May Board of Ed: opening comments

 You can find the agenda here. The livestream will be here.

Craven calls to order with "one member on the phone and two caught in traffic"
updating as we go

public comment
first up referencing yesterday's Commonwealth Beacon article, "Massachusetts cannot be number one in the nation" when some students are left behind
complaint related to student privacy (data is redacted when the group is small enough; this is being framed as hiding information)

new director (100 days) of Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter School 
speaks of the work she plans to do while the Academy is on probation
"we would like to meet and exceed"
asks for "time and opportunity"

someone from Everett "on behalf of the students in Everett"
space for students to learn in "is very limited"
"when you have to have a class in the hallway, I have to draw the line"
why not using former Pope John school that was purchased?
another from Everett: appreciate attention to the concerns brought to attention
wrote about ejection of prior superintendent
banned from school committee meetings, all school events
chair barred public from clapping or booing at meetings
part of a group that has "been speaking out against the political machine running our city and schools"
some being harrassed 
mayor plans to give away former Pope John to a developer
new superintendent's budget "just more of the same"
not one mention of overcrowding
national search, no minutes kept, school committee members met 
"somehow this nationwide search ended up with an Everett guy"
"if the Mayor...is going after a bunch of old white people, what will they do to a more vulnerable population?"
have reached out to attorney general, IG, and federal government, "and no one will help"
Asks for more attention to Everett

Craven
virtual meeting on June 17 to hear from Tom Kane
regular meeting on June 18
joint meeting with June 20 with Higher Ed; on that agenda:
can track student MCAS to track economic mobility
"great data on MCAS holding standards"
teacher prep on science of reading
early college update
teacher diversification efforts

Tutwiler: graduation season is upon us
remind that there is still time to complete the FAFSA
year over year is concerning; MassGrant application through July 1

Johnston: 
"my apologies; I will not be brief"
Lawrence: 5-2 to hire Ralph Carrero as next superintendent; decision now comes to Johnston, who is reviewing all information
Southbridge, School Committee voted to adopt local expectations
Holyoke continuing to work on transition plan
Felix Virtual: meeting weekly with DESE staff
plan to come back in the fall with a tuition rate
Brockton: support aligned with general targeted assistance
continue to coordinate with Brockton
Brockton: support aligned with general targeted assistance
continue to coordinate with Brockton
chronic absenteeism as of March now below 20%
pre-pandemic was 13%
Craven asks to what would he attribute it: raising awareness, engaging curriculum
"we know that students have been absent due to worries about illness, changing habits, mental health issues"
ESSA plan amendment
plan was adopted in 2017; federal gov't has asked that the plans be updated
open for public comment until June 7
school meal at an all time high
May 7: national teacher day, DESE hosted "2024 Amazing Educator Event"

Hills on Brockton budget
Johnston: good problem solving coming to this conversation