Ep. 24, Last Night at School Committee: 1/27 Meeting Recap

Last Night At School Committee

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston Public Schools’ School Committee meeting. During this 3-hour meeting, the School Committee discussed newly announced school building reopening updates, heard from families and community members in public comment, and reviewed a proposal from the Superintendent about the readjustment of certain policies for this school year, including changes to testing and placement for the Advanced Work Class program.

As Covid-19 cases throughout the City of Boston trend in a better direction, the Superintendent presented school building reopening updates, with more students being welcomed back to in-person learning on February 1st. The pooled surveillance testing program sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was discussed, and the Superintendent and her team presented operational updates that support welcoming more children back to school. Following this, parents and community members spoke during public comment about the need for the reopening of buildings, and allowing children to be physically back in school, along with concerns about the revised exam school admissions policy and changes to the Advanced Work Class model. The Superintendent, in her final presentation, requested greater flexibility on policies including direction for promotion and retention of students, graduation, and Advanced Work Class testing.

The next School Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 3rd at 5pm EST, and will feature the preliminary budget recommendation for FY2022. Over the next few weeks, there will be many opportunities for students, families, and community members to voice their opinions, concerns and ideas to district officials and School Committee members at a variety of hearings.

Ways to Engage and Resources:

• Attend the Reopening Schools Community Meeting hosted by the Superintendent
• January 28th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
• Attend a School Committee Community Meeting and push for “X’s” to be defined as well as clarification on alignment with existing stated goals, the superintendent's strategic plan and the superintendent's performance evaluation goals.
• February 6th, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
• February 8th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
• Attend a Budget Hearing
• Stay tuned for Exam School Task force dates and attend if you are able. Ask for the data from this year’s “one year” interim assignment methodology.
• Email the School Committee and the Superintendent and encourage them to take advantage of the state’s Covid-19 pooled surveillance testing program.
• Learn more about the state’s K-12 pooled testing program
• Review last night’s meeting presentation and materials:
• Update on Health and Safety Preparations for Reopening of School Buildings PowerPoint
• Request for Flexibilities on the Following BPS Policies due to COVID for SY 2020-2021
• BPS School Year Dashboard

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