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| view of the Malden River from the Board of Ed meeting room |
So far the Board is lacking a quorum, and my understanding is that there is a traffic jam, so we may be a bit. I will update as we go.
Opening with the people who are here, it seems.
Public comment:
Tim Murray, president and CEO of Worcester Chamber of Commerce, speaking against the changes to regulations regarding vocational admissions, opens by speaking of his own experiences with vocational schools, including through Worcester Tech, including as a parent
hoped to build on the capital skills grant program; hoped "a reasonable compromise could be found"
individual schools and programs set their own standards while Department intervenes as necessary (uh?)
"abandonment of commonsense criteria" setting high standards
"hard work doesn't matter...equal to the student who has not achieved academically"
he has twice characterized this as "Governor Healey's" idea
respectfully ask that the proposal be shelved
support Moran's bill
Gerry Mroz: thanks for appointment of Martinez
scale literacy
disagree with segregating priorities
can't whack a mole; act differently than you ever have
Karis McLaughlin: think of the phrase that one man diminishes us; we have lost students in the last week, three students in Concord, one student in Boston
looked at DESE's educational vision
"we have McDuffy" which has been in place since 1993
(she keeps referring to McDuffy as "an act" but it was a court case)
can't continue as you have been
"you cannot claim excellence until you provide it to every single child"
"we have to prepare them, so if the world is as awful as I think it can be, they have the self-esteem"
Center for Law and Education: made strides towards a more equitable system
"must provide every child an equal chance" at these opportunities
not valid predictor of students' ability to participate based on non-individualized, non-nuance inquiries
a CTE school or program should be unable to exclude based on attendance and discipline
only allowed when there are more students than seats; clear implication is that all students, regardless of attendance or discipline, can participate; thus those are not essential for participation
advantages students who have already succeeded in the traditional academic environment
Tracy Stewart, Tri County Regional Vo-tech
speaking on proposed regional agreement regulation; urges them not to send them out for public comment
what are driving this and why now?
(these are not major changes, FWIW)
who decides which district needs a fiscal consultant?
felt not consulted on vocational admission changes, folds into current idea of 41 proposed changes
"with no consideration and really no stakeholder involvement that we can see"
that's what public comment is?
Christopher Prehl, Nashoba Tech committee member
speaking off agenda on vocational admission
"this success is not borne of chance"
introducing a lottery system undermines these priniples
"earned through hard work"
undermines the very qualities that define a vocational student (and not a academic student?)
2021, DESE recognized "could have unintended consequences"
school committee recognize "unique needs" of communities
should be an individual school decision or individual intervention
I think we have the regs because "individual intervention" is needed in most districts; that's why the regulation change is proposed
Brenda Turner: past valedictorian of a vocational school and parent of a middle school student (about whom most of her testimony is about)
have encouraged her student to do his very best
"how and why has this expectation in our Commonwealth changed"
"he learned about competitive admission, and we dangled the proverbial carrot"
is her son in, one wonders?
"how can the Commonwealth turn to a game of chance...have we lost sight of what this country was built on?"
now "what this country was built on" sure opens a can of worms
if son doesn't get in despite working hard, we'd deal with that
"how could I possibly stand behind that outcome" if he lost "due to a raffle"
"nothing but pure chance"
families with traditions of participation have same chance of getting as those who are "running away from their local district"
ah, see I know something about this: the former have less chance of getting in so long as the latter continue to wish to be part of this! We for sure saw that at Worcester Tech!
"protect the safety of all students and also staff members"
where do people who say these things think these children
"get back to the fundamentals of hard work and accountability. It's what our great country based on."
what if your seat was based on your winning "at a very random raffle"?
for some it rather was?
Attorney representing MAVA: randomness breeds agency
lottery is an attempt to sidestep disparate impact
"like tossing paper towels out to hurricane victims"
lottery results could be just as bad as selective admission
"unveiled in the eleventh hour"
(that keeps being said, but we're talking about something that is literally taking months)
"current federal leadership has rejected disparate impact"
May even have to defend from the federal DOJ
should reflect federal jurisprudence, "so it's not going to be defensible"
Michael Fitzpatrick, superintendent Blackstone Valley Tech
asks to reject any proposal that would "interfere with home rule"
ask instead for statewide partnership
"all walks of life respond to high motivation and earned accomplishment"
"to wash away accomplishments"
"we believe that the population of a regional school district should reflect the catchment of its access area"
Skills USA this Friday
Madison Park principal (maybe?); sorry there was a back and forth here in the welcome and I didn't catch it
vocational schools were former dumping grounds; was not done by luck or happenstance
(it was done through restrictive admissions...like, how are we pretending otherwise?)
"local school districts did not adjust to this phenomenon"
"was not created by gaming the system or creaming" students
perceived inequity admission
ask for additional funds
"changes to a successful system would not be a prudent move"
denies deserving students opportunities to flourish
Max Castalone (?) student at Chelsea High School
talk about access to vocational schools
believe all students deserve a fair shot at vocational schools
"I believe the system is unfair and biased"
accepting all students giving all individuals a fair chance
"attendance shouldn't be a qualifying factor"
can create inequities, socioeconomic factors, family requirements
student can be physically present by
shouldn't depend on behavior either, struggle with learning styles
family background
historically been victim to environmental injustice
should be changes to admission program; all students to thrive and be given a fair shot
Vice Chair asks for public comment on voke admission
regs as put out did not reflect work of committee, necessarily
Chair open to seeing comments
"heard from a public commenter earlier that would be important for the Board to have"
Chair: new definition of "disproportionality" which somehow plays into this
May 12 subcommittee meeting in getting back to "what's the problem that we're trying to solve with these regulation changes"
end of May is proposed vote on final regulations
Secretary Tutwiler: have quite a bit to share, "because I am representing two people"
Secretariat: response to recent federal action
"continued to work to protect local school districts from funding cuts" and other impacts at federal level
COVID funding cut: AG Campbell and more than dozen others suing to restore access to these funds
has also pushed back on state certify compliance on anti-discrimination
people of diverse background is a strength
19 other states on illegality of Title VI interpretation
immigration in many communities: resulting in extended absences
keep districts updated on changes that can threaten that
"here in Massachusetts we'll stay true to all students being known valued"
Commissioner search: recommend Pedro Martinez
"I am formally pleased to accept the Board's recommendation" of Martinez
negotiations of contract and also a start date
Graduation: council met for possible working framework
student voices especially insightful
urgency and importance of work; centerpiece is stakeholder engagement
next listening session is at Worcester Tech Thursday from 5-7 PM
Holyoke: last night joined meeting to formally release a set of exit assurances
anticipate ending receivership on July 1 as planned
features to maintain beyond exit in law: smooth transition from receivership to local control
stakeholders must have a voice in development; Johnston now Tutwiler consulted with union, mayor, school committee, administration of districts
certain provisions of turnaround plan to better meet current needs of district
Board has received via email (would be good for that to be publicly released)
fully confident will be ready to resume local control
Teacher Appreciation Week next week
signing days for future teachers
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