Board of Ed for December: opening comments

 The agenda is here. The livestream is here. 
This is the final Board of Ed meeting of the Baker administration, and thus the final meeting for Secretary Peyser.

updating as we go

Let me say up front: I'm not here for nice words about Baker or Peyser and public education. You'll have to go find that somewhere else. If you fought off privatization efforts (remember Baker's question 2 ad?) and got the SOA signed, cheers. We made it.

Public comment: 
gifted and talented education
MCAS very inept at identifying where students are
Aversion to acceleration in this state
"I see a structural policy failure in this Department in this topic"

sophomore at Revere High School who participated in the Biggest Winner Math Challenge
"in those kids I could see a pleasure in seeking more knowledge"
"I could see the changes in the students that came" in every passing week
changed her perspective on school
teachers put in school "to help and guide me"
sophomore at Easton High School
was in Brockton gifted and talented program
Biggest Winner Math Challenge provides opportunity for those without such a program
helped learn teaching and leadership skills
sophomore at Brockton High
use math in the real world; changed the way I viewed math
worked in the video series
junior at Foxborough Regional Charter School
took over parts of the schedule after the first week 
making connections through humor
junior at Philips Academy Andover
strong interest in STEM; team leader of the Biggest Winner Math challenge
worked collaboratively to make things more engaging for the students 
sophomore at Revere High, who serves on Board of Ed's gifted and talented council
starts by recognizing Eric Plankey, student member of the Board
in then team leader in Biggest Winner Math challenge
was empowered to take on leadership roles in community
"discovered an interest in teaching I didn't know I had"
"teens need to have the opportunity to work for more programs that work for them"
Shashoy Bailey, chemistry teacher at Discovery High School in Springfield
instructor in Biggest Winner Math challenge
emigration from Jamaica
Attended school in Springfield and chose to go back to Springfield to teach
often one of the only or only Black student in classes in engineering program
systematic lack of access to resources for Black and brown children
need more programs that schools can easily access and provide for their students
seen development in program over time

Senator Nick Collins
speaking for concerns about school safety in Boston
which is not the correct place to raise at all
flagging school safety concerns to the state board (?)
likens medal detectors to library check outs
raises Sandy Hook Elementary
"I appreciate the role this Board has been playing the city of Boston"
has little confidence in Boston School Committee

Max Page, president, Mass Teachers Association
congratulations to all of us for having passed the Fair Share Amendment 

call for lifting "artificially low" inflation cap in the Student Opportunity Act
Right to strike
retirement 
end high stakes testing and receivership
poses some questions to pose to the Southbridge receiver
"how much evidence do we need" of the catastrophe of this experiment?

Hills: Commissioner's assessment subcommittee
set out a structure; and he's talking about a memo that we do not have
"student achievement how we weigh our success or failure as a Board" weighed at fifty percent
Moriarty on pandemic recovery and literacy, because he has this hobbyhorse committee that isn't under purview
"good meaningful robust discussions"

Craven turns it to Peyser
Peyser who is home sick; he's been on the Board for eighteen years
and his list of things they did that I don't think are the things are important at all
welcomes Pat Tutwiler

Commissioner: Boston Public Schools latest
equity analysis for transformational schools as compared to non
literacy focus: getting some traction
transportation: still concerned
concerned about bathroom renovations: "timelines blown early in the process"
"still have ongoing leadership challenges"
"I guess I'm disappointed that we've had elected officials come to the chamber numerous times" and it feels like balls are being dropped
early indications that Superintendent Skipper will be excellent
safety audit coming
Craven: bullying and special education
Riley: special education concerns; bullying
Hills: transportation: why did people think it positive in June?
how do you go from over 30 people interested to one bidder?

vo-tech admissions: policies being reviewed
following up with some districts that may still be impeding equitable admissions
Moriarty: what is being done to expand programs?

Riley opines off the cuff that he disagrees with the MTA prioritizing the right to strike

list of grants in learning loss, and now they're talking about a grant that I don't know what the conversation is about