the bus drivers union. Prior to the meeting, the School Committee went into executive session to discuss the negotiations, and last night's meeting did not feature a robust conversation about the contract. While the contract includes agreements to increase drivers' pay and hours and ensure students get to athletic competitions, as well as continuing previous agreements that ensures the drivers will be employed regardless of the contractor, there was no discussion as to whether this new contract would address transportation issues plaguing the district and the cost implications of a contract, when 10,000 less students are riding the bus. The last report of the evening was an update on hiring and workforce diversity. Every year, the district provides the School Committee with an update on hiring practices and initiatives to have a diverse workforce. Similar to previous years, the report did not include any data or discussion regarding teacher vacancies, the number of positions added, professional development, and evaluation. The report left key questions unanswered about whether the district staff is truly representative of the students they serve, and continued to show the disconnect between the district and the Boston Teachers Union as it relates to its ongoing contract negotiations and the looming budget season. The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In May of 2019, Jill had the chance to talk with Paul Reville, a key architect and advocate for MassCore, about topics that are key to understanding the intentions and context for this policy, such as: The role of globalization and the standards movement in the crafting of the MassCore policy; How and why the state viewed it through a lens of educational equity; Why it was a recommended—rather than required—framework for a high school diploma; And, the challenges of its adoption, particularly in BPS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting was focused on MassCore and graduation requirements, a timely topic following the passage of ballot Question 2 ending the use of MCAS as a state graduation requirement. The Superintendent also spent time talking about transportation, which reached 95% on-time arrival but still only 85% on time performance for afternoon buses. There was no mention, however, of recent reporting that highlighted a 30% decrease in ridership over the past decade and spending nearly $171 million on transportation.    The School Committee then heard a report on MassCore and graduation requirements. In 2019, following a Boston Globe report, “The Valedictorian Project,” it became clear that graduation standards varied widely across schools, leading to inconsistent outcomes for top students. Since then, the district has worked to ensure all students are equally prepared, as highlighted in one of our earliest podcasts from 2019. In line with state recommendations, MassCore requirements were adopted district-wide in 2021. Last night's report revealed that while more students now have access to MassCore, only 50% of students complete the requirements. As MassCore becomes the sole graduation requirement in Boston for the class of 2026, there are still challenges in scheduling and support for students with disabilities and multilingual learners. As the district awaits further guidance from DESE, this issue remains a top priority.   On Wednesday, November 20th, the School Committee will have a retreat at 6pm, which will be held in-person at the Bolling Building. The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4th.   Applications are now open for an opening on the Boston School Committee! If you would like to be considered, submit a completed application  and email it to scnominatingpanel@boston.gov by Friday, November 15th at 11:59pm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting focused primarily on transformation schools with a required quarterly update as part of the district's systemic improvement plan put in place by the Department of ELementary and Secondary Education. The meeting began with Deputy Superintendent Linda Chen, standing in for the Superintendent, highlighting bright spots and providing an update on a still struggling transportation system, noting the installation of new electric chargers at one bus yard. This report was followed by a short discussion led by member Cardet-Hernandez who raised a question about the district's response should the ballot initiative to remove the MCAS as a graduation requirement pass. Dr. Chen noted that a fuller discussion would occur at the next meeting, adding that the state has not yet provided guidance on the matter.   There were about a dozen public commenters, with the majority of commenters testifying about the district's ongoing negotiations with the Boston Teachers Union. As the district continues to negotiate with the BTU, teachers and BTU members testified with a new strategy in place: teachers are pointing out the district is relying on dual licensure, and they are advocating for removing this requirement. The sole report of the evening was on transformation schools, identified by the state as requiring intervention. The report, mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, showed low growth and performance across the 39 schools, which are in the bottom 10% statewide, as well as high rates of chronic absenteeism. School Committee members voiced concerns about these trends and emphasized the need for systemic improvements, though it was unclear how actively the state or city has been involved in addressing these continued issues. To hear more about the concerns and thoughts of the School Committee on this issue, tune in to the episode. On Monday, October 28th, the School Committee will have a retreat at 6pm, which will be held in-person at the Bolling Building. The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6th.   Applications are now open for an opening on the Boston School Committee! If you would like to be considered, submit a completed application  and email it to scnominatingpanel@boston.gov by Friday, November 15th at 11:59pm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting focused primarily on MCAS results and achievement. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where the Superintendent provided an update on transportation. While the district has been making improvements week over week, the district's average on time performance was just 78% for afternoon buses. This low performance continues to lag behind the district's on time performance target set by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of 95%.  Following the report, the School Committee discussed the upcoming ballot question on removing the MCAS as a graduation requirement. With other school boards across the state taking stances on this measure, one school committee member expressed his views on the ballot initiative while others chose not to weigh in on this important conversation. Tune into the episode to hear this view, as well as the perspectives of other stakeholders, on this important matter.  The meeting then moved on to public comment, which featured numerous teachers raising concerns over the district's inclusion plan and MCAS results, as well as a report on tentative collective bargaining agreements with the lunch monitors and food service workers, which will be voted on at the next meeting.  The main report of the night was an update on MCAS achievement and accountability results from this past year. The Superintendent opened the report by emphasizing that the district's results are on par with other urban districts and the state's performance, and that the district is not in need of assistance or intervention by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. However, the report indicated continued low performance across the district and further lack of growth and recovery, with only 27% of students in 3rd-8th grade proficient in ELA. While the report provided some data on student achievement, tune in to the episode to hear further analysis on concerning data trends for students in Boston that was not covered in last night's report.  The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23rd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting began with the Superintendent's Report including a discussion of the recent release of MCAS results, which continue to show a lack of improvement in achievement since the pandemic. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars of federal relief funding and expansion of tutoring and literacy programs, the district's MCAS results show concerning trends, with only 27% of students meeting or exceeding expectations on the ELA MCAS in grades 3-8. While the Superintendent pointed parallel results to statewide trends and higher rates of chronic absenteeism, School Committee members and public commenters urged the district to act with urgency. The Superintendent also provided an update on transportation. The Superintendent noted that on-time arrivals for AM bus routes had improved to 84%, and emphasized that the district's new transportation app, Zum, is continuing to be implemented and adjusting routes to improve these low arrival rates. This is in contrast to the numerous articles and reports of families continuing to share their struggles and delays with the buses. There were about a dozen teachers who testified during public comment last night, speaking about the district's inclusion plan. Their testimonies included current struggles and their reasoning as to why so many are against the implementation of this plan. These testimonies come as the district continues to lack a new contract agreement with the Boston Teachers Union, which the Superintendent and her team were hoping to have settled before the end of the summer. The School Committee voted to double the enrollment at the Edward M. Kennedy Health Careers Academy. While some members continued to ask about the impact of this expansion on other schools and the need for a new facility, the School Committee unanimously approved the expansion. The meeting ended with the sole report of the evening on summer learning. The Superintendent's Team discussed the numerous opportunities provided this past summer and initial enrollment numbers, but did not provide any data on student outcomes or achievement. The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was the first since school began last week for BPS. The primary focus of the Superintendent report, and the ensuing discussion with School Committee members, was the district's transportation challenges. Over the past week, transportation issues have dominated the news, with reports indicating that nearly two-thirds of buses were late to school, marking the lowest on-time arrival rate in nine years. The Superintendent and her team addressed the situation, citing the complexities involved, including the introduction of a new technology system, Zum. While much of the discussion revolved around why these problems persist, School Committee members urged greater transparency with families, many of whom voiced their frustrations during public comments and in the media. Following the Superintendent's report, the School Committee reviewed a proposal to expand enrollment at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy of Health Careers. Earlier this year, the city announced a $38 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to increase enrollment and create new pathways with Mass General-Brigham. Last night's request sought formal approval to grow the school's enrollment to 800 students over the next few years. Committee members raised concerns about the need for a new facility, given the school's past challenges securing a permanent space, and stressed the importance of a comprehensive facilities plan to assess the broader impact of this expansion on other high schools. The Committee also voted on two items, including a proposal related to White Stadium. At the previous meeting, the Mayor's office asked the Committee to authorize the Superintendent to enter negotiations with a women's soccer team for a lease agreement. Public comments focused heavily on White Stadium, with speakers unanimously supporting the need for revitalization and improved athletic facilities for BPS students. The vote passed unanimously. The next School Committee meeting will be held in person or via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Wednesday September 25th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was the last meeting before Boston opens schools next week. The Superintendent spent the majority of the Superintendent's Report providing key back to school updates. While the School Committee usually has received a separate full report in years past, the Superintendent listed key promising updates including 95% of hiring complete.  The School Committee's main vote of the evening was approving the Superintendent's evaluation and performance rating. There was not any public comment on the Superintendent per se, but public comments about the Superintendent's evaluation focused more on the process and criteria that the School Committee used to evaluate progress in the district and the superintendent herself. The School Committee unanimously approved the Superintendent's evaluation and performance rating. Following this vote, there was a quick report on policy revision recommendations for the student information policy and the school naming policy.  The final report of the evening was about White Stadium. Over the past year, Mayor Michelle Wu and the city have been fighting legal battles over a proposed plan to renovate White Stadium in partnership with a new professional women's soccer team. This proposed $50 million commitment from the city to renovate the stadium has been criticized for its lack of community engagement and concerns about limiting access for BPS students, even as the Mayor has said that they will not fund the project without private partnership. As the plan has gone through approval rounds by the Boston Planning and Development Agency and Parks Commission, representatives from the Mayor's office asked the School Committee last night to allow the Superintendent and district to enter into lease negotiations with the soccer team. The report last night raised many questions about access to BPS students, transportation, and long-term cost commitments from the soccer team, but these concerns were left unanswered. The School Committee will vote on this at a future meeting soon. The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on Wednesday, September 11th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

**We want to hear from you! Please fill out this quick survey to provide feedback about our podcasts** As we head into a new school year, schools and families across the country are grappling with significant challenges, from teacher shortages to enrollment fluctuations and the integration of new technologies. Today, we're focusing on these key issues by taking a close look at the largest school district in the nation: New York City. In today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by Dan Weisberg, the First Deputy Chancellor for the NYC Department of Education. Dan plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategies under Chancellor David Banks' leadership, overseeing areas like postsecondary readiness, human resources, policy, and enrollment. With his extensive background in labor policy, talent management, and academic strategy, Dan brings a unique perspective to the pressing issues facing schools today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

**We want to hear from you! Please fill out this quick survey to provide feedback about our podcasts** Last night's meeting was a special scheduled meeting, with the School Committee sharing their summative evaluation of the Superintendent's performance. The meeting began with the Superintendent presenting her self-evaluation. The Superintendent's evaluation consisted of many topics and moves that had previously been discussed at School Committee meetings, and lacked specific reference to student data or expectations for schools and students.  Member Stephen Alkins then continued by presenting the committee's summative evaluation of the Superintendent's performance, broken down by four standards: instructional leadership, management and operations, family and community engagement, and professional culture. While the summative evaluation included goals and metrics, many of the data points driving the evaluation will not be available until later this year. The summative evaluation rated the Superintendent as “proficient”; however, members varied significantly on the Superintendent's performance across the board on areas like instructional leadership and management and operations, and there was disagreement over the amount of time needed to see improvements in student outcomes. This lack of consensus among members was also present in public comment, where the majority of public commenters expressed frustration and concerns as the district prepares for the new school year. The School Committee will vote on their evaluation of the Superintendent at the next meeting. The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on Wednesday, August 28th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boston School Committee held a shorter-than-normal meeting last night. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, which provided updates on summer learning, announced new technology for school buses, and presented the quarterly update on Transformation Schools. The Superintendent noted that Transformation Schools are seeing similar growth and chronic absenteeism rates as other schools—a consistent trend over the past couple of years that has raised concerns among school committee members about the lack of progress. Absent from the Superintendent's report was any mention of contract negotiations with the Boston Teachers Union or discussion of the article in the Boston Globe about the district hiring an external consultant to support the master facilities plan for next year, possibly further delaying the release and implementation of a clear facilities plan. The main report of the night was a brief overview of the Superintendent's evaluation process for the 2023-2024 year. Last year, the Superintendent provided a full self-reflection of her performance at the school committee meeting. This year, the Superintendent did not release her self-evaluation publicly, instead stating that it will be provided in writing to committee members next week. Another change this year is that the Mayor's office has assigned a staff member to support the evaluation of the Superintendent. A vote on the Superintendent's evaluation will take place on August 28, 2024. The next School Committee meeting, which will focus on the Superintendent's evaluation, is a recently scheduled meeting to be held on Zoom at 6 p.m. on August 19th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was the last school committee meeting of the school year, with a scheduled vote to close the Lilla Frederick Middle School and close and consolidate the West Zone Early Learning Center with the Hennigan School, and a report from the school committee's student representative. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, with Superintendent Skipper highlighting a number of ongoing initiatives in the district. However, there was a lack of detail on how these initiatives are being implemented or their impact on student outcomes and achievement. There were also questions from members about the status of the district's negotiations with the Boston Teachers' Union. At the last meeting, the Superintendent said they were ahead of schedule, hoping to have a new contract finalized by the end of June. Last night, the Superintendent told members that negotiations are still ongoing and would not be complete by the end of June. There were around 40 speakers who came to testify at public comment, with the majority of speakers testifying against the merger of the West Zone Early Learning Center into the Hennigan. There were a few speakers who testified about a new report that was submitted to the record, which highlights discrimination and mistreatment of former administrators in the district.  The main vote of the night was a proposal to close the Lilla Frederick Middle School and close and consolidate the West Zone Early Learning Center with the Hennigan. This vote came after months of discussion about the district's Green New Deal and the need to make important decisions surrounding mergers and closures. There has recently been a lot of discussion by the public about facilities, discussing the slow down of the plan by the Mayor, a deep dive into the district's declining enrollment and future city revenue projections, and continued questions about the $50 million commitment to White Stadium. Last night, none of these topics were discussed by the School Committee, and members unanimously voted to close both the Frederick and the West Zone. The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on Wednesday, July 17th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, Jill is joined by Dr. Jill Walsh. She is a sociologist and researcher at Boston University, and specializes in the impact of technology and social media on adolescent development. Dr. Walsh is also the founder of Digital Aged, through which she works with schools and families to give them the tools to help young people navigate the online world.  Jill and Dr. Walsh discuss how schools are addressing student relationships with social media and technology and how parents can help students establish healthy relationships with the digital world and set healthy boundaries. If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Walsh's work, check out the resources below. Dr. Jill Walsh's Bio Dr. Jill Walsh's Research Digital Aged Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting lasted about four and a half hours, and touched on numerous subjects. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where Superintendent Skipper spent most of the time discussing the negotiations with the Boston Teachers Union. The Superintendent noted that she hopes to have a deal by the end of the month, and that negotiations were going smoothly. However, numerous BTU members, including president Jessica Tang and vice president Erik Berg, testified asking the School Committee members to join negotiation and support the co-teaching model in every classroom in the district and adjust the pay for over 8,000 members of the BTU to be in line with inflation. The School Committee heard three reports last night. The first report was on Interim Salary and Non-Personnel Payments on External Funds, which was a short presentation. The second report was a proposal to rename the Jeremiah E. Burke High School to the Dr. Albert D. Holland High School of Technology. Dr. Holland has been a revered school administrator and community leader for nearly 40 years, and the majority of public commenters came to support the renaming. The third report of the evening was an update on equitable literacy. Equitable literacy has been a priority for the district for the past few years, and the School Committee has heard numerous updates from the Superintendent and her team about it. Last night's report covered updates around implementation and a centralized strategy, but there was little to no data on student outcomes nor accountability measures being taken to ensure every student in Boston is reading at grade level.  The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on Monday, June 17th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Standardized testing has long been a cornerstone in educational systems, serving as a tool for measuring student achievement and influencing decisions at every level of schooling. Supporters see standardized tests as essential for maintaining accountability and providing clear metrics for comparison across educational landscapes. However, many have called for moving away from standardized tests, with critics arguing that these tests can reinforce inequality, pressure teachers to "teach to the test," and fail to capture the full scope of student potential.  In today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by two experts to explore this topic. Harry Feder is the Executive Director of Fair Test, a national organization that advocates for fair and equitable testing practices. Harry brings a wealth of experience in challenging the way tests are used and proposing alternatives.  Dr. Martin West is a professor and academic dean at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a board member of the National Assessment Governing Board. Dr. West offers a unique perspective with his extensive research on education policy and his involvement in shaping how assessments are created and implemented.  To learn more about Dr West's research and Harry's work with Fair Test, check out the resources below. Harry Feder Bio Dr. Martin West Bio Fair Test Research on MCAS in Massachusetts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was long anticipated as the meeting where BPS would begin to actualize the actions of their long term facilities plan by announcing a comprehensive list of school closures, mergers and consolidations, but this was not the case.  The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where she discussed a recent update she gave to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on the district's systemic improvement plan, where BESE did not raise any concern or alarm. The School Committee took action on three items, with unanimous approval of grants and a renewed charter memorandum of understanding for UP Academy Boston and Dorchester. The third vote of the evening was on opting out of the state's school choice program. Typically a routine decision to opt out of the state's school choice program, the vote sparked a lively discussion. Committee members debated the benefits of participating in the program, suggesting it could potentially boost enrollment in under-enrolled schools and help retain students forced to move out of the city due to rising housing costs. Despite these arguments and pleas to have these conversations earlier in the year, the Committee voted to opt out of the program, with one member voting to opt in and another abstaining. The only report of the evening was a report on the long-term facilities plan, where the Superintendent insisted that this is the most action taken in the last 40 years combined. Contrary to expectations of numerous school mergers and closures, the Superintendent announced only one school closure which had already been disclosed earlier this year, and a merger of two schools that share the same building. The report focused on programmatic and design changes, emphasizing the challenges of implementing a long-term plan due to secondary programming issues. Committee members pushed for a comprehensive master plan and raised concerns about budgetary implications without long-term projections. The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on June 5th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, Jill and Ross hosted a live podcast recording at the University Club in Boston, MA, with College Uncovered co-hosts Jon Marcus and Kirk Carapezza. Jon is a higher education editor for The Hechinger Report, and Kirk is the managing editor and correspondent for higher education at GBH News. Their podcast, College Uncovered, helps families and students navigate higher education and understand the problems and risks in higher education. In this live recording, Jill and Ross talk to Jon and Kirk about the state of higher education and what families need to know in helping their kids get into college. To listen to College Uncovered and read more of Jon and Kirk's work, check out the resources below. College Uncovered Jon Marcus's Bio Kirk Carapezza's Bio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting featured the Superintendent's Report and three reports, including reports on participating in the school choice program and the district's facilities plan. The meeting began with a brief Superintendent's Report. Members asked about the status of the district's budget, which is currently being considered by the City Council. There have been four budget hearings so far, on topics including special education and school offerings, and City Councilors have continued to express concern. The first report of the evening was an amendment to the charter memorandum of understanding for UP Academy Dorchester and Boston, slated for a vote at the next meeting. The second report addressed the Massachusetts School Choice Program for the 2024-25 school year. Annually, the School Committee decides whether to participate in this state program, and traditionally, the district has opted out. More than half of the districts in Massachusetts allow School Choice, meaning students from other districts can enroll in their schools and vice versa, while Boston and its surrounding communities do not (this map from 2017 shows interesting geographic trends across the state on school choice). Last night, the Superintendent and her team advocated against participation, citing several reasons but omitting many benefits of the program. School Committee members highlighted potential advantages like allowing families displaced by rising housing costs to remain within the district and increasing diversity in Greater Boston schools through a pilot initiative. Nevertheless, the Superintendent emphasized the program's perceived negative impacts. The final report of the evening was an update on the district's facilities planning. At the last meeting, the Superintendent announced that her team would come to the Committee on May 22nd with a list of recommendations for mergers, closures, and reconfigurations. Last night, the Superintendent's team provided updates on current projects and gave historical context, noting that they would be investing in and creating thousands of high quality seats. However, the report did not include a long-term strategy nor any budget, enrollment projections, and timeline. School Committee members continued to point out the need for a long-term plan and strategy. The Superintendent will bring forward proposals at the next School Committee meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are over 50,000 teacher vacancies in classrooms across the country, with certain parts of the country seeing large numbers. As the number of individuals enrolled in teacher prep programs has dropped off and more and more teachers are leaving the profession, schools are struggling to keep teachers in the classroom. In today's episode, Jill and Ross dive into the teaching shortage issue and how to keep teachers in the classroom with two experts: Dr. Tequilla Brownie and Dr. Carole Basile. Dr Tequilla Brownie is the CEO of TNTP, a national organization that works with schools and teachers across the country to advance high quality education for all students by ensuring an effective teacher in every classroom. Dr. Carole Basile is the Dean of the Arizona State Mary Lou Fulton Teachers' College. Dr Basile is leading efforts at Arizona State focused on redesigning the education workforce and changing practices in teacher and leadership preparation.  To learn more about Dr. Brownie's work with TNTP and Dr. Basile's work at ASU, check out the resources below. Dr. Tequilla Brownie's Bio Dr. Carole Basile's Bio About ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College About TNTP The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness The Irreplaceables: Understanding The Real Retention Crisis in America's Urban Schools A Broken Pipeline: Teacher Preparation's Diversity Problem One Million Teachers of Color (1MToC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting was fairly light, with only one report. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where she announced that her team would have an update on the district's long-term facilities plan on May 22nd, including an initial list of closures, mergers, and reconfigurations. The Superintendent then went on to briefly discuss student assignment and demand data, where she noted the release of this past year's assignment data that shows the number of families that chose a particular school and the number of families on a school's waitlist. School Committee members highlighted the importance of this data in understanding what families want, and how it can guide the district's decision making about school closures and mergers. The Superintendent also discussed exam schools, where she highlighted baseline data from this past admissions cycle. The only report of the night was an update on summer learning. As the Superintendent's team provided an update on the increase in the number of offerings and opportunities for students, School Committee members raised some concerns, including the difficulty for parents to sign up for summer school on the website. There were also questions about the impact of ESSER funding on summer programming and future funding, as well as the usage of pools across the city and whether students would actually be able to use them this summer. Despite the light agenda, the Committee is gearing up for significant discussions in the coming weeks and months. The next School Committee meeting will be held in-person or on Zoom at 6 pm on May 8th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to the National Center for Bilingual Education, by 2030, over 40% of K-12 students in the US will be native language speakers of a language other than english. As this population continues to grow, education experts say that the needs of these students continue to go unmet, with schools struggling to help students learn English while also facilitating learning in their native language.   In today's episode of “Deep Dives," Jill and Ross are joined by two experts to explore this topic: Maria Brisk and Angélica Infante-Green. Professor Maria Brisk is a renowned expert in bilingual education and language development. Professor Brisk's research and work have been instrumental in understanding how bilingual students acquire language and how educators can best support a student's learning journey. Angélica Infante-Green is the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education for the State of Rhode Island. Commissioner Infante-Green has spent her career supporting English Language Learners by implementing nationally recognized programs and initiatives to support bilingual learning in New York and Rhode Island.  If you'd like to learn more about Professor Brisk and Commissioner Infante-Green's work, check out the resources below: Commissioner Infante-Green's Bio Professor Brisk's Bio Professor Brisk's Research Rhode Island Blueprint for Multilingual Learners' Success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The agenda for last night's meeting appeared to be rather light and straightforward, but the meeting proved to be much different. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where the majority of the discussion centered around the exam school admissions process. The Superintendent announced that the district had released decisions to applicants at 4:30pm and applauded the BPS team for releasing the decision earlier than last year. However, this timing was not early enough, as many families were required to put down a deposit for private schools by 12 pm the same day. Given the focus on enrollment, it was surprising BPS could not move their notification a few hours earlier. The sole agenda item that evening was the district's quarterly report on transformation schools, as required by the state department of education. This report, while echoing the troubling patterns noted in previous updates, prompted School Committee members to voice their concerns and frustrations with the district's approach to addressing chronically underperforming schools. Members debated the ongoing support for these failing schools and questioned the timing for decisive interventions, including potential closures. The discussion underscored a deeper concern among committee members: the lack of urgency of district leadership in improving outcomes for all students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting concluded the district's FY25 budget process, with a vote by the School Committee to approve the Superintendent's budget proposal. Before the vote, the School Committee heard dozens of public testimony about three issues. There were about half a dozen public commenters speaking about funding cuts for librarians across the district, urging for the continuation of this funding. There were also more than a dozen families and staff from the Henderson Inclusion School community speaking about ongoing issues regarding safety and need for stable leadership. Lastly, we heard from staff members from the Dearborn STEM Academy speaking about foul odors that have gone unaddressed. Following public comment, the School Committee then heard a report about the renaming of the BCLA-McCormack school community to the Ruth Batson Academy. The School Committee then held a discussion and vote on the Superintendent's FY25 budget. For the past two months, the School Committee has held numerous discussions and budget hearings about the FY25 budget, which totals $1.52 billion. While the budget represents an increased contribution from the city, the end of federal relief money and declining enrollment has led to many schools receiving budget cuts. Multiple members expressed concerns about the budget and frustration that their questions about the budget remain unanswered, which have been highlighted over the past few weeks in policy briefs. This prompted Chair Robinson to request frequent updates about the implementation of the budget and its impacts moving forward. The Committee voted and approved the budget, with two members voting no. The budget will now move on to the City Council, where the Mayor will look to get approval from the Council as part of the city's budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting was the last meeting before the School Committee votes on the Superintendent's FY25 budget. The meeting was preceded by the last public budget hearing for the Superintendent's FY25 budget proposal. During the hearing, nearly 30 individuals offered public comments, the bulk of which concerned the district's shift towards a new inclusion model. A considerable number of teachers shared their concerns and confusion regarding the planning and approval process for their schools, emphasizing the pressing need for adequate funding. Meanwhile, families provided heartfelt testimonies on the potential effects of these changes on their children. Comments also touched upon athletic investments, especially those related to White Stadium. These comments came after a lawsuit threatened the plan to renovate White Stadium, and comments from Mayor Wu that the project will not go forward if the planned partnership with the Boston Unity Soccer Partners does not work. Following the hearing, the School Committee meeting commenced, where the Superintendent's Report highlighted some positive news regarding athletics, facilities, and an increase in mental health funding for schools from a federal grant. Additional public comments further highlighted confusion and concern about the district's plan for full inclusion models. The School Committee then voted on a few items. They unanimously voted in favor to submit a statement of interest to the MSBA for a new building for the BCLA-McCormack. Members again raised questions about how this initiative fits within the district's broader capital planning strategy and the contingency plans if MSBA funding is not secured. The Committee also then voted in favor of the submission of renewal for the Student Opportunity Act, a requirement by the state. The evening concluded with a final discussion on the Superintendent's FY25 budget. This conversation was significantly influenced by the district's decision to move away from the Weighted Student Funding (WSF) model, which had allocated funds based on individual student needs. This strategic pivot, aimed at sustaining schools experiencing enrollment declines, prompted Committee members to express concerns about the future of funding and the usage of soft landings to continue to fund schools. Specifically, they highlighted the trend of declining enrollment, and the potential challenges of reduced tax revenue and the pressure to make effective financial decisions in the face of these changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's parents and caregivers face the unique challenge of guiding kids through the complexities of social media, trying to ensure a safe and positive experience in the digital landscape. Over the past two decades, social media usage has skyrocketed among kids and teens, and right alongside it, we have seen mental health issues increase at an alarming rate. While legal action against social media companies aims to hold them accountable for their platforms' effects on kids and teens, and research continues to highlight these correlations, there has yet to be a great solution to protect children from the vulnerability they experience on these platforms. It doesn't feel like parents should wait for someone else to solve a problem that exists in so many households across the country. In today's special episode, Jill talks with Dr. Stuart Ablon, award-winning psychologist, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Founder and Director of Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital. Jill talks to Dr. Ablon about his approach and how it can be used to have a productive conversation with your kids to talk about social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting featured a significant announcement about school facilities, a focus on student data and the continued theme of School Committee members advocating for more detailed planning. The meeting also saw City Councilor Brian Worrell emphasizing the City Council's intention to play a greater role in managing the school department's budget. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, in which Superintendent Skipper revealed that the O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science will stay in Roxbury, reversing the previously suggested move to West Roxbury. This decision came after months of public testimony supporting its retention in Roxbury. Additionally, Superintendent Skipper reiterated plans to renovate Madison Park Technical Vocational High School but did not provide essential details such as the project's budget, enrollment projections, or an overarching vision.  The Superintendent then discussed transformation schools as part of her state-mandated quarterly update to the School Committee. She shared data highlighting troubling trends, including low student growth and literacy rates, coupled with high levels of chronic absenteeism at the high school level. These findings led School Committee members to voice their concerns and call for substantial improvements. The evening's first report concerned an application to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for a new building for the BCLA/McCormack. In last month's State of the City address, Mayor Wu announced a partnership between the BCLA/McCormack and UMass Boston to create a community hub school. The report outlined the district's request for MSBA funding for a new facility but lacked crucial details such as the budget, curriculum strategy, partnership dynamics with UMass Boston, community demand data, and potential impacts on other school communities. The absence of these details prompted numerous questions from School Committee members about the strategy and broader vision, especially given the lack of a comprehensive master facilities plan. The second report addressed the Student Opportunity Act, a legislative initiative aimed at providing additional funding to Massachusetts districts to close achievement gaps and enhance educational quality. It covered initiatives and data points that seem to have a limited impact on student outcomes, leading some Committee members to reserve their support pending further clarification of their questions and concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are more than 7 million students with disabilities in the United States, representing a variety of needs and abilities. Schools across the country continue to struggle to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible, and gaps have only grown over the past decade. In today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by two leading experts to explore this topic: Valerie Williams and Bill Henderson. Valerie Williams serves as the Director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. With an extensive background in policy and advocacy for children with disabilities, Valerie brings a wealth of experience in supporting states and districts across the country to help students with disabilities. Bill Henderson is a former school leader in Boston who led one of the most successful inclusive schools in the country, the O'Hearn School. His work in inclusion is nationally recognized. Valerie and Bill join Jill and Ross to discuss the state of special education across the country and how schools can better support students of all abilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting initiated the district's annual budget process. It started with the Superintendent's Report, followed by concerns from school committee members about their previously requested agenda items not being addressed. Members Brandon Cardet-Hernandez and Stephen Alkins requested updates on several issues, including student outcome data for the district's key initiatives and the level of support school leaders are receiving from the central office, but received no responses. The Committee voted on applying for Massachusetts School Building Authority funding to repair eight BPS schools. Cardet-Hernandez questioned the alignment of these repairs with the district's broader facilities strategy, highlighting a concern of repairing buildings that might soon be closed. The night's main report was Superintendent Skipper's presentation of the FY25 preliminary budget proposal, which outlines a $1.6 billion budget. This amount represents a $200 million increase from last year's budget, despite the district's declining enrollment and a per pupil expenditure now exceeding $33k. However, the presentation offered limited details on the impact this budget would have on individual school budgets, even as several school communities testified about the detrimental effects of budget cuts on their school. When committee members sought to ask clarifying questions, Chair Jeri Robinson urged them to limit their questions to only the most crucial ones and to submit any additional questions in writing. This approach frustrated members and left many questions unanswered. Over the next several weeks, the School Committee will hold several public budget hearings (February 15th @ 5pm, March 4th @ 5pm, March 20th @ 5pm) and will vote on the final budget on March 27th. The next School Committee meeting will be on February 28th at 5pm on Zoom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting lasted about five hours with only one report and nearly 50 speakers testifying during public comment. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where Superintendent Skipper spent the majority of the time discussing the School Quality Framework (SQF). The district made changes to the SQF last month without a full presentation or discussion, and School Committee members have been seeking clarification since those changes were announced. Member Cardet Hernandez requested a formal presentation to look into these changes and discuss how every student has equal access to high quality schools.  The meeting then moved onto public comment. The majority of speakers testified against the proposal to move the O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science to the former West Roxbury Academy building The remainder of public commenters spoke on different topics, including ongoing issues at the Gardner Pilot Academy, the exam school admissions policy, and the potential impact of budget proposals on school communities.  The only report of the evening was a mid-year update, given by the Superintendent and her team. The report covered updates on transportation, health and safety, access to grade level learning, and other areas the district is focusing on. However, the contents of the report did not include any data on student outcomes or school performance, leaving School Committee members asking for more clarification and actual outcome data to help understand the impact of the work the district is doing. With no discussion on performance data or outcomes, the Committee was left with outstanding questions going into the budget process regarding which investments are impacting student outcomes. The School Committee was originally supposed to have a discussion on task forces, but after discussing further with members, Chair Robinson announced that this discussion would be tabled to a future meeting. The meeting ended with new business from Committee members asking to continue discussion on a few key topics, including concerns raised in public comment about the Gardner, further conversation about the SQF, and revisiting areas from the Superintendent's evaluation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Across the country, public schools are seeing big declines in enrollment, with more than one million fewer students enrolled in public schools over just the past four years and the steepest drops in the highest-need districts. With declining birth rates, increasing alternative school options, and the looming cut-off of federal relief funds all creating a perfect storm for public schools, districts are faced with a choice: stay the course, or adapt to the new reality? In today's episode, Jill and Ross dig into this topic with two leading experts: John Papay and Brian Eschbacher. Professor John Papay, Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, has conducted extensive research on the trends leading to declining enrollment and where students are going. Brian Eschbacher, currently an enrollment consultant for school districts across the country, oversaw enrollment for Denver Public Schools during a period of record growth. John and Brian discuss what's driving this issue and how school districts can pivot in the face of declining enrollment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where Superintendent Skipper spent the majority of her report discussing the district's recently released long-term facilities plan. This long-term facilities plan was submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as required by the state's Systemic Improvement Plan, and indicated that as many as half of current buildings could close. The Superintendent clarified in her report that this would not be happening and that the School Committee will receive a list of proposed mergers and closures later this spring and each subsequent spring. However, Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez questioned the lack of projections and details in the plan to help make decisions, and he pushed the Superintendent for a comprehensive master plan that gives members an understanding of how decisions will impact neighborhoods and other school communities. The Superintendent also discussed the announcement of a new partnership between the Boston Community Leadership Academy, McCormack School, and UMass Boston, which was announced by Mayor Michelle Wu in her State of the City address earlier this week. The announcement lacked specificity on details or timeline, and Vice Chair Michael O'Neill reminded the Superintendent that the facility is in need of immediate repairs, including basic needs, like toilets and lockers. The School Committee's only action item of the evening was a vote on modifications to the exam school admissions policy. At the last meeting, the Superintendent proposed modifying the number of bonus points a student who attends a Title 1 school (40% or more students living below the poverty line) receives based on the tier they live in. Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, who has consistently pushed for a different remedy involving the allocation of bonus points directly to students rather than schools, continued to express his frustration at the lack of consideration of this alternative, highlighting concerns about the timing of this change in the midst of school choice season and calling for a reevaluation of the current tiers. Many parents and students echoed these concerns during public comment. The School Committee voted unanimously to approve the modifications to the policy, which will be implemented for the current enrollment cycle. There were two other brief reports last night. The first was on a proposed merger between UP Academy Dorchester and UP Academy Boston due to a dramatic drop in enrollment in the last three years. The second was a discussion on School Committee task forces. Chair Jeri Robinson proposed that Task Forces will no longer report to the School Committee and instead will work under the purview of the Superintendent. While there was little discussion about this change, this would remove power from the School Committee and limit the public's ability to hear from these task force leaders at Committee meetings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night was the last Boston School Committee meeting of 2023, and for the second consecutive week, the Superintendent's Report included a memo with information typically presented as a larger standalone report. This week's memo shared an annual update from the Office of Equity regarding increased incidents of student-on-student misconduct - a topic that has been highlighted in recent news coverage - and members asked that the Superintendent come back with more information in a fuller report at a future meeting. The Superintendent also revisited last week's memo about updates to the School Quality Framework, saying her team has received questions from members about the underlying data and will come back with a further analysis at the next meeting. The School Quality Framework is a key component to school choice, dictating which schools students can access based on the quality of schools in their neighborhoods. The updated scores released last week included troubling discrepancies between statewide accountability scores and BPS tier rankings, leading members to question the data's accuracy and intent, with several members noting that parents should not rely on these rankings to make school decisions (despite the fact that they are required to do so).  There were two reports last night, one on a new proposal to amend the exam school admissions policy, and the second a finance update. The finance update is a yearly presentation that precedes the annual budget process. While the key budgetary information will be presented in the coming months, this presentation did note that more than $125 million in school and Central Office positions is currently funded by federal relief money set to expire next year, and this will have consequences for school budgets. The second report was a proposal from Superintendent Skipper to amend the exam school admission policy. Superintendent Skipper announced that, after considering five potential alterations to the current policy, BPS is proposing adjusting the number of bonus points a student who attends a Title 1 school (40% or more low-income) receives based on the tier where they live. In the current policy, students who attend a Title 1 school in any tier school receive 10 bonus points, creating a scenario in which some students in higher tiers were mathematically excluded from getting into their first choice exam school. To address this issue, under this new proposal, students in Title 1 schools will receive a different number of bonus points based on their socioeconomic tier, with the point value calculated using the point differential between Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools in that tier the previous year. This means that, for next year, students in Title 1 schools in Tier 1 would receive 9 bonus points and those in Tier 2 would receive 11, while those students in Tiers 7 and 8 would receive 4 and 2 points, respectively. Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, who has been pushing the Committee to reopen this policy and advocating for the points to be allocated to individuals rather than whole schools, expressed his frustration with the lack of consideration of his suggestion. Members acknowledged that this is a step in the right direction and they are pleased to see the district's new willingness to address this current policy's flaws, and Chair Jeri Robinson noted that the underlying issue is the lack of strong schools across the district to prepare more Boston students for success in high school and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, where Superintendent Skipper discussed two memos released earlier that day. The first memo addressed long-term facility planning, a comprehensive plan for which is due to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by the end of the year. The memo noted that just 71 out of 119 schools meet standards for optimal school size, and just 18% of school buildings provide most or all of the elements defined by BPS as necessary for a “high-quality student experience.” The memo also outlined a timeline for school closures and mergers, noting that decisions will be announced this upcoming spring and planning will take place during the 2024-25 school year, with mergers and closures beginning in the fall of 2025. Notably, these decisions will be announced after both this year's budget process and the school choice season, meaning students will be choosing schools without knowing if they might be closed after next year.  The second memo discussed during the Superintendent's report was an update to the school quality framework scores - the first update since 2019. Each school is given a composite score out of 100 based on 75% student performance and 25% survey responses from students, faculty, and families, and schools are then ranked from tier 1 to tier 4, with the highest quality schools in tier 1. The memo did not provide individual school scores nor any underlying data for the calculations, and the data included in the memo was surprising. For example, the Sarah Greenwood School has a 7% accountability score from DESE and is tier 1. The Blackstone School has a 6% accountability score and is tier 2. English High School has a 3% accountability score and is in tier 2, while Boston Latin School, which has a 96% accountability score, is also in tier 2, having moved down from tier 1 in this new ranking. While annual updates to the school quality framework are typically presented as a standalone report to the School Committee, last night it was only mentioned during the Superintendent's remarks, and no questions were asked about this data by members of the School Committee. The Superintendent ended her remarks by announcing that she will propose changes to the exam school policy at next week's School Committee meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Massachusetts, there are 9,000 young people in the foster care system, and 50,000 engaged with the Department of Children and Families. These students face a unique set of challenges, and in today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by the leaders of two organizations at the forefront of helping them succeed. Lauren Baker, Former First Lady of Massachusetts, is the Founder and CEO of the Wonderfund, a nonprofit that supports youth engaged with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Shaheer Mustafa is the President and CEO of Hopewell, the Commonwealth's largest nonprofit provider of comprehensive foster care and wraparound support. Lauren and Shaheer join us to discuss the challenges these students face and how schools and communities can best support their most vulnerable students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting was primarily focused on discussion of a new facility rubric released last week by BPS to guide decisions around school closures, mergers, and new construction. The meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, after which the School Committee Chair and Vice Chair shared their experience from a recent visit to the BCLA/McCormack School, expressing concern that the renovations promised by BPS have not been implemented. The Superintendent also responded to questions about pursuing changes to the exam school process, saying that she is looking to bring in higher education partners to look at the policy and will raise it again at a future meeting. This exam school issue was raised multiple times during last night's public comment session, with parents sharing frustrations with BPS leaders' unwillingness to amend the policy in spite of consensus on the current policy's flaws. Additional commenters testified about a concerning lack of data in the BPS facility rubric, a topic which dominated the remainder of the meeting. Following public comment, the Superintendent's team presented the facilities rubric. This rubric comes as the district is required to submit a master facilities plan to the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by next month - a requirement included in the district's Systemic Improvement Plan. However, the presentation last night did not include data on enrollment trends, family demand, budget, or timeline, leading School Committee members to press the Superintendent for further details and question whether this will satisfy the DESE requirement for a master plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chronic absenteeism rates in every state are skyrocketing – continuing a trend that started before the pandemic and leading the White House to double down on efforts to get kids back in school. In Massachusetts alone, 23% of all students were chronically absent last year – meaning they missed more than 10% of school days – with rates among high schoolers as high as 30%. There are many factors that have led to this increase, from disengagement with content, to new responsibilities at home, to a pandemic-era shift in perceptions of in-person education. Because school attendance is a key predictor of student performance, this rise in chronic absenteeism has led to a decline in test scores nationwide, bringing increased urgency to the issue. Today, in the second episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross dive into this topic with two leaders at the forefront of understanding and addressing it: Tim Daly and Alison Hramiec. Tim Daly is the CEO of EdNavigator, a national organization that empowers families to access high-quality education. Tim recently authored a brilliant three-part series on what's behind the rise in absenteeism and how to address it. Alison Hramiec is the Head of School at the Boston Day and Evening Academy, which supports chronically absent students across Boston and helps them re-engage through competency-based learning, mentorship, and support. We discuss the driving forces behind rising absenteeism, the trends in Boston and around the country, and how school leaders and policymakers can help get kids back in school. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night was a short meeting beginning with the Superintendent's Report, in which Superintendent Skipper addressed the news earlier this week that nine members of the School Committee's English Learners (EL) Task Force resigned in response to the BPS inclusion plan presented at the last meeting. The plan called for full inclusion of multilingual learners and students with disabilities into general education classrooms, but it did not include information about budget, professional development, or teacher recruitment, nor did it address support for increased bilingual education programs in which multilingual learners learn core subjects in their native languages while learning English. This led Task Force members – who represent the leading minds in multilingual learning across Boston – to resign their seats while continuing to advocate for a better path forward. Superintendent Skipper doubled down on the district's proposed inclusion plan, which is awaiting feedback from the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The Superintendent then discussed a memo released by BPS as the meeting was beginning on the new exam school admissions policy – outlining the 2021 process that led to the new policy, data from the first full year of implementation, and recommendations for further study. (For a full recap of the 2021 exam school process, check out yesterday's special episode of “Last Night at School Committee.”) The memo highlighted outcome disparities among students who received bonus points despite not being economically disadvantaged and students who are economically disadvantaged but did not receive bonus points, calling into question whether the bonus points are necessary or are accomplishing their intended goal. Among the recommendations in the memo is further consideration of allocating these points to individuals rather than whole schools, a change that has been recommended by School Committee member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez. The only report of the night was a presentation from the Office of Human Capital – an annual update on hiring and workforce diversity. This presentation mirrored the presentation that is given every year at this time, and it lacked key data on teacher performance, evaluation, metrics, or goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On July 14, 2021, the Boston School Committee unanimously approved a new admissions policy for Boston's three exam schools: Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Now, after the policy's first full year of implementation, questions have been raised about its “unintended consequences.” School Committee members and the public have called for changes to be made to this policy to address these unintended consequences, and at the last School Committee meeting, Superintendent Mary Skipper promised to prepare a memo for tonight's meeting outlining the historical context and rationale for the policy change. In anticipation of that discussion tonight, we thought it might be helpful for our listeners to hear excerpts directly from the 2021 Exam School Admissions Task Force meetings and School Committee meetings where the new policy was conceived, proposed, and approved. Today, we recap those events in a special bonus episode of “Last Night at School Committee.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

School districts across the country are facing similar challenges, and “Deep Dives” aims to unpack why things are the way they are and what it will take to create change. In each episode, Jill Shah and Ross Wilson bring together national experts for a roundtable discussion about a key issue in our schools - diving deep into root causes and innovative solutions. Today, in the first episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross are joined by John Deasy, President of the Bezos Family Foundation and a former superintendent of several large school districts - including Los Angeles and Prince George's County. John has spent four decades as an educator, school leader, superintendent, and education policy expert, and we talk with John about the current state of public education, the biggest issues facing school districts, and what it will take to reimagine the status quo and improve public schools nationwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, in which we heard positive updates on transportation. Superintendent Skipper shared that on-time bus performance has dramatically improved since last year, with data from September showing 84% of buses were on time in the morning and 96% arrived within fifteen minutes. Bus times in the afternoon showed similar trends. The Superintendent spent the rest of her report providing an update on the exam school admissions process. At the last School Committee meeting, the Committee had a lengthy discussion about amending the allocation of ten bonus points. Last night, Superintendent Skipper announced that she is compiling data requested by Committee members on the timeline and rationale behind the new admissions policy and will share that memo at the next meeting. Members asked several questions about transportation, exam schools, and the recently released facilities condition dashboard, with one member pointing out that the confusing layout and lack of underlying data in the dashboard makes it difficult for parents to understand the condition of their child's school. Concern around the exam school admissions policy was also a major focus of public comment last night, with many students testifying that they feel they are “unintended consequences” of the new policy as it is mathematically impossible for them to gain admission to their first choice school. Public comment also featured testimony from numerous students and community members at the O'Bryant who expressed frustration with the proposed relocation of the school to West Roxbury. The School Committee heard two reports last night, beginning with a state-mandated quarterly report on transformation schools, which are schools labeled by the State as requiring intervention. The Superintendent's team highlighted concerning trends regarding certain student subgroups and showed data demonstrating low growth among students at transformation schools, leading members to question why the district is doubling down with more resources to its existing transformation schools approach. The second and final report of the evening was on inclusive education in the district.The Superintendent's team outlined a vision for every classroom to be fully inclusive, with special education students and multilingual learners all learning in general education classrooms alongside their peers. Concerning data was presented regarding students in certain subgroups who are disproportionately deemed to need special education services, but there was no discussion of the root causes of this issue or how it will be addressed. There was also no clear plan for moving to a full inclusion model, nor was there information about budget, staffing, or process for engaging families. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Deep Dives,” a new ongoing podcast series from the Shah Family Foundation, explores the biggest issues impacting America's schools, bringing together local and national experts to discuss why things are the way they are and what it takes to create change. Listen to the first episode in your podcast feed on Thursday, October 26. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last night's School Committee meeting began with the Superintendent's Report, which led to a lengthy discussion of the exam school admissions policy in response to a request from member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez to amend the allocation of the ten bonus points. First, Superintendent Skipper spoke about the release of a facilities condition dashboard that gives each building in the district a condition score. She also discussed a recent open house at the West Roxbury Education Complex for O'Bryant families and announced plans to move forward with the previously-announced relocation of the O'Bryant to this location. There was no update on plans for Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, which currently shares a facility with the O'Bryant.  The Superintendent went on to talk about the exam school admissions policy, saying she understands concerns regarding flaws in the policy but cannot change the policy at this time. She cited several reasons why BPS is unable to make any changes, including a five year waiting period included in the policy; lack of available data; complexity of applying data on an individual level; and respect for the task force that developed this new policy. Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez pushed back on each of these justifications, pointing out that nothing requires them to wait five years; the task force changed their proposed policy at the eleventh hour; the individual-level data already exists at the state level; the current policy makes it mathematically impossible for students in certain schools to get into their first choice exam school; and allocating the bonus points to individuals rather than whole schools would better meet their original intention of providing opportunity to economically disadvantaged students. These arguments were echoed by public commenters who expressed frustration with the district's unwillingness to address the flaws in this policy. After votes on new union agreements and a charter amendment for Boston Green Academy, the remainder of the meeting was spent discussing the district's 2023 MCAS results. The Superintendent's team indicated that the district made improvements from last year, noting they are no longer performing in the bottom 10% of districts statewide and are now labeled as “not requiring assistance or intervention.” Many schools showed year-over-year growth, though BPS leaders acknowledged the need for further improvement, particularly among multilingual learners. While BPS named the schools who showed substantial improvement in their scores, we did not hear what those schools are doing that contributed to their improvement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices