...I am not going to say "so you don't have to," because I think if you have an interest in education, you probably should at least skim the report, which is online here.
As always, this is me writing as me on behalf of me only.
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| This image deserves more space than it gets in the report, as it isn't bad thinking and it's a solid try at an outline. How is it, though, that they managed parallel structure for all but ONE of the items? The upper left one is crying out for a noun! |
The Secretary announced his departure on Instagram this afternoon:
State House News Service reports here. WGBH reports here.
The Secretary, as a reminder, is an appointed position, serving at the pleasure of the Governor. They head the Executive Office of Education, and they have a voting seat on the three Boards that oversee public education in Massachusetts: Early Ed and Care; Elementary and Secondary Education; and Higher Ed.
Zrike has been superintendent of Salem since 2020; Lt. Governor Driscoll was mayor in Salem when he was appointed and was a member of the School Committee. He previously was the receiver of Holyoke.
The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets today for its regular September meeting. This is the first meeting with the new commissioner, Pedro Martinez.
The agenda can be found online here. The livestream will come up over here. I'll update once they start.
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| you'd never know that this was below the Revere Beach Parkway, would you? |
...and I want to thank the Governor's office for putting out a press release in advance, rather than leaving us to scramble to figure out who the new person is at the next Board meeting.
Governor Healey has appointed former Gateway Regional1 superintendent Kristen Smidy to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Before she was superintendent in Gateway, a position she just left at the end of this past school year, she was the principal of Hampshire Regional. She now works for NEASC.
Think: rural, regional, western Mass
She's also been leader and outsized voice for the needs of small rural districts.
She's a good egg, and this is a good pick! And I suspect she isn't going to be quiet, either!
She replaces Michael Moriarty (of Holyoke). Thus, while the Board is still wildly overbalanced in terms of inside 128 to outside 128 (with two from Worcester plus Smidy), at least we haven't actually lost ground on that!
On this brutally hot day in Massachusetts, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is having their June meeting. You can find their agenda here. The livestream will appear over here.
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| Should you wonder if DESE is backing down: no. |
I will update this as they go.
Tutwiler: never been about casting aspersions on career-tech leaders or educators
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| Methuen High School auditorium |
"has been about advancing values that reflect that every student" warrants a chance to pursue access
recommending one minor change to the middle school access, and three substantive changes to the weighted lottery
heard "loud and clear" the demand for more seats
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.
A single agenda item today:
Selection of Commissioner for Recommendation to Secretary — Discussion and Vote
It's (now) a fully remote meeting, which will be going up here (watch that page; the video itself will be a new link off that page once it starts).
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| Please enjoy these daffodils on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway |
Updating as we go
DESE released this just a few minutes ago.
The agenda is here. The livestream is here.
I'm covering this one remotely because seven hours of the public hearing yesterday WORE ME OUT!
I would assume today will include many nice words about Russell Johnston, as this is his last meeting. He has borne out my experience with MA Commissioners: our interim commissioners are our best ones.
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| sign from Amherst Regional |
Coming to you live today from the Joint Committee on Ways and Means hearing at UMass Amherst. A number of the surrounding districts are here--Quabbin Regional brought a bus; Amherst Regional walked over--and I just hope someone told all these people that they don't take public testimony. If you're here and need power, by the way, I have a power strip at one of the outlets, so come over if you need it.
I'll post as we go. Note that they have us in what is the airplane hanger of an auditorium on the first floor of the Campus Center, so I can barely see the committee members; I'm making no promises on being able to identify speakers.
They'll start with intros then have the Secretary with the three Commissioners.
Craven: "due credit and praise" to Johnston
March 28 is his last day
finalists will be selected by board members on search committee (four)
new commissioner for July 1
Secretary Pat Tutwiler is willing and able to serve "on top of his responsibilities" as Secretary
will not accept additional compensation
Secretary makes appointment on recommendation of a 2/3rd vote
effective March 29, 2025
Motion, second
Hills: not in support of this
think Tutwiler "would make an outstanding commissioner"
soft power, hard power
"has to do with the structure that has been set up in the laws over the past year"
"there are several different statutes that this would be in violation of"
"at some point, it actually matters what's written in the statute"
Mohamed: "if it doesn't violate statute, I think it violates principles of good governments"
"don't think a person can serve as supervisor of himself"
will vote no on this item
Tutwiler: Commissioner doesn't report to the Secretary; the Commissioner reports to the Board
(on which the Secretary serves)
Moriarty: comfortable with this and support it
"I don't think the secretary as it exists in statute is that old"
"I think it's a novel question, not one that" has a history
Johnston receiver while at the Department (but he didn't report to himself; it both positions he reported to the Commissioner)
"and if it's a mulligan, we correct it at our next meeting"
Stewart asking if it's legal for him not to take compensation
Motion to recommend to the Secretary that he appoint himself acting commissioner (the Secretary appoints upon a 2/3rd recommendation from the Board)
7-2-1, 2/3 vote as required (Hills and Mohamed opposed, Tutwiler abstains)
motion passes
No one asked me but speaking as always only for me:
As announced by Secretary Tutwiler today:
Note this in particular:
This joint guidance reaffirms that these recent federal actions do not prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in admissions and access to higher education or other educational settings. It also includes steps that K-12 schools can take to set their students up for success. Schools and higher education institutions should continue to take affirmative steps, within the law, to create and maintain a positive school climate where all students feel safe, supported, respected and ready to learn. This includes reviewing current practices to ensure they comply with all applicable anti-discrimination, anti-bullying and civil rights laws.
You can find the full statement online here.
Note that this confirms what I said earlier this week: no district or classroom is going this alone. This is a shared responsibility.
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| Lynn students politely asking to be heard about KIPP Lynn. If only Pioneer Valley students could have been there. |
The Healey-Driscoll Administration issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Department of Education's announcement that they will be enforcing the Trump Administration’s 2020 Title IX Rule.
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds their regular monthly meeting today in Everett. The agenda can be found here. There will be a livestream here.
We're awaiting a quorum in a Board meeting room that is overcapacity (they just started sending DESE folks to their desks to watch), and the press thinks the news today is cell phones. It is enough to make one despair.
Updating as we go
The agenda is here; livestream is here
My notes from last night are here
and the meeting has started, but there is no sound on the broadcast...
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
