Coming to you live today from Holyoke High School, home of the Knights, making a nice change from the last time I was at a Board of Ed meeting in Holyoke when they were voting on receivership.
The agenda for today is here; don't expect it to start on time.
The high school (not uncommonly!) has social media blocked, so I am going to update here rather than try to update on social media.
updating as we go...
Call to order from Chair Katherine Craven, who welcomes all to Holyoke
we again seem to still have the Board members that are over term...is that going to be fixed?
missing Fisher; Mohamed participating remotely
Public comment:
panel from MAVA (Two regional voke superintendents and a lawyer representing MAVA)
lawyer from MAVA: seeking admission using false information
schools having fewer EL applicants; "clear that it was presented to provoke outrage in order to reach a specified result"
"dishonest and it's disrespectful to everyone involved"
DESE withholding "critical data"
disparate impact law is two tests: measure of how a specific criterion effects selection. IF disparity THEN must be validated
which individual criteria are blocking admission for various groups
support or outreach on admission policies
"the law in this area has not changed for about half a century"
CTE administrators "are problem solvers"
issues are nuanced
Heidi Driscoll, superintendent of Minuteman Regional Voke
"what upset my colleagues and me" was having to watch silently during presentation
which is how all of us always have to watch?
"seemingly rushed survey" after last meeting
"absolutely excellent relationships with middle schools
locally agreed upon seat allocations are not accounted for
withdrawals are not removed once they've started
"come visit any of our wall to wall schools"
Heidi Riccio, superintendent Essex North Shore
"offended that CTE schools are doing nothing" to close the gap
outreach to member communities
two languages; interviews at home schools
after dark programs
legislation governs this school; bylaws in member communities
handing "students a weapon upon admissions" listing chainsaws and horse vaccines
access to city schools
we are wildly over time here
Charlie Ellis, chair of Nashoba Regional Vocational Tech
speaking as MASC Division VIII
complex issue can be addressed by allowing individual schools to set policies for their local communities
opposed to one size fits all response
"safety and the ability to show up consistently" important for being in programs
could disrupt regional agreements
"far too premature to pursue wholesale changes"
urge to slowdown
Will Austen, was part of No on 2
"value of fairness" in Massachusetts education
arguing for a standard rigorous high school graduation standard
mastery requires an assessment
should be criteria referenced, accurate, fair, non-discriminatory
"common tools and measures to ensure all means all"
superintendent of TECCA (virtual school)
asks for support to increase to virtual school tuition
requires intervention for low graduation and low participation in testing
superintendent Greater Commonwealth Virtual School
students come to the school because of difficulties they've had in other schools
students with special needs "way above the state average"
"In an ideal world, every student should attend their local schools."
"our first measure of success is rate of return to local school"
"school choice tuition is not sufficient" but receiving districts have access to other resources
no backing of municipalities, as brick and mortar schools do
and we are over time again
Mayor Jared Nicholson with Lynn teachers' union president Shelia O'Neil and Superintendent Evonne S. Alvarez
urge you to reject the application of KIPP charter school as a proven provider
data is clear: fails to meet threshold of academic success for proven provider
fails significantly short of this benchmark
"has lagged behind the state by at least 15 percentage points"
EL students underserved (vastly)
Mayor Nicholson: LPS where it is due to pandemic; adding those seats would "absolutely devastate" the pandemic recovery
would slash budget by $20M; understand the law requires it
"no reasonable interpretation of the data would suggest" that KIPP is a proven provider
"going to defend the Lynn Public Schools against the false narrative" put up by KIPP
"the lottery itself may be blind, but the sign-up clearly is not"
"all students at all time"
LTU president: have testified at several hearings for KIPP's expansion
have only created a greater divide in our community
"Commissioner Johnston has the power to end this fissure in our community"
Despite the policy being that members of the public must sign up ahead and that not being done, Kahris McLaughlin speaking as per usual
"it truly doesn't cost a lot of money to educate kids"
(oh really)
read all of Project 2025
no guarantee in the U.S. Constitution to educate all kids
because education is left to the states
haven't ratified the UN Rights of the Child
still have state constitution; still have Ed Reform Act
and now we are over time
thinks every child should read the US Constitution and know their rights, which is what Ulysses Grant thought
have the courage and the tenancy to come up with a plan quickly
ensure that kids have equity
Craven: having a small subcommittee to continue the work
"the data and not the emotions"
running to ground admission of any
West, Fisher, Rocha, Hills subcommittee
"a perception of elitism"
wouldn't have been the case 35 years ago
"adoption of standards is just chafing to me"
thus some high schools can keep kids out due to their attendance and discipline and some cannot
"look at the facts on the ground"
"and the MCAS...the world shifted...it's marbled through" so many things
"so happy that we're talking about this today"
"from this Board's perspective, what do we have the authority to do or not do"
Secretary Tutwiler:
center couple of things on the recent election
applaud Commissioner Johnston for providing guidance on what this means right now and clarification in the coming months
clear pathway for seniors
"administration still believes deeply that it is important to have uniformity" of what it means to have a MA high school diploma
"robust process repleat" with stakeholder engagement
"in Massachusetts, we care about each other"
all have a role in building the state that we want
stay true, amplify the things that we care about
high quality education for every student in Massachusetts
Acting Commissioner Johnston:
recognizes Mayor, Superintendent-receiver, members of Holyoke School Committee
Holyoke High School staff
comments on CTE sessions: "if it's good for kids, it's hard for adults"
what has been the impact of the changes that have been made
- student population has continued to change
- issues with access to eighth graders
- we have genuine concerns about access with criteria we have now
we know that districts continue to have questions
developing more specifically to class of 2025
more coming in response to questions
will work to maintain high standards across the state
will be on agenda in future meetings
are there questions?
Craven: what does it mean, what is in our power
Hills: a comment, short term issues; encourage to interact with Board before putting workarounds in place for 2025
helpful to see perspectives
Moriarty: "a dynamic situation"
voters were given one choice
"I don't think less rigor or passing people through" is the message we should take
Constitutional obligation
Rocha: Massachusetts spoke loud and clear
was first class to have to pass the MCAS
"it's about access and it's about fairness"
Craven: "this is the place the lawsuits come"
"now we have a big piece of that missing"
for assurance of learning
"I expect that this will happen again" (being sued)
"our role versus the Legislature...important for us to know"
it would be good if someone did, because the legislature doesn't seem to
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