Today's meeting is being hosted by Methuen High (which has a stunning auditorium, and I'd quite like to have a box seat for Board of Ed meetings always, thank you). The agenda, which is regulation central, can be found here.
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| If this box seat had an electrical outlet, it would be close to perfect. |
updating as we go once they start...this will not start on time.
Looks like there might be a color guard today.
Public comment
Senator John Cronin: home city of Fitchburg, Monty Tech
more affluent applicants received an offer twice as often; non-EL three times as often
"systemic...wide-spread...school after school. year after year"
kids from less advantaged backgrounds should not have unequal access to
"just like how charter schools have operated for over thirty years"
"falls short of any definition of 'equity'" any of us accept
discrimates against protected classes of students
"strategic advocacy...is a leadership failure"
"an ugly symptom of the post-truth era we live in"
"I am an unrepented proponent of the ed reform movement"
if any form of excellence...has been created by discriminating by thirteen-year-olds at the front door, that is no form of excellence we should accept
hope regulations as proposed are accepted
Jacqueline Monterroso, Latinos for Education, director of policy and advocacy
who mentions, to our unspoken question, that she is 38 weeks pregnant and thus out of breath
strong support for reform of regulation change on teacher licensure
"reaffirm DESE's leadership" in strengthening educator diversity
consider expanding definitions for alternative assessments
"at least starting the conversation today"
Traci Griffin, ACLU, Director of Racial Justice Program
appreciate efforts on eliminating barriers on admission to vocational education
applaud move from ranking
"essential to fulfilling the promise of our public education system"
"move beyond discriminatory practice"
"selective admissions...have disproportionally excluded" students
"unjustified and ongoing disparities" in admissions
do have some concerns about weighted lottery: inequitable access may well persist
"we would prefer for the Board to adopt an unweighted lottery system"
urge adoption and continued strengthening
MAVA panel (I think?): lawyer who I mostly cannot hear
no laws grant Board authority to control admission I think he said?
"has gone beyond scope of" its authority (maybe?)
if so, that's kind of a wild argument, since DESE can take over entire districts...
"no coherent rationale on rush to judgment"
regulation would allow DESE to wrest control of admission
"lack of statutory" authority
Aaron Polansky, Old Colony Regional superintendent: disregard concerns of municipalities, sending superintendents, vocational superintendents, school committees
"a blanket approach is not the answer"
admission "reflects the community they serve"
"where these issues are a safety concern"
"where attendance will matter"
note that this argument presumes that it does NOT matter in a comprehensive school, which is of course false
impacts are too severe; implore to reject and consider an alternative method
Barbara Fields, Black Educators Alliance
60th anniversary of support for equity in education for all students, particularly Black students
"but still we are too often fighting for basic access to opportunities"
"barriers are erected often by regulations"
"the remaining selective criteria...have years of research documenting the bias...in the data, including DESE's own data"
"in the current political environment" absence is amplified
educators can testify that discipline is administered unfairly
"when your own data clearly shows the unfair and inequitable impact...on 13 and 14 year old students"
urge a straight lottery; "do not simply modify discriminatory practices"
Amanda Fernandez, Latinos for Education (former member of the Board)
proposed reforms to admission to vocational admission
thanks administration for "leading with their values" on increased funding
"here as an advocate for Latino children and families"
Latinos are the second largest group in our public schools and the fastest growing
continue to experience among the largest gaps
"powerful pathway to closing the gap" and breaking the pathway barrier
possibility of double or even triple the median income of Latino students
"stand ready to partner with you all and other stakeholders to ensure Latino students are more equitably served by our state's admission's policies"
Scott Keeler, Nashoba Valley Regional Tech
almost 40 years in vocational education; student, parent, vocational instructor
before being in vocational education, might have also advocated for change
one child denied due to grades
"full credit for any grade above a C"
"more deliberate action than simply showing up"
"support unique mission of vocational education"
"potentially dangerous" equipment
"traits...are essential" (oh yikes on "traits")
"how can we place them in a high-stakes vocational environment" unless they have proven
"are we willing to compromise the safety of our vocational programs and the safety of our learning environment" for the sake of a lottery
Charlie Ellis, chair, Nashoba Valley Tech chair
Division VIII of MASC
strongly urge you to vote no on proposed regulation
ignores local control, "a core tenet" of education in Massachusetts
"too rigid" for realism
strong opposition
"are we really going to ignore the voices of those closest to our students?"
"eliminating all meaningful standards"
"throwing out a working system"
as always: working for whom?
please reconsider
Derek Roshom (?), teacher at Nashoba Tech
"profound disappointment and frankly alarm"
latest update in proposed regulation "sent a chilling message"
"seemingly disregards fundamental safety standards"
"not just perplexing but deeply troubling"
jeopardize safety,
"awarding bonus chances" for drug distribution, assaulting students
"a leap towards a system that compromises the safety of our schools"
asks if violent offenders should be barred: could not agree on this principle
urges rejection of regs
Karen Minster (sp?), admissions for Bristol County Ag
"so little genuine dialogue"
"the public that we claim to serve"
regarding non-resident students: specific exemption to
point system evaluating all students equally, giving non-resident students a path
if waitlist, resident students admitted first
would virtually eliminate non-resident students
that's...not uncommon
Would block access to agriculture education for other counties
or other schools could have ag programs? Like, that's a thing...
Mary Tamor, Mass Potential
graduation standards
students who were unable to attend college due to not having MassCore in high school
today's proposed requirements "will unfortunately not prepare" students for college
it is literally through grade 10, which is what is required in state law; the Department doesn't have grade 12 authority in the MGL, and this continues to be a bogus, fearmongering argument, usually being made by people who should know better
no grade standard; continue to hear districts setting a D-
"sending a message" of lower standards being acceptable
would only deepen inequities
END PUBLIC COMMENT
Tutwiler: comments that the 'space is incredible'
honor to be here
call out and celebrate and members of the JROTC
celebrating student members
name all the planning that goes into holding a meeting here
Teacher Appreciation Week: was at Nipmuck to celebrate
annual STEM summit at Gillette: launching career pathways
last week: Amazing educators event, recognizing exceptional educators across the Commonwealth
Stewart is a fixture at this event every year
accepted Board's recommendation of Martinez, who will begin on July 1
update at next meeting
statewide graduation council had third meeting on Worcester State; feedback so far, research
"really robust conversations"
continuing stakeholder engagement; four more listening sessions
DESE's catalogue of aligned supports
excited about continued and new supports available to districts in 2025-26 year
student attendance: before 2021, reported only once a year; since then, reported twice a year (spring through March 1; summer through end of school year)
Last week released for this year, posted on website
some improvement, rates of absenteeism remain higher than pre-pandemic
fall 2024-March 1, 2025
adopt permanent regulations on timeout practices at June meeting
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