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[Music] [Music] Good morning everybody. For the record, my name is Ed Flynn, District 2 city councelor. I'm also the chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Arts, Culture,
Entertainment, Tourism, Special Events. Today is September 29th and the exact time is 104. The hearing is being recorded. It is being livereamed at boston.gov/cityconsil-tv GV/City
Council-TV and broadcast on Xfinity channel 8 RCN channel 82 FiOS channel 964. Written comments may be sent to the committee email at cccccac
boston.gov and will be part of the record and available to all city councilors. Public testimony will be taken at the end of the hearing. Individuals we called up on in the order which they signed up will be given two minutes to
testify. If you are interested in testifying in person, please add your name to the signup sheet near the entrance of the chamber. If you're looking to testify virtually, please email our central staff liaison, Megan Kavanaaugh, at
Megan Me Ghan. Kavanaaugh k a v a n a gh at boston.gov for the link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on docket number
1350, a message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Napoleon Jones Henderson as commissioner of the Boston Arts Commission for a term expiring June 1st, 2029. Docket number 1351.
Message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Ian Liver as a commissioner for the Boston Arts Commissioner for a term expiring January 1st, 2029. The final docket number is 1352. It's a
message in order for the confirmation of the appointment of Caitlyn Gould Lowry as a commissioner for the Boston Arts Commission for a term expiring August 1st, 2029. These matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Woo and referred to the
committee on July 9th, 2025. Um, I do expect some of my city councils will be arriving shortly and once they do, I will recognize them and ask them if they also want to provide an opening statement.
And thank you, director, good fellow Ian, our appointees, Napoleon, Ian, and Caitlyn for being with us this morning. It's critical that the city of Boston fosters the creation and collection of
artwork that reflects the people, ideas, histories, and future of Boston. The Boston Arts Commission aims to commission and approve artwork that engage our communities and directly respond to the urban environment.
I look forward to learning more about each of you and what you what you will bring to the Boston Arts Commission. and just want to acknowledge how important the arts and culture and music is. Last night I had the opportunity to attend a
an event in Dorchester um in celebration, in recognition in honor of the Vietnamese community and the incredible sacrifices really and contributions they have made to our city and our nation.
And it was a wonderful event and whether it was through music, it was through arts, through culture, but this night was through arts. But it really had a unique way of bringing us an important way of bringing us together as a city, as a country,
especially during challenging time as we celebrate the enormous contributions that the Vietnamese community um play. Just one just one small example. Um, also I'd also I'd also like to recognize
from the city admin administration Karen Goodfellow who's the director of bots and arts commission, the mayor's office of arts and culture. We recognize and mention the three appointees. Um,
at this time, let me ask the um director of the Boston Arts Commission if you would like to speak and maybe um introduce the three um nominees here and then give them an opportunity to provide an opening
statement. Is that okay? >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Thank you, counselor. >> Yeah. Uh good morning. Thank you for having us here this morning. We're really grateful to be here. Um, and I'd love to uh introduce you a little bit to the three people uh really incredible people from our arts community in Boston who have offered their time uh both
today and over the next five to 10 years um in service to Boston's public art. Um immediately to my left is Napoleon Jones Henderson uh whom I've known for uh a long time. Um but uh first got to know very well when we commissioned him when
the city of Boston and the mayor's office of arts and uh what is now the mayor's office of arts and culture uh commissioned him uh as an artist and he has done a really important piece at the bowling building entitled Roxberry Rapsity which was just there was just a talk given at it I think a week or two
ago um a really important piece and so Napoleon very well understands the importance of commissioning artworks especially by uh our incredibly talented and celebrated local artists. Um, so Napoleon will be bringing that really wonderful perspective of having, you
know, applied for a project, received a project, uh, fabricated and installed a piece and continue to be engaged with it. Uh we're also uh joined by Caitlyn who who is um joining us from the Gardener Museum who is one of our really important partners um in many ways to
the city of Boston and she will bring that institutional knowledge uh and collaboration and I hope in a way will continue to help the way they have most recently through the Boston Public Art trienal as has the MFA been doing more public art and um really bringing the
resources that that great institution has to the people of Boston. very similar similarly Ian curator at the MFA um who also knows Napoleon's work um and has been working and connecting with local artists uh since he first joined us in the city of Boston um and uh has
brought pieces outside of the doors of the MFA into the public and is you know steadily learning and displaying a lot of curiosity about how to better um bring the incredible talent held within the museum to the people of Boston. Thank you. Um could I ask each um person
if you'd like to provide an opening statement or um something that's important to you that the committee should know about as we as we vote on this and it's probably likely we're going to vote take up a vote on Wednesday. Um but I'll I'll file a
report on Wednesday during the council session and um talk about your background and experiences. But whatever whatever you provide me will will be helpful for me to um um encourage and explain the the backgrounds of each
applicant. Well, I am thank you very much for the opportunity and I would uh simply say uh Karen has done an excellent job of giving a overview of myself but uh more specifically I would
say that I have spent the better part of now 51 years here in the city of Boston coming here from Chicago to teach at Mass College of Art and I've spent uh all these considerable years not not only uh pursuing an active art
practice of my own, but being involved with the larger community of artists, upand cominging artists from being students in my classes to individuals who have become mentees of mine and just the general art community across the board. And so I've had u a rather
exciting 50 years of uh interacting with not only the city of Austin, but with the local communities which I've been located in at the present uh address for the full 50 years I've been here. So I've been at a permanent hub which has
allowed me with the resources that I have in terms of the artists I know internationally and nationally that whose works I have in my own personal collection. So I've been able to share all of that as well as my own personal studio work which will begin again be on
view this weekend. Roxberry's open studio coming up fourth and 5th of October. So I've just simply been an instrument I feel within the larger community and I've been enriched by the artists in the larger community that have uh supported and participated with me throughout all these years. So I
think I have a a good resource of understanding of uh the community at large that uh I'd like to offer to the services of the commission and the city of Austin in this formal manner.
>> Well, thank you Napoleon. Thank you. Welcome. >> Um, next, could I go to Caitlyn if you'd like to give an opening statement? >> Yes. Um, thank you so much. It is an honor to be here. Very nervous, but um it's hard to follow up with Napoleon. I do not have 51 years um of experience, but um I have been uh the director of
exhibition planning at the Isabella Stewart Gardner now for uh four years. And in that role, I think I can take, as Karen said, um the work that we've been doing with community and with outreach and of um trying to create um welcoming places and spaces that are not just in the walls, but also outside of the
walls. Um I think I also might bring a kind of a practical approach because a lot of what I do is um logistics and planning and um really helping to kind of put on that hat as we think about some of the challenges and opportunities um of the different pieces. Um and I'm just very passionate about public art. I
think it does so much to bring people together to, you know, create dialogue and conversation. Um, I live in Charles Town and we just did a big beautiful installation down in the Navyyard and I can't tell you how many friends want to go on walks and gather together. Um, and so I want to be able to continue those
those types of um, interventions that that can just beautify and make our city a more beautiful and enriched place. >> Thank you, Caitlyn. Ian, >> thanks so much. I too am very honored to be here. um and thrilled that as a new
relatively new arrival in Boston, I moved here almost exactly two years ago to take a role at the MFA Boston to run the department of contemporary art there. But for more than 20 years, my practice as a curator has been working
with living artists. And um so in terms of that that that activity, I think um that's one of the things I'm very excited about in in a role as a commissioner. Um most recently at the
MFA Boston, we inaugurated as part of um the Boston Public Art trienal, a new project with the artist Alan Michaelelsson, who is a native to Boston. He spent year his years ages
eight to college um here in the city um and passed the MFA every day on his travels to and from school um and now he has a commission at the entrance of the museum. It's the first of our Huntington
Avenue entrance commissions and it was engineered in a way by Allen and by us to be a project that welcomes visitors into the building. um creates a sense of community there on the steps of the building um and to
participate in this larger um initiative around the city um that that is public facing. So it's been fascinating to get to know the city through the the public art trienal through my practice at the museum. Um, we acquired a work of Napoleons just two years ago when I
first arrived and it's been a thrill. Um, and I look very much forward to the opportunity of participating further in the fabric uh of culture in this city. >> Well, thank you Ian. Uh, thank you Napoleon. Thank you Ian. Thank you Caitlyn. We're also joined by city
councelor Erin Murphy. Um, Council Murphy, um, would you like to give an opening statement? Um ju just thank you chair. Sorry I'm a few minutes late. Um just happy to be here and hear directly from you and the work you do across the
city. It's important that we um you know the arts is what keeps many people right um getting up out of bed and enjoying life. and in, you know, every neighborhood and not just like we have a lot of our museums downtown area,
but we know that each neighborhood brings so much art and life to to the fabric of our community. So, just happy to learn more about what you want to bring to this role and looking forward to supporting that going forward. So, thank you.
>> Thank um thank you, Council Murphy. We'll take we'll we'll start um a Q&A and if other counselors come in we'll um we'll include them as well and then we'll take public testimony and maybe give closing statements as well. Um, so
maybe I'll start and then I'll pass it along to councelor councel Murphy. And although I'm not going to do the time uh time clock here, um, each council can take the appropriate time that they think is necessary to ask the questions
that are important to them. Um, so maybe my question is to all of you and um, without asking the question about why you want the job and I I I do I do know that you you would do a tremendous job here. Just explain to me
if if you were in this position in this commission, this committee, um, how would you bring residents together? How would you bring residents living in public housing together? How could they benefit in learning about art and
culture? Um how could um immigrant neighbors learn about art and culture and other communities of color? So just kind of a general question and just wanted to hear your thoughts about that. So if if um anyone could start and then
each each person can take a minute or so two minutes. >> I guess I guess since I'm the senior member here take advantage of that. Napoleon, you're on the hot seat. >> Now, I would say that um my entire
career has been a an engagement with the larger community and in my indiv individual uh personal travels as well as my interaction with artists from all around the world who have come to Boston through various uh avenues that have
found their way through my house and my uh studio. And my studio has always been an open space for the larger community where I live and by extension the larger community of Boston as a whole. So I have um been, if you will, blessed to
have uh acquired a a sizable collection of original art. I have a sizable library of art books and other kinds of resources that I have always made available to the larger community and younger artists coming up. So uh I came here to teach. Being an academic is a
part of what I do with and being a practicing artist that's the other part of what I do. And the two are co-mingled all the time. So I think I bring not I think I do bring a vast resource of not only practice but relationships with the
community and with other artists, the local community and the international community that filters through my studio practice in my life. So that's something I would uh surely be bringing to the commission um via our uh activities.
>> Thank thank you Nicole and uh Caitlyn. >> I think it's really important to engage with all the different communities if it's marginalized communities or communities that don't feel like maybe um that they're welcome to go to them. I think that however it happens, it's
about, you know, showing up there so that um they they can feel heard and it's just about a lot of listening, especially at the beginning. What do they want? What does art are mean to them? What does it look like? It might be very different from what I think or what the commission thinks. So, it's just about having that um that space for
them to be able to articulate what would be meaningful in their communities and going there. Um so, I think that would be a start. >> Thank you, Caitlyn. Ian, >> I love Caitlyn's answer, too. Um I think another way that one can approach this
question um which is a super good one is about representation and I think um folks want to see themselves represented in in the kind of production of this cultural production of the city and that's much has been
very clear to me in my um in in my work as a curator. Um when I arrived at the MFA in Boston, there was already project underway to diversify the collection um to make sure that we were representing
um all of the populations of Boston. And that's something we've doubled down on in my department in the past two years with um not only the commission I spoke about um an indigenous artist who is honoring um local indigenous communities
in the work that he made for us but also in our new collection galleries for contemporary art um where artists from all around the world um represent all kinds of diverse stories and experience in the galleries. So, um I do I do agree
though that it is also about meeting people where they are. Um and it's been clear to us from some interesting surveys we've been taking about folks reactions to the um to the commission, for example. Um that the question of what public art is has a lot to do with
not what's on the facade of the museum, but rather what's on their corner in their own neighborhood. um that's easily accessible to them and um something that meets them where they are. >> Thank you, Ian. Um Napoleon, just one
quick question. This weekend the open studios in Roxbury. >> What day is that on? Is that Saturday and Sunday? >> Yes, Saturday and Sunday, October 4th and 5th. >> And what time does that go till? >> From 11:00 to 5:00. Both Saturday and Sunday.
>> And I'm going to I'm going to go over there and I'm going to say hello to you. I'm looking forward to it. >> That the house is amazing. >> We >> Yeah, >> we look forward to >> an incredible place to visit. >> Um maybe one one final question. Um, so what so at at your open studio um on
on the weekend, do you get a chance to um talk to young people about how important art and culture and music is to um their education as they as they grow up and um how it can be impactful
to them. >> Absolutely. because for the most part uh open studio not just in Roxbury but all the open studios uh encourage and support families coming. So it's not
just simply it's not an event that occurs for artists and artists alone. It's the larger community and that's the sharing of the artist by congregating themselves in these locations and like myself in my own personal studio. The young people have the opportunity to
actually see how an artist actually lives and that is really not necessarily all that different than the way that they live. It's just that I'm making more or less the works that I have in my home where they purchase them and have them in their home. But nonetheless, they are excited about being able to
come and see how an artist actually lives and what's in in involved in being a creative person. And many times uh well, I've I've lived long enough to have uh experienced some of them uh having grown up through workshops and things that I've done and I've run
across them either on the street corner or at the museum and they'll say, "Hey, Mr. Jones, remember me?" >> Yeah. >> I said vaguely. Well, I was in Hennegan public school when you came and did an art class and such and such and such. I said, well, apparently it worked because
you're here at the museum and we're running into each other. So, uh, yes, they get that kind of encouragement and they get that type of an opportunity by visiting with the congregated art. And this is actually the 26th annual Roxbury Open Studio.
>> Okay. Well, thank you to all three of you. Um, Napoleon, thank you. Um, it's it's great to know that you'll be there, but that's the type of leader you are is being visible in the community, interacting with residents, taking
questions, explaining what you're working on. And I think I think you're a tremendous role model for young people that do want to get involved in arts and culture and and music. So, just want to just want to say thank you to all three of you. Um, at this time, let me ask
Councelor Murphy if he'd like to um ask any questions. >> Thank you. And I mean, I think it's so wonderful that this commission approves new public art and maintaining the existing artwork. And for many, it
may be the only artwork they see, right? Because if you're driving by or, you know, walking along the greenway and you see new artwork go up many times. And we saw this through the um Sundays for all that council Flynn and I really advocated to make sure every family in
the city of Boston. We know many don't go into museums for lots of different reasons, many times financial reasons. But to know that, you know, you can be walking through Nubian Square. You can be coming, you know, across here from city hall. even the um hydrants, you
know, when they're painted or the boxes, just displaying different art is a wonderful thing across the city. That being said, is are there any current public art works um that you like the best and why?
>> Do you want to go first with this one? >> Sure. Sure. Happily. Well, um I I've been quite taken by Napoleon's work actually um which I first saw at Roxbury Community College. Incredible
>> project he did um for the library doors at first which is now on display in a slightly different location. But it um visiting that site, I mean, so so one of the the amazing things about public art for folks who aren't in the neighborhood
where it's installed is that sometimes it's fun to go and look for it. >> Um so you get to see new parts of the city. Um you get to see an incredibly vibrant part of the city when you go see Napoleon's work um at the community college and you realize this is a center for all kinds of activity, right? not
only learning but also public events um study and so um for me that was a real um surprise and wonderful discovery because I also um was so fascinated in Napoleon's own background as um
co-founder of Afrocobra in Chicago, someone who came to Boston in the 1970s um and made a new home for himself here. And so it's actually through Napoleon's work that I began to discover the Boston that I know now. Um so that's one of my favorites.
I think a a new favorite for me is part of the trienal is the um Nicholas Gallinan piece that's um in the Evans Park and um he's a wonderful artist who I was at the PBDs museum up in Salem for um for a while before the gardener and um we had a piece uh there that I really
really loved and was drawn to and was kind of sad that then I felt like I didn't get to see his work as much and I kind of um I missed that and so I was walking to work getting off you know getting off the tea at Rugles and doing my normal commute and all of a sudden there it was and it was so beautiful to see it and I felt like I was, you know,
um, seeing an old friend and that was really special and what it's done for that park. It's not a huge piece, but it's really impactful and I love seeing the students from Mass College of Art that they're creating art and they're chatting and it's all around and it's just a beautiful moment for um, a really fantastic artist to be there. So, that's a current favorite.
Well, for myself, there are quite a number of pieces, but I think for me the most impactful piece that speaks to the question you asked about families and young children being encouraged is John Wilson's sculpture on the grounds of
Roxburg Community College, which is sits there when people come home, go to work, they travel across that place because you're looking at a man holding his child within his arms. be sheltered and guarded and safe as a child to be able
to seek whatever it is he might want to be in life. And it just happens to be a male figure which speaks to the importance of men in the being involved in their children's lives. And there is
no better permanent kind of representation of that than this particular piece of John Wilson's because it it it just exudes the emotion and the warmth and love that exists between the father and child and the fact that it the arms are interlocked
around this child reading a book. And so for me I that particular piece speaks volumes in terms of just nurturing our children, nurturing our family and being a pivotal piece at a learning institution uh that is an international
institution of learning. Roxburg Community College is so that would for me be uh the most important piece. >> Thank you. Um, also, and you all have said this and I know believe it that many times,
especially public art right out on the street, people see themselves, right, where and there's communities and neighborhoods across the city where there's, you know, strong groups of people that many people may not realize live in that community. The recent painting that went up across from St.
Monica's Yeah. that reflects like um you know when people are painting the artwork on big cement walls now that really have a story behind it. Do you believe and agree? I know the veterans do a great job now when we rededicate hero squares we have the QR codes to
kind of tell the story. Do you um already does the commission already do that for all of their public art? And if not do you agree that that's something that we should have along with it? so people can learn more. >> Yeah. So, we actually just very recently
contracted, excuse me, for someone to help us develop signage. Um, that project's being led by our public art registar, Paul Zotov, who is here with us um working in collaboration with some of our project managers. But we have just um we're going into studying what we think the different types of signage
we might have could be so that we can provide this educational information. Yeah, it's great because I mean they always say it shouldn't be the burden of those in the community to explain it, right? It should be our job to teach ourselves. So, if there was QR codes and
and are there any public city-owned land that you already are thinking or have often thought should have public art >> that doesn't yet, right? That >> do we have time and tools? Uh yes there are many many
many many places there I don't think you can have too much public art >> because public art is the interface of the community itself and it allows the community to be energized in a manner
that uh I I think marries itself to the trees and shrubbery and the grass and the greenery of the community. It gives life to that community in a visual and aesthetic context that uh is, you know,
uh uh I think encouraging young people to think about the open space as something other than just simply a vacant lot so to speak or a vacant space that they travel through or maybe once in a while get into some mischievous activity that they shouldn't do. But the
art I found uh encourages against that kind of activity and embraces a a overflowing of created thought by young people and they're playing in those spaces when they have public works that are a part of that space. I often think when you drive into the neighborhoods
and it's that oval blue sign that says like welcome to Dorchester, welcome to Beacon Hill that they should be more individualized like public art in each neighborhood to kindate, right? I was I was thinking counselor about um your
question before this about signage and then this question about where public art is and it reminded me of um another project in the Boston public art trienal um which is not so much neighborhood based but it has an amazing story um
it's the new red order work that's installed in in Quincy Market and it's really a touristy destination but the the story that those artists chose to tell as part of their project
is is an amazing radical one about um a kind of renegade pilgrim who established his own community in the 17th century outside of um Plymouth and who was advocating for a sort of radical pagan
belief system. Obviously, the Puritans were not super happy to have him as a neighbor, but but he was taking a lot of of teaching and knowledge from the local indigenous communities. And the work they created for Quincy Market looks like a wacky um tourist chachki that is
larger than life and so it catches your eye. Um there's something whimsical and kind of crazy about it. Um, and then there's incredible signage next to it which tells the story of this um, Urswile community um, and this radical
person who imagined a world of different kinds of possibilities that were about togetherness rather than um, than being apart. Um, so I feel like there are so many different ways and opportunities that art can engage the public. um
doesn't just have to be a mural, although that's often what people think about when they think about public art. It could be something um entirely different like the sculpture that Napoleon described for example. Um but there are I agree so many different
corners that are still waiting for something special. >> Can I say one one more? >> Of course. >> Thank you. >> Um also I'll plug um the arts in our public schools. My daughter is an art teacher
for the Boston public schools. And do you um already have a relationship or would consider a stronger commitment to having some student art on public display? >> I love that idea. I have two kids who are at the Warren Prescott School in
Charletown and their art program is fantastic. We just lost our art teacher, but we have a wonderful new one. Um >> your your plays are wonderful. >> You came to Tech Everlasting. Yes. My daughter was in it. It was um it was incredible. So, I do very much um believe that, you know, getting getting
young people involved in the arts is so important and um and I, you know, to think about them being in a public space, the joy that that would bring for them, for the community, it's it's essential and I think you look at the talent, it's incredible what kids can do. So, I would love to be um you know, part of that. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Well, the mayor made um good appointments and I'm looking forward to supporting all of you. So, thank you for the work you do. >> Thank you. And council Flynn said he's going this weekend, so I'll I'm adding it to my calendar, too. We share calendars sometimes. He reminds me of good events around the city. So, thank
you for all you do. >> Thank you. >> Um, thank you, Council Murphy. At this time, I'm going to go to public testimony if we have any. >> Okay. No public testimony. Um, maybe I'll ask one follow-up question uh
to Karen. Um Karen on some public art I have seen and and maybe you have seen it too and maybe the the others in the panel have seen it but some graffiti when someone does
paint a beautiful painting you often times occasionally maybe you do see someone try to vandalize it with graffiti and it really takes away from it. It takes away from the community. It kind of divides the community in a way. Um
but do we have any public education awareness campaign about when someone puts up a u beautiful mural? Um why it's important in you know trying to tear it down, trying to put graffiti on it. It
really hurts the community and divides the community. But do you have any message about um how we educate people about public art and respect respecting public art? >> So our in public education around
vandalism, we don't we don't have a specific program educating around it. But what we've been really interested in doing is um exploring ways to celebrate graffiti as an art form versus vandalism on someone else's artwork. So that's really where our focus on sort of public
education has been. And then in terms of the logistics of you know being responsive, we work uh with with conservators and we try to um you know route things through 311. So we're notified before other folks are because sometimes when people go to clean the
works with very good intentions, they use materials that are too harsh and end up doing damage to the artwork. So our focus has our focus has really been about trying to celebrate artworks and in that way encourage people to embrace the artworks um and not not to vandalize
um in the the project um paint box which councelor Murphy mentioned painting the utility boxes that was a lot of the origin of that back in 2008 was thinking about ways how do we bring more art and also give opportunities to people who might want to express themselves and how do we then um support them in with those
expressions through funded opportunities. ities. So those those have been sort of our ways and I think you know going forward we are right now in the process hopefully of hiring someone to focus on 2D arts. We're um hiring for someone to take over what you know would have been um someone focusing
on murals in our department. So I'm hoping when they come in we'll be able to better um come up with more educational campaigns. >> Okay. Could I um ask u respectfully ask if someone from your team could take a look at the mural on Tyler Street >> in China?
>> Yeah, the beautiful mural there. >> It's down at the bottom all the time, right? Brian Young. >> Yeah, the far left. >> Okay. Yeah, we can take a look at that. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Um and and one of the panel or one of the panelists mentioned the the art on
>> um the electric box. >> Paint box. Yeah. Yeah. And one of the things I love doing is when I see someone painting like that, I love watching and, you know, staying out of the way, of course, but >> trying to learn about it. And one person
was painting about the history of the um Asian uh worker in Chinatown and the contributions they have made to >> Chinatown. But the way they painted it was really captured the entire story of the Chinese community and really even
that little small box um brought people together, brought im immigrants together. So it was wonderful, wonderful exhibit as far as I was concerned. Um Council Murphy, do you have anything else that you'd like to add? >> No, just thank you. Thank you for
mentioning the graffiti and I hope that it doesn't come out of your budget that is already not large enough that when we need to clean any public art that it's coming from city funds that it's not something that's on just on your
department's responsibility. So, we'll just make sure we look into that volume. But thank you all. Like I said, looking forward to the work you're going to bring and the expertise that you'll bring to the public art and looking forward to seeing more of it pop up around the city. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Council Loose. >> Thank you, Council Murphy. Um would Napoleon, Ian, or Caitlyn, before we leave, before we um finish the meeting, would you like to offer any closing statement? Uh counselors, I just want to thank you
again um for being here with us this morning, for your efforts um around art and culture in the city. Um it's so exciting to be a part of a city that cares um about this and the focus also
on children and the arts is really a wonderful one. Um, I have spent my first two years of the MFA doing two different um, community arts initiative projects where we work with almost 200 Boston school kids and an artist every year to
create work for the MFA. And it's been a wonderful and that's through 12 different um, community centers around the city. Um, they come for sessions at the museum, the artist goes to them for sessions at their community center. Um,
this year's project is up for just another week or two more. Um, but you can see it at the MFA. 193 uh, kids from around the city participated in that project. And I, um, I'm grateful to be part of um, an
organization, but also part of a city that really cares about its kids and wants to bring them arts and culture at an early age. >> Thank you, Ian. >> Yes, I just say thank you as well. And I think um just going back to the the Sundays um and and what it felt like
this city really just put all their cards down and said that we want to be this this place that um has free museums for our kids and and it's just uh so thank you for that. It's been an incredible um incredible to watch as both an institution and as a parent of of kids
who have uh are in the Boston public schools and who's you know I talked to other parents who have felt like they can't afford or that museums are not a place for them. And so to have those walls be broken down in just these past few months has really been an amazing transformation. So I just wanted to say thank you and thank you for this opportunity. Um when I was, you know,
approached, you do all of a sudden see more pockets around the city that could use art, right? All of a sudden it's like, oh, we could put something there. Something could be there. And it's just been um very fun because I agree with Napoleon is that there is um >> there's never, you know, too much art that we can always um add more and and
enrich um these amazing communities that we have. So thank you. >> Thank Thank you, Caitlyn Napoleon. I would just say ditto ditto. Uh uh and and just in reference to your uh concern about graffiti on works of art, just
around the corner from my house, uh where my studio is located, uh for 20 consecutive years, uh the community in celebration of Junth from 1982 to 2002, the there were three brown stones that
had the um 48 sheets of plywood to keep people from going in and out of the building. We created a community mural there which we refurbished every year in a junth celebration and it was never once uh destroyed or vandalized and
actually as a matter of fact when they started the restoration of the buildings they actually uh deeded them over to some individuals to make them into homes. Uh, I was in the south teaching and my neighbors actually collected the
panels and kept them for me cuz they knew I would want them and they wanted them cuz they didn't want to see them destroyed, but they wanted someplace else to put them. We didn't have any place except for in my basement. They're still there. But, uh, nonetheless, they were never vandalized. And uh I think
that um we will see much less vandalizing of works of art because the more people have works in their communities, the more they're encouraged to keep the beauty there. >> Well, thank you Napoleon. Thank you Ian.
Thank you Caitlyn for the incredible work you do in our city. what you've been doing and what you'll continue to do is bring this city together through art, through music, through culture, uh through ensuring everybody is heard and
everybody is respected. And want to say thank you for um agreeing to be part of this wonderful, wonderful organization. Just next step is it's likely I'll bring this forward for a vote on Wednesday.
I'm going to recommend unanimously that we we pass um approval of of these nominations and um I I know my colleagues um will will support the incredible work that you have been doing and looking forward to working with you
all as as we go as we go forward. So, uh, want to say thank you also, um, to Megan Kavanagh from City Council Central Staff and to, um, Ethan, who's the camera guy back. They want to say thank you to Ethan as well.
>> Yep. And this, um, this hearing on these dockets is now adjourned. >> Thank you. [Music] Part: 2
. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA, AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 29, 2025.
THE EXACT TIME IS 2:09 P.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED . IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK CITY
COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTED ON CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964 RAIN. COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C CC DOT
EDUCATION AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS . PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO A SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. RON COBB. RON COBB BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 1 TO 8 TO ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXAMS SCHOOL'S ADMISSION POLICY AND PROPOSED
CHANGES. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS AND RICKY PIPPEN CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND BRUCE LOUIJEUNE AND CITY COUNCILOR BEN WEBER AND WAS
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUNE 25, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR ALISTAIR FLYNN,
COUNCIL MEMBER HERE AND HOW I SUPPORT THE HOUR BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR AMAZING PANELISTS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRIEF OPENING REMARKS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO AN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. SO COUNCILOR PREPARED YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. MY CO-SPONSORS COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCIL WHERE WE'RE THINKING TO THEM AS WELL TO THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR EQUITY
IN OUR BELOVED SCHOOLS. NOW RIGHT NOW BUT IN THE PAST DECADES. I'LL JUST START OFF BY SAYING THAT I'M A PROUD ALUMNI OF THE O'BRIEN HIGH SCHOOL. MY WIFE IS A PROUD ALUMNI
OF THE BOSTON ACADEMY. WE ARE NOW NEW PARENTS AND PLANS WERE FOR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THEIR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. I SAY THIS TO SHOW THAT I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW DIFFICULT AND
CONFUSING THE EXAMS QUALIFICATION IS. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE DEEP COMMITMENT THAT EVERY PARENT AND GUARDIAN HAS TO ENSURE THEIR STUDENT HAS THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE NOT SLAPPED TOGETHER AND COME FROM A PLACE OF DATA DRIVEN ANALYSIS . SINCE THE LATEST POLICY CHANGES IN 2021 WHICH IS WHY I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS HEARING BEING A CONVERSATION TO HELP
ME UNDERSTAND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BETTER NOT ONLY FOR THE STUDENTS IN MY DISTRICT BUT TO THOSE ACROSS THE CITY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL STUDENTS AND THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE MUST BE MORE EQUITABLE. PEOPLE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED AND THAT OUR EXAM SCHOOLS REPRESENT THE BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY OF BOSTON. AND SO I HOPE THAT THIS
DISCUSSION WILL ALSO BE PART OF THE START OF A PIVOT TOWARDS BRINGING MORE ATTENTION AND RESOURCES TO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN BE AS HIGHLY REGARDED AS THE EXAM SCHOOLS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION AND TO ASK MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I THINK IT COMES WITH A BATON. WE'VE NOW ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BREADON AND CITY
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT. YOU ARE THE SECOND ON THIS. I'LL YOU OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE LEAD SPONSOR
COUNCILOR PEPEN FOR FILING THIS. I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ADVOCATES WHO ARE HERE TO PROVIDE OUR TESTIMONY. I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION FOR US TO BE HAVING.
OBVIOUSLY EDUCATION RANKS HIGH IN TERMS OF WHAT THE THE ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I MYSELF AS A GRADUATE OF BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL AND KNOWS HOW THAT
SCHOOL WAS TRANSFORMATIVE IN MY OWN LIFE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS FROM ALL NEIGHBORHOODS, FROM ALL LANGUAGE BACKGROUNDS AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT THIS
IS A SCHOOL THAT IS OPENING AND WELCOMING WHERE EVEN OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS CAN THRIVE THAT THAT IS HAPPENING AT ALL OF OUR EXAM SCHOOLS THAT EDUCATE ABOUT 25% OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION WHICH IS A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION. I WAS LAST WEEK WITH STUDENTS FROM THE AFRICAN AMERICAN APES CLASS AT BOSTON SCHOOL A CLASS THAT DID NOT EXIST WHEN I WAS A STUDENT THERE THAT SHOWS HOW
MUCH PROGRESS AND FORWARD THINKING HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT A SCHOOL LIKE BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO DO TWO THINGS AT THE SAME TIME. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING UP THE QUALITY
OF EDUCATION AT ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS SO THAT PARENTS DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S EXAM SCHOOL OR BUST. MY OLDEST SISTER WENT TO WEST ROXBURY HIGH SCHOOL. I WENT TO A LOT AND MY YOUNGEST WAS THE ONE ALTHOUGH IT'S THE
ACADEMY. THERE ARE OPTIONS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR OUR FAMILIES. WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING IT BETTER AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO AT THE MOMENT
AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARING OUR OWN KIDS ONES WHO OFTEN DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OR DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE TO GO TO SCHOOLS THAT OFFER GREATER
ACADEMIC RIGOR THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR AN EXAM SCHOOL. AND SO I SEE OUR JOB HERE AS TWOFOLD TO TALK ABOUT THE EXAM SCHOOLS ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE BRINGING UP ALL OF OUR
HIGH SCHOOLS SO THAT FAMILIES FEEL LIKE BOSTON CAN BE A HOME FOR THEM REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT BOTH AT THE EXAM SCHOOLS THEY ALSO HAVE THE DESIRED QUINCY WITH A BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDING WE HAVE BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY, OUR FENWAY PILOT.
WE HAVE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT EAST HIGH AND WORK THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO WITH YOU SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER IS LOOKING AT OUR SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY IN ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE TRANSFORMATION
LIST LONGER THAN WE WANT THEM TO BE AND WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND IT'S INCREMENTAL BUT IT'S SLOW AND IT'S KEEPING BEHIND TOO MANY OF OUR BLACK AND BROWN KIDS. SO I AM PROUD OF GRADUATING FROM ALL OF MY SCHOOLS AT US
AND KNOW THAT TOO FEW KIDS WHEN I GOT INTO LATIN SCHOOL TOO FEW OF THOSE KIDS WERE COMING FROM MATTAPAN LIKE ME WERE COMING FROM PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE TOO OFTEN LEFT BEHIND. SO I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ARTICULATE CLEARLY IS THAT OUR EXAM SCHOOL SHOULD NOT SHUT OUT ANYONE. THEY NEED TO BE CITYWIDE SCHOOLS. I AM SUCH A CHAMPION FOR
CITYWIDE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF HOW THEY WORK AT BRINGING OUR CITY TOGETHER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER IF NOTHING MORE. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFITS FOR ME AT BOSTON SCHOOL WAS HAVING FRIENDS IN EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY IN A WAY THAT
COMING FROM A HAITIAN FAMILY MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK WAS WHAT IS WHAT I KNEW GROWING UP. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I JUST DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FOREST FOR THE TREES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER. SO I WAS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. YOU'LL HAVE THE FLOOR NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL
ESPECIALLY SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR THIS. YOU KNOW, I JOINED A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING ON THURSDAY
TO TESTIFY ABOUT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES. AS YOU KNOW, I JUST I HOPE THAT HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE IS AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY A
BASIC LEVEL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF SCHOOL WHAT KIND OF A SCHOOL SYSTEM WE WANT AS A CITY HERE IN BOSTON. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BE
ALLOWED TO HAVE BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW, AS THE FIRST CIRCUIT SAID IN THE FIRST CHALLENGE TO THESE
CHANGES WAS BOSTON HAS A LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN IN HAVING SCHOOLS THAT THAT INVITE NOT JUST KIDS WHO TEST WELL BUT
KIDS WHO WE THINK WOULD HAVE TESTED WELL YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD THE SAME RESOURCES AND BY FOCUSING ON SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND LOCATION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE ARE BRINGING IN A
BROADER RANGE OF KIDS FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY IN TERMS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND LOCATION THAN WE DID IN THE PAST. SO TO THAT EXTENT, YOU KNOW, I
THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH WITH THESE CHANGES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING AND THE SPECIFICS OF IT AS A PARENT OF TWO KIDS, I'VE
BEEN LIVING THESE CHANGES FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I THINK THE FIRST YEAR WE GOT RID OF THE AOC, MY SON WAS GOING FROM EIGHTH GRADE AT MICHELLE TO NINTH GRADE A B.A. OR HE ENDED UP IN NINTH GRADE.
WE TRIED TO GET INTO EXAM SCHOOL BASED ON HIS GPA AND OUR ZIP CODE. WE COULDN'T DO IT NOW WITH MY DAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, SHE WENT SHE WOULD HAVE HAD TEN BONUS POINTS, YOU KNOW, IF SHE WAS A YEAR OLDER.
SHE WOUND UP WITH TWO BONUS POINTS COMING OUT OF THE KERLEY AND NOW I THINK SHE'S GOING TO WANT TO SUBMIT SHE SIGNED BILL. SHE'S A PLAY DOING GREAT. I WOULD BE GREAT IF SHE STAYED THERE BUT YOU KNOW WE'RE
LOOKING AT THREE BONUS POINTS TO ZERO AND FRANKLY I THINK ON BEHALF OF ALL FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY IT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING TO DO WITH A SYSTEM THAT SEEMS TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW,
EVERY FALL AND YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN HAVE SOME PREDICTABILITY FOR OUR PARENTS. ALSO LASTLY, I WILL I SAID THIS
AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE YOU KNOW, I I REPRESENT THREE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T GET BONUS POINTS THE MANNING, THE KILMER AND THE LINDEN. YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN TO THOSE FAMILIES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN BEEPS. THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM WHY THEY SHOULD BE AT A DISADVANTAGE. YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO GIVE THOSE FAMILIES A FAIR SHAKE AT OUR
EXAM SCHOOLS. AND LASTLY, I KNOW COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE JUST SPOKE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT IT BUT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT 35% OF THE KIDS YOU KNOW, 65% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT
PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO EXAM SCHOOL REALLY WHAT ARE WE DOING? AGAIN, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THE FIRST THING I SAID WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL SYSTEM DO WE WANT? I THINK ALL OF US WANT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS SERVING
ALL THOSE KIDS AND WE'RE NOT HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WHERE IT'S A FOCUS ON JUST YOU KNOW, THE BASICALLY THE KIDS WHO CAN PUT TOGETHER A GOOD MAP SCORE AND HAVE HAVE GOOD GPA
HOW ARE WE SERVING OUR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR THANK YOU COUNSELOR WEBER NOW AND GO AND ORDER OF ARRIVAL.
UM COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR APPRECIATE IT. HAVING ATTENDED TWO OF THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS AT BOTH LATINE ACADEMY AND SEVENTH EIGHTH GRADE IN BOSTON LATIN
FROM TIL THROUGH GRADUATION. YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE HERE BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR KEEPING FAMILIES IN THE CITY, RIGHT?
WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES NOW ARE CHOOSING OTHER OPTIONS THAT THEY ARE EITHER MOVING OUT OF THE CITY TO FIND BETTER AND CHEAPER SCHOOLS TO GO TO AND THERE EVEN APPLICATIONS THAT
THEY'VE BEEN DOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OF OF FAITH IN THIS. AND SO I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS DISAGREEING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OPTIONS ARE FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS
ALL ACROSS THE CITY. I DO BELIEVE THAT IN AN IRON SHARPENING IRON TYPE SCHOOL THAT BOSTON LATIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND THAT THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO PROMOTE SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THOSE IN UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS OF COURSE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF THEY DID NOT ORIGINALLY TO TO PARTAKE IN THAT AND GET THAT EDUCATION AS WELL.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY'S WHAT I ANTICIPATE TO BE A LONG HEARING WITH LOTS OF HARD DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE TO UNDERSTAND AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DAVID AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. COUNSELOR FITZGERALD COUNSELOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD IN
SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO OUR EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSION POLICY WHICH INCLUDES ADDING A CITYWIDE ROUND FOR TOP PERFORMING STUDENTS AND
ELIMINATION OF SCHOOL BASED SCHOOL BONUS POINTS AT THE OUTSET LET ME SAY THAT WE ARE ALL SEEKING A SYSTEM THAT IS FAIR TO EVERY SIXTH GRADER THAT ARE SEEKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ATTEND ONE OF OUR THREE EXAM SCHOOLS. I HAVE HEARD FROM PARENTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BOTH ACROSS THE CITY AND IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAD THAT RELAYED TO
ME THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. QUALIFIED STUDENTS APPLICANT SCORING AS HIGH AS 100 HAVE A DENIED BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE
HAD PARENTS TELL ME THAT THEY LIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF K STREET OR E STREET IN SOUTH BOSTON IN ALL THE HOUSING STOCKS. HOWEVER HOWEVER IF THEY LIVED IN A NEW CONDO ACROSS THE STREET THEIR CHILD WOULD HAVE
BEEN ACCEPTED. I KNOW A SYSTEM LIKE THAT DOESN'T WORK WHEN WE HAVE A MIX OF SINGLE FAMILIES TRIPLE DECKERS, LARGE FAMILY BUILDINGS ADDING A CITYWIDE ROUND FOR TOP
PERFORMING STUDENTS WOULD ALLOW ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE TO COMPETE FOR 40% OF EXAM SCORES. THIS POLICY CHANGE WOULD ACCOUNT FOR DESERVING CHILDREN
IN TIER FOUR BEING EXCLUDED BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVED. I ALSO TALKED WITH LONGTIME EDUCATION AND CONCERNED PARENTS WHO EMPHASIZED TO ME THAT THIS IS A WIN WIN FOR BOSTON BUT
THEY ALSO STRESS THAT THERE IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FOR AN ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WITH GRADES FOUR, FIVE AND SIX ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM TO HELP MORE STUDENTS TO BE READY TO APPLY ESPECIALLY OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES HAVING MORE OF OUR CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN SUCH PROGRAMS WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT
OUR EXAM SCHOOLS BUT IT WILL HAVE THE CONSEQUENCE OF BENEFITING ALL STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. ON ELIMINATING SCHOOL BASED POINTS I CONTINUE HEAR FROM
MANY PARENTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT WORKED AS INTENDED AND PROVEN TO BE UNFAIR. MOREOVER, SCHOOLS WITH SIMILAR LEVELS OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SCHOOL STUDENTS
ARE NOT ALL CONSISTENTLY RECEIVING THE SAME BONUS POINTS. PARENTS ACROSS THE CITY ALSO CONTINUE TO CONTACT ME ADVOCATING FOR A POLICY POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOCATE
SEATS TO TEARS PROP PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS IN EACH TIER AND THAT THEY BELIEVE SUCH A CHANGE WOULD EFFECTIVELY INCREASE DIVERSITY OF A PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT
A CITYWIDE CITYWIDE ROUND ELIMINATION OF THE BONUS POINTS IS OUR NEXT BEST OPTION. AS A RESULT I FULLY SUPPORT THE THOUGHTFUL CHANGES THAT ARE
BEING PROPOSED AS WE STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SIXTH GRADER IN THEIR FAMILY HAS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO EARN AN INVITATION TO ONE OF OUR EXAM SCHOOLS AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN TO THEIR FUTURE.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FLYNN. COUNCILMAN, HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING.
AND I'M I'M PROUD TO SAY I THINK I'M THE ONLY CITY COUNCILOR THAT IS A BIPS GRADUATE FROM A NON EXAM SCHOOL, AN OPEN ENROLLMENT CHILD.
WOW. AND I'M STILL STANDING HERE. I THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW MY POSTURE AS IT RELATES TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS. I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY AND OXYGEN SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THREE SCHOOLS THAT ARE COVERED IT AND I AM REALLY
PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEN THE ACP LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER DR. CATHY LEWIS'S LEADERSHIP WHERE WE HAD THE BOLD AUDACITY TO THINK THAT WE COULD MEET THE MOMENT FOR OUR
MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT WORK AND MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR AROUND ELOQUENTLY SAID AND SOME OF HIS SOCIAL
MEDIA YOU KNOW, BE TROLLING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING BACK AND IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THIS BOLD PROGRESSIVE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO REALLY MEETING THE MOMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE
DON'T UNDO THE STIGMA FORGET WORK THAT WAS DONE TO PROVIDE MORE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR STUDENTS HERE AS AN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER MYSELF ,I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME CONCERNS AROUND ACCESS TO ARE RECENT ARRIVALS AND I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME WORK THAT WE
NEED TO BE DOING IN THAT SPACE AND MR ROLLS IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU KNOW I USED TO BE A PARENT AGITATOR WHEN YOU WERE AT THE EPA SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU IN THIS SIDE OF THE WORK.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOUR ROLE IS NOW AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS GOOD FIGHT THAT YOU HAD BACK IN THE DAY WHEN YOU WERE IN YOUR
POSITION. AND SO I AM GOING TO ASSUME BEST INTENTIONS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU ARE LEADING WITH EQUITY AND BLACK AND BROWN
FIRST AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A CONVERSATION THAT REALLY MEETS THE MOMENT AND I AM NOT INTERESTED IN GOING ON
AND ON AND ON BUT I WILL SAY THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT GOT INTO AN EXAM SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAM AND I DID
NOT WANT HER TO GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL AND BIPS HAD CALLED MY CALLED US WHILE I HAD PICKED HER UP SHE USED TO GO TO THE BEAT TO YOU AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME AND BP HAD CALLED
BECAUSE I DID NOT RESPOND TO THE LETTER. I DID NOT RESPOND TO THE INVITATION BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT MY DAUGHTER TO GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL BECAUSE THEN I WOULD BE A HYPOCRITE. RIGHT?
I FIGHT THEM ALL THE TIME. BUT SHE HEARD THAT SHE COULD QUALIFY BECAUSE SHE HAD GOOD GRADES AND BECAUSE OF THE TIER THE TIER SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE LIVED
IN WAS HIGH POVERTY AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF AND SHE ASKED FOR ME TO GO AHEAD AND AT THE VERY LEAST PICK A SCHOOL AND I DIDN'T WANT A LESS BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS NOT AN ACADEMIC AND
I DIDN'T THINK THAT SHE WOULD DO GOOD IN MATH OR SCIENCE SO I DIDN'T PICK THE O'BRYANT. I PICKED BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY
AND SHE GOT IN AND WHAT BROKE MY HEART IS THAT HER FIRST YEAR THERE SHE SAID THAT SHE WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT SHE BELONGED AND THAT SHE WAS GOING
TO GET THE HONOR ROLL EVERY SEMESTER BECAUSE SHE DID NOT WANT TO BE A COLD KID THAT BROKE MY HEART THAT SHE HAD TO
DEMONSTRATE OR FEEL LIKE SHE WAS AN IMPOSTER WHICH IS WHAT I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE ANYWAYS. AND IT JUST IT HELPED
ME UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE SEEN AS KIDS AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS
OF HOW WE MAKE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT DOES THAT STIGMATIZE THEM OR PIT NEIGHBORHOOD AGAINST NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY
GREAT AT DOING HERE IS PUTTING PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT AND I THINK HAVING THE RIGHT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO GET US THERE AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO
DOING JUST THAT. THANK YOU. BANK ACCOUNTS FROM A COUNSELOR CLASS OPERATOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR AND I WANT TO
THANK THE LEAD SPONSORS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE EVERYBODY. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. SO I'M A PROUD BAILEY ALUM. I THINK WHEN I WENT IT WAS THE MOST DIVERSE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE AT THE TIME AND REALLY
GRATEFUL FOR MY EXPERIENCE THERE. I LOVED MY TIME AT WINE ACADEMY AND I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE NETWORK OF FRIENDS CITY WIDE BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE AND SO AS AN EXAM SCHOOL KID I FELT
LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT AT THE TIME AND 2020 2021 TO SAY PUBLICLY HOW BADLY THESE CHANGES WERE NEEDED BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS SO INEQUITABLE. SO BEFORE 2020 THE REALITY WAS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE KIDS WHO
GOT IN DID BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS WERE TUNED IN THEY WERE WELL-RESOURCED TO GET US TUTORING TO I.C.E. THEY DROVE US TO THE TEST ON SATURDAYS NOT
TOO MANY KIDS COULD THEY LARGELY SPOKE ENGLISH ETC. SO I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEEDED THAT TO CHANGE. I'VE ALREADY GONE ON RECORD SAYING THAT I'M GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROPOSED
CHANGES TO REFLECT A FOUR TIERS AND ADDITIONAL POINTS AS WELL AS GRADES IN THE MAP TEST. THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE PARENTS IN DISTRICT ONE WERE ASKING FOR AND SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT PROJECTED POPULATIONS WITH THE NEW SYSTEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU COUNSELOR BREADON YOU HAVE THE FOUR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WELL, YOU KNOW I'M NOT FROM
AROUND HERE. I DIDN'T GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL. I WENT TO A LITTLE COUNTRY PRIMARY SCHOOL IN RURAL NORTHERN IRELAND AND MY WE HAD TWO TEACHERS. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ELECTRICITY
AND THE TEACHER THAT WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SCHOOL WAS IDEOLOGICALLY OPPOSED TO THE CONCEPT OF SELECTION AT 11 BECAUSE IT WAS AN 11 PLUS EXAM WHICH WAS AN EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSION EXAM.
SO NONE OF US GOT PREPARED FOR THE EXAM. WE ALL FIELD THE EXAM. WE ALL WENT TO A REALLY GOOD COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL DOWN THE STREET THREE MILES AWAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WE
WEREN'T COMING HOME AFTER DARK ANYWAY I HAVE A PARTICULAR VIEW OF THAT. I WOULD ADMIT MY MY I MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH ACADEMIC
RIGOR AS MY BROTHER AND SISTER WHO WERE COACHED AND TUTORED AND PREPARED FOR THE EXAM AND I WENT OFF TO THE EXAM SCHOOL.
BUT I DO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW DO WE PREPARE KIDS. I THINK SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT THE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM THROUGH
GRADES 4 TO 5 AND SIX USED TO BE CALLED ADVANCED WORK I THINK AND WHEN JACKSON MAN WAS FUNCTIONALIST IN THAT CITY WIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY HAD AN ADVANCED WORK PROGRAM THAT
IMMIGRANT KIDS FROM ALL OVER THEIR FAMILIES WERE FROM ALL OVER THE ENGLISH WAS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE. THEY WERE DOING ADVANCED WORK. THEY WERE PREPARED. THEY WERE READY AND THEY PASSED
THE EXAM AND WENT TO PLAY OR BOSTON LATIN OR WHEREVER. I REALLY I MY BIG GRIPE IS THAT AS SOMEONE WE TAKE ALL THE AIR
OF TALKING ABOUT EXAMS SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME WHEN WE NEED TO BE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE OTHER KIDS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL
IN THE COUNTRY. BOSTON LATIN IS RECOGNIZED AS AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL BUT KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE OTHER KIDS.
I HAVE THE SAME I HAVE THE SAME CRITIQUE OF OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT I CAME THROUGH IN NORTHERN IRELAND. WE HAD SOME OF THE HIGHEST ACHIEVING KIDS IN ANY GROUP IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BUT WE ALSO
HAD KIDS WHO LEFT SCHOOL WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO READ AND I THINK WE PROBABLY DO THE SAME. SO WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON READING SKILLS BEFORE GRADE THIRD GRADE WE NEED TO REALLY
PUT SOME RESOURCES INTO THESE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR GRADES FOUR, FIVE AND SIX TO GIVE MORE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY AND THEN PREPARING OUR PARENTS LIKE IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE FAMILIES ARE
NOT TUNED IN AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPLY WE HAD A KID THIS SUMMER YOU CAN READ TOM WAS TOP OF HIS HE PASSED ALL THE EXAMS AND HE DID NOT GET INTO AN EXAM
SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING OR A SNAFU IN THE SYSTEM. IF YOU HAVE A KID WHO'S COMING OUT TOP OF THE CLASS IN YOUR SCHOOL AND THEY'RE TOLD THAT
THEY CAN'T GET INTO AN EXAM SCHOOL THIS YEAR, WELL FIRST OF ALL THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. HOW DO WE GET THESE KIDS GUIDED AND ARE PARENTS GUIDED THROUGH THE SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY
LAND WHERE THEY NEED TO? SO HE'S GOING TO BE NINTH GRADE BEFORE HE GETS AN EXAM. I'M STILL WASTING TIME HERE AND ALL OF OUR KIDS DESERVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU GO TO AN EXAM
SCHOOL OR NOT. AND THE OTHER THING I'VE LEARNED AND LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION IN VARIOUS AREAS ABOUT THIS IS YOU KNOW, STUDENTS WHO ARE BILINGUAL IF
YOU'RE A SPANISH SPEAKER AND YOU'RE DOING THE THE EXAM IN ENGLISH, IF YOU HAVE THE EXAM QUESTIONS IN SPANISH AS WELL DUE TO THE TWO EXAM TWO PAPERS
BUT YOU CAN READ IT IN BOTH LANGUAGES YOUR PERFORMANCE WILL GO UP THE TEST SCORES WILL GO UP BECAUSE YOU THINK IN SPANISH BUT YOU'VE IT'S IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE AN EXTRA STEP IN THE
PROCESS TO DO THE TEST. SO OFFERING BILINGUAL TESTING IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE CAN BE THINKING ABOUT TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE FOR FOLKS SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE ALL THIS TALENT WE
HAVE HUGELY WE HAVE SO MUCH AS HUMAN CAPITAL AND POTENTIAL WITH IT WITH OUR STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND AND SO MANY FAMILIES ARE JUST GIVEN UP THROWING THEIR HANDS HANDS UP
AND SAID WE'RE OUT OF HERE. WE CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. THEY WANT PREDICTABLE PATHWAYS, THEY WANT SUPPORT AND THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR KIDS FLOURISH AND THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO I'M REALLY DELIGHTED I'M GOING TO KNOW NOT SAY ANY MORE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THESE NEW CHANGES AND BUT YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE THE BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE TIRED TALKING ABOUT THIS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR DECADES. IT WAS TIME TO FIX IT AND EVERYBODY IS RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE AT THIS POINT SO TIME TO GET GOING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. GREAT AND COUNSELOR. ALL GATHERED FOR A THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSOR FOR BRINGING FOR THIS HEARING AND THEN THANK YOU ALSO
TO THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE. LAST WEEK I SPOKE AT THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ALONGSIDE MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I WILL JUST REITERATE WHAT I SAID THERE IS, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AROUND THE DECLINE YEAR OVER YEAR AND
THEN THE POLICY REVISIONS AFTER THAT DECLINE. SO IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE MAKING ANY ANNUAL REVISIONS
PRIOR TO THE THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STEP IS. I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT CAUSED
THOSE DECLINES. THE OTHER THING THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN IS YOU KNOW, STUDYING THE DISTRICTS WE SEE THAT THEIR DISTRICT EXAM SCHOOLS WITH THE EXAM SCHOOLS
IN OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS GOING TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS. SO I KIND OF WANT TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT IS THE IMPACT THAT WE SEE HERE IN BOSTON ON OUR OPEN
ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS AT 25 35% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO EXAM SCHOOLS AND THAT'S NOT EVEN CONSIDERING PRIVATE SCHOOLS METCO OR CHARTER.
SO IT'S LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND THE DETAIL AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING EVERY SCHOOL ATTRACTIVE AND HIGH QUALITY
EDUCATIONAL SEAT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS BUT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING USED FOR PUBLIC GOOD. THANK YOU COUNCILOR.
OVERALL WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNSELOR DUNCAN. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELISTS WITH US TO HERE TODAY WE HAVE SUPERINTENDENT FOR BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS MARY SKIPPER. WE HAVE MONICA HOLGUIN WHO IS A CHIEF OF DATA INFORMATION AND SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENTS WITH BEEPERS AND WE HAVE DR. COLIN ROSE WHO IS A SENIOR ADVISOR
FOR STRATEGY AND OPPORTUNITY JOBS WITH VP'S. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A FULL ROOM. WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU OFF TO OUR PRESENTATION AND OPENING
REMARKS AND WE'RE GOING TO COUNCILOR QUALIFICATIONS. IT'S GREAT TO THANK YOU COUNSELORS SANTANA AND THANK YOU TO THOSE COUNSELORS THAT SPONSORED THE HEARING BUT ALSO THANK YOU. AND WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL
THE COUNSELORS HERE TODAY TO REALLY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES. LAST WEEK AS YOU KNOW, WE PRESENTED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF CHANGE TO THE BOSTON SCHOOL
COMMITTEE AT THE SEPTEMBER 25TH MEETING AND TODAY WE'LL REVIEW THEM WITH YOU. WE'LL ALSO GIVE SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT RELATIVE TO THE EXAM SCHOOL POLICY. I'M JOINED TODAY BY MONICA
HOLGUIN, CHIEF OF DATA INFORMATION SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT DR. COLIN ROSE SENIOR ADVISOR FOR STRATEGY AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS OUR DISTRICT SCHOOL
REGARDING EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSIONS HAS NOT CHANGED. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING AN EQUITABLE AND TRANSPARENT POLICY THAT ENSURES ALL STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR A SEAT IN ONE OF OUR CITY'S THREE EXAM SCHOOLS BOSTON LEARNING ACADEMY, BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL AND THE O'BRIEN SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RECONSIDERATION OF THE POLICY
IS A PROVISION WITHIN THE POLICY ITSELF THAT CALLS FOR A THOROUGH REVIEW AFTER A FIVE YEARS AND WE'RE NOW AT THAT FIVE YEAR MARK AS REQUESTED BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE EACH MINOR
CHANGE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS BEEN IN SERVICE OF ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED IN IMPROVING THE POLICY . IN DECEMBER OF 2024 WE PROMISED TO COME BACK TO THE SCHOOL
COMMITTEE WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE POLICY'S IMPACT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND WE PRESENTED THOSE FINDINGS AT THE BODY'S JUNE 17TH MEETING. FOLLOWING THE JUNE MEETING WE
COLLECTED FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER THERE WERE SEVERAL REOCCURRING THEMES THAT EMERGED THROUGH THIS PROCESS WHICH WE'RE ADDRESSING IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THE NEED FOR A CLEAR AND SIMPLE POLICY, THE
NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL OPTIONS BEYOND THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS AND THE NEED FOR A CONSISTENT POLICY THAT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH A PREDICTABLE TIME PERIOD FOR REVIEW.
LAST WEEK WE PRESENTED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS MEANT TO KEEP WHAT WORKING ABOUT THE CURRENT POLICY AND FIX WHAT'S NOT WORKING WELL. WE THINK THESE CHANGES WILL
LEAD TO A SYSTEM THAT IS OVERALL CLEARER AND MORE EQUITABLE. UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT HAVE VERY HIGH COMPOSITE SCORES BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT ELEMENTARY THEY
ATTEND OR WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD THEY LIVE IN IT CAN BE MATHEMATICALLY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO RECEIVE AN INVITATION. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS MEANT TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE ENSURING
THERE IS A PATHWAY FOR THE HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS CITYWIDE WHILE PRESERVING THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF DISTRIBUTING INVITATIONS EQUALLY ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS WHICH HAS
WORKED WELL OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS NEXT MONTH. IF APPROVED, WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT THE POLICY REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THREE ADMISSIONS
CYCLES OR THREE YEARS AT THIS TIME. I'M JUST GOING TO BEG INDULGENCE FOR YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN WE COME WE GO STRAIGHT INTO COMMENTARY BUT I THINK
BECAUSE THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AND THE HISTORY WITH THE POLICY, I THINK IT'S WORTH US JUST DOING A BIT OF REVIEW FOR THE COUNCIL.
SO AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MONICA AND TO COLLEEN AND THEN I'LL REJOIN IN TO GIVE THE ACTUAL FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT MONICA AND COLIN.
I'LL JUMP IN. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. COULD SEE AND FOLKS IN MEETING NEW READ THE CONTEXT WHICH I FOUND MYSELF IN COMING BACK TO
THE DISTRICT SIX MONTHS AGO IN 2021 BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE VOTED TO AMEND THE EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICY TO PROMOTE MORE EQUITABLE CITYWIDE ACCESS
TO THE DISTRICT'S EXAM SCHOOLS. SO IT WAS A SCHOOL COMMITTEE TASK FORCE WHO EXPLORED POSSIBLE ADMISSIONS POLICIES WITH THE GOALS OF EXPANDING THE
APPLICANT POOL, MAINTAINING ACADEMIC RIGOR AND GENERATING A STUDENT BODY THAT BETTER REFLECTS THE RACIAL, SOCIOECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHIC OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE BELIEF THAT THERE'S VARIANCE ACROSS ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FROM THAT AND ALL FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS IN OUR CITY AND THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EXAM SCHOOLS THAT WE MUST MAKE
SURE THAT THERE'S ACCESS FOR ALL THOSE CHILDREN AS IN ANY PROCESS IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THOSE THAT HISTORY AND THOSE VALUES IN MIND AS WE TALK FORWARD BASED ON THE WORK
OF THAT TASK FORCE, THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND AT THE TIME DR. CASELLI WHO WAS A SUPERINTENDENT, RECOMMENDED THAT THE SCHOOL APPROVE A NEW ADMISSIONS POLICY THAT CONSIDERED STUDENTS COMPOSITE
SCORES MADE UP OF GPA AND TESTS CALLED THE MAP THAT'S GIVEN IN BPO SCHOOLS DISTRIBUTED EQUAL NUMBER OF EXAM SCHOOL INVITATIONS TO EACH SOCIO
ECONOMIC TIER OF BOSTON AND ASSIGNS STUDENTS ADDITIONAL SCHOOL BASED POINTS. STUDENTS THAT GO TO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS FOR 40% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OR MORE AS WELL
AS POINTS FOR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR IN THE CARE OF DCF. THE POLICY REQUIRED A FULL REVIEW AFTER FIVE YEARS TO
ANALYZE THE OUTCOMES AND IN DECEMBER 2024 THE DISTRICT ANNOUNCED THAT WE'D BE CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS TO EXPLORE OTHER VARIABLES CONNECTED SOME ISSUES.
I HANDED OFF TO MONICA CAMILLE THE PROGRESSIVE NEXT THAT SORRY. SO BEFORE WE GO FURTHER INTO THE PRESENTATION WE WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYONE OF THE
CURRENT POLICY SO THE CURRENT POLICY DIVIDES THE CITY INTO FOUR SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS BASED ON CENSUS DATA. INTERESTED STUDENTS RANK AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE EXAM
SCHOOLS TAKE THE MATH TEST AND SUBMIT GRADES. THEIR TEST SCORES COUNT FOR 30% OF THE COMPOSITE SCORE AND GRADES COUNT FOR 70%. ADDITIONAL POINTS ARE CURRENTLY
ADDED FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING A SCHOOL WITH 40% OR MORE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AS WELL AS STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE CARE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OR
LIVING IN VHA OWNED HOUSING. INVITATIONS ARE THEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE HIGHEST SCORING APPLICANTS WITHIN EACH TIER. AN EQUAL NUMBER OF INVITATIONS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS EACH TIER AND IF ALL SEATS AT A
STUDENT'S FIRST CHOICE SCHOOL ARE FILLED, THE APPLICANT IS INVITED TO THEIR SECOND OR THIRD CHOICE SCHOOL. NEXT SLIDE. ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL AIM WAS
TO DO THIS RETROSPECTIVE AND OF UPDATES TO THE ADMISSIONS POLICY AFTER FIVE YEARS THE POLICY HAS CHANGED EACH YEAR SO THIS TABLE SHOWS THE CHANGES OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS.
GOING BACK TO THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE TEXTS FORCES RECOMMENDATIONS AND INCLUDING THE TWEAKS STARTING IN SCHOOL YEAR 2223 I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT IN SCHOOL YEAR
2021 WHILE THE POLICY WAS THE CITYWIDE ISC AND GRADES PROCESS, THE DISTRICT DID MAKE A CHANGE IN HOW WE ADMINISTERED THE ISC TEST AND THAT WAS THE
FIRST YEAR THAT STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE ISC DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AS OPPOSED TO ON A SATURDAY. AS A FEW COUNSELORS MENTIONED EXCITED.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TIMELINE OF OUR CURRENT REVIEW. THIS STARTED WITH A PRESENTATION IN THE LATE SPRING OF THE RECENT CONTEXT AND CHANGES TO THE POLICY SINCE THE REFORMS IN 20 AS WELL AS
DISAGGREGATED ENROLLMENT AND INVITATION DATA FOR THE THREE SCHOOLS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THAT DATA IS IN THE APPENDIX OF THIS PRESENTATION. THEN WE PRESENTED THREE
SIMULATIONS BASED ON RECOMMENDED AREAS OF STUDY THAT WERE OUTLINED IN DECEMBER OF 2020. FOR THESE SIMULATIONS EXPLORED THREE DIFFERENT VARIABLES THE ADDITIONAL POINTS A CITYWIDE
ROUND AND SIZING TIERS BY APPLICANTS WHICH DR. ROSE WILL BRIEFLY COVER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SUMMER THERE WAS SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT MORE IN THE
NEXT SLIDE AND THEN THIS FALL THE SUPERINTENDENT CONSIDERING THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ADVICE FROM DISTRICT AND CITY ADVISORS THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT STATED
GOALS OF THE POLICY MADE A DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION WHICH SHE WILL SHARE LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION. NEXT SLIDE THIS SLIDE GIVES A
HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FROM THIS SUMMER. THE DISTRICT HELD TWO WEBINARS THAT OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SHARE FEEDBACK.
A FEEDBACK FORM WAS AVAILABLE IN ALL OF THE MAJOR LANGUAGES ON OUR WEBSITE AND CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 14TH. WE RECEIVED 326 RESPONSES WITH 81% OF THOSE RESPONSES FROM
CURRENT STUDENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. WE ALSO CIRCULATED A VIDEO THAT WAS POSTED ONLINE AND SHARED WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS ABOUT HOW TO GET FEEDBACK NEXT
TIME. WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT A STABLE POLICY THAT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, EASY TO EXPLAIN AND DOESN'T KEEP CHANGING.
THE FEEDBACK ALSO EMPHASIZED THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO ENSURE WE HAVE A STRONG PORTFOLIO OF HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS BEYOND THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS. IN THE APPENDIX ARE THE THEMES
THAT WE HEARD FROM THE ENGAGEMENT RELATIVE TO THE THREE DIFFERENT VARIABLES. THE FEEDBACK FORM ALSO INCLUDED A NUMBER OF RESPONSES THAT OUTLINED INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES
OF APPLICANTS FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS TO SUPPORT THEIR PERSPECTIVES. BEFORE WE PASS IT TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT TO SHARE RECOMMENDATIONS, I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW EACH VARIABLE THAT WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND THE COMMUNITY
NAMELY ADDITIONAL POINTS SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS IN A CITYWIDE ROUND. NEXT SLIDE. THE FIRST VARIABLE TO REVIEW
ARE THE ADDITIONAL POINTS. SO IN THE CURRENT POLICY THERE ARE TWO WAYS STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE ADDITIONAL POINTS ON THEIR COMPOSITE SCORES ONE FIRST IF THEY ATTEND AGAIN A
SCHOOL THAT IS 40% OR MORE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OR WHAT FOLKS POPULARLY KNOWN AS A TITLE ONE SCHOOL. THESE STUDENTS RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF POINTS THAT IS EQUAL TO THE TIERED DIFFERENTIAL.
A CONFUSING PHRASE THAT WE CAN GO OVER LATER BUT BASICALLY IT'S A NUMBER OF POINTS FROM 0 TO 10. THE SECOND IS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
LIVING IN VHA HOUSING OR ON CARE DCF. THESE STUDENTS RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 15 POINTS. THE DECISION POINTS FOR THIS VARIABLE WHERE SHOULD SCHOOL
BASED POINTS BE REMOVED? SHOULD SCHOOL BASED AND HOUSING POINTS BE REMOVED? OR SHOULD HOUSING? OR SHOULD HOUSING BASED POINTS BE CAPPED BUT ADJUSTED?
THOSE ARE REALLY THE THREE MAIN CONSIDERATIONS. NEXT SLIDE. THE SECOND VARIABLE THAT WAS CONSIDERED WAS SOCIOECONOMIC
TEARING. CURRENTLY THERE ARE FOUR SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS HOME TO ROUGHLY EQUAL NUMBER OF SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF ADJUSTING THE FOUR SOCIO ECONOMIC TIERS TO INSTEAD HAVE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF EXAM SCHOOL APPLICANTS INSTEAD OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.
SO THE REAL DECISION POINT HERE WAS SHOULD WE KEEP THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS OR SHOULD WE CHANGE TWO TIERS THAT REFLECTED THE EXACT EXAM SCHOOL APPLICANTS INSTEAD?
NEXT SLIDE. FINALLY THE THIRD VARIABLE WAS THE POTENTIAL ADDITION OF A CITYWIDE ROUND. SO A CITYWIDE ROUND WOULD BE
CREATED FOR STUDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST COMPOSITE SCORES ACROSS THE CITY NO MATTER WHERE IN THE CITY THEY LIVE. THIS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS ONE
ALLOCATING 20% OF THE SEATS AT EACH EXAM SCHOOL TO THE HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS WHO SELECTED THAT EXAM SCHOOL AS THEIR FIRST CHOICE.
OR YOU ALLOCATE 20% OF THE EXAM SCHOOL SEATS TO THE TOP SCORING STUDENTS PERIOD AND THEY COULD CHOOSE NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY CHOSE AS FAR AS MEANING
THAT A PARTICULAR SCHOOL COULD HAVE MORE STUDENTS GOING THERE AND NOT THE OTHER TWO. SO THE DECISION POINT HERE WAS SHOULD THERE BE A CITYWIDE INVITATION ROUND FOR STUDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST COMPOSITE
SCORES IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND THEN IF SO, SHOULD THE CITYWIDE ROUND DISTRIBUTE 20% OF THE INVITATIONS AT EACH SCHOOL? OR SHOULD IT BE 20% OF THE
SEATS TO THE HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THAT THEY PICKED AS THEIR FIRST CHOICE? WITH THE THREE VARIABLES UNDER CONSIDERATION REVIEW I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER TO
PRESENT HER RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CHANGES AS WELL AS AN OUTLINE FOR THE FULL POLICY FOR THIS COMMITTEE. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO ON SLIDE 12 FIRST WE'RE
RECOMMENDING REMOVING ALL SCHOOL BASED POINTS. THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE HARD TO EXPLAIN. THERE'S A DIFFICULTY IN JUSTIFYING THEM. THE NUMBER TEN.
THEY ALSO CHANGE COMPETITION FOR SEATS WITHIN EACH TIER BUT NOT THE SAME ACROSS ALL TIERS. AND THIS IS JUST INCREASED TENSION COMPETITION AMONG
SCHOOLS IN SOME CASE IMPACTING FAMILIES, ENROLLMENT DECISIONS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. AS A REMINDER, PARENTS CHOOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BUT ULTIMATELY WE PLACE STUDENTS AT
THE ELEMENTARIES AND CERTAINLY FOR PROGRAMMATIC SEATS WE PLAY A. SO SOMETIMES IT ISN'T EVEN A SCHOOL THAT'S NOT GETTING POINTS THAT YOU KNOW IT'S NOT
PARENT CHOICE THAT THE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY THERE SO FOR JUST LOTS OF REASONS WE WE FELT THE SCHOOL BASED POINTS CREATE THAT COMPETITION INTENTION AS WE HEARD AGAIN AND AGAIN.
THE SCHOOL BASED POINTS ALSO RAISED SOME STUDENTS COMPOSITE SCORES ABOVE 100 WHICH MEANT IT WAS MATHEMATICALLY DIFFICULT OR IN SOME CASES IMPOSSIBLE FOR
STUDENTS WITH HIGH COMPOSITE SCORES TO RECEIVE AN EXAM SCHOOL INVITATION. SO THAT'S THE FIRST REDUCE ALL SCHOOL BASED POINTS. THE SECOND IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOUSING POINTS BUT TO ALLOW FOR HOUSING POINTS.
AND THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO REDUCE THE HOUSING POINTS FROM 15 TO 10. INITIALLY WHEN CHOSEN THE SELECTION OF 15 POINTS WAS CHOSEN TO BE HIGHER THAN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL BASED POINTS.
SO THAT'S WHY AT THE TIME IT WAS TEN SCHOOL BASED POINTS IN COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED 15 TO CREATE A DIFFERENT. OUR ANALYSIS THE 20 2526 ADMISSIONS CYCLE SHOWS THAT THE
ACTUAL DIFFERENCE IN COMPOSITE SCORES FOR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR HOUSING BASED POINTS AND STUDENTS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY IS TEN. AND SO UPON THAT THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO GO FROM 15 TO
10 FOR THE HOUSING BASED POINTS . THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS AROUND THE ADDITION OF A CITYWIDE ROUND. MEANING THAT THE FIRST 20% OF SEATS AT EACH SCHOOL WILL TO
THE HIGHEST COMPOSITE SCORES. AND I JUST WANT TO LIKE BE SPECIFIC THIS IS IN THE 20% OF THE HIGHEST SCORES OF STUDENTS. THIS IS THE 20% OF SEATS IN EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.
THE 20% WAS PART OF THE INITIAL CONSENSUS RECOMMENDATION FROM THE 2021 EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSIONS TASK FORCE. AFTER THIS CITYWIDE ROUND THE REMAINING 80% OF THE SEATS WILL
BE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY ACROSS SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS. AND THIS WILL ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST COMPOSITE SCORES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO AN EXAM SCORE WHILE ALSO PRESERVING THE BASIC
STRUCTURE OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS. FINALLY, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS CONTINUE TO BE SIZED SO THAT EACH TIER HAS AN EQUAL NUMBER
OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN LIVING IN IT. AS A REMINDER, STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED ONE OF FOUR TIERS BASED ON THEIR HOME ADDRESS. EACH TIER IS MADE UP OF A GROUP
OF BOSTON CENSUS TRACTS WITH SIMILAR SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS UNDER POVERTY WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE OWNER
OCCUPIED SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. SO TO BE CLEAR WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO THE CRITERIA STUDENTS MUST MEET TO
BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION FOR AN EXAM SCHOOL SEAT. CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT POLICY IN ORDER TO APPLY TO AN EXAM SCHOOL A STUDENT NEEDS TO HAVE A GRADE POINT AVERAGE A
GPA OF B OR HIGHER RANK AT LEAST ONE EXAM SCHOOL ON THEIR SCHOOL CHOICE LIST AND HAVE A VALID SCORE ON THE MAP GROWTH ASSESSMENT TEST. A STUDENT'S COMPOSITE SCORE IS
BASED ON 30% OF THEIR MAP GROWTH SCORE AND 70% OF THEIR GPA CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY. IN TERMS OF WHAT'S NEXT ON
SLIDE 14, AS WE SAID, WE PRESENTED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS SCHOOL COMMITTEE LAST WEEK AT THE OCTOBER MEETING ON THE WE'LL CONTINUE TO HEAR REACTIONS, REFLECTIONS, PUBLIC
COMMENTARY. WE'RE EXPECTING TO BRING THIS POLICY FOR A VOTE ON NOVEMBER 5TH AT THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING. IF APPROVED, THE NEW WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AND WOULD APPLY TO THE 2627
ADMISSIONS CYCLE. THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE EACH YEAR OF STUDENT INVITATIONS BUT WE'VE HEARD OVERWHELMINGLY FROM FAMILIES THAT THEY WANT THIS POLICY TO REMAIN STABLE.
SO PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE POLICY WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS OF DATA UNTIL THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED AND ANALYZED. WE WANT AN EXAM SCHOOL POLICY THAT CAN STAND THE TEST OF TIME
AND GIVE FAMILIES THE STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY TO PLAN ALL AROUND. AND WE BELIEVE THIS RECOMMENDED POLICY CHANGE STRIKES THAT BALANCE. THE DISTRICT WILL WORK TO EXPLORE WAYS TO INCREASE ACCESS.
AS MANY OF YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT WILL ALSO ADJUST THE TIMELINE FOR RESIDENCY VERIFICATION FOR NON-BJP
STUDENTS AND STRIVE TO BETTER ALIGN TO THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS. CURRENTLY NON-BJP STUDENTS MUST PROVE BOSTON RESIDENCY BY THE THIRD FRIDAY IN NOVEMBER. THIS DATE IS ISN'T TO THE
TIMELINE FOR THE MAP TEST AND CREATES CONFUSION FOR ABOUT DEADLINES. WE REALIZE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE THAT'S THE REASON YOU KNOW MONICA AND COLLIN HAVE BEEN STEEPED IN
THIS FOR MANY YEARS AND CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER LOTS OF QUESTIONS PARTICULARLY AROUND CALCULATION PIECES. AND YOU KNOW WHAT WHEN AND HOW THINGS WERE INTRODUCED IN TERMS
OF CHANGES. I THINK WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THE COUNCILOR'S COMMENTARIES AND MUCH OF IT WAS ECHOED IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HEARD AND IN THE RESPONSES WE RECEIVED PARTICULARLY THAT WE
CAN'T JUST FOCUS ON THESE THREE SCHOOLS BUT THAT WE HAVE AN ECOSYSTEM OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WHICH THREE OUT OF FOUR STUDENTS ATTEND. AND IT'S OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SCHOOLS
ARE AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE WITH COLLEGE PREP PREPAREDNESS WITH CTE AND ABILITY FOR STUDENTS TO DO CAREER CONNECTING ACTIVITIES AND HAVE THE HIGHEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACADEMIC
RIGOR. SO I APPRECIATED HEARING THAT FROM THE COUNSELORS AND THAT WAS MUCH OF WHAT MANY OF YOU SAID. IT WAS ECHOED IN THE TESTIMONY THAT WE'VE HEARD THUS FAR. SO WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO COUNCILOR. AWESOME.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM FOR THAT. WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO OF QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN WE'LL GO IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. I AM GOING TO BE GIVING TIMING
THIS SECTION EVERY COUNCIL WILL HAVE 6 MINUTES. SO I WANT TO REMIND THAT WE DO HAVE TWO PANEL PANELS TODAY. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ITERATION WITH US RIGHT NOW AND WE'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY PANEL AFTER
THIS. SO WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT OVER TO THE SPONSOR COUNCIL PREPARED FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND TO SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE ONCE AGAIN TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY AND SHOW US WHAT WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING SO FAR. AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S A PACKED HEARING AS ALMOST ALL COUNCILORS HERE. SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TO ALL OF US.
I MEAN THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR EDUCATION. SO I THINK THAT'S VERY TELLING. I ALSO DOING SOME DIGGING AND RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC NICELY. LISTEN TO THIS PRESENTATION.
IT JUST SHOWS THAT HOW NUANCES ISSUE IS AND THERE'S NO RIGHT ANSWER HERE AND BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO WORK TO GET TO THE SAME SOLUTION WHICH IS TO PROVIDE OUR KIDS WITH GOOD
EDUCATION. NOW WITH THAT I DO WANT TO ASK IN 2021 OR 2020 2021 WHEN THE KNEW WHAT THE CURRENT POLICY WAS PUT INTO PLACE, THE THE
GOAL WAS TO MAKE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF ALL THROUGH EXAM SCHOOLS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. WHAT I HAVEN'T HEARD IS HAS DIRECT WISH THAT THERE WERE WE
WERE YOU GUYS ABLE TO SEE SUCCESS BASED ON THAT POLICY. YEAH I MEAN DEFINITELY A MOVE TOWARDS PARITY TOWARDS THE POPULATIONS IN OUR IN OUR CITY
NOT ALL THE WAY THERE YOU KNOW PRIOR TO 2020 I WAS IN THE DISTRICT WE WORKED ON ACCESS TO LIKE THE ICD TEST WHICH WAS
CONSENT DOES NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO WE DID LIKE SCHOOL BASED TESTING. WE WE INCREASED THE EXAM SCHOOL INITIATIVE TARGET REALLY
TARGETED FAMILIES SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TEST PREP BEFORE. SO THERE'S ALREADY WORK GOING ON BEFOREHAND BUT THAT THAT MOMENT AND I WASN'T HERE BUT THAT MOMENT WHEN THEY SWITCHED
OVER TO DOING THAT TESTING ALL THE STUFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY DID INCREASE AND MAKE AN INITIAL PRETTY BIG BUMP IN THE NUMBER OF BLACK STUDENTS LATE NEXT STUDENTS ACROSS THE EXAM
SCHOOLS. OKAY. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS NEW PROPOSAL THE NEW PROPOSAL WILL
CONTINUES TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE OF CREATING A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SCHOOL BODY IN THE EXAM SCHOOLS.
I, I THINK THAT THIS PAST YEAR DATA AND ONE OF THE STRUGGLES WE'RE HAVING WITH SO MANY CHANGES EVERY YEAR TO SOME
MINOR PART OF THE POLICY IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS ISSUES COMING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE DON'T THEN KNOW FROM A COMPARISON HOW ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT VARIABLES RELATE. AND SO WHAT WE DID SEE IN THIS PAST YEAR WAS WE SAW A DIP BACK FOR A BLACK STUDENT AND OUR
BLACK FOR BOTH OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS AND WE'VE TRIED PULLING APART TO LOOK AT IT, TO ANALYZE IT AND WE'RE REALLY NOT ABLE TO REALLY SEE HOW ANY ONE
OF THE THINGS WE DID IMPACTED IT. I THINK THE CLOSEST WE'VE COME IS TO SEE IN PART OF THIS IS THAT EVERY APPLICANT POOL IS DIFFERENT SO YOU CAN HAVE A
POLICY AND YOU CAN CREATE SIMULATIONS BUT YOU CAN'T PREDICT BEHAVIOR OF WHO'S GOING TO ULTIMATELY APPLY OR NOT. AND SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE IT IS VERY HARD TO USE IT IN A
PREDICTIVE WAY. BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD SUCH AS REMOVING THE SCHOOL BASED POINTS IS REALLY IN ALREADY IN
THE CHANGES WHERE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO COUNTER THIS ISSUE OF STUDENTS WITH SUCH HIGH COMPOSITE FROM THE POINT THAT THEY GET LIKE 100 POINT OVER
100 AND THEY KICK IT INTO AN EXAM SCHOOL. SO EACH ONE OF THE PROPOSALS HAS EMBEDDED IN IT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT AT THIS POINT WE
NEED TO SORT WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO STANDARDIZE AND THEN ACTUALLY ANALYZE IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME LIKE THREE YEARS WITHOUT MAKING A FURTHER CHANGE .
UNTIL WE CAN DO THAT WE WON'T KNOW WHETHER WHAT WE SAW IN THIS LAST ONE IS A TREND THAT WE'RE ALL OF A SUDDEN SEEING BECAUSE IT WASN'T THERE BEFORE OR WHETHER THIS IS JUST AN ANOMALY OF THE YEAR AND
REFLECTS MORE THE APPLICANT GROUP. RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH BUT I MEAN I WOULD SAY THIS IS NOT A THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T PROGRESS
THAT FORWARD. WHAT WE TRY TO LOOK AT IS MAKE SURE THAT IT ISN'T PULLING US BACK AS BEST AS WE COULD. RIGHT. I THINK THERE WERE WEAKNESSES IN THE IN THE FORM OF THE FORMER POLICY THAT WERE
DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY AND SO TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE SOME SOLID GROUND WHERE THIS THING DOESN'T CHANGE EVERY YEAR. I WAS SO SURPRISED COMING BACK
I WAS GOING FOR FIVE YEARS AND WHEN I CAME BACK AND SAW THAT THIS THING CHANGED EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS I THOUGHT THAT WAS WILD TO ME. YOU CAN'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM THAT. YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT'S AFFECTING
WHAT IF YOU'RE CHANGING SOMETHING EVERY SINGLE YEAR SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO A SPACE THAT'S KIND OF DOING NO HARM BUT GETS US TO A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEAVE IT ALONE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS AND THEN WE
CAN WORK IN THE BACKGROUND THE STUFF THAT WE USED TO DO AGAIN IN RECRUITMENT AND MAKING SURE KIDS ARE PREPARED BETTER IN THE SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THERE'S EXCELLENCE FOR ALL KIDS, THINGS THAT AREN'T PART OF A POLICY BUT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING IS KIND OF I THINK PART OF THE GOAL IS TO GET THIS CONVERSATION. THE OXYGEN GETS TAKEN OUT OF THE ROOM AND WE IN MY TIME AND OTHER FOLKS TIME WERE TAKEN AROUND THESE TABLES INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY IMPROVING ALL
OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THAT'S THE MOST HONEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE YOU AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I REALLY WANT TO ASK JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOME
OF THE QUESTION THAT'S IN ALL OF OUR MINDS. SO I WANT TO PUT THAT THE FOREFRONT OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I WENT TO THE O'BRIEN I HAD TO TAKE THE ESI MY PARENTS DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT THAT TEST. IT WAS BECAUSE OF A TEACHER THAT TOLD ME HEY, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO TAKE THIS TEST AND TAKEN YOU KNOW I WENT DAD DROPPED ME OFF I PLAY ON SATURDAY MORNING ETC. THANK GOD
I GOT INTO THE O'BRIEN I REALLY DO CREDIT A LOT OF MY MY SUCCESS BASED ON WHAT I WAS ABLE TO LEARN AND GAINED FROM THE O'BRIEN EXPERIENCE WHERE I'M LEADING WITH THIS IS PART
OF IT ISN'T JUST THE ADMISSION POLICY IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH WHAT OTHER CARDS I MENTIONED ABOUT THEIR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE HAVE
WE TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE LOOK INTO HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT KIDS THAT MAY NOT BE AS WELL RESOURCED OR A PARENT THAT ISN'T PAID CAMPAIGN MUCH ATTENTION OR SIMILAR TO MY
PARENTS YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE HELP THOSE STUDENTS MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN EQUAL PATH BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO THE POINT OF APPLYING FOR AN EXAM SCHOOL? YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THIS IS
THAT IN THE QUESTION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BROADER HIGH SCHOOL ECOSYSTEM, RIGHT? PROBABLY THE TWO FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS IN MY MIND AND I
THINK THIS IS WHY AS A DISTRICT WE POST-PANDEMIC WENT RIGHT INTO FOCUSING ON LITERACY AND EQUITABLE LITERACY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PRESCHOOL FOR THE
SIMPLE REASON THAT BY THE TIME THE STUDENTS IN FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF ESR BOOTCAMP YOU'RE DOING YOU CAN'T CLOSE MULTIPLE YEARS OF GAP. SO THE ACCESS ISSUE IS A VERY
REAL ONE AND ONE THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON. I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE LATEST TESTING DATA IS THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME REALLY POSITIVE THINGS IN THE LITERACY SIDE AND WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD
TAKE A YEAR LIKE A FEW YEARS FOR US EMBED WITHIN THE BEST HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR US TO GET EQUITABLE LITERACY IN ALL OF THE CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHERS USING IT, YOU KNOW, ON A
REGULAR BASIS AND THEN CERTAINLY BUILDING IN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE LIKE ADVANCED MATH, YOU KNOW THE KINDS OF MATH ENRICHMENT AND OTHER KINDS OF READING INTERVENTIONS
AS WAYS TO BEGIN TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS UNTIL THAT HAPPENS. THE APPLICANT POOL IS GOING TO BE MORE INFLUENCED BY WHAT STUDENTS HAVEN'T BEEN GIVING AS
OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY'RE GIVEN IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH ENRICHMENT RIGHT BEFORE THEY SEE THROUGH TO THE MAP. THANK YOU. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP SO I'LL WAIT FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
THANKS. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. PROVIDED CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I ACTUALLY JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP WILL WHERE
COUNCILMEMBER BEN LEFT OFF. YOU KNOW A LOT OF A LOT OF WHAT HE SAID RESONATED WITH ME AND MY FILM EXPERIENCE GLOBALLY ABOUT IT.
MY FATHER HAD NO IDEA WHAT SCHOOL WOULD HE JUST ASKED SOMEONE ONE DAY WHAT'S THE BEST SCHOOL FOR MY KIDS TO GET INTO? AND THEN HE HAD TO GO AROUND
AND FIGURE OUT OKAY, HOW DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE EXAM SCHOOL INITIATIVE ON WEEKENDS TAKING CLASSES TO PREP FOR THE IAC? THAT'S GREAT AND I'M SO HAPPY
THAT I WAS ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT RESOURCE. I DO THINK THAT PART OF OUR ROLE AS GOVERNMENT AND AS PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN IMPROVING EDUCATION OUTCOMES FOR EVERYONE
IT CAN'T BE SO INDIVIDUALISTIC, IT CAN'T BE SO DEPENDENT ON. ONE PARENT WHO OFTENTIMES DOESN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS, DOESN'T HAVE PRIVILEGE, DOES HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO KNOW.
ASK SOMEONE. I THINK THAT'S PART OF AS MUCH AS I CHAMPION PARENT INVOLVEMENT IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING 3 TO 4 JOBS TO TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE
THE ONES WHO HAVE TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IF WE ARE TO HAVE A TRULY CITYWIDE SCHOOL HAVING TIERS WHERE WE'RE
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE FROM ACROSS THE CITY FROM MATTAPAN, FROM DORCHESTER, FROM ALL PARTS OF THE CITY CAN ACCESS IS TRULY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN THOSE INDIVIDUAL S.I. CLASSES ON THE
WEEKENDS ARE NOT ENOUGH. AS YOU SAID SUPERINTENDENT TO THAT LACK OF ACADEMIC RIGOR AMONG ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT. I WASN'T GOING TO BUT THEN I
WAS LIKE I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS POINT WHEN YOU CAME OVER THIS SUMMER AND YOU DID A POLICY BRIEFING FOR COUNSELORS AND IN THAT POLICY BRIEFING THERE'S A LISTING OF TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS. MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS ON THIS
TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL. MY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ON THE TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS OVER THE PAST YEARS AND I KNOW THAT SCHOOL COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ASKED FOR DATA AND WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SORT OF SEE
THAT DATA ABOUT EFFECTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE POLICY HAS LOOK LIKE FOR ACCEPTANCE FROM THESE TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS INTO ANY OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS AND WHETHER
THAT'S AND WHETHER THAT'S INCREASED OR DECREASED THROUGH THE CHAIR AND IF HE HAD ANYTHING. SO WE CAN WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THE CROSSWALK I THINK THE
TRANSFORMATION LIST DIFFERS YEAR TO YEAR BECAUSE SCHOOLS GET ADDED IN TAKEN OUT AND IN FACT THIS YEAR WILL BE ACTUALLY EXITING WHICH I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT.
QUITE A FEW ALSO JUST OF NOTE SIX COMMENDATION SCHOOLS WHICH IS THE MOST DPS HAS HAD IN THE RECENTLY ADDED FROM TODAY AND
WE'VE SEEN SOME WE'RE SEEING SOME REALLY GOOD GROWTH ACROSS THE SCHOOLS BUT IN TERMS OF THE TRANSFORMATION WE'LL DO AS MUCH OF THAT CROSSWALK AS WE CAN TO JUST GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE POPULATION.
THANK YOU. THAT WE DON'T WE NO LONGER HAVE ADVANCED WORK CLASS IN THE WAY THAT I THAT I HAD THEM WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND I THINK PART OF THAT WAS WAS TO PROVIDE IN
SOME SENSE SOME OF THE ACADEMIC RIGOR THAT WE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOW ABLE TO COMPETE WITH WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM TO OTHER PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR METCO OR OTHER OPTIONS, WHAT HAS REPLACED THAT?
I KNOW PART OF THE SYSTEM WAS THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ENRICHMENT FROM FOURTH THE SIXTH GRADE. NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S ENOUGH I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT RIGOROUS STARTS EVEN EARLIER. AND PART OF THE DESIRE IS FOR
THE RIGOR TO BE WIDESPREAD BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE NOW? SHE ADDED SHE WENT AWAY WHILE I WAS NOT HERE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YEAR I WAS
PART OF THAT? SO IT WAS IT WAS SLOWING AT A SLOW DEATH BECAUSE IT WAS A DINOSAUR. IT REALLY WAS NOT I THINK IT MEANT SOMETHING IN THE IN THE
EIGHTIES AND NINETIES WHEN WE JUST SWITCHED TO THE COMMON CORE EVERYBODY WAS KIND OF USING THE SAME CURRICULUM AND QUITE OFTEN AS I VISIT THOSE CLASSROOM THE RIGOR IN THOSE CLASSROOM WAS NO
DIFFERENT THAN YOU JUST ESSENTIALLY SEGREGATING KIDS, RIGHT? SO WE TAKE A TEST AND IN THIRD GRADE AND SAY WE HAVE HIGH PERFORMING KIDS IN THIS SCHOOL SO LET'S JUST PUT THEM IN THIS CLASSROOM.
SO WE WE AT THE TIME WE HAD WORKED STARTED WORKING ON WHAT WE WERE CALLING EXCELLENCE FOR ALL WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT I THINK HAS BEEN THE THOUGHT IN THE FOLLOW THROUGH AROUND THIS CAN'T BE A PROGRAM LIKE YOU
DON'T MAKE PROGRAMS TO TRANSFORM EDUCATION, YOU TRANSFORM EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? SO OUR CORE TIER ONE INSTRUCTION NEED TO NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCES OF KIDS IN EVERYDAY CLASSROOMS NEED TO
IMPROVE AND BECOME MORE RIGOROUS AND YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY THERE'S MORE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT THE PEDAGOGY IS A BIT DIFFERENT AND MORE RIGOROUS IN OUR GENERAL EDUCATION
CLASSROOM. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED TO A.W.. SEE IT WAS DWINDLING ALREADY AND I THINK IT JUST FELL APART. WHAT WAS ONE OF THE CRITIQUES
THAT THAT I THAT I'VE HEARD OVERALL JUST AND THIS IS DOVETAILS INTO ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IN TERMS OF GRADE INFLATION WHETHER WE'RE LIKE ARE WE STILL SEEING IT COMING OUT OF CERTAIN SCHOOLS?
DO WE KNOW WHAT SCHOOLS WHERE THERE'S MORE GRADE INFLATION HAPPENING? IT'S BOTH A QUESTION OF GRADE INFLATION AND HOW ARE WE ASSURING THAT THAT OUR KIDS AT
K THROUGH IN K THROUGH SIX ARE PREPARED FOR THE RIGOR OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE PREPARED FOR.
AND SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS COMING. THE QUESTION WAS COMING FROM YEAH SO I THINK I THINK THE REASON THAT WE WHEN YOU KIND
OF MARRY THE ISSUE OF LACK OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN NOT HAVING ACCESS TO GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION THAT'S PRETTY DESTRUCTIVE FOR A YOUNG PERSON TRYING TO GAIN
THOSE SKILLS AND THAT'S MUCH OF WHAT WE WERE SEEING EVEN THOUGH TO COLIN'S POINT ABOUT SEE SOMETHING WAS CALLED AWG SO WE REALLY TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS
ADDRESSING ALL CLASSROOMS AS OPPOSED TO POCKETS WHICH IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE KNOWING THAT OUR STUDENTS MOVE AROUND IN NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY'RE IN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
GETTING ACCESS TO THAT GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION WE HAVE AT IT IN IN OUR ROUTING IN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE WHICH IS THINGS LIKE READING RECOVERY AND INTERVENTION, ADDITIONAL KINDS
OF LEARNING SPECIALISTS, SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS MATH ENRICHMENT, ADVANCED MATHEMATICS IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROGRAMS. WE MOST RECENTLY ADDED THE CALCULUS PROJECT YOUNG PEOPLE'S
PROJECT THESE ARE ALL MEANT TO PARTICULARLY IN GRADES FOUR OR FIVE SIX TO TAKE STUDENTS IN KIND OF ACCELERATE THROUGH IN COMPLEMENT WITH WHAT'S IN THEIR CLASS. THAT'S MORE OF THE TYPE OF WORK
THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING THE ACI PROGRAM WHICH YOU PARTICIPATED IN STILL EXISTS IN FACT WE'VE ADDED RESOURCE TO IT EACH SUMMER. WE DON'T WANT WAITLISTS WITH IT
AND WE TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT TO STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE COMING FROM SCHOOLS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN A TRANSFORMATION IN SCHOOL THAT THOSE STUDENTS GET ENROLLED IN THERE AS A WAY TO
BE ABLE TO BUILD SCALE UP. WE WILL BE EXPANDING IT DOWN TO THE FOURTH GRADE IT'S CURRENTLY SERVING FIFTH, SIXTH AND THEN EIGHTH GRADERS WHO WOULD BE TAKING IT FOR THE NINTH GRADE SEAT.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD IN THAT I THINK ADDRESSES WHAT YOU WHAT YOUR WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. RIGHT. WHICH IS TO TRY TO CREATE AS
MUCH OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING INTO THE TEST. I THINK YOUR POINT ABOUT ACCESS THOUGH I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO AWARENESS TO JUST
TAKE A MOMENT TO ADDRESS THAT. I THINK IN GENERAL FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FROM COMING FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AROUND AWARENESS
OF WHAT THE EXAM SCHOOLS ARE, HOW A STUDENT OR A PARENT GOES ABOUT APPLYING PART OF THE MOVE FROM ISC TO MAP WAS THE MAP IS SOMETHING ALL STUDENTS ARE
ORGANICALLY SITTING FOR AND SO IN THAT WAY IT'S NOT ONE EXTRA BARRIER STEP THAT A STUDENT NEEDS TO TAKE. IT'S ALSO A HIGHLY REGARDED TEST AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO I THINK IT'S ALL OF THESE
KINDS OF MOVES THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS TO REALLY BE ABLE TO FULFILL THAT ANY STUDENT AROUND OUR CITY IN ANY SCHOOL IS ABLE TO
APPLY AND GAIN ADMISSIONS TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS BASED ON THEIR MERIT. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT'S MY TIME. I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT ENGLISH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND ABOUT SOME OF THE
LEGAL ISSUES BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT CASTRO WHENEVER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR WELL, I JUST
HAD JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND READING SOME OF THE CASES LIKE WITH THE SUPREME COURT COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND STUDENT FOR STUDENTS FOR FAIR ADMISSION, YOU KNOW, OUTLAWED BASICALLY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, THE USE
OF RACE IN ADMISSIONS BY HARVARD IN NORTH CAROLINA AND IN THAT DECISION THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WELL, YOU KNOW ,YOU CAN'T USE OTHER, YOU
KNOW, FLAT WAYS TO GET AROUND THAT AND SAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME I THINK GORSUCH IN THERE SAYS WELL, YOU CAN JUST LOOK AT ECONOMIC STATUS AND PROBABLY END UP WITH THE SAME, YOU KNOW,
SORT OF DIVERSITY GAINS THAT HARVARD AND USC HAD. SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT THE LEGALLY WHAT THE WHAT THE ANSWER IS BUT I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE WE'RE TALKING HERE ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE
CITY AND SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, IT'S LIKE WE'RE WE'RE HAVING TO JUMP THROUGH ALL OF THESE HOOPS I THINK BECAUSE THE YOU KNOW, WE WERE DEALING WITH THE SUPREME COURT THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE
SAME THINGS AS OUR CITY HERE AND AND INEQUITY AND HOW DO WE GET TO EQUITY IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO STAND UP TO SCRUTINY AT THE SAME TIME IT JUST YOU KNOW I KNOW IN THE FIRST
CIRCUIT DECISION IT WAS 22 SCHOOL YEAR 2020 TO 2021. I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST YEAR WE USE THE THE ISC PLUS GRADES
YOU KNOW THE THE COMPOSITION OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS THEIR WHITE STUDENTS WERE 39%, ASIANS WERE 21%, LATIN WAS 21%, BLACK STUDENTS WERE 14% THAT SAME
YEAR THE DEMOGRAPHICS CITYWIDE DID OF THE SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE 39% OF EXAM STUDENTS WHITE WERE WHITE ONLY 16% I THINK OF THE OF THE STUDENT
BODY WAS WHITE ASIANS 7% OF THE STUDENT BODY IS MADE OF 20% OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS LATIN STUDENTS WERE 36% OF THE STUDENT BODY. THEY ONLY MADE 21 OF 21% OF THE OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS BLACK
STUDENTS WERE 35% OF THE STUDENT BODY IN BOSTON AND THEY WERE ONLY 14% OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS MORE EQUITABLE
AND CLEARLY THAT'S THAT'S ONE WAY TO MEASURE IT AND YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY THINK AS WE GO FORWARD WE'RE JUST JUST KEEPING ALL THESE THINGS IN MIND AND NOT THE ANSWERS BUT IN TERMS
OF THESE PROPOSALS, THOSE THE YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, MY DISTRICT DISTRICT SIX, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT STUDENTS AT
THE LINDEN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM WERE CALLING FOR AN END TO THE BONUS POINTS. I DO THINK THAT A RACE NEUTRAL WAY TO APPROACH THIS IS BONUS POINTS FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS WE
TALKED TO. I YOU CAN YOU CAN SAY WHY THAT ISN'T A GOOD OPTION I GUESS DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT SUPERINTENDENT BY ALL ACCOUNTS FROM OUR LEGAL COUNCILOR THAT
WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO JUST GIVE SOMETHING USING PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR EDUCATION. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMETHING TO OUR INTERNAL
STUDENTS THAT WE WOULD NOT GIVE TO STUDENTS OF TAXPAYERS AROUND THE CITY. OKAY. YEAH. MY SENSE IS THAT THAT WE DON'T KNOW YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO LIKE
CERTAIN CASE ON THAT BUT I HEAR YOU AND WE WANT A SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO STAND UP TO SCRUTINY SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF DISTRICT DISTRICTS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LINDEN IF YOU REMOVE THE BONUS
POINTS THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE CHANCES FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO GET AN EXAM SCHOOL SPOT. I THINK IN PRIOR YEARS IT'S BEEN YOU KNOW YOU NEEDED LIKE
ALMOST OVER 100 TO GET IN TO AN EXAM SCHOOL IF YOU DON'T GET THE POINTS YOU DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION BUT TO DO THIS WE ARE ALLOWING OTHER STUDENTS OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO TO GAIN
ACCESS TO THOSE SEATS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE RATIO IS LIKE IF THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE SEATS FOR KIDS AT THE LINDEN AND THE KILMER IN THE MANNING LIKE HOW YOU KNOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE THEY ARE GOING
TO BE ALSO KIDS FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SHOT AT THAT. SURE. SO WE POINTS ARE GIVEN TO STUDENTS WHO ARE IN CHARTERS
AND PRIVATE AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT FROM A PREDICTABILITY STANDPOINT THIS IS THE DIFFICULTY. RIGHT? IS EVERY APPLICANT POOL IS DIFFERENT. SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU RIGHT
NOW IF NEXT YEAR A WHOLE BUNCH OF PARENTS CHOOSE TO APPLY WHO ARE COMING FROM PRIVATE OR CHARTER THAT DIDN'T IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR WE WOULDN'T HAVE
ANY WAY OF KNOWING FOR PARTICULAR SCHOOLS WHAT THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY MEAN AND I'LL TURN TO MONICA TO CONFIRM THAT SINCE SHE IS THE POLICY DOESN'T
GUARANTEE STUDENTS FROM ANY PARTICULAR SCHOOLS SO WE CAN'T NECESSARILY PREDICT WHETHER OR NOT THE LINDEN WOULD GET MORE OR LESS SEATS IN A PARTICULAR SIMULATION. OKAY.
HAVE HAVE YOU DONE ANY DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON MY CENSUS WE HAD TESTIMONY I THINK WHEN WE FIRST CHANGED THIS ABOUT THE CLIMATE. I THINK POLES IN PARTICULAR FOR
PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING IN THAT SCHOOL DO YOU KNOW IF THAT HAVE YOU DONE RESEARCH AS THAT IS THE CLIMATE AT THAT SCHOOL CHANGED AT ALL SINCE WE CHANGED THIS POLICY?
HOW ABOUT YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE? WE DO CLIMATE SURVEYS. WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A QUICK LOOK I IN TALKING WITH THE LEADERS OF THOSE SCHOOLS,
NOTHING HAS BEEN RAISED. I THINK THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT PUT IN TO REACT TO JUST MAKING SURE AND REAFFIRMING FOR STUDENTS THAT
EVERY STUDENT THAT GAINS A BYPASS EXAM SCHOOL SEAT IS THERE UPON MERIT AND THEN THERE'S LOTS OF SUPPORTS FOR ALL STUDENTS ONCE THEY'RE THERE IN THE EXAM SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO GET WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER
TO DO THEIR BEST ACADEMICALLY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOOL. OKAY. AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY ANY DATA ON HOW YOU KNOW, KIDS FROM
DIFFERENT TIERS ARE PERFORMING AT THE EXAM SCHOOLS? DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF THAT? WE HAVEN'T. WE HAVEN'T SORTED BY GRADES LIKE THAT. BUT JUST AGAIN LOOKING AT RETENTION DATA, THE RETENTION
DATA IS ACTUALLY A BIT LOWER THAN IT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY AT THE EXAM SCHOOLS LOOKING AT CASH YOU KNOW BILL AS IN BILL
WERE BOTH COMMENDATIONS SCHOOLS OR SCHOOLS IN RECOGNITION O'BRYANT WAS LISTED AS YOU KNOW IN WORLD NEWS REPORT SO THERE'S LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT OUR EXAM SCHOOLS ARE DOING QUITE FINE
THREE POLICY CHANGE IN POST POLICY CHANGE YEAH I'M SORRY I THINK YOU MEANT THE ATTRITION RATE WHEN THE ATTRITION RATE HAS BEEN LOWER AT THE EXAM AT ALL THREE EXAM SCHOOLS THAN
THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY THAT'S CAUSING THE RETENTION RATE. OKAY SO SO THE ATTRITION RATE HAS IMPROVED OR DEFINITELY NOT GOTTEN WORSE. YEAH. YOU KNOW KIDS GETTING IN OR STAYING IN THESE SCHOOLS
THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY PERFORMING AT A AT A HIGH LEVEL IN TERMS OF STATE STATEWIDE. CAN I JUST JUST A BRIEF COMMENT AND I'M DONE CHAIR YOU KNOW IN
TERMS OF LIKE WE TALK ABOUT THESE SCHOOLS AND AND I THINK YOU KNOW, COUNCIL COUNSELOR MEJIA SPOKE ABOUT TALKING TO HER DAUGHTER AND YOU HEAR ABOUT
SCHOOL WE HAVE THIS DEBATE OVER THE O'BRIEN SCHOOL AND I YOU KNOW I THINK ONE GOAL I MEAN SHOULD DEFINITELY BE THAT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE AT ALL THESE SCHOOLS YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE AND TO
THE EXTENT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN OUR POLICIES YOU KNOW I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THIS SO I'M INTERESTED MAYBE IN THE NEXT ROUND TO ADDRESS THAT.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN CONYERS AND THEN I CAN ANSWER THAT JUST VERY QUICKLY. PART OF EVERY SCHOOL QUALITY PLAN COUNCIL MEMBER IS FOR US TO ESTABLISH A WELCOMING AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR
STUDENTS AND SO THE CLIMATE STORIES ARE ACTUALLY ATTACHED TO EVERY SCHOOL'S QUALITY SCHOOL PLAN. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. SO THE EXAM SCHOOLS ARE PART OF THAT. IF WE WERE TO SEE DIFFERENCE IN
DATA THE REGIONAL SCHOOLS WOULD ADDRESS IT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE NOT BUT THESE ARE VERY LARGE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? LATIN SCHOOL IS 20 OR 2500 KIDS, YOU KNOW AND SO I THINK
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE HAVE TO JUST KEEP WORKING TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS AS WELCOMING AS POSSIBLE, HAVE ADULTS THAT STUDENTS CANNOT REACH TO IF THEY'RE FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE, IF ANYTHING'S BEING SAID, IF THERE'S ANY BULLYING THAT THEY
KNOW WHO THAT THEY CAN GO TO. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO ESPECIALLY IN VERY, VERY LARGE SCHOOLS. BUT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE NOTHING HAS COME OF THEIR CLIMATE SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. HOWEVER, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR UM, JUST REAL
QUICK THIS IS GOING TO STICK FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS I UNDERSTAND. SO FOR PARENTS OR ANYONE LISTENING WITH KIDS LOOKING TO GET AN EXAM SCORES IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THIRD GRADE
CURRENTLY THAT MEANS WHEN THIS STARTS THE NEXT THREE YEARS FOUR OR FIVE SIX SO IF YOU'RE IN THIRD GRADE RIGHT NOW THIS WILL BE THE POLICY FOR WHEN YOUR CHILD WOULD TAKE GOING
THROUGH THE EXAM SCHOOLS RIGHT BE TAKING THE TEST AND WE HAVE TO I BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN SOME OF IT WOULD BE WHEN WE CHOOSE TO REVISIT THE POLICY WE CHOSE TO DO IT IN THE FALL
TO HAVE IMPACT IN THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR. OKAY. SCHOOL COMMITTEE HASN'T ASKED THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL OR SPECIFIED IT MY RECOMMENDATION IS THREE YEARS FIVE IS JUST TOO
LONG AND I THINK FRANKLY FORCED THE CONVERSATION OF CHANGE WITH THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. MONICA WILL DO THE CALCULATION BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO GET FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING IT AND SAYING HEY IF I GET A KID
THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS THE POLICY. IT'S GOING TO AFFECT ME AND I WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT'S ALL. SO IN LOOKING BACK WHAT THE FIVE YEARS THAT WE JUST HAD,
WHAT IS THE DATA BEHIND THE 20% CITYWIDE ACCEPTANCE AND LOOKING AT 20%, WHY IS IT NOT HIGHER? I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS BUT LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL AND SAN FRANCISCO GETS A
LOT OF COMPARISONS TO BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL OF THE WEST COAST AND THEY HAVE A 70% MERIT ACCEPTANCE RATING AND THEN DO BANDS IF YOU WILL. SO I WAS JUST LOOKING AT WHAT
IT WAS. WAS THERE ANY DATA OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT GOT US THIS 20% ACCEPTANCE NUMBER AND WHY WOULD WHY WOULD NOT BE HIGHER IF WE WANTED TO?
FIRST I WOULD SAY ANY KID THAT QUALIFIES FOR AN EXAM SCHOOL IS MAKING IT ON MERIT. RIGHT. AND I THINK WE START GETTING INTO THE ZIP CODE KIDS VERSUS OTHER ROUND SO JUST THAT
LANGUAGE BUT I THINK WHAT WE TRY TO LOOK AT IS IF THE COMPLAINT IS THAT KIDS THAT ARE GETTING EXTREMELY HIGH SCORES ARE NOT GETTING INTO THEIR FIRST CHOICE, WHAT IS THAT THRESHOLD?
YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT SCORE THAT IS FOR BETTER LACK OF WORDS LIKE STREET FAIR RIGHT THAT YOU KNOW KID GOT A 98 A 99 INCHES COULDN'T GET
INTO THEIR FIRST CHOICE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A WALK TO MY FRIEND DOWN THE STREET. THEY'RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT'S NOT FAIR, RIGHT? SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT KIND OF WHAT THAT THRESHOLD WOULD BE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GRADES
IN THE TEST KIDS THAT GOT A'S RIGHT WHAT IS THAT THRESHOLD AND IT WAS AROUND THE 20% 15, 20% RANGE. I'LL PASS IT OFF TO THE DEBT EXPERT BUT YEAH, I THINK THE
DIFFERENTIAL DATA AND COMPOSITE SCORES UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS REALLY THAT THE STUDENTS MAP SCORE. WE DON'T SEE AS MUCH DIFFERENTIATION AND GPAS AS WE
DO IN TEST SCORES AND PART OF THAT IS ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE AT LEAST A B IN ORDER B IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED AN APPLICANT AS WELL AS THE 2021
POLICY TO ADDRESS A PREVIOUS QUESTION ABOUT GRADE INFLATION . THE 2021 POLICY INCLUDED A CLAUSE THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDED TO CREATE A GRADING SYSTEM WHERE AN A-PLUS WOULD BE
TREATED AS AN A SO IN THE GPA CALCULATION FOR EXAM SCHOOLS AN A-PLUS IN AND A BOTH GET THE SAME WEIGHT. I JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF MY TIME HERE BUT TO GET THAT 20%
NUMBER YOU SAID WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME NOW THAT IS USED TO SAY THE APPROPRIATE PERCENTAGE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE 20%? YEAH. WE EXAMINED I THINK PAST TEST SCORES AND LOOKED AT COMPOSITE
SCORES TO SEE WHERE THAT BREAKDOWN WHERE THE SORT OF LINE OF CITYWIDE PERCENTAGE MAY MAKE THE MOST SENSE AND THAT DATA POINTED US TO THE 20% AND THAT'S ALSO WHAT THE TASK
FORCE HAD PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED. OKAY. THANK YOU. IN THE SOCIOECONOMIC, SOCIOECONOMIC STEERING THAT WE HAVE ALL 40 YEARS I READ AS HAS
THE EQUAL NUMBER OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN NOW TAKE OFF NOT TO PUT ON MY CONSPIRACY HAT BUT IT JUST IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO WORK OUT THAT EACH SOCIO ECONOMIC TIER HAD ROUGHLY THE SAME
AMOUNT OF CHILDREN OR WERE WE MAKING IT WORK SO IT WOULD FIT EQUALLY THAT EACH SOCIOECONOMIC TIER ROUGHLY HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF CHILDREN BECAUSE I JUST FIND IT HARD PRESSED TO
JUST SAY COINCIDENTALLY ALL FOUR JUST HAPPEN TO BE ROUGHLY EQUAL AMONGST THE TIERS. THE TIERS ARE INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO HAVE THAT ROUGHLY EQUAL NUMBER SO TO NOT GO TOO
DEEP INTO THIS ESSENTIALLY EVERY SINGLE CENSUS TRACT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON RECEIVES A SCORE, IF YOU WILL, BASED OFF OF DIFFERENT DATA FROM THE U.S. CENSUS. THESE ARE THEN RANKED FROM
LOWEST TO HIGHEST AND DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT THE U.S. CENSUS REPORTS ARE THERE ARE IN GRADES FIVE THREE AND EACH CENSUS TRACT WE CREATE GROUPINGS THAT GET TO THAT
ROUGHLY EQUAL SIZE. OKAY. SO IT SO IT'S NOT HAPPENSTANCE THAT IT'S NOT RIGHT. SO IT IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I JUST WANT TO I WOULD WONDER
IF WE JUST TOOK IT AT FACE VALUE WHAT THE TIERS WOULD FALL UNDER AGAIN NOT KNOWING THE ANSWER JUST BY COMPARISON SAKE IF YOU TOOK AWAY AND JUST DID IT REGULARLY THE REDRAWING
OF THE TIER LINES HAPPENS EACH YEAR AS I UNDERSTAND. WILL THAT CONTINUE IN THIS NEW PROCESS BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN LOTS OF CALLS OF SAYING I'VE MADE THE DECISIONS BECAUSE OF X AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT IS
DIFFERENT AND NOW YOU KNOW I DROPPED FROM A SIX TIER SIX TO A TIER EIGHT AND I MADE THESE DECISIONS FIVE YEARS AGO AND YOU KNOW NOW MY DAUGHTER'S CHANCES OF GETTING IN PLUMMETED AND PEOPLE ARE VERY UPSET
OBVIOUSLY. DOES THAT CONTINUE THIS YEAR TO YEAR LIKE AROUND THE FRINGE LINING OF THE TIERS? YEAH, I BELIEVE THE INTENTION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO CALCULATE THE TIERS EACH YEAR.
OKAY. AND CAN INVITATIONS BE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS PER TIER AND HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT OR IS THAT IS THAT A LEGAL
THING OR IS THAT WHY HASN'T IT BEEN BASED ON THAT? NOT AGAIN THIS IS NOT ME CONDONING OR AGREEING OR ANYTHING. I'M JUST ASKING HIM THE QUESTION CAN INVITATIONS BE BASED ON THE NUMBER
OF APPLICATIONS FROM EACH TIER? IT COULD BE BUT I THINK WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS WISE NOT TO PLEASE YOU. JUST EXPLAIN WHY A COUPLE OF REASONS.
I THINK ONE IF WE WERE TO DO THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPETITION YOU CAN IMAGINE RALLYING YOUR NEIGHBORS TO APPLY MORE BECAUSE THAN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET MORE SEATS
EVEN OF STUDENTS WEREN'T NECESSARILY GOING TO APPLY TO BEGIN WITH. SO IT BECOMES ALMOST A LOOPHOLE WE'RE CREATING IN IT THAT ENCOURAGES THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
IT ALSO I THINK WOULD BECAUSE MORE STUDENTS FROM HIGH ISIS BACKGROUND ONCE APPLIED WE WOULD LOSE THE SO THE
GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR IN THE FORM OF POWER AND WHEN THE PUBLIC TASK FORCE WAS CREATED SO I THINK IT WOULD UNBALANCE THE CITY AGAIN SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T
BE HAVING THE SAME NUMBER OF KIDS FROM MATTAPAN, DORCHESTER, ETC. GETTING SEATS AND THEN IT WOULD TO ME CREATE MORE CONFUSION AND MORE COMPETITION AND MORE LOOPHOLES FOR FOLKS TO START GAMING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S OTHER NO I THINK IT REALLY IT'S ABOUT MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT OF DIVERSIFICATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S REFLECTED IN
THE TIERS AND THE MORE WE CHANGE THE TIER WE ALTER THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THE LESS LIKELY THAT THAT HOLDS TRUE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. TAKE THE TIME. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S
UNDERSTOOD THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED OF ME AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR FITZGERALD I'M CONCERNED HAVE DAVENPORT THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM FOR
BEING HERE. SUPERINTENDENT, ARE THERE PLANS TO ADD MORE SEATS TO THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS TO EXPAND THAT
POOL AND WHAT ARE THE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM PLANS AND ARE IN TERMS OF ADDING POTENTIALLY ADDING MORE SEATS TO THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS? I'M THINKING OF AND WE HEAR
THIS QUESTION OFTEN THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO PLANS TO ADD ADDITIONAL SEATS. ALL THREE SCHOOLS ARE PHYSICALLY MAXED IN THEIR SPACE. ADDITIONALLY JUST FROM A PURE REPRESENTATION STANDPOINT THEY
ACCOUNT ONE OUT OF FOUR STUDENTS. IT'S AN EXAM SCHOOL AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOST OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE MAGNET OR EXAMS THEY REPRESENT A MUCH SMALLER
POPULATION AND SO I THINK WE WOULD STAY WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION. THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT. WELCOME SUPERINTENDENT. WE JUST SPENT HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUILDING THE DESIRE QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL CERTAINLY A GEM IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, AN EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S NOT AN EXAM SCHOOL OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S AN
EXCELLENT HIGH SCHOOL. THERE ARE OTHER EXCELLENT HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SUPPORT
THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS? AND LET ME JUST ASK IS JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT AN EXAM SCHOOL, ARE THERE ACADEMICS AS CLOSE TO THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS?
COULD YOU COMPARE IT IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT THEY ARE EQUALLY STRONG ACADEMICALLY AS THE THREE ADVANCED SCHOOLS SO THE DESIRE QUINCY HAS AN IB
CURRICULUM INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE WHICH IS VERY COMPETITIVE CURRICULUM IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SCHOOLS LIKE A LOT OF THE BIG THREE EXAM SCHOOLS WOULD DO IN
TERMS OF AP THEY ALSO HAVE EARLY COLLEGE SO THEY'RE VERY COMPETITIVE ACADEMICALLY FOR SURE. THE DESIRE QUINCY THE OTHER SCHOOL IS THIS NOLAN THAT HAS THE IB TRACK BUT THOSE ARE THE
ONLY TWO IN THE DISTRICT THAT OFFER THAT FOR PARENTS WANTING THAT AND STUDENTS WANTING THAT. ARE WE ABLE TO THEN I KNOW WE ARE SUPPORTING THE JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL BUT I'M SURE
WE'RE EQUALLY SUPPORTING THE SNOWDEN SCHOOL AS WELL WHICH I'M THANKFUL FOR. BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ALSO SUPPORT STUDENTS THAT WANT TO GO TO THOSE TWO EXCELLENT SCHOOLS?
ARE WE MAKING AN OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO THEM THAT MAYBE IT'S NOT AS PRESTIGIOUS BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE ALSO EXCELLENT SCHOOLS. SO THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS TO BUILD UP OUR EARLY COLLEGE ACROSS ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. SO WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THREE YEARS WHERE WE STARTED OFF WITH LESS THAN
100 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EARLY COLLEGE. WE'RE NOW AT 2002 THAT THAT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS. WE JUST RECEIVED A NATIONAL
RECOGNITION FOR THE AMOUNT OF APS WE OFFER AND THAT WASN'T LIMITED TO THE EXAMS THAT WAS ACROSS OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. WE HAVE YOU KNOW WE HAVE COLLEGE CITY AND MADISON BOTH
AND WE ALSO HAVE COLLEGE PATHWAYS THAT EXIST. WE USED TO HAVE AROUND 1200 1300 STUDENTS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE'RE NOW AT 3500.
THESE ARE ALL OPPORTUNITIES WHERE STUDENTS CAN GET ACTUAL CREDENTIALING. M.K. IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM AND SO I
THINK THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A DISTRICT IS TO CONTINUE TO SHARE OUT IN COMMUNICATION, INVITE FOLKS INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERY COUNCILOR IN
HERE WHO VISITS THE SCHOOLS WITH ME BECAUSE YOU SEE FIRSTHAND THE GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUT A LOT INTO
COMMS AND I THINK PART OF THIS IS HELPING PARENTS AND STUDENTS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'RE CHOOSING IN THE SEVENTH GRADE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CHOOSING FROM AND ABOUT AND THERE'S LOTS
OF GREAT CHOICES IN. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A FOCAL POINT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS NOW THAT WE HAVE SUCH RICH EARLY COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE AND CAREER PATHWAYS GOING IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT SUPERINTENDENT AS WE REFERENCE SNOWDEN WE'VE REFERENCED JOSIAH QUINCY BUT WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING
THOSE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS UP TO TO THE ACADEMICS OF A SNOWDEN OR TO JAKE US TO SUPPORT THEM SO THAT THEY BECOME AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL AS WELL?
I'M SURE THEY'RE DOING EXCELLENT THINGS THERE BUT HOW CAN WE WORK TO SUPPORT THOSE SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT BE STRUGGLING BUT THEY ALSO COULD BE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD
IMPROVE THEIR SUCCESS IF THEY ARE SUPPORTED. IS THAT IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? ABSOLUTELY. AND I MEAN I THINK WE SEE IN THE DATA WHETHER IT'S BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY, WHETHER IT'S DEARBORN WITH ITS STEM IN EARLY COLLEGE, EVERY STUDENT BEING
BARD EARLY COLLEGE FENWAY WALL TO WALL EARLY COLLEGE NEW MISSION JUST GOT A SCHOOL OF RECOGNITION FROM THE STATE YOU KNOW WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE CAN PUT COMPETITIVE COURSES IN THERE MADISON PARK YOU KNOW THIS IS WHY WE PUT IT FORWARD FOR THE SBA FOR THAT PROJECT AND WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO BUILD IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO
HAVE THE BEST CITY SCHOOL IN THE STATE IF NOT THE COUNTRY BUT ALSO THE TECH. BOSTON'S THE ENGLISH IS THE BRIGHTON IS THE EAST. BOSTON'S RIGHT. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK AND
ALL THESE EARLY COLLEGE AND PATHWAYS THAT ARE HAPPENING BOSTON GREEN ACADEMY IN BRIGHTON REALLY IS OUR EXAMPLE OF GREEN TECHNOLOGY. THEY HAVE A FIRE FREE FARM THAT
STUDENTS CAN GO INTO. SO PART OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BRINGING BACK SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE USED TO GET PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO VISIT THE SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO TO THE NOT JUST
THE COLLEGE AND CAREER FAIRS BUT BUT IN IN THE BUT TO ACTUALLY DO THE SECONDARY FAIRS. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING MORE ZOOMS WITH PARENTS AND THEN RATTIGAN'S WHO IS OUR NEW HEAD
OF SECONDARY HER PLAN IS TO GET A LOT MORE MATERIALS OUT TO PARENTS AHEAD OF TIME. SO TO COUNCILOR FRIENDS POINT THEY CAN SEE THE GOOD WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE SCHOOLS.
MR SPEAKER, I MAKE A FINAL POINT THAT COMES TO AND I KNOW THE SUBJECT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER ADVANCED TO WORKSHOP THE PROGRAM. MY SON WENT TO THAT PROGRAM AND
DID VERY WELL THERE AND A LOT OF OTHER STUDENTS DID. BUT THEN IT KIND OF DECLINED NOT THE SUCCESS OF IT JUST THE PROGRAM OF IT DECLINED. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT
SCHOOL WAS PREPARING YOUNG STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY TO GET INTO ONE OF THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS. I JUST DON'T THINK THEY HAD THE SUPPORT FROM BP AT THAT TIME.
MAYBE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECONSIDER ADVANCE WORK OR HOWEVER WE PHRASED BUT TO PROVIDE STRICT ACTIVE ACADEMIC
SUPPORT FOR MANY OF THESE GRADE SCHOOLS GRAMMAR SCHOOLS SO THAT SOME OF THESE STUDENTS CAN HAVE THE ACADEMIC BACKGROUND TO MAYBE PASS AND GET INTO ONE
OF THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS. THANK YOU MR CHAIR FOR GIVING ME AN EXTRA MINUTE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN. CUSTOMER HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ROUND RIGHT? BECAUSE I HAVE GOT GREAT. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S
REALLY INTERESTING. YOU KNOW, I TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WAS A GRADUATE AND I GREW UP HERE DURING THE HEIGHT OF BUSSING ERA AND I FEEL LIKE
THIS CONVERSATION IS SIMILAR BUT YET DIFFERENT IN SOME WAYS. BUT THERE STILL IS THE SENTIMENT OF THESE EXAM SCHOOLS
BEING COVETED AND EXCLUSIVE TO A CERTAIN TIER OF STUDENTS AND THAT IS REAL FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY AND ACCESS AND SO
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU COULD HELP US UNDERSTAND TO WHAT EXTENT THIS PROPOSAL IS BEING DRIVEN BY EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS VERSUS EXTERNAL PRESSURES AND
POLITICS AND I'M ASKING QUESTIONS THAT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE ALSO ASKING JUST SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE FRAMING IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S CURRENTLY
DEFENDING THE TIERED ADMISSION POLICY IN FEDERAL COURT AGAINST A LAWSUIT CLAIMING IT UNFAIRLY LIMITS WHITES AND ASIANS STUDENTS AND COULD YOU JUST FOR THE RECORD AND TO ASSURE OUR
PUBLIC WHO IS TUNING IN THAT THESE CHANGES ARE NOT IN RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE 2021 EQUITY MEASURES FROM THE START UP?
YEAH, I CAN I WILL LOOK AT YOU AND SAY THAT MY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I PUT FORWARD TODAY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LAWSUIT, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BEING PUT FORTH TODAY ARE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN
FACT SOME AS FAR BACK AS THE INITIAL COMMISSION. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AT OUR SCHOOL COMMITTEE WHICH IS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE DISTRICT OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS IS, PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT'S GOING IN EFFECT FOR A TIME THAT WAS NOT THOUGHT ABOUT OR INTENDED BUT THEY
HAPPEN AND THINGS LIKE STUDENTS HAVING OVER A HUNDRED AND BEING MATHEMATICALLY NOT ABLE TO GAIN AN EXAM SCHOOL SEAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE TO STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOLS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN
PLACED. THEY'RE NOT THE PARENT HAVING CHOSEN THERE BUT UNFORTUNATELY WOULD NOT GET POINTS WOULD BE ANOTHER. SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS OUR
BEST ATTEMPT TO SORT OF CODIFY AND FOR ONCE KIND OF BRING TO SHAPE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT POPPED UP OVER THE LAST 3 TO 4 YEARS AND INSTEAD OF EVERY YEAR
MAKING THESE MICRO CHANGES AND WHERE WE CAN'T TRACK TREND IT'S INSTEAD IN NOW KIND OF THE NEXT RENDITION OF THE POLICY TO ADDRESS IT THANK YOU AND SO CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT THE
PROJECTED CHANGE WILL BE IN THE RATIO SOCIOECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ADMITTED STUDENTS IF THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE ADOPTED?
SO I'M GOING TO TURN TO OUR DATA EXPERT. SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE APPENDIX
SIMULATION BE IS ALIGNED TO THE RECOMMENDATION. SO IF YOU SLIDES 24 THROUGH 28
GIVE THIS SIMULATED DATA FOR BOTH 2425 AND 2526 APPLICANT POOL. SO FOR THE RECORD FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE SLIDES I'M ASKING SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE FOLKS
WHO ARE TUNING IN IF YOU DON'T MIND SHARING THAT AND PUTTING IT ON THE RECORD THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND WHILE YOU DO THAT, I'M ALSO CURIOUS THE EDUCATION POLICY
BRIEF I WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY RECORDINGS OR ANY INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GET SO THAT I CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL SCHOOLS
AND WHAT WAS DISCUSSED TO THE CHAIR NO. SO YOU HAD THE POLICY BRIEFING THAT WAS REFERRED TO EARLIER. YEAH. THOSE ARE NOT RECORDED. OKAY. SO THEN THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT WAS DISCUSSED
THERE. BUT IF THERE'S A REPORT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH ME ABSOLUTELY COUNSELOR, I WOULD LIKE IT. I JUST THINK THAT ABSOLUTELY I'M ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR
INFORMATION SO IT'S BEEN GREAT TO HAVE DO WE HAVE THAT DATA YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED BY RACE OR OTHER STUDENT GROUPS? SO THERE IS RACIAL, SOCIOECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL
DISTRIBUTION OF ADMITTED STUDENTS IF THESE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE ADOPTED SO FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS USING THE 2425
APPLICANT POOL IN THE CURRENT POLICY 39.2% OF STUDENTS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INVITATION AND UNDER THE SIMULATION 35.5% OF STUDENTS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INVITATION.
SO THAT'S A DECREASE. YES. OKAY. AND THEN FOR RACIAL JUST SO
USING AGAIN THE 2425 APPLICANT POOL AND WE HAVE THE DATA FOR THE 2526 APPLICANT POOL AS WELL THAT I CAN READ OUT ASIAN STUDENTS RECEIVED 20% OF THE INVITATIONS WHICH WAS THE SAME
IN THE SIMULATION AND AGAIN 20% BLACK STUDENTS RECEIVED 20% UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY AND 19% UNDER THE SIMULATION AND SO
THE DECREASE BASED ON THE APPLICANT POOL OF THAT YEAR LATIN STUDENTS 25% UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY AND 22% UNDER
THE SIMULATION FOR OUR STUDENTS OF MULTI RACE OR FOR OTHER RACE CATEGORIES WAS 6% UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY AND THE SAME UNDER THE SIMULATION AND FOR
WHITE STUDENTS 27% UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY AND 31% UNDER THE SIMULATION. SO THE INCREASES WILL BENEFIT NON STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT
OF COLOR BASICALLY IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING BASED ON THAT YEAR'S APPLICANT POOL? AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE WHAT WE SEE IS THAT AS THE
APPLICANT POOL SHIFTS WE SEE THOSE PERCENTAGES SHIFT SO IT IS CHALLENGING TO PREDICT WHAT MAY HAPPEN WITH A NEW GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR MAKEUP IS. OKAY SO HERE MY TIME IS UP SO
I'LL JUST WAIT FOR MY NEXT ROUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. ME AND COUNSELOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL TO MIAMI TO MY
COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS. I HAVE A FEW. I WILL TRY TO GET THEM ALL IN THIS ROUND SO I BUT I APPRECIATE AGAIN JUST FOR YOUR ANSWERS AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ALREADY ASK
QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. SO I GUESS I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THE ADDITION OF THE CITY ROUND SO THE FIRST TO 20% OF SEATS AT EACH SCHOOL WILL GO TO THE HIGHEST STUDENTS.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THAT OPERATIONALLY WILL HAPPEN ? SO I CAN IMAGINE THAT A BUNCH OF KIDS WILL RANK AS THEIR FIRST CHOICE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY BILLY'S
BEST BUT WHEN WHEN WHEN FOLKS RANK THEIR FIRST CHOICE AND PRESUMABLY IT'S MORE IN ONE SCHOOL THAN THE OTHER HOW WILL THAT GET DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY EQUITABLY OR WILL IT?
SURE. SO THE THE PROPOSAL FOR THE CITYWIDE ROUND IS THAT THE FIRST 20% OF SEATS AT EACH OF THE THREE SCHOOLS WOULD BE FILLED BY THE HIGHEST
PERFORMING STUDENTS THAT RANKED THAT SCHOOL FIRST ACROSS THE CITY. SO ESSENTIALLY MEANS EVERY STUDENT WHO RANKS FIRST WOULD
GET RANK ORDER FROM THEIR COMPOSITE SCORE HIGHEST TO LOWEST AND THE THE FIRST IF THERE ARE A I THINK IT'S
ROUGHLY LIKE 95 SEATS WOULD BE IN THE TOP 20% AT BLS. SO THE FIRST IN THIS HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE 95 HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS WHO RANK TO BE CLASS FIRST WOULD RECEIVE AN
INVITATION TO BE A LIST THAT WOULD BE REPEATED VERBALLY AND O'BRYANT. SO THE 21ST 20% OF SEATS AT EACH OF THE THREE SCHOOLS IS FILLED WITH THE HIGHEST RANKING STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE
AN INVITATION IN THE CITYWIDE ROUND WOULD THEN BE CONSIDERED WITHIN THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC TIER FOR THE REMAINING 80% OF SEATS IN THAT EACH OF THE THREE
SCHOOLS THAT HELP SO TO FURTHER CLARIFY SO THE FIRST 95 SEATS APPEALS, RIGHT? ROUGHLY ROUGHLY. OKAY. AND THEN IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY
GO TO THE KIDS WHO RANK TO BE FIRST FOR WHATEVER SEATS THAT THEY HAVE OR WHICH FOR THE CONTINUE TO FILL IT IN THE BILLS CATEGORY.
SO STUDENTS WE FILL SEATS BASED ON STUDENT PREFERENCE BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT AS MANY STUDENTS ARE GETTING THEIR
FIRST CHOICE SCHOOL AS POSSIBLE . SO I DON'T COLLIN DO YOU WANT TO SO SO IT'S BASICALLY IF YOU HAD 300 STUDENTS WHO WERE THE
HIGHEST SCORING COMPOSITE SCORES WE WOULD GO KID BY KID IN THEIR FIRST CHOICE WITH THE FIRST TEN PICK PLUS AND THE NEXT TEN PICKED O'BRYANT AND
THAT WOULD FILL TEN OF BIELSA'S SEATS AND TEN OF O'BRIEN SEATS TILL WE EXHAUST THE 95 SEAT APPEALS. THE 85 OR SO 80 SEATED PLAY AND
THEN IT'S A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER PROBABLY A 45 ISH AND O'BRIEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A SMALL NUMBER OKAY THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. YOU MUST HAVE SPENT TIME IN CLASSROOM SO THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE IT. SOME OF THE POLICY IMPACTS ON INVITATIONS ARE WITHIN THE RACE AND ETHNICITY COMPONENT SO I LOVE TO SEE IN THE APPENDIX AND
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THE APPENDIX SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL INCLUDING THAT AS WELL. IT LOOKS LIKE INVITES WENT UP IN EAST BOSTON WHICH IS A HISTORICALLY LATINX COMMUNITY.
DO WE FORESEE OR WHAT ARE THE PROJECTIONS FOR INVITATIONS UNDER THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS AND WILL IT HAVE ANY IMPACT ESPECIALLY ON THE LATINX COMMUNITY IN THESE
BOSTON? SO THE DATA AND THE APPENDIX DOESN'T ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD DATA FOR THE SIMULATIONS SO WE CAN CERTAINLY
FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE THAT. I THINK WHAT YOU CAN SEE FROM SLIDE 18 WITH THE THREE MAPS
OF THE CITY DOES SHOW THAT THE POLICY HAS MOVED TO GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION THAT IS MORE SIMILAR TO THE CITY THAN WHAT IS BEFORE BUT I DON'T HAVE THE
SPECIFIC ANSWER IN FRONT OF ME. OKAY BUT YOU HAVE DONE SIMULATIONS UNDER THIS NEW RECOMMENDED POLICY AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS LIKE RACE.
YES. OKAY GREAT. IF THROUGH THE CHAIR IF WE CAN HAVE THAT. THANK YOU SCHOOL BASED POINTS. THANK FOR REMOVING IT. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PLAYING OUT REAL TIME IN MY DISTRICT AND IT REALLY WAS A
POOR PROXY FOR INDIVIDUAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS NEED NO BETTER EXAMPLE THAN A SINGLE MOM WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE A WAITRESS AND HAS A REALLY GREAT APARTMENT IN THE NORTH END AND
HER DAUGHTER WENT TO THE ELLIOT SCHOOL AND SO SHE REALLY FELT PENALIZED FOR THINGS THAT WERE BEYOND HER CONTROL. AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD ALREADY ASKED MY QUESTION FOR
THE FOR CONSIDERING NUMBER OF APPLICANTS PER YEAR WAS SOMETHING THAT CHARLESTOWN PARENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IN PARTICULAR SINCE 2023. I HAVE AN EMAIL UP FROM KATHLEEN CHARTER GOING I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK HER FOR
HER ADVOCACY. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT INVITATIONS NOT BEING FULFILLED OR KIDS NOT COMING THROUGH OR
NOT ACTUALLY REALIZING THEIR THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THESE SCHOOLS. SO THERE WOULD BE INVITATIONS THAT WENT OUT PER TIER. SOME WOULD GO UNANSWERED OR SOME KIDS WOULD SAY NO THANK YOU, I HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT
POTENTIALLY ROLLING OVER THOSE INVITATIONS I GUESS CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT WHETHER THAT WAS CONSIDERED THE ONLY THING I CAN
THINK OF IS THAT THEY'RE TALKING THIS IS IN CONNECTION TO THE WAITLIST. SO WHAT BASICALLY HAPPENS IS WE
DON'T HAVE A WE CAN WE CAN USE A STATED TO PREDICT WHAT WE THINK THE YIELD WILL BE OF THE NUMBER OF INVITES WE SEND AND THE NUMBER WHO ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.
BUT IT'S NOT A HARD SCIENCE AND THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS WHERE THE INVITATIONS HAVE BEEN YOU WILL SEND THEM OUT AND THEN THE YIELDS BEING SLIGHTLY LOWER AND THEN OF LATE THE YIELD HAS BEEN
VERY HIGH AND IT'S ACTUALLY CAUSED SITUATIONS IN ALL THREE EXAM SCHOOLS OF CLASS CLASS CLASS SIZE ISSUES PARTICULARLY IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH. SO THE WAY THAT THE SCHOOLS DO
IT NOW IS WE REALLY TRY TO TO TO AS MANY OF THE INVITES UPFRONT RATHER THAN FORM A WAIT LIST AND DROP OFF THE WAITLIST IF IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DRAW THEY
WILL BUT IF KIND TO PUT THEM OVER IN CLASS SIZES THEN THEY WON'T. THAT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAD BEEN BEFORE WHICH WAS YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TAKE FEWER APPLICANTS AND THEN GO TO THE WAITLIST SO IT'S REALLY LIKE A
CATCH 22, RIGHT? LIKE IT DOESN'T EITHER EITHER ONE IT'S A HALF DOZEN A ONE HOUR PREFERENCES FOR THEM TO INVITE AS MANY STUDENTS GET THEM SETTLED UPFRONT AS POSSIBLE AND THEN IF THERE
HAPPENS TO BE A FEW SEATS LEFT THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLASS SIZE THEY CAN PULL THE WAITLIST BUT WE HAVE VERY HIGH YIELDS YEAR TO YEAR IN EACH OF THESE EXAM SCHOOLS. OKAY.
THANK YOU. AND ONE LAST POINT THAT I WILL MAKE HAS TO DO WITH DCF AT, THE PARENT REACH OUT TO US THAT SAID THAT THEY HAD A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE AND THEY HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF OF THE DCF CARE LIST
AND WILL NO LONGER BE RECEIVING THOSE BONUS POINTS. I GUESS I WAS JUST SUGGEST HAVING A LOOK BACK FOR ANY KID THAT HAS BEEN IN FOSTER CARE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR TO CONSIDER GIVING THEM THOSE
POINTS BECAUSE THEY STILL COME, YOU KNOW, WITH CERTAIN CHALLENGES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. SO FATHER, NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNSELOR BREADON. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN THE COMMONWEALTH. KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING? SO REDRAW THE TIERS CHANGE
EVERY YEAR A RECALCULATED YEAR DEPENDENT USING CENSUS TRACTS. ONE CONCERN I HAVE AND I MAYBE A MAYBE IT'S AN ON MERIT
UNWARRANTED CONCERN BUT ONE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT YOU KNOW WE HAVE LIKE COMMONWEALTH HOUSING AND BRIGHTON THAT IS TOTALLY SURROUNDED BY HIGH END LUXURY HOUSING AT THIS POINT. SO DOES THAT.
SO I'M IMAGINING THEY'RE ALL ON THE SAME CENSUS TRACT BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT BESIDE EACH OTHER. DOES THAT CHANGE THE DOES THAT CHANGE THE THE SOCIOECONOMIC
GRID ON THAT CENSUS TRACK IF IF THERE'S A LOT OF GENTRIFICATION IN THAT IN THAT SPACE IT POSSIBLY CAN I THINK A LOT
OF AREAS WITH PUBLIC HOUSING ACTUALLY END UP BEING THEIR OWN CENSUS TRACT BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY OF THE POPULATION IN THAT AREA. SO THOSE LINES ARE DRAWN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE CENSUS PROCESS SO WE COULD LOOK
AT A MAP I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS SPECIFIC AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUT I KNOW IN AREAS IN SOUTH BOSTON FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE CENSUS TRACTS THAT ARE ALMOST SOLELY
THE PUBLIC HOUSING BUT THEN SURROUNDED BY SOME OF THE THE CONDOS THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO AND IN TERMS OF THE TIER CALCULATION, WE USE THE FIVE
YEAR AVERAGE OF DATA TO TRY AND STABILIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HOW MUCH DATA MAY CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR? OKAY.
AND THIS MAY BE THE TOTAL ZINGER OF SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BUT HOW DO MEALS FEMALES DIFFER IN PERFORMANCE IN THE TESTING
AND DOES AND HOW IS THAT DOES THAT IMPACT THEIR ACCESS TO EXAM SCHOOLS? I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA IN FRONT OF ME BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON
THAT. THE REASON I'M ASKING IS IN NORTHERN IRELAND THE GIRLS DID WAY BETTER THAN THE BOYS BUT THE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES SPLIT IT 5050 SO THERE WAS A LOT OF GIRLS THAT WERE AGAINST
BECAUSE THEY WERE THEY WERE GETTING HIGH SCORES IN THE TESTS BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO EXAM SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY SPLIT THE NUMBERS 5050 IT'S
EQUAL NUMBER TWO BOYS AND GIRLS GOT TWO EXAM SCHOOLS BUT THE GIRLS ACTUALLY PERFORMED BETTER IN THE TEST AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING MORE PLACES. BUT THAT'S A THAT'S A CURIOUS STUDY JUST BECAUSE OF MY
BACKGROUND WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND IN A WAY HERE YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE ISSUES WITH MAYBE YOUNG MALES OF COLOR BLIND
BLACK BOYS ESPECIALLY THAT THEY'RE OFTEN A TARGET AS LABELED AS NEEDING SPECIAL AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT REALLY AT ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE ENGLISH IS NOT
THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE SOME OF THEM ARE LABELED AS HAVING A SPECIAL ED NEEDS WHEN THEY'RE NOT. IT'S JUST THAT THEY SPEAK YOU KNOW THE DON'T NOT HAVE THE THE APTITUDE IN ENGLISH THAT THEY
NEED TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM BETTER IN TESTS ACTUALLY NOT NECESSARILY SPECIAL ED SO WE CAN GET YOU THAT DATA BUT JUST LOOKING VERY QUICKLY AT LATIN
SCHOOLS OVERALL AND I JUST PULLED THEM UP FIRST IT IS SLIGHTLY HEAVIER WITH FEMALE THAN IT IS WITH MALE DESPITE
THE FACT THAT OUR DISTRICT IS COMPRISED OF MORE MALES AND FEMALES. SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DISPROPORTIONATE. THAT'S THAT ONE SCHOOL. YEAH, BUT WE'LL GET THE NUMBERS FOR YOU COUNCILOR OKAY THANK
YOU. GENTRIFICATION AND THEN AND THEN YOU KNOW WE TALK ABOUT THE TOP 20% ACROSS THE CITY. DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE INCLUDE EVERY EVERY STUDENT OF STUDENT SCHOOL AGE STUDENT REGARDLESS
OF WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL OR IS THAT JUST WITHIN THE CITY WIDE AROUND WOULD BE ANY STUDENT WHO APPLIES REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY GO TO THE 20% IS THE SEATS THOUGH IT'S NOT THE
NUMBER OF APPLICANTS 20% YES. SO 20% OF THE SEATS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND IN TERMS OF JUST GENERALLY HOW MANY HOW MANY
APPLICANTS DO WE GET FROM OUTSIDE OF EVERY YEAR? DO WE KNOW DO I BELIEVE IT'S
AROUND IT'S BEEN RECENTLY BEEN AROUND 300 OR SO NON BEEPS APPLICANTS FOR SEVENTH GRADE EACH YEAR BUT WE CAN GET THE EXACT NUMBERS ON WHAT SORT
OF PERCENTAGES OF THAT OF THE TOTAL APPLICANTS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL APPLICANTS BUT
NEED TO DO SOME QUICK MATH SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS BUT IN THE 2526 THE NUMBER OF SEVENTH GRADE APPLICANTS WAS A LITTLE OVER 1400 AND ABOUT
300 OF THEM WERE OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT. SO THAT'S ALMOST 20% I DON'T
KNOW MOST OF MY MENTAL ARITHMETIC THREE 300 OUT OF 400 300 OF THE 1400 YEAH. OKAY. YEAH I THINK THAT NUMBER HAS
AGAIN THE APPLICANT POOLS DIFFER YEAR TO YEAR I THINK IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT'S GONE DOWN SLIGHTLY BUT IT DOES DIFFER EACH YEAR INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH BOTH BILAS BILA IF YOU
JUST LOOK AT THEIR CURRENT POPULATION IS SKEWED MORE FEMALE THAN MALE NOT USUALLY BUT SO AND THEN O'BRYANT IS ACTUALLY SKEWED SLIGHTLY MALE VERSUS FEMALE. SO MATH THAT COULD BE OUR AGE
OLD MATH SCIENCE. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THE NOTION THAT GIRLS ARE WORSE IN MATH AND BOYS BUT I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO AGREE WITH THAT SITTING NEXT TO ONE THAT'S BRILLIANT.
EXACTLY. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NO, I YIELD MY LAST 5 SECONDS. THANK YOU. I THINK YOU CAN CELEBRATE IT AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
COUNCILOR EARLY THANK YOU CHEERING THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE AND ANSWERING A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS. MY MY FIRST QUESTION IS IS GOING TO GO INTO THE CHANGE
YEAR OVER YEAR WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK STUDENT INVITATIONS. BLACK STUDENT INVITATIONS ROSE TO 22 TO 24% UNDER THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM BUT FELL TO JUST 15%
THIS YEAR WHILE BLACK STUDENTS ARE 30% OF SCHOOL AGE POPULATION, IT'S THE LARGEST SHARE CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR SINCE 2021. WHAT EXPLAINS THIS DECLINE AND
HOW DOES THE PROPOSED POLICY ENSURE THAT WE DON'T BACKSLIDE ANY FURTHER ON BLACK STUDENT INVITATION?
SO I MEAN I THINK WE THIS YEAR CAUGHT US ALL BY SURPRISE IN TERMS OF THE DROP. IT WAS NOT SOMETHING IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S DATA.
THE ONE THING WE WERE ABLE TO SEE A BIT AND I THINK HE THE MONIKER COLIN CAN ADDRESS IT BUT WAS IT THE GPA OR BLACK STUDENTS WAS LOWER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN SINCE DO COME FOR 70%
OF IT THAT COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT BUT IT REALLY WAS AN ANOMALY FROM THE OTHER YEARS WE DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION AT LEAST IN THE DATA.
AGAIN, PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF THE APPLICANT POOL IS WE CAN'T PREDICT THE BEHAVIOR SO THAT'S GOING TO ALWAYS BE PROBLEMATIC. WE'RE RELYING ON SIMULATIONS
BASED ON THE APPLICANT DATA TO SAY WHAT SOMETHING GOING TO DO OR NOT DO. MONICA AND COLIN, I KNOW YOU LOOKED THIS AS WELL I MEAN THE SIMULATION DOESN'T FIX THAT.
IT IT IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THIS YEAR WITH THE CURRENT POLICY AND THAT THE PROPOSED POLICY IS TO SAY RIGHT SO I THINK THERE'S A BUNCH OF THINGS UNDERNEATH THAT ISN'T JUST POLICY THAT'S AROUND LIKE
THE ACTUAL APPLICANT POOL THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE. YOU KNOW I THINK MONICA HEARD IT ALREADY AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DIG INTO IS IT THE GRADES BECAUSE THE GRADES WERE LOWER,
RIGHT? DO WE HAVE A GRADING EQUITY ISSUE IN BPC THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED BY A POLICY, RIGHT? I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS WITHIN THE APPLICANT POOL THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT AROUND WHO IS ACTUALLY APPLYING WHO
THINKS THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN AN EXAM SCHOOL. THOSE THINGS WON'T BE EASILY CHANGED BY A POLICY, RIGHT? SO MONICA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY ANY OTHER INSIGHTS BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT LIKE
MIDWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TAKING A LOOK AT THESE THREE VARIABLES AS WELL WE GOT KIND OF HIT IN THE FACE WITH IT AND IT WAS HARD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT
OF CHANGES EVERY YEAR WHICH IS WHY I'M LIKE WE GOT TO START CHANGING THIS THING. IT WAS REALLY HARD TO SAY OKAY, LAST YEAR'S CHANGE WAS WHY WE'VE GOT TO FIX THAT AND WHEN OUR DATA DEPARTMENT IS SAYING
WELL THAT'S NOT REALLY WHY SO I DON'T HAVE A GREAT ANSWER BUT LIKE I SAID I THINK THIS IS MORE OF A LATERAL STEP SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A POLICY THAT'S WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT'S BASED SOMEWHAT OFF OF LIKE
RESEARCH NOT TO PUT SHADE ON PEOPLE WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL BUT IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT POLICY ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGING AND ONES THAT ARE LIKE BASED IN ZERO SUM GAME
SORT OF FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BE FIGHTING AND I THINK THINGS LIKE THE POINTS HAVE BEEN USED TO BLUDGEON THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT TO CHANGE EVERY SINGLE YEAR SO I GUESS
I'LL JUST ADD FROM A DATA POINT OF VIEW WE DID SEE THE APPLICANT POOL LAST YEAR GET LARGER BUT THAT INCREASE DID NOT COME FROM ADDED ADDITIONAL BLACK STUDENTS. APPLYING THAT INCREASE WAS
PREDOMINANTLY LATIN STUDENTS WITH A SMALL INCREASE FOR OUR WHITE STUDENTS. SO BLACK STUDENTS MADE UP A SMALLER SHARE OF THE APPLICANT POOL TO BEGIN WITH IN 2526 AND
ADDITIONALLY AS THE SUPERINTENDENT MENTIONED WE DID SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF GRADES FOR OUR BLACK STUDENTS IN THE APPLICANT POOL SHIFT LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAD SEEN IN PREVIOUS
YEARS AND WE DID NOT SEE THAT SAME SHIFT WITH OTHER RACE GROUPS. AND ADDITIONALLY I'LL JUST ADD THAT WE HAVE SEEN THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED THOSE SCHOOL BASED
POINTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE EACH YEAR MAKING THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE POINTS LESS IMPACTFUL AS MORE AND MORE STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THOSE SCHOOL BASED POINTS.
SO AND THE COMPOSITE SCORES MADE UP 70% MATT 30% 77 ZERO GRADES 30% 30% MAP DID WE OR
DID THE DISTRICT DO ANY SIMULATIONS AROUND ADJUSTING THAT TO SEE THAT HAD ANY CHANGE IN TERMS OF INVITATIONS FOR THE
6040 OR 5050 WERE AT THE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FROM LAST WEEK'S MEETING WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RUNNING SIMULATIONS TO SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE WITH A 5050
TEST SCORE GRADE SPLIT INSTEAD OF 7030 YEAH. MY ONE REQUEST OF THAT IS THAT WE DO THAT WITH A REAL LOOK BACK NOT BASED ON THE ONE YEAR BECAUSE THEN WE MIGHT
POTENTIALLY DO SOMETHING DEFER OR EXCUSE THE DATA IN THE WRONG WAY LIKE IN A WAY THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THOUGH RIGHT YEAH AND I LEARNED THE TERM GRADING FOR INFLATION
FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE WERE THINKING THAT THROUGH AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE IS AROUND SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER HOLDERS
THEY OFTENTIMES FACED THE SAME CHALLENGES AS THOSE IN PUBLIC HOUSING. HOWEVER, THEY DON'T CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG DON'T RECEIVE HOUSING POINTS.
ARE WE LOOKING TO ADD OR MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO RECEIVE THESE BONUS POINT SO THE DISTRICT IS CURRENTLY PART OF THE REASON THEY DON'T RECEIVE POINTS
CURRENTLY IS WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD WAY IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE IN THE DATA AND SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT A DATA
SHARING AGREEMENT MAY LOOK LIKE. BUT UNTIL WE SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND ARE ABLE TO RUN SIMULATIONS WITH THAT DATA DID NOT WANT TO INCLUDE THAT IN A PROPOSED
POLICY WITHOUT SORT OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE IMPACT MIGHT BE. YEAH. IN ADDITION I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT ESPECIALLY AROUND LIKE SECTION EIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S FOLKS THAT WOULD QUALIFY BUT DON'T
QUALIFY BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE IN THE CITY. THERE ARE FOLKS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO, YOU KNOW, ACCESS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD QUALIFY
FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SO YOU KNOW, QUITE OFTEN THOSE TYPE OF MEASURES ARE MORE PROXIES BY NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL CHOICE IN INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS CONNECTED TO THOSE. SO I THINK WE'D HAVE TO DO A
LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE WEREN'T DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD IN ADDING THAT POPULATION TO WHATEVER FORM THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD ADD THEM TO. BUT RIGHT. OKAY BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING IT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO ABLE TO DO IT CLEANLY SO WE'RE NOT LEAVING OUT GROUPS OF STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS. RIGHT. AND THANK YOU, CHAD AND I'LL WAIT FOR MY SECOND ROUND.
BUT MY NEXT ROUND OF QUESTION WOULD BE AROUND THE LARGE SHARE OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION. I KNOW NEW YORK, THE DISTRICT IN NEW YORK I THINK 5% AND THEY
HAVE EIGHT EXAM SCHOOLS 5% OF THE STUDENT POPULATION GOES TO THE EIGHT EIGHT EXAM SCHOOLS HERE IN BOSTON IT'S AROUND 27.5% 25%. SO HOW DO WE THINK THAT IMPACTS
AND WHAT RIPPLE EFFECTS IT HAS WHETHER IT'S ENROLLMENT, STAFFING, AP, AP WORK OR AP CLASSES THOSE ALL OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOL JUST WE'D LOVE TO HEAR IF WE HAVE A STUDY
AROUND THAT. ALSO CAN YOU CANCEL AROUND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR MY CONCERNED COLLEAGUES BUT I
AM GOING TO DO PER COUNCILOR FOR THIS ROUND. AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A SECOND PANEL AND WHERE I FOR OR APM RIGHT NOW SO STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN WE'RE
GOING TO ORDER ARRIVAL COUNCIL PREPARED WE HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MR CHAIR. YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT HAVING SO MANY COUNSELORS IN ATTENDANCE IS THAT A LOT OF YOUR QUESTIONS GET ASKED AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN ASKED
SO BUT ALSO SPARKS AND CURIOSITY TO ME AND IT'S ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AS A FOLLOW TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS IS IS THERE EVER A SCENARIO WHERE SOME OF THE SEATS ARE NOT FILLED AT
SOME OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE SEATS? I THINK IN GENERAL THE SCHOOLS WORK TO FILL TO THE CAPACITY THAT THEY HAVE.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT A TOTALLY EVEN NUMBER AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH A LOT OF TIMES SEVENTH, EIGHTH AND NINTH GRADERS TAKE COURSES OUT OF SEQUENCE IN
ORDER TO MEET WHERE THEY ARE. SO THEY MAY TAKE A MATH AT A GRADE LEVEL ABOVE AND SO THEY THE LEADERS HAVE TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO BALANCE THE SEATS FOR A CLASS SIZE.
IN THAT WAY THERE COULD BE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF SEATS IN THIS GRADE BUT YOU COULDN'T CLEANLY FILL THEM BECAUSE YOU WOULD PUSH OVER THE CLASS A'S IN THE GRADES THAT THE STUDENTS ARE
NOT TAKING THOSE ADVANCED COURSES. THEY REALLY FILL THE SEAT. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW IF THERE'S WHAT ARE THE I DON'T THINK IT'S
BEEN CHARTED WHAT HOW MANY SEATS ARE THERE IN EACH OF THOSE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS? IT'S IT'S ROUGHLY A THOUSAND COLLECTIVE YES WITH THE LSP IN
THE MOST FOR 400 WE SEND ABOUT A THOUSAND JUST UNDER 1000/7 GRADE INVITATIONS EACH YEAR AND WE CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBERS OF INVITATIONS THAT WE SENT.
YEAH. THE BIGGEST NOTE THERE IS THAT YOU BRYANT BECAUSE OF SIZE CLASS BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL SIZE ONLY TAKES IN HALF OF THE SEVENTH GRADE. THE OTHER TWO EXAM SCHOOLS TAKE
THREE THEN TAKE MORE NINTH GRADERS TO OFFSET BUT THAT'S THE MOST THAT THEY CAN TAKE IN THAT SEVENTH GRADE. GOTCHA. YEAH, I WAS ONE OF THOSE NINTH GRADERS THAT GOT INTO THE O'BRIENS. I GOT THE.
ALSO ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I GET FROM MY PARENTS IS NOT MY PARENTS BUT PARENTS IN MY DISTRICT. HOW DO STUDENTS DECIDE TO TAKE
THEM THE MAP EXAM? WHEN DO THEY TAKE THE EXAM? HOW IS THAT WHERE DO THEY TAKE AN EXAM? SO THE CURRENT POLICY CALLS FOR THE TEST TO BE ADMINISTERED TWICE FOR EACH STUDENT.
THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL CHOICE BY THE TASK FORCE IN 2021 AND SO THE FIRST TIME THEY TAKE THE ASSESSMENT IS IN TYPICALLY EARLY JUNE THE STUDENTS TAKE
THE ASSESSMENT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND NON STUDENTS COME TO A DISTRICT SCHOOL ON EITHER ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENT ON THE WEEKEND.
THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY IS TYPICALLY IN EARLY DECEMBER AND THEN THE DISTRICT TAKES THE HIGHEST READING SCORE AND THE HIGHEST MATH SCORE FROM THE TWO ATTEMPTS THAT THE CHILD MADE TO
BE USED IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO WHERE DO THE STUDENTS THAT DON'T WHERE WHERE DO THE STUDENTS TAKE THE EXAM SAID
SOMEWHERE ELSE WHEREAS IT'S IT'S USUALLY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A SITE IN EAST BOSTON AT THE MCC IN THE PAST I BELIEVE B HAS BEEN A
SITE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ALL ARE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT WE COULD PROVIDE THAT. OKAY WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT. I AM COUNSELOR FLYNN WAS KIND
OF HINTING AT THIS WITH HIS QUESTIONING AND I AM CURIOUS AS TO BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY AMAZING HIGH SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT WHICH IS NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL. I'M A BIG FAN OF THAT SCHOOL. I WAS JUST THERE THIS PAST WEEK
DOING 8 TO 6 WRITING WORKSHOPS WITH THE STUDENTS AND I JUST HAVE SO MUCH GREAT THINGS TO SAY. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS THAT HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF SCHOOL LIKE THE
MISSION TO EMULATE THE WORK OF AN EXAM SCHOOL AND HAVE WE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO ANY TYPE OF STUDY OF WHAT'S WORKING AT OUR EXAM SCHOOLS AND WHY THEY'RE SHAPING OUR STUDENTS SO WELL TO THEN
IMPLEMENT THAT IN OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS. OH IF WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 6 HOURS
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF THE SIMPLEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT SO THIS NEW MISSION IS A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL, DOES A GREAT JOB. IT'S BUILT ITS CULTURE OVER
MANY, MANY YEARS AND SO WHEN STUDENTS ARE COMING IN, THEY'RE COMING IN TO A SYSTEM AND THEN THEY HAVE A VERY STEADY POPULATION OF STUDENT THAT
USUALLY IF THEY START THERE THEY END THERE. THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS PARTICULARLY OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF CHURNING STUDENTS COMING IN
AND OUT. NEW MISSION HAS A PROCESS BY WHICH IT IT'S AN APPLICATION IT'S NOT A SCREENING OUT APPLICATION BUT IT'S AN APPLICATION AND SO IT MAKES
CLEAR WHEN STUDENTS COME LIKE WHAT NEW MISSION IS ABOUT AND WHY THEY WANT TO BE THERE. MANY OF OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS HAVE STUDENTS ASSIGNED TO THEM.
STUDENTS DON'T ALWAYS CHOOSE THEM. THEY IT MIGHT BE THAT SPACE IS AVAILABLE. OPEN ENROLLMENT ALSO THEY JUST HAVE LARGE PORTIONS OR PROPORTIONS OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION AND MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMING AND SOME OF THAT IS SPACE BECAUSE OUR MANY OF OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT ARE IN OLD COMPREHENSIVE BUILDINGS. SO THEY HAD THE MOST SPACE. THERE'S JUST LOTS OF THINGS
THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SECONDARY ECOSYSTEM. HAVING BEEN SOMEBODY THAT LIVED IT FOR MANY YEARS BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, NEW MISSION HAS SOME REALLY GOOD PRACTICES THAT I
THINK WE ARE NOW IN THE REGIONAL NETWORK AT THIS STAGE TO SHARE THOSE BEST PRACTICE. WE NEVER HAD THAT REALLY MODEL IN US AND SO SOME OF OUR
HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS IN THE REGIONAL MODEL INVITING PRINCIPALS INTO EACH OTHER'S CLASSROOMS AND HALLWAYS TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT PRACTICE BACK.
SAME WITH THE REGIONAL NETWORKS. SO I DO THINK THAT WE'RE SEEING MORE OF THAT DISSEMINATE. WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET SOME OF OUR LEADERS OUT INTO SCHOOLS EVEN BEYOND ITS WALLS TO SEE
WHAT'S HAPPENING. THAT'S GREAT. I WAS ABLE TO LEARN A LOT FROM PREVIOUS PRINCIPAL BILL THOMAS OF NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL JUST WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO WITH THAT SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WANT TO SEE BE REPLICATED IN A LOT OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS WE HAVE TO SUCH A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR THREE EXAM SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO FOCUSED ON THEM BUT NOT
REALIZING THE IMMENSE POTENTIAL WE HAVE AT OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS. SO I JUST I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NEW MISSION. I KNOW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT SO I'M USING THAT AS A COMPARISON TO THESE THREE SCHOOLS. IT'S GREAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MR. I THINK I WANT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AND THEN GET TO MY QUESTIONS BUT I JUST AT THE END OF MY QUESTION SUPERINTENDENT WE TALKED ABOUT AWARENESS AND I JUST WANTED TO
AGAIN I LOOK LIKE AWARENESS FOR PARENTS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS, WHO DON'T HAVE THE SOCIAL CAPITAL AND I THINK AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND WE NEED THEM BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE
JOB. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO. AND I JUST WANTED TO REEMPHASIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LET OUT THE SCALES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFORMATION WHO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION. WHAT IS THE TOPIC OF A DINNER
PARTY CONVERSATION IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD? THAT IS NOT THE TOPIC OF A DINNER PARTY CONVERSATION IN ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY AREN'T HAVING DINNER PARTIES BECAUSE ALL OF THE PARENTS ARE WORKING OVERTIME IN TROUBLE TO MAKE THINGS WORK.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO WITH OUR EXAM SCHOOLS AND EVEN THAT IS IMPERFECT IF WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL. I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WORKED AT
THE POLICY FOUNDATION THAT ALL IT'S ALL ABOUT THIS IDEA OF QUESTIONING MERITOCRACY AND WHO DESERVES WHAT AND WE JUST HAVE A TWISTED WAY OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT MERIT LOOKS LIKE. AND I THINK THERE'S NO BETTER WAY OF SHOWING THAT THAN THESE
EXAM SCHOOLS. IT'S WHY I THINK THE TIERS ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE DO BELIEVE AGAIN IN CITYWIDE SCHOOLS THE TIERS HELP US DO THAT AND IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SHUTTING PEOPLE OUT
FROM POTENTIAL. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S ALSO A DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT THE EXAM SCHOOLS. I KNOW O'BRYANT I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE APPRECIATE HOW HIGHLY RANKED O'BRYANT HAS BEEN. I SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME TWO WEEKS AGO IN THE NORTH AND TALKING TO A PARENT WHOSE SON IS THRIVING AT THE O'BRYANT AND
WHO'S THE ONLY PARENT IN THE NORTH END WHO HAS A KID GOING TO O'BRYANT. A LOT OF THIS HAS TO BE AROUND DECISION MAKING AND HOW WE HELP PARENTS. AND THE NEXT DAY I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE WHO IT WAS LIKE LATIN SCHOOL OR BUST WHEN THERE
ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OTHER SCHOOLS. SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN PROBABLY TO DO ON THE MORE AFFLUENT SIDE ABOUT WHAT OUR EXAM SCHOOLS ARE
AND WHAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE. COUNCILOR WEBER ASKED A QUESTION OR POINTED TO A QUESTION I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT WHO IS CHOOSING WHAT SCHOOLS AND I
REMEMBER FOLLOWING VERY ATTENTIVE ATTENTIVELY WHEN THIS WAS FIRST BEING HAPPENING AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT BY DEMOGRAPHIC WHO CHOOSES LATIN SCHOOL. BY PERCENTAGE IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY LESS FOR BLACK
AND LATINO PARENTS. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT DATA HAS CHANGED OVER TIME BUT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS AT LATIN TO
REVERSE REALITIES AND PERCEPTIONS OF RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION AT THE SCHOOL. AGAIN LAST WEEK TALKING TO AN EPISODE IN AMERICAN CLASS THAT DID NOT EXIST WHEN I WAS THERE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE WORK OR IF THERE'S ANY DATA AROUND WHO IS THAT STILL TRUE THAT AFRICAN ARE THAT BLACK AND LATINX PARENTS ARE CHOOSING LATIN SCHOOL LESS THAN THEY ARE
CHOOSING O'BRYANT BECAUSE I THINK IT GOES BACK TO CASA CARLOTTA ZAPATA'S QUESTION REGARDING HOW WE'RE FEELING THAT 20% AND WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO CHOOSE LATIN SCHOOL IN THE O'BRYANT.
SUPERINTENDENT YOU ONCE STATED THAT OUR PARENTS ARE THAT THAT BOSTON LINE SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE CHEAPEST SCHOOLS FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO RUN IN PART BECAUSE OF ITS SHEER SIZE. I'M SURE THE $65 MILLION
ENDOWMENT ALSO HELPS BECAUSE OTHER SCHOOLS AREN'T ABLE AREN'T SOLICITING, AREN'T GETTING. BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK I'D LIKE YOU TO TALK ABOUT THAT A BIT MORE AND I'D LIKE TO IF THERE'S
DATA ON BY RACE WHO IS CHOOSING WHAT SCHOOL I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING ON OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS HAVING ACCESS TO THESE EXAM SCHOOLS.
AND THEN LASTLY JUST TO HAMMER THIS HOME, THE LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL TO DATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACE. THEY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CITYWIDE SCHOOLS AND
ABOUT HOW WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CAN ACCESS THE SCHOOLS. AND I JUST THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FRAMING FOR US TO REMEMBER. ABSOLUTELY. MONICA, DO YOU HAVE I THINK YOU DO HAVE SOME DATA ON THIS.
I AM LOOKING FOR THIS SPECIFIC SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON WHO RANKS WHICH SCHOOL BY RACE. OKAY. WELL I CAN JUMP BACK INTO THE
JUST SO THE LARGER THE SCHOOL. JUST FROM AN ECONOMY OF SCALE SIZE THE MORE EFFICIENT IT IS WITH THE DOLLARS, THE LESS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMING IS
IN IT WHICH IS A HIGHER PER PUPIL COST. THE LESS MULTI-LINGUAL LEARNER PROGRAM THAT'S IN IT WHICH IS A HIGHER COST THAN THE PER PUPIL BECOMES LESS. I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
WITH THE I'LL ASK THE COUNTER TO THAT IS THAT ARE THEY ARE BLESSED IF THEY HAVE A VERY STRONG ALUMNI BASE AND THEY OFFER QUITE A BIT OF STUDENT
SUPPORT PROGRAMING FOR STUDENTS THEY OFFER A SATURDAY PROGRAM THAT AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING THEY DO SUMMER PROGRAMING FOR THE INCOMING ORIENTATION FOR STUDENTS AND THEN IN ADDITION
TO INTERNSHIPS AND SO FORTH, WE DON'T FACTOR IN THE EXTERNAL DOLLARS WHEN WE DO SORT OF THE PER CAPITA. SO WHEN YOU SORT OF LOOK AT THE LARGEST SCHOOLS, THOSE TEND TO
BE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL WORLD THE ONES THAT ARE THE LEAST PER PUPIL IN THAT WAY. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT AS WE ROLL OUT MORE BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MORE DUAL LANGUAGE, MORE ACCESS TO NATIVE LANGUAGE, WE NEED TO START TO BUILD AT EACH OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS THE STAFFING
CAPACITY FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNER STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT OUR YELLOW LEVEL FOURS AND FIVES AND TO SOME EXTENT THREES.
THEY DO VERY WELL AT THE EXAM SCHOOLS THE PERCENTAGES HAVE GONE UP GETTING IN AND THEN MAINTAINING IN GENERAL LEVEL FOURS AND FIVES WHEN THE GENERAL EDUCATION BECOMES
BETTER LEVEL FOURS AND FIVES OUTPERFORM NON YELLOW FOURS IN FACT. SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT IN SOME OF THE DATA. BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF ACTUAL NEW COMER PROGRAMING THAT TAKES
IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE TO BUILD WIN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL RIGHT NOW WE ARE BUILDING IT OUT IN AS MANY HIGH SCHOOLS AS WE CAN. RIGHT NOW MMR IS THE ONLY
BILINGUAL LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BUT WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOLS AROUND STARTING PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY AROUND LOW INCIDENT LANGUAGE. SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT ACCESS
TO GROW AND WE'RE GOING TO START HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERS OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND HOW WE CAN START TO BUILD FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS HAVE
THEM SEE THEMSELVES THERE AND BE SUCCESSFUL THERE AS WELL AS PURSUING POTENTIALLY LIKE LOOKING AT THE MAP AND SAYING YOU KNOW, COULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE COULD OFFER IN
MORE THAN JUST ENGLISH? THANK YOU. AND ON MY TIMING IF DO THE CHAIR YOU COULD GIVE THE RESPONSES THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WHO'S CHOOSING WHAT SCHOOL BY DEMOGRAPHIC.
THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SUPERINTENDENT, YOU SAID SUPPORT AND I THINK THAT TIES INTO POTENTIAL IN THE WORK THAT WE DID AT POSSE. IT'S ALL ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR KIDS BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL IS
THERE AMONG ALL REGARDLESS AND IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING THEM THE SUPPORT TO THRIVE. THAT'S RIGHT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT EVERY SINGLE EXAM SCHOOL LEADER SAID AND WILL BE PUTTING FORWARD IN THEIR BUDGET TO CONTINUE THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THAT IS
EXTERNALLY FUNDED AND WE NEED TO WITH GRANTS THAT ARE EXPIRING. SO MY PROBLEM IS I THINK A COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT AND SORT OF HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES WITH THE IEC WITH MULTI LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND HOW YOU KNOW, TOTALLY SEPARATE
FROM, YOU KNOW, IQ INTELLIGENCE OR APTITUDE. I THINK YOU KNOW UNDER 2425 DATA IS 35% OF OUR STUDENT BODY ARE MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
YOU KNOW BASED ON THE OLD SYSTEM APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF 1% OF THOSE 35% WOULD GET AN INVITATION TO AN EXAM SCHOOL. THE CURRENT POLICY HAS THAT UP TO 3.5% TO 35% WHICH IS NOT
GREAT. SIMULATION B WHICH I THINK YOU'RE RECOMMENDING WOULD IT WOULD LOWER THAT TO 2.5%. I THINK YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND MAKE SURE THAT
YOU KNOW, KIDS JUST BECAUSE THEY RECENTLY GOT HERE AT HOME THEY SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE KIDS.
BUT BUT MY MY QUESTION IS TWO QUESTIONS HOPEFULLY GET TO THEM IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE DATA AND IT DOES DIFFER A LOT BETWEEN 2425 AND 2526.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOW THEY WORK OUT WITH THE SIMULATIONS THE YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID AND I AGREE THAT IF WE MAKE THESE CHANGES WITH THESE
20% SORT OF SET ASIDES FOR THE THREE TESTS IN SCHOOLS THAT THAT IS GOING TO BRING IN NON-BJP APPS AND YOU KNOW, THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE YOU
KNOW, MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN APPLYING HAVE WE ACCOUNTED FOR A YOU KNOW, THOSE WE I THINK YOU SAID 309 STUDENTS IN THE LAST CYCLE.
HOW MUCH WITH WHAT IS THE NUMBERS GOING TO BE? YOU KNOW IF WE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TELL ME IF I'M WRONG I THINK IT'S UNDISPUTED THAT MAKING THESE CHANGES WILL SEND MORE SEATS TO TIER FOUR.
YOU KNOW WHERE I LIVE AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING AROUND THE 20% OF THE SEATS. YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF RAN SOME SIMULATIONS AND IT WAS ABOUT
45% OF THOSE SEATS WOULD BE IN TIER FOUR, YOU KNOW, WHICH BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE THE SORT OF HIGHER GRADES. AND IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT AND THEN YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE THINK
ABOUT THE CHANGE IN APPLICANT POOL IF IF THESE CHANGES GO THROUGH? RIGHT. SO I THINK MONICA MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA THAT WE USED IN THE SIMULATIONS. BUT AGAIN, IT IS VERY, VERY
HARD TO PREDICT WHAT THE BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING IS GOING TO BE OR NOT. PROBABLY THE CLOSEST WOULD BE LIKE PRIOR TO WHEN THERE WAS
AND YOU KNOW THIS POLICY VERSUS NOT YEAH THAT'S OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT SURE I MEAN DO YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT YOU THINK MORE NON STUDENTS WHO ARE
EXPECTING TO APPLY AFTER THESE CHANGES MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE REASON FOR THE CHANGES AND ARE SUGGESTING THAT BUT THAT THAT WOULD BE IT WE'RE NOT SURE. IS THAT SO? I MEAN I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY
POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT THIS POLICY DID ALSO MAKE WAS THAT IT REQUIRED STUDENTS TO RANK AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS AND SO NOT NON STUDENT
HAS TO COME IN AND PROVE RESIDENCY RANK AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS AND SIT FOR THE MAP TEST AS WELL AS SUBMIT THEIR GRADES AND I THINK IT'S IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW
BEHAVIOR MAY CHANGE AS THE POLICY CHANGES. THAT'S OKAY I GUESS SO JUST MY MY OTHER QUESTION IS IN TERMS
OF THESE THE 20% FOR EACH SCHOOL I. HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHERE WILL IT MAYBE SO IT'S WHERE YOU YOUR YOUR CHOOSE NOT
YOUR NUMBER ONE SCHOOL IF YOU'RE IN THE TOP 20% WHEREAS I THINK GENERALLY WE EXPECT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ANTICIPATE BEING IN THE TOP 20% TO PICK BE
LESS BUT OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE CHOOSE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. YOU KNOW CAN YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT THE THINKING IS WHERE MAYBE SOMEBODY IF YOU KNOW IF
MY CHILD WAS ON THE BORDER, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS LIKE OKAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS PERSON'S GOING TO MY KID'S GOING TO GET AN INVITATION AT ALL. YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T PUT S NUMBER ONE BECAUSE MAYBE I'D BE
IN THE TOP 20% OF THE OF THE L.A. STUDENTS. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A THERE WOULD BE A GAMING GOING ON THAT YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T I DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION
TO DO AS A PARENT AND YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S GOOD FOR THE DISTRICT SO I'LL CERTAINLY HAVE MONICA OR COLLIN CHIME IN. BUT THE WAY I WOULD EXPLAIN IT IS WHEN WE LOOKED IF WE HAD
DONE IT NOT BASED ON THE 20% OF SEATS PER SCHOOL AND WE DID IT AS 20 PRECEDES PURELY CITYWIDE AT LEAST IN THE DATA OF THE PRESSED APPLICANT POOLS WE WOULD HEAVILY HAVE FILLED THE BILL SEATS THROUGH THAT
PROCESS. SO THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE RECOMMENDING IN THE WAY I EXPLAINED IT WAS IF YOU HAD SAY THE TOP 300 COMPOSITE SCORES WE
WOULD LITERALLY GO CHILD BY CHILD FIRST TO PICK PLAY GREAT THERE IN VIOLA THE NEXT FIVE PICK LAST YEAR AND BLESS UNTIL IN THE NEXT FIVE PICK O'BRIANT
UNTIL THESE SEATS THAT THAT SCHOOL HAS FOR ITS 20% CAP ARE FILLED. SO IN THAT WAY YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE ASSURING A BIT MORE THAT YOU'RE SPREADING OUT THE
HIGHEST COMPOSITE ACROSS THE SCHOOLS MORE EVENLY AS OPPOSED TO IF YOU DID A 20% CITYWIDE ROUND WHERE SAY 75% OF THE KIDS
ARE PICKING BOWLS. AND SO THIS IS OUR WAY OF BEING ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S BETTER SPREAD ACROSS THE SCHOOLS.
IT AS MUCH OF THIS CONVERSATION IS IS FEELS LIKE HE WOULD MAKE A BLAIS ROUND IF IT WAS JUST 20% YEAH THE PROBLEM WITH THAT
IS I THINK YOU'D HAVE A MAJORITY OF WE'D BE BACK IN THE OLD SYSTEM WHICH I WAS WHY I'M GLAD YOU DIDN'T RECOMMEND IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF O'BRIAN AND VLA
THEY MIRROR OUR DISTRICT LIKE WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS EXAM SCHOOL CONVERSATION QUITE OFTEN IT'S WE ARE TALKING ABOUT VLS AND THAT ROUND WOULD BE A BLAST OR SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A
DIVERSE VLS AND REPRESENT THE FULL CITY THIS IS A BETTER OPTION TO HAVE THE 20% IN EACH SCHOOL. YEAH. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU. I JUST I WOULD LIKE TO SHOUT
OUT MY INTERN WHO'S A BLESSING SENIOR HERE QUENTIN IN THE BACK. THANKS FOR COMING IN AND HELPING US WITH THIS ISSUE. IF YOU WANNA SAY HI, I'D JUST LIKE TO EMBARRASS HIM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU.
COME FOR WHOEVER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR SO FOLLOWING IN THAT LINE A COUPLE OF SOME RHETORIC AND THEN A COUPLE
OF QUICK QUESTIONS TO ME KEEP FOR ME TO KEEP THIS SIMPLE AS MANY OF US HAVE TO DO RIGHT WHEN GETTING IN THIS COMPLEX ISSUE. THIS IS ABOUT THE BALANCE OF SETTING THE CULTURE AT AN
EXAM SCHOOL VERSUS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL. AND THAT'S WHY WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE 20% AT EACH SCHOOL I ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR MORE AT
AROUND 50% I'D SAY IS A GOOD STARTING POINT WHERE IF 50% OF THE SCHOOL GETS GET IN BASED OFF OF THE SCHOOL THE COMPOSITE SCORES AND YOU HAVE THE HIGHEST PERFORMING ACADEMIC KIDS THAT
SETS THE CULTURE AT THAT SCHOOL AND THEN THE OTHER HALF OF THE SCHOOL WOULD GET TO BE FOR THOSE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL RIGHT YOU CAN EACH YOU CAN
START TO USE THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERING AND OTHER IN OTHER CHARACTERISTICS TO ALLOW KEEP PEOPLE FROM IT. I THINK IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY UP HERE THAT WENT TO ONE OF THE
EXAM SCHOOLS, THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC THAT MADE IT GREAT IS THE FACT THAT EVERYONE FROM EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THERE. NO ONE IS GOING TO DISPUTE THAT. I THINK THAT HAVING GONE THROUGH IT AND SO HOW DO WE
KEEP THAT GOING WHILE ALSO KEEPING THE HIGH ACADEMIC RIGOR AND ESTABLISHING THE CULTURE? SO I THINK YOU ARE THE COMPANY YOU KEEP AND SO IF YOU GO TO A SCHOOL AND YOU JUST NEEDED THAT
OPPORTUNITY, THAT CHANCE AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE OR THERE WASN'T SOMETHING AVAILABLE TO YOU DURING YOUR YOUNGER LIFE WHERE YOU SAID I CAN'T COMPETE, JUST GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY. BUT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE SCHOOL WHERE THAT IS THE NUMBER
ONE MINDSET AND SO THAT THAT JUST SORT OF WHAT I GO. BUT SO IN TALKING ABOUT LEVELING THAT PLAYING FIELD, THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IS HOW DO WE MAKE IT SO THAT WE
HAVE RESOURCES THAT EACH KID GETS THE SAME TUTELAGE FOR ALL THEIR CHILDREN FOR THE COMPOSITE SCORES? YOU KNOW HOW THEY ALWAYS SAY WELL YOU GOT TO GET A TUTOR AND YOU FOR THAT FOR THE FOR THE
TEST AND HENCE YOU GOT BETTER SCORES. HOW DO WE MAKE IT WHERE AND THAT'S WHY I ALSO DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE SCORE OR THE GRADES BETWEEN 70 AND 30 SHOULD EVEN BE FLIPPED BECAUSE I KNOW SOME SCHOOLS FLUBBED THE GRADE STUFF
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE SENT WEIGHING 70% I'D RATHER SEE PROBABLY A MORE EQUAL VARIATION AND HAVE A TEST BE MORE BUT HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE EXTRA TOOLS ACROSS THE
BOARD TO ALL STUDENTS NOT JUST BPI STUDENTS BUT ALL STUDENTS IN THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN SAY HEY, YOU ALL HAD THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO BE TAUGHT THE SAME WAY TO THE TEST THAT WE
NEED TO DO AND THEN WE GO OUT AND TAKE THE TEST AND WE CAN USE THOSE THOSE SCORES TO TAKE THAT 50%. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE TO I KNOW THERE IS BUT LIKE COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT
MORE AND WHAT IS POSSIBLY BEING DONE AND ONLY BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT I GUESS I COULD ALSO THROW IN IS THERE A STRATEGY TO WHERE STUDENTS RANK THE SCHOOLS THEY WANT TO GET
INTO BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN WE WERE DOING MY KIDS IT'S LIKE WELL IF YOU PUT YOUR FIRST SCHOOL JUST YOUR FIRST CHOICE SCHOOL THAT'S GOING TO GET DENIED. SO THE SCHOOL YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO GO TO YOU SHOULD PUT IN
SECOND I'M NOT SAYING ANY OF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT BUT THAT IS SORT OF THE RHETORIC THAT'S OUT THERE. IS THERE ANY STRATEGY TO WHERE STUDENTS SHOULD RANK THEMSELVES FOR WHAT SCHOOL THEY WANT IN ORDER TO GET INTO GOING FORWARD WITH ANY OF THESE STRATEGIES
SAYING I WANT TO GO TO BOSTON LATIN IF I RANK IT AS MY SECOND CHOICE, MAYBE I HAVE A BETTER SHOT AT GETTING IN THAN IF I PUT IT AS MY FIRST BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE TUTELAGE FOR EVERYBODY I'M GOING TO LET MONICA ANSWER.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT I WOULD SAY BUT YEAH, I THINK IN IN THAT PARTICULAR EXAMPLE I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE STUDENTS CONTINUE TO RANK BLESS FIRST GIVEN THE HIGH PERCENTAGE
OF STUDENTS WHO RANK BLACKS FIRST. YEAH OKAY THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HAVE ANSWERED SHOULD ANSWER THE PHONE. YEAH I THINK JUST IN TERMS
OF THE TUTORING PIECE SO WE ARE ACTUALLY ATTEMPTING VERY MUCH TO INCORPORATE HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING READING SUPPORTS LIKE ACROSS THE GRADES RIGHT NOW THIS IS THE NEXT LEVEL OF OF
OUR IMPLEMENTATION BUT IN TERMS OF THE ESSAY THAT WOULD BE AS CLOSE AS TO SORT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING READY QUICKLY WE'RE PLANNING TO EXPAND IT BACK TO THE FOURTH
GRADE AND WE'RE EXPANDING THE SEAT AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, MULTI-WEEK PROCESS OVER THE SUMMER THAT WILL WORK ON SKILLS YOU KNOW IT HAPPENS TO A THAT'S WHERE WE DO IT AND WE WOULD
JUST ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND WE WILL ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO SEND STUDENTS IF THEY THEY THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN. IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE ISSUE QUICKLY.
I NOTICE IN THE SIMULATIONS THERE ARE SOME COMBINATIONS THERE'S ONLY THREE THERE ARE SOME COMBINATIONS THAT ARE NOT PROVIDED JUST GIVEN THE NUMBER OF YOU KNOW IN YOU KNOW WHETHER USE THE HOUSING POINTS VERSUS
THE THE OTHER THINGS I THINK IT WAS IN THE ONE YOU ACTUALLY DID TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE THE OTHER DAY IS THERE ANY REASON OR WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA AND PROCESS FOR JUST OFFERING UP THOSE THREE OPTIONS AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER MULTIPLE COMBINATIONS OF THOSE OPTIONS
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED UP? CERTAINLY WE'LL LET MONITORING CALL AND CHIME IN BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WE LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY TO THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT WERE COMING UP AND BEING RAISED BOTH BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND BY THE
PUBLIC. THAT'S WHAT WE SORT OF BASED THE SIMULATIONS ON. I DON'T KNOW FOR THE TWO OF YOU. YEAH, MY ENTRY POINT WAS A
SCHOOL COMMITTEE PRESENTATION INTO 2024 IN DECEMBER AROUND THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE RUN AND SO THESE WERE THE CLOSES THESE THREE VARIABLES WERE THE SPECIFIC VARIABLES
THEY WANTED TO SEE RUN AND THEN THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF COMBINATIONS WE COULD HAVE RUN AND AND TAKEN LIKE FIVE YEARS TO DO IT. BUT I THINK WE HAD A LOT
OF CONVERSATION KIND OF AROUND THE TABLE AROUND WHICH ONES WILL BE PUT FORWARD JUST TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. GOTCHA. AND JUST TO CLARIFY THE TIERS CITYWIDE AROUND SCHOOL BASED POINTS AND HOUSING POINTS, YEAH, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY
MULTIPLE MORE COMBINATIONS YOU COULD HAVE OF THOSE FOR NO NEED TO GO ANY FURTHER. I'VE HAD MY TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU JEFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD ,COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT'S HERE. UM, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ADVANCE WORKSHOP AND ONE
OF THE RESPONSES THAT YOU HAD UM, COULD YOU PROVIDE ME MAYBE A COUPLE PARAGRAPHS OR A COUPLE OF PAGES? I'D LIKE TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT PROGRAM AND SEE WHY IT WAS
PLACED IT WAS NOT FINISHED, WAS NOT IN CONTINUED. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING WELL AND THEN I HEARD FROM FROM YOU THAT SOME DECLINE IN THE PROGRAM BUT
I JUST WANT TO SEE IF I COULD GET SOME ACCURATE INFORMATION ON WHY IT WAS ELIMINATED. SURE. AND I WASN'T IN THE DISTRICT WHEN IT GOT ELIMINATED. BUT WE CAN GO AND LOOK AND SEE
WHAT THE WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS. IT WAS IT WAS THE NUMBERS WERE DWINDLING ON THE ON THEIR OWN. YEAH. IT WAS DWINDLING BECAUSE THE THE BEEPS LOST INTEREST IN THE
PROGRAM I THOUGHT SUPERINTENDENT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE BUT I THOUGHT THE PROGRAM WAS DOING VERY WELL ACADEMICALLY SUPPORTING A LOT OF STUDENTS STUDENTS OF COLOR
BUT THEN IT WAS ELIMINATED. IS THAT I IT WAS NOT WITH ME. SO MONICA, DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY ON ME SO I DON'T HAVE A
DEEP UNDERSTANDING? I WASN'T INVOLVED. I THINK AS EFA THE EXCELLENCE FOR ALL PROGRAM WAS ALSO GROWING.
I THINK THE DISTRICT AT THE TIME MADE SOME CHOICES ABOUT WHERE TO CONTINUE AND WE'RE NOT SURE DO BUT SO IS THERE A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO ADVANCED WORK WORKSHOP?
IS THERE A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THAT MIGHT BE CALLED SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT IS THERE A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THAT IN BEEPS NO, THERE'S NOT A THERE'S
NOT A STRUCTURED PROGRAM WHICH WOULD EXIST IN PARTICULAR BESIDES COUNCIL PLAN. WHAT THERE IS IS A DEEP INVESTMENT IN CURRICULUM MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE IN ALL OF THE
CLASSROOMS TO RAISE THE LEVEL FOR ALL STUDENT THE EXCELLENCE FOR ALL AND THAT MONICA AND COLIN AND REFERRING TO WAS A FRAMEWORK OF POSITIONS IN THE
LAST ADMINISTRATION THAT WERE FUNDED IN THE SCHOOLS SO THAT EVERY SCHOOL HAD A SOCIAL WORKER OR NURSE THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT DO WE KNOW WHAT WHEN THAT PROGRAM WAS ELIMINATED IT WAS THEIR SEATS THAT DID THE ENROLLMENT IN THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL FOR THE THREE EXAM
SCORES GO DOWN AFTER THAT SCHOOL WAS ELIMINATED, THE ENROLL LIMIT IN THE EXAM SCHOOLS HAS NOT REALLY CHANGED
ITSELF BUT I THINK WE COULD LOOK AT BOTH FROM FROM THE ADVANCE WORK PROGRAM BECAUSE I'M JUST THINKING THAT THOSE WERE THOSE STUDENTS THAT WERE
IN THAT PROGRAM. WERE THEY ACADEMICALLY PREPARED TO GO TO THE ADVANCED WORKSHOP PROGRAM? I MEAN TO GO TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS AND THEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN THAT PROGRAM IS ELIMINATED AND THERE IS NO PROGRAM FOR THAT STRICT ACADEMIC INSTRUCTIONS AT A PARTICULAR A WC SCHOOL.
AND THEN BECAUSE THERE IS NO STRICT STRUCTURE LIKE THE ADVANCED WORKSHOP THEN IT MAY HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT REDUCED THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WENT TO
A PARTICULAR A SCHOOL IN A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD. THE ONLY QUICK ANSWER IS THAT AS WE SEE C SEATS DWINDLE DIVERSITY IN EXAM SCHOOLS ROSE
SO I DON'T KNOW I DON'T THINK WE DID A DEFINITIVE STUDY AROUND THAT CLOSURE OF BWC BUT NO NO MY MY THAT WASN'T MY QUESTION. THE QUESTION IS DID THE
ENROLLMENT AT THAT SCHOOL IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEAH DID THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT WENT TO THAT SCHOOL GO DOWN BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM WASN'T THERE WE
WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IT'S BEFORE KNOCK ME OKAY IN MY FINAL WELL MY TIME IS UP I
DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE TIME. I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN, COUNSELOR HERE. YOUR NEXT ONE IS BEFORE I START
YOUR TIME AS I DID FOR YOU AN EMAIL WITH THE POLICY BRIEFING THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO WITH ALL THE SCIENTISTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT COMES FROM AN OAK. MY TIME STARTS NOW.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY POINTS ARE ALLOTTED IF YOU'RE AN EARLY LEARNER OR A STUDENT WITH AN
IEP THERE ARE CURRENTLY POINTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER OF THOSE TWO STATUS. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I AM CURIOUS ABOUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE EXAM SCHOOLS BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADMISSIONS AND PROCESSES I'M
CURIOUS WHY AT WHAT POINT IS THE DISTRICT GOING TO LOOK AT THE ADMITTANCE POLICY FOR MEDICINE PARK THE ADMISSIONS
POLICY SO WE HAVE AN ADMISSIONS POLICY NOW FOR MADISON PARK, RIGHT? IT'S TWO IT'S GOING INTO THE SECOND CYCLE AND HOW IS THAT GOING? SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH WITH MADISON IS MADISON HAS A PROCESS, A VERY GOOD ONE, A RECRUITING STUDENT THE DIFFICULTY IS STUDENT SHOWING
INTEREST ON THAT APPLICATION AND ACTUALLY PARENTS AND STUDENTS TURNING A FORM IN THAT CHOOSE MADISON IS VERY SO THEY'LL GO TO A SCHOOL THEY
RECRUIT AND THE STUDENT WILL BE LIKE I REALLY WANT TO GO AND THEN THEY GO HOME. THERE'S A CONVERSATION WITH THE PARENT AND THEN THE PARENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ACT ON THAT OR THE STUDENT DOESN'T SO
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE AN EASIER WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT? BUT MADISON IS WORKING VERY HARD GIVEN IT'S ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF OF THE APPLICATION
EXISTING TO TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS THAT ARE CHOOSING MADISON KNOW WHAT VOCATION IS AND WANT TO BE IN IT. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO START DOING MORE VISITS TO SCHOOLS WHICH IS REALLY WHAT'S IMPACTFUL.
NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. I GUESS THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION IN PARTICULAR IS BECAUSE I'M GOING BACK TO THE FACT THAT EXAM SCHOOLS ARE THE COVETED RIGHT LIKE THE THE THE
MACY'S OF EDUCATION AS OPPOSED TO THE WALMART RIGHT. WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO THERE'S SO MUCH ATTENTION AROUND REVISING AND
EQUITABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS BUT WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR DECADES ABOUT MADISON PARK AND INVESTMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S THE WORLD CLASS LOW TECH SCHOOL BUT
YET ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY IS BEING ABSORBED WITHIN THE EXAM CONVERSATION BECAUSE GOING BACK TO RACE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS,
ACCESS AND INFLUENCE AND I BET YOU THAT THE CONVERSATION WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT AT ALL IF EVERYONE IN BOSTON WAS TRYING TO GET THEIR KIDS INTO MADISON PARK AND I FEEL LIKE FROM AN
EQUITY STANDPOINT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR ME TO NAME THAT AS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN LOOKING AT BIPS FOR DECADES, RIGHT? I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE IS
DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S FLAWED RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW AND SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT FOR JUST THE INTENT OF THIS THIS CONVERSATION. SO I'M CURIOUS IF THE DISTRICT
INTENDS TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES THEN LEAVE THE POLICY IN PLACE FOR THE LEAST THE AT LEAST THREE YEARS TO AVOID CONFUSION FOR FAMILIES. IS THAT THE GOAL? IS THAT WHAT THAT IS THE GOAL
AND SO STABILITY IS IMPORTANT BUT IF THE DATA IN THE FIRST YEAR SHOWS A DECLINE, DIVERSITY OR ANY OTHER HARM WILL BE STICK
TO A FLAWED POLICY FOR TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY. I MEAN I THINK WHAT WE WILL DO IS DO OUR BEST NOT CHANGING THE POLICY BUT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
ELSE WE MIGHT NEED TO WORK ON IN ORDER TO COUNTER WHATEVER WE'RE SEEING IN THE DATA. I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING MORE HARM CHANGING THIS POLICY YEAR BY YEAR BASED ON THE APPLICANT POOL.
YEAH I WOULD AGREE AND THEN SO I'M JUST CURIOUS TO WHAT EXTENT YOU KNOW IT'S HARD FOR ME TO NOT THINK THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL SITUATION JUST
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC PRESSURE RIGHT NOW AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY NOW? WHY THE CHANGE NOW? WELL, THIS IS THE ACTUAL YEAR
ARE SUPPOSED TO OPEN THE POLICY BUY THE POLICY THE POLICY SAYS THE FIFTH YEAR. SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE DOING THE MORE IN-DEPTH THIS YEAR. LOOK AT IT. IT IS NOT BEEN IN MY OPINION
FAVORABLE TO EVERY SINGLE YEAR BE MAKING THESE SMALL CHANGES THAT WE THEN DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW CUMULATIVELY THEY IMPACT THIS IS THE MOMENT AND THEN I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I DID HEAR MY
TIME UP IF IF THE GOAL IS TO REALLY START LOOKING AT HOW WE SUPPORT OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND OUR STUDENTS WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS AND IEPS, WHY NOT HAVE A POLICY OR A RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT
GAIN ACCESS TO OUR EXAM SCHOOLS ? YEAH. SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THESE SCHOOLS WE'RE NOT SEEING IN THEM WHERE THERE'S
THEY'RE TRYING TO DRIVE THAT THE POLICY ITSELF THEY DRIVE IT MOSTLY THROUGH AWARENESS ACCESS SUPPORT IN THE SCHOOLS BUT NOT THROUGH THE ACTUAL POLICY LANGUAGE.
AND I'LL JUST END WITH THIS IS THAT HAVING WORKED IN THE EDUCATION SPACE, YOU KNOW THERE IS THIS NARRATIVE THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS DON'T WANT STUDENTS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
OR WHO HAVE IEPS AND SO VERY SIMILAR TO THAT NARRATIVE, RIGHT? SOMEONE COULD SAY RIGHT THAT WE ARE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ELLS AND WE'RE DISCRIMINATING IN STUDENTS WITH IEPS, RIGHT
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT CREATING REAL PATHWAYS FOR THEM TO BE AS COMPETITIVE AS OTHER STUDENTS BECAUSE USUALLY THOSE STUDENTS ARE NOT WANTED IN CERTAIN
SCHOOLS AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO KIND OF THAT NARRATIVE. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR THAT FOR US
TO KIND OF COME TO TERMS WITH THAT. THAT COULD BE A PERCEPTION. I THINK THAT THESE ARE TWO GROUPS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT EXTENSIVELY IN MY COMMENTARY TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
WE DO EXPLICITLY PUT AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE DISTRICT WILL STUDY THIS AND LOOK AT THE ARE THEY OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DOING THE SCHOOLS TO SEE IF
THERE'S ANY BEST PRACTICE THERE AND THEN TO BEGIN TO BUILD THE SUPPORTS NEEDED FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE EXAM SCHOOLS SO THAT IS A
COMMITMENT THAT'S WITHIN THE POLICY REVISION THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD. BUT MY TIME WAS UP RIGHT COUNSELOR? I CHAIR AND I APPRECIATE THE EXTRA TIME AND I GUESS THAT WILL BE THE END OF OUR TIME
TOGETHER SINCE WE ONLY HAVE TWO ROUNDS OF QUESTIONS. YEAH WELL THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN HERE ALSO CALLING US ABOUT THAT. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I ONLY HAVE ONE I WILL ADD TO
THE CHORUS OF FOLKS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO BE INVESTING IN ALL HIGH SCHOOLS AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME CLOSURES IN THE PAST. I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO BEACONS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE LIKE IS BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL AND
I DO APPRECIATE SUPERINTENDENT YOUR COMMITMENT TO OPENING UP FARTHER EAST. I JOKED AT THE RIBBON CUTTING THAT USUALLY TAKES YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN BUT IT HAPPENED IN TWO YEARS AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM GOT IT DONE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND THAT'S WHERE EAGLES ARE FLOURISHING AND I APPRECIATE THAT INVESTMENT. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT ONE. BUT BROADLY SPEAKING CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING
AND WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE IN RESOURCE ALLOCATION IS TAKING PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN GO BEYOND THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT JUST EXAM SCHOOLS AND REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE INVESTING
IN ALL OF OUR KIDS. RIGHT? SO LAST YEAR I THINK YOU REMEMBER IN THE BUDGET PROCESS SECONDARY SCHOOLS WAS WAS A BIG PUSH FOR US THINGS THAT WOULD
SUPPORT MASS CORE IMPLEMENTATION WHICH IS REALLY RAISING THE GRADUATION FLOOR FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT I GRADUATED PEEPS THAT YOU KNOW
THIS COMING SPRING IS IN SUMMER IS THE FIRST FIRST YEAR OF CYCLE FOR THAT. THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE COMING OUT AND PUTTING IN AS PART OF THEIR GRADUATION. SO THAT'S A VERY RIGOROUS
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE EARLY COLLEGE THE CAREER CONNECTIONS IN THE CAREER PATHWAYS WE ARE INVESTING ACROSS THE BOARD IN
OUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THESE AREAS AS WELL AS IB IN THE SCHOOLS THAT OFFER IB AND AP IN THE SCHOOLS THAT OFFER AP. I MEAN THIS IS REALLY AND I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THE SEVENTH GRADE BECAUSE FOR THE
FIRST TIME WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING MORE PARENTS CHOOSING THE SEVENTH GRADE TRANSITION INTO HIGH SCHOOL THAN EVER BEFORE. SO IT HAS TO START RIGHT AT THAT SEVENTH GRADE SO MUCH LIKE THE EXAM SCHOOLS STARTING WITH
SIX IT HAS TO START RIGHT WITH THAT SEVENTH GRADE CLASS AND BUILDING THOSE SKILLS BOTH NOT JUST CLOSING GAP BUT ACTUALLY ACCELERATING AND OFFERING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE BY THE
TIME THE STUDENTS GRADUATING REALLY EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WANT IS BEFORE THEM. SORRY. I'M SORRY I TURN MY MIKE OFF. THANK YOU FOR THAT FOR THAT
ANSWER AND OF COURSE I'LL JUST USE THIS TIME TO DRILL INTO DISTRICT ONE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CHARLESTOWN HIGH SCHOOL. ANYTHING PROGRESSING THERE THAT YOU CAN SPEAK TO NOW. SO CHARLESTON HIGH IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. WE HAVE A SEVENTH AND EIGHTH
GRADE INNOVATION PATHWAY THAT'S BEING FUNDED AS A PILOT BY AN OUTSIDE A GRANT OR AND SO EVERY STUDENT ACTUALLY GETS TO LOOK CAREER OPTION IN THE SEVENTH
AND EIGHTH GRADE AT CHARLESTON HIGH AND THEN WOULD ACCESS TO THE EARLY COLLEGE AND THE CAREER PATHWAYS BEGINNING IN THE NINTH WE THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL MODEL FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES IN GENERAL AND SO
WE CHOSE CHARLESTON HIGH AS THE PILOT SITE FOR THAT WITH THE INTENT TO EXPAND IT BEYOND CHARLESTOWN IN THE COMING YEARS CHOSEN IS SHOWING SOME GOOD PROGRESS ON THEIR ACADEMIC SIDE.
I THINK YOU KNOW RJ AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY ARE VERY MUCH WANTING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT CAN DIFFERENTIATE CHARLESTON HIGH CHARLESTON HIGH IN THE FUTURE, WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMING CAN BE
OFFERED AND THEY REALLY APPROACHING AND AND TRYING TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO DO IT MUCH LIKE IT'S HAPPENED IN EAST BOSTON OR THE BRIGHTON AUSTIN AREA IN THE PAST THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNSELOR CLASS OF OTHER NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNSELOR BREADON AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE EXCELLENCE FOR ALL VERSUS THE ADVANCE A WC PROGRAM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS LIKE A A PILOT STUDY DONE ON THE EXCELLENT ROLE AND IT WAS SHOWING VERY A LOT OF PROMISE BUT IT WAS SORT OF PATCHY IN TERMS OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION
LIKE AGAIN I THINK IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO DEVELOP RIGOR YOU KNOW ACADEMIC RIGOR FOR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT WHETHER IT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE CONTINUE IN A GENERAL ADMISSION HIGH SCHOOL
AND GO INTO PRE CALL IT PRE COLLEGE CLASSES OR ADVANCED AP CLASSES OR IF THEY GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY. CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE OUTCOMES IN THAT IN TERMS
OF WHAT WAS IT WAS DEEMED TO BE SUCCESSFUL BUT WHAT WHAT HAPPENED THAT THE SORT OF WHEELS COME OFF THE BUS THIS IS DEAR TO MY THAT PROGRAM KIND
OF GREW UP IN MY MY OFFICE WHEN I WAS IN THE OPPORTUNITY GAPS OFFICE BEFORE IT WAS TRYING TO BRING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE RIGOROUS EDUCATION, SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL LEARNING, 21ST CENTURY SKILLS AND IT WAS A PILOT SO WE HAD NYU DO EVALUATION THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLY.
I THINK SOME OF THE COMPONENTS FOR THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE PART OF THAT BUT THAT PILOT IT JUST BECAME CORE TO WHAT THEY DID. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY I STEPPED OUT OF THE DISTRICT
ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE LAST ADMINISTRATION. DR. CASELLI THIS BUT IT ALIGNED TO WHAT WE BELIEVE AS BEST
PRACTICES TIER ONE PRACTICES IN SCHOOLS RIGHT? WHAT KIDS DESERVES BECAUSE WE'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, CAPSTONE IN FRONT OF BIG AUDIENCES AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY WGBH AND IT'S REALLY EXPECTATIONS YEAH.
YOU KNOW WHAT DO WE EXPECT OUR CHILDREN CAN DO AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT THEM TO DO THAT? AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I THINK IS MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY SEES THE TALENT IN OUR STUDENTS.
I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, TALENT IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED BUT OPPORTUNITY IS NOT RIGHT WHICH IS WHY THINGS LIKE THE TIERED SYSTEM IN THIS POLICY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IN
A ZERO SUM AND I WOULDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT EQUITY BECAUSE IF THIS IS A ZERO SUM RIGHT I DON'T I DON'T THINK ANYBODY DESIGNING A DISTRICT WOULD HAVE CREATED THAT TODAY WOULD CREATE EXAM SCHOOLS FOR FOR INSTANCE.
BUT THEY'RE HERE BUT YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS HAVE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN THEM AND THEY HAVE SOME OF THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF RIGOR IN THE SPACE. SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO
DO AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK AT AS BEST PRACTICE IS THAT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL IN GENERAL YEAH, I'M VERY FOCUSED ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IN THE TRAJECTORY IS THE FOUNDATIONAL
PIECES OF WHAT HAPPENS AT SOME LEVEL. THE OTHER QUESTION HAVE WAS ABOUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PROBABLY A VERY SMALL SUBSET BUT WE DO HAVE GIFTED YOUNG PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, I READ THE OTHER DAY
ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN WHO GRADUATED WITH A PH.D. AND JUST 19 YEARS OLD. THEY'RE EXCEPTIONAL. BUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE SUPPORT
AND POTENTIALLY IT'S ALL BUT ALL THE GREATS OF OUR OFFERINGS AND HOW DO WE MANAGE TO SUPPORT THOSE KIDS OR DO THEY END UP SORT OF LEAVING THE SYSTEM AND
GOING TO ANOTHER ANOTHER PLACE GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL OR WHEREVER? RIGHT. SO I THINK THIS IS AN AREA OF CONSERVATION WHERE WE'RE ADDING IN THE ADVANCED MATH
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WHO MIGHT WANT TO LEARN MORE MATH OR LOVE MATH AND HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE ADVANCED COURSES AT AN EARLIER TIME. SAME WITH STEM.
WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ENRICHMENT PROGRAM RELEVANT TO THAT THAT STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN. WE HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF A RIGHT BOSTON WHERE THERE'S LITERARY MAGAZINES FOR THOSE THAT ARE MORE INCLINATION
TOWARD IT. SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BUILD UP THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING AS A WAY TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW STUDENTS OUTLET AND PUSH THIS SUMMER AND THE
INVESTMENT IN THE SUMMER PROGRAMING THE FIFTH QUARTER IS REALLY DRIVEN BY STUDENTS INTERESTS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN BE IT ACADEMIC WITH DEBATE LEAGUE OR CHESS CLUB.
SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO LISTEN TO PARENTS TO AND TO STUDENTS AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL IS GOING TO BEST HELP THEM TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITY. I THINK POST-PANDEMIC IT WAS
TOUGH BECAUSE WE REALLY HAD TO REORIENT BUT I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE ACCELERATION IS WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IN THE DATA WHERE THAT'S TAKING. SO I THINK YOU'LL HEAR MORE AND
MORE OF THESE AND IT'S A IT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR STUDENTS THAT HAVE POTENTIAL I THINK PRESIDENT USE THAT TERM RIGHT THE POTENTIAL AND INTEREST AND
THAT'S REALLY TO ME THE SWEET SPOT OF WHERE YOU OFFER THESE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. I THINK MY TIME'S UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR AND COUNSELOR WE'RE ALL YOU HAVE
THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR I I'VE BEEN A BIG ADVOCATE FOR, YOU KNOW, LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT SHOULD HAPPEN LONG AFTER 230, RIGHT? I DO BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD
HAPPEN UP UNTIL 6 P.M. AND THAT ONLY BENEFITS MY STUDENTS. BUT IT'S A STRONG SUPPORT AND BENEFICIAL TO OUR FAMILIES. SO YOU KNOW, IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE I KNOW IT'S UP AND
COMING. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE JUST MORE INVESTMENT TOWARDS THAT AND I KNOW YOU KNOW WE YOU KNOW THE DISTRICT HAS AND SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF MCCARTHY FOR DOING THAT A
LOT OF THAT WORK BUT WOULD JUST LOVE TO SEE THAT BEING RAMPED UP A LOT A LOT MORE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONVERSATION AROUND YOU KNOW THE EXAM
SCHOOLS AND JUST THE DATA AROUND IT BEEPS TRACKS THIS AND YOU GUYS DO AN AMAZING JOB HOWEVER IT COMES YOU KNOW AT THIS MOMENT, YOU KNOW FIVE
YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL POLICY WAS ISSUED I KNOW THERE'S OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE THEY PRESENT THIS ANNUALLY ON A DASHBOARD AND I'LL TAKE A A TWO
FROM COUNCILMAN HE IS BUT BUT WOULD YOU KNOW BEEPS BE WILLING TO HAVE AN ANNUAL DASHBOARD JUST TO KIND OF TRACK THIS YOU KNOW I THINK PHILADELPHIA IT
YEAH YEAH YEAH WE SHOULD WE CURRENTLY SHARE THE DATA ANNUALLY IN A MEMO ON OUR WEBSITE BUT I THINK WE CAN EXPLORE A MORE INTERACTIVE FORMAT IF THAT IS OF INTEREST
AWESOME THAT'S GREAT AND THEN I WOULD JUST ADD THIS ONE LAST COMMENT I DID NOT GO TO BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WAS PART OF THE METCO PROGRAM
SO I WENT TO SCHOOL OUT IN YOU KNOW, LINCOLN AND THEN SUDBURY MASS AND IT WAS A MORE AFFLUENT TOWN BUT YOU KNOW WAS THE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL. SO EVERYONE WAS THERE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MIGHT THINK
THAT EVERYONE IN LINCOLN OR SUDBURY IS MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IS NOT TRUE. SO YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU HAD A IEP, WHETHER YOU TEST WELL, WHETHER YOU SPOKE A DIFFERENT
LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW YOU WAS IN THAT SCHOOL AND WE SAW SUCCESS. YOU KNOW, WE HAD STUDENTS THAT WENT TO, YOU KNOW, HARVARD, YALE AND WE ALSO HAD STUDENTS
THAT WENT TO NORTHEASTERN. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A STUDENT REPRESENTATION THAT HAS I BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE
SPREAD OUT EVENLY. RIGHT. EVERY KID EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS NO MATTER THEIR LEARNING ABILITIES OR THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY SPEAK. SO I DEFINITELY WILL CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. WELL, I KNOW THAT OUR PANELISTS
HAVE A HARD STAFF OF FIVE SO I THINK IT'S 459 SO I THINK WE DID PRETTY GOOD. I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. SUPERINTENDENT, YOUR TEAM FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW UP THROUGH THE COMMITTEE ON SOME OF THE REQUESTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT INFORMATION FROM COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
BUT I WILL NOW DISMISS THIS PANEL AND WILL NOW WELCOME OUR COMMUNITY PANEL UP LOOKING
FORWARD TO SEE ALL OF YOU AT OUR SCHOOL VISIT AND THANK YOU
AND THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT SO AS WELL TRANSITIONING HE'S GOING TO
TAKE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND SAY YOUR
NAME ORGANIZATION AND AFFILIATION. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES IF YOU'RE TESTIFYING ON ZOOM, PLEASE
ACCEPT A MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PROMPTED PROMOTED TO THE PANELISTS WHEN IT APPEARS SO WITH US WE HAVE SHARON HINTON. FIRST UP THAT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE DEIRDRE MANNING THE TELEPHONE. TRAVIS MARSHALL, IF YOU CAN HELP YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES TO GO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? WE GOT SO I JUST WANT TO SAY BE PATIENT WITH ME BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 3 HOURS AND 2 MINUTES. OKAY. GOOD.
AND THANK YOU COUNSELORS FOR HAVING THIS HEARING TODAY. MY IS SHARON IN HINTON. I'M AN EDUCATOR WITH 40 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC PRIVATE CHARTER INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES. A DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IN EDUCATION AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, FORMER STUDENT, MOTHER OF A PBS GRADUATE AND I ALSO SERVED AS PRESIDENT
OF SCHOOL SITE AND PARENTS COUNCILS IN VARIOUS OTHER POSITIONS OVER MANY YEARS. THAT BEING SAID, I'M CALLING FOR A PAUSE IN THE VOTING ON THE ATTEMPT TO REVISE EXAM
SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS BEFORE WE DRAG OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS BACK TO THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE WHICH WAS NEVER DESIGNED FOR AND NEVER FULLY WORKED FOR BLACK
BROWN SPECIAL ED OR L-L STUDENTS. I'M ALSO REQUESTING A BROADER FOCUS ON ALL OF BP'S AND NOT JUST THE ELITE EXAM SCHOOLS. I ATTENDED BP'S AND LATER
GRADUATED IN THE TOP FIVE PERCENTILE FROM COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL. I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN ACCESS AND QUALITY EDUCATION AS A STUDENT AND EDUCATOR. MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE
ARCHITECTS OF OPERATION EXODUS ALONG WITH RUTH BATSON AND ELLEN JACKSON WHICH BECAME METCO. I'M OF THE BELIEF THAT ANY CONFIGURATION OF FORMULAS
SUPPORTING THE ELITES WILL INHERENTLY BE INEQUITABLE FOR ALL FOCUSING ON PRIMARILY GRADES AND ADJUSTING THE ADMISSIONS POLICIES ALSO DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM
I.E. REDLINING, SEGREGATION AND DISCRIMINATION ETC. THAT CAUSED THE HISTORIC ACADEMIC INEQUITIES IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT HAVE PERSISTED SINCE BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND
BUSSING. WHILE I APPRECIATE THIS REEVALUATION AFTER FIVE YEARS OF IMPLEMENTATION, HOW IS THE DATA AFFECTED BY THE LEARNING LOSSES OF COVID?
IN ADDITION, I HAVE FIVE ANSWERS I'D LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER DURING THIS HEARING AND AFTER ONE WITH THE WEBINARS AND MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD TO INCLUDE PARENTS DURING THE LATE SUMMER AND PRELIMINARY
ELECTION DAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SUPPOSED TO BE REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT. TWO. WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THESE WEBINARS AND MEETINGS IN TERMS
OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN? THE NUMBER OF INTEND, THESE RESPONSES ETC.? THREE. WHAT KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND OUTCOMES WERE INVOLVED IN THE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENT
IMPLEMENTATION AND PROCESSING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES AND SURVEYS THAT WERE USED AS A BASIS FOR REQUESTING A CHANGE IN THE ADMISSIONS FORMULA FOR IN THE INTEREST OF FULL
DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WHAT IMPACT HAVE THE THREAT OF LAWSUITS HAD ON THE DECISIONS TO MAKE WOULD HAVE BEEN TERMED BY PBS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TWEAKS TO THE FORMULA OVER THE PREVIOUS
CHANGES IN THE CURRENT PROPOSED DECISIONS. FIVE. WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF ELIMINATING MIDDLE SCHOOLS GOING TO HAVE IN THE PIPELINE TO EXAM SCHOOLS? AND FINALLY, WITHOUT A FULLY
ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND EMPOWERED CITYWIDE PARENTS LIKE COUNCIL, WHY SHOULD BOSTONIANS PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TRUST THE DECISIONS BEING MADE FOR US WITHOUT US?
BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WE DON'T GET A DO OVER WITH THAT KIDS. THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND INCLUDE VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION BEFORE WE SHUFFLE ANY MORE DECK CHAIRS ON
THE BPP'S TITANIC. IT IS MY OPINION THAT A VOTE BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON THESE PROPOSED CHANGES IS PREMATURE AND NEEDS MORE RESEARCH SIMULATIONS AND DATA EXTRAPOLATIONS BEFORE BEING
MADE PERMANENT THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND SAID WE HAVE THEY ARE
DEMANDING AND WE'RE GOING BY WHAT TRAVIS MARSHALL JULIE SANTOS AND BEN STARK. YOU HAVE TO THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS DEIRDRE MANNING. I AM A SINGLE PARENT OF TWO PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN AND I LIVE IN A TIER THREE NEIGHBORHOOD ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES IT'S TIER FOUR. I WOULD LIKE ALSO REITERATE THE POINT MADE BY THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER THERE'S BEEN NO
MEANINGFUL BY THE DISTRICT ON THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS. THEY HAD TWO ZOOM MEETINGS ONE LATE AUGUST, ONE EARLY SEPTEMBER AND THEY HAD A Q&A WHERE PEOPLE COULD PUT A
QUESTION INTO A BLACK HOLE AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MICROPHONES WOULD ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THEY WISHED THERE WAS NO BACK AND FORTH. IT'S REALLY ABSURD. I FEEL LIKE PUTIN WOULD HAVE DONE MORE IN TERMS
OF ENGAGEMENT. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT METCO CHARTER AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE SHOULD INCLUDE I SUPPOSE PRIVATE WELL.
YOU CAN'T SET UP A CONSTRUCT THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO COMPETE FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED SEATS WITHIN BEPS. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WHILE AN IMPROVEMENT NOT BECAUSE IT NO
LONGER DOUBLY PENALIZES STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN TIERS AND FOUR AND ATTEND A NON-TITLE ONE SCHOOL INCLUDING BP'S OWN STUDENTS. IT WILL SUPPRESS ENROLLMENT IN
TIERS THREE AND FOUR. THAT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE APPLICANTS THAN THERE ARE SEATS. SO YOU REALLY CAN'T HAVE A CONSTRUCT WHERE ALMOST ALL THE APPLICANTS IN TIERS ONE TO GET SEATS.
BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE EXCLUDED IN TIERS THREE AND FOUR. I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITYWIDE ENROLLMENT IS SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARY. IF YOU ACTUALLY JUST ADJUST THE NUMBER OF SEATS BASED ON THE
PROPORTION OF APPLICANTS IN EACH TIER. I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT THESE BONUS POINTS WERE FROM THE GET GO RIDICULOUS. I FEEL LIKE THEY WERE HOLDING FAMILIES HOSTAGE TO UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS ALLOCATE BONUS POINTS DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS IN NEED IF THEY RECEIVE A MEANS TESTED PUBLIC BENEFIT. THEY CAN ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE
OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND DIRECTLY ALLOCATE THOSE POINTS TO THOSE STUDENTS. THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS GOT A BIT OF A LEG UP BECAUSE WE ALL AGREE
THAT THOSE KIDS HAVE HAD LIFE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. I WANT TO CONTINUE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR FORGIVE ME BECAUSE IT'S BEEN 3 HOURS TO WAIT FOR MY TURN. I DO WANT THE FOLKS WHO ARE CITY COUNCILORS AT LARGE AND
THE CITY COUNCILORS WHO REPRESENT SOUTH BOSTON, CHARLESTOWN, ALLSTON, BRIGHTON, JAMAICA PLAIN, WEST ROXBURY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE STUDENTS
WHO FORMERLY WALKED INTO EXAM SCHOOLS WHO WENT TO THE KERLEY OR THE MURPHY OR THE SARA ROBERTS THOSE SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE SENDING NEARLY AS MANY APPLICANTS. THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO BE DISADVANTAGED AS PRIVATE
SCHOOLS AND OTHERS WHO LEARNED LONG AGO THAT THEY WERE NOT WANTED AND DIDN'T APPLY. THERE WERE A THOUSAND FEWER APPLICANTS OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD THAT THOSE SEATS WILL BECOME EVEN DIFFICULT TO GET.
IT'S NOT RIGHT TO PIT 11 YEAR OLDS IN SUCH AN EDUCATIONAL HUNGER GAMES AS I SAID BEFORE. I DO WANT TO SAY BP'S POINTS HAVE NEVER BEEN EQUITABLE FOR
THE VERY REASON THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID BP HAS TREATED YOU WELL IF YOU GOT INTO A GOOD BP SCHOOL THAT WAS FANTASTIC. BUT I'M A FORMER HENDERSON PARENT. MY CHILDREN LOVED THE SCHOOL.
WE LOVED THE COMMUNITY AFTER THE PRINCIPAL WAS ASSAULTED AND KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS PEOPLE IN DROVES, WE STAYED. BUT PROBLEM KIDS I THINK ENDED ENDED UP THERE.
THERE WERE FIGHTS NEAR DAILY AND WE SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZED BECAUSE BP HAS FAILED US. WE CHOSE A CHARTER SCHOOL AFTERWARDS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND
OTHERS HAVE TO TAKE TESTING CONDITIONS HAVE TO TAKE THIS TEST UNDER CONDITIONS THAT ARE WILDLY BIASED TOWARDS BP SCHOOLS. BP SHOULD OFFER A BRIDGE BOSTON STUDENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE
THE MAP TEST AT HIS OR HER OWN SCHOOL. THAT STUDENT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GIVE UP A SATURDAY TO GO TAKE A TEST ACROSS THE STREET TO PLAY HAVE TO TAKE MATH AND PLAY BACK TO BATH BACK TO BACK EXCUSE
ME IN A MARATHON TESTING DAY WITHOUT THEIR PEERS IN AN UNFAMILIAR LOCATION AND WITHOUT THEIR TEACHER. THAT IS NOT EQUITABLE. PLEASE LOOK AT THE SUPERINTENDENT CIRCULAR AND MAKE SURE THAT WHERE POSSIBLE
PERHAPS A NUMBER TEN IS REASONABLE BUT IF BRIDGE BOSTON OR BOSTON COLLEGIATE OR A PAROCHIAL SCHOOL WANTS TO OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MAP TESTING
WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL ON A SCHOOL DAY THAT SHOULD BE ALLOWED. AND PLEASE ALSO LOOK AT THE UNFAIR GRADE POINT CONVERSION THAT THEY USE ONLY FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE STANDARDS BASED
GRADES. CHARTER SCHOOLS THEY HAVE THOSE STANDARDS BASED GRADES AND IT IS DEPRESSING THEIR GPA THAT THAT SPECIAL PROCESS IS NOT USED FOR THEM. IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I APPRECIATE THE LITTLE BIT
OF THE EXTRA TIME. THANK YOU. TRAVIS MARSHALL MY NAME IS TRAVIS MARSHALL.
I LIVE IN ROSLINDALE. I'M THE PROUD PARENT OF STUDENTS AT THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL IN THE BATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE EXAM SCHOOLS SIT AT THE CRUX OF A CASTE BASED EDUCATION
SYSTEM THAT RATIONS OPPORTUNITY AND CONCENTRATES NEED BASED ON THE SCHOOL THAT STUDENTS ATTEND EXAM SCHOOLS BUILD A PHYSICAL
WALL BETWEEN 12 YEAR OLDS AND ADVANCE TO WORK DID THE SAME FOR NINE YEAR OLDS. SOME STUDENTS IN BHP'S HAVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE OPTIONS, HAVE EIGHT FOREIGN LANGUAGE OPTIONS AND OTHERS HAVE ONE.
SOME STUDENTS HAVE 28 ADVANCED PLACED PLACEMENT COURSES. OTHERS HAVE ONE. SOME STUDENTS HAVE 32 SPORTS TEAMS AN ABUNDANCE OF ART CLUBS
AND THE BENEFITS THAT FLOW FROM A $76 MILLION ENDOWMENT. AND OTHERS HAVE NONE. THE REASON THAT SO MUCH ATTENTION IS PAID TO THREE SCHOOLS IS BECAUSE FAMILIES WANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR
STUDENTS. AND BHP'S DECIDES WHO THE RIGHT STUDENTS ARE TO REWARD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS ENROLLMENT EIGHT FOR ALL
STUDENTS OF COLOR AT BLS HAS INCREASED BY 10% AND AT THE SAME TIME THE SCHOOL'S STATE ACCOUNTABILITY RATING HAS GONE UP TO ITS HIGHEST EVER BEEN SIMULATIONS OF THE BHP'S
PROPOSAL SHOW A DECREASE IN INVITATIONS TO BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AND FORMER ENGLISH LEARNERS. SIMULATIONS ALSO SHOW A DROP IN
THE ALREADY MIND NEW NUMBER OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES GROUPS THAT MAKE UP MORE THAN HALF OF ALL OPEN ENROLLMENT
HIGH SCHOOLS BUT LESS THAN 3% OF EXAM SCHOOLS. THE BHP'S PROPOSAL ESSENTIALLY STATES THAT WE'VE DONE ENOUGH FOR THESE GROUPS THAT WE'VE OVERCORRECTED AND HAVE NOT CHOSEN THE RIGHT STUDENTS TO
REWARD WITH OPPORTUNITY. BHP'S FRAMED THIS AS A COMPROMISE WE WILL ONLY STOP ARGUING ABOUT WHO DESERVES INVITATIONS AND WHO DOES NOT. WHEN EVERY STUDENT HAS A GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL ATTEND
A SCHOOL WITH COMPARABLE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES. AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS THE SIMPLEST AND MOST LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE POLICY IS TO USE A LOTTERY. THANKS.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE JULIE SANTOS AND BEN STARR TOUR SANTANA AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M JULIE SANTOS AND I'M
TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF CITIZENS FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE. WE OPPOSE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EXAM SCHOOL'S ADMISSION POLICIES WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE THE PROPORTION OF INVITATIONS
TO LOW INCOME STUDENTS EXACERBATE EXISTING INEQUITIES AND RESEGREGATE THE EXAM SCHOOLS AT A TIME WHEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ATTACKING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION.
WE FIND IT EXTREMELY CONCERNING THAT BOSTON IS ISSUING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL PRODUCE OUTCOMES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS FEDERAL PLATFORM. IN BEEPS EXAM SCHOOL'S ADMISSION POLICY REVIEW FOR
2020 AND 2025 ONE OF THE STATED GOALS FOR THIS POLICY CHANGE FIVE YEARS AGO WAS TO QUOTE LEAD TO A STUDENT BODY THAT BETTER REFLECTS THE RACIAL, SOCIOECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND QUOTE
INVITATIONS TO BLACK STUDENTS LATINO STUDENTS, LOW INCOME STUDENTS, MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WERE ACTUALLY HIGHEST IN EITHER SCHOOL YEAR 2223 OR 2324
INDICATING THAT THE 2021 POLICY WAS EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING DIVERSITY AT THE EXAM SCHOOLS. THIS CHANGE INCLUDED THE REMOVAL OF THE ALLOCATION OF 20% OF SEATS TO TOP SCORING
APPLICANTS AND REDISTRIBUTED THEM ACROSS SOCIO ECONOMIC TIERS. BP ALSO CLAIMS THAT THEY IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AS AN ISSUE.
YET THERE IS NOT A SINGLE CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISION IN THE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD SERVE TO GROW THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS IN THESE DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS. ONLY A VAGUE DIRECTIVE TO QUOTE
EXPLORE WAYS TO INCREASE ACCESS ACTUALLY MAINTAINING LEVELS OF DIVERSITY OF ANY KIND IS NOT A STATED GOAL FOR THIS ADMISSIONS POLICY WHICH THERE WAS SERIOUS DOUBT ABOUT THE DISTRICT'S TRUE COMMITMENT TO
THIS PRINCIPLE. THERE WAS A 7% DECREASE IN INVITATIONS TO BLACK STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL YEAR 2425 AND DPS HAS OFFERED NO REMEDY FOR THIS INEQUITY.
FINALLY WE ASK THAT BP'S INCLUDES THE VOICES OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO HOLD IDENTITIES THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE EXAM SCHOOLS IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FORUMS THAT ARE
TRANSPARENT ABOUT HOW THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL REGRESSIVE IMPACT ACCESS AND DIVERSITY. ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT RESULTS IN LESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK STUDENTS LATINO STUDENTS, LOW
INCOME STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IS A DISAPPOINTING REVERSION AND A DELIBERATE DISSERVICE TO BOSTON SCHOOLS AND THEIR STATED COMMITMENT TO EQUITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAVE BEN STAR. WE'RE GOING TO GO RUFUS FOXX THERE WE GOT THOMAS MCGRATH ONLINE. SO BAD STAR. HI. THANKS EVERYBODY. TONIGHT YOU ATTENDED SHARON'S
HEARING OR COUNCILOR DURKIN'S HEARING ON CONTRACTOR PARKING LAST WEEK AND A DIVE INTO IT RIGHT NOW. NO, I'M KIDDING. I APPRECIATE THIS HEARING. I LIVE UP THE STREET IN WHAT
USED TO BE A TIER EIGHT DISTRICT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CONSIDERED TODAY. MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED LATIN SCHOOL LAST SPRING. SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLE STUDENT
AT LATIN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR. TOP OF HER CLASS WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN IN AFTER THAT YEAR. MY SON THREE YEARS LATER DIDN'T GET IN BECAUSE OF WHERE HIS PARENTS CHOSE TO LIVE A DOZEN
YEARS EARLIER. HERE'S A DIRTY LITTLE SECRET PAYLESS ISN'T THAT GREAT? IT'S AN AP CLASS IN SUBURBIA. IT'S JUST WHERE GIANT CITY
THAT'S ALL IT IS. DO YOU KNOW WHY IF YOU ASKED METRO FAMILIES DO ANY OF THEM APPLY INTO THE SYSTEM FOR THE EXAM SCORES? THEY DON'T. THEY STAY IN LINCOLN, SUDBURY
AND NEWTON SOUTH AT BROOKLINE HIGH BECAUSE THOSE PLACES ARE BETTER. BUT WE'RE A BIG CITY, MESSY CITY OF 700,000 PEOPLE AND IT'S THE BEST WE GOT AND AGAIN I SAY
BLESSED BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MY DAUGHTER ATTENDED. I DON'T KNOW THE OTHERS AS WELL BUT I GROUP ALL EXAM SCHOOLS TOGETHER. THEY'RE NOT THAT SPECIAL. WHY IS BELL'S HIGHLY RANKED?
BECAUSE THERE'S A FILTER THAT PULLS OUT ALL THE WEAKEST PERFORMING KIDS. YOU KNOW WHY HOPKINTON IS HIGHLY RANKED. THEY'RE NOT METCO RIGHT? IT'S A TO SOME SENSE A TRICK. BELL'S ISN'T THAT GREAT
REGARDLESS THE 20% I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE 20% BAND BECAUSE IN THE FIRST YEAR WHERE THIS WAS PULLED IN THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM THAT THAT COMMITTEE WAS TRYING TO SOLVE IS WELL-RESOURCED KIDS WHO ARE UNDERPERFORMERS CAN GET PREP FOR THE TEST AND GET INTO THE SCHOOL WITHOUT THE 20% BAND
HOWEVER YOU KNOCK OUT OUTSTANDING STUDENTS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN HIGH INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE HIGH INCOME THEMSELVES. LAST SPRING'S VALEDICTORIAN IN NORTH END ELIOT SCHOOL KID
WOULD HAD NO CHANCE OF GETTING IN UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM. THAT'S A FLAW THAT THE BEST KIDS CAN'T GET IN AS COUNSELOR BREADON DESCRIBED THE FAMILY WHO CAME TO HER HE DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO FELT THE FORMS SAME THING THOUGH IF YOU'RE A TOP KID AND YOUR PARENTS HAPPEN TO CHOOSE A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU WENT TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL CALLED THE ELLIOT OR THE LINDEN AND YOU CAN'T GET IN THAT'S A PROBLEM
THE 20% BAND SOLVES FOR ALL THESE LITTLE PROBLEMS THAT THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS VERY MUCH. HEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, RUFUS COULD EAT AND I'M GONNA BE BRIEF. I STAND HERE AS A FORMER ADVANCED WORLD CLASS STUDENT AND A STUDENT OF LATIN ACADEMY
SOMEBODY WHO WAS A PART OF THAT PROCESS THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED WHEN I WAS GOING TO A PART OF THE ADVANCED WORK CLASS 78% OF ADVANCED WORLD CLASS STUDENTS WENT ON TO EXAMINATION
HIGH SCHOOLS. IT WAS THE ONLY REAL PATHWAY TO EXAMINATION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS I WENT TO THE KING MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE KING IS NO LONGER A SORT OF EXCLUSIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN
I WAS A KID THE WAIT BUT THAT WAS A PIPELINE FOR KIDS WHO LIVED IN ROXBURY TO GO TO EXAMINATION HIGH SCHOOLS. SO MY ONLY REQUEST IS OF THE COUNCIL I KNOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DISCUSSING NEW
POLICIES BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO STUDENTS OF PAST POLICIES AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS WERE THE SUCCESSES OF THOSE POLICIES. THERE WAS NO ADVANCED WORLD CLASS SEATS FOR FOURTH FOR
FOURTH GRADE IN FIFTH GRADE IN ROXBURY BASED OFF OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING BUSSING. SO THE IDEA WAS THEY WANTED TO GET KIDS FROM ROXBURY OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO GO TO OTHER I TO GO TO THE PHINNAEUS
AS I WAS A GRADUATE OF INNERSPACE AND ROSLINDALE I WENT TO THE PHINNAEUS BASE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE WERE NO ROXBURY ADVANCED WORLD CLASS SEATS FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE. AGAIN WE HAVE I JUST I'M JUST
ENCOURAGING OUR COUNCILOR AND ALSO BP'S LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STUDENTS OF PAST POLICIES BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO COMPOUND BAD POLICY OR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ON POTENTIAL NEW POLICY.
SO I STAND HERE AS A PROUD PRODUCT OF ADVANCED WORLD CLASS STUDENT OF LATIN ACADEMY UM RESIDENT OF ROXBURY BUT JUST SAYING THAT IF WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID AS MANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AS POSSIBLE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REALLY SEARCHING AND RESEARCHING SOME OF THE PAST MAYBE MISTAKES WE HAVE MADE BUT ALSO BUILD ON SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAD.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, ONE PERSON ON ZOOM AND WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH OUR COMMUNITY PANEL IF WE HAVE THOMAS MCGRATH ON ZOOM.
CAN YOU JUST PLEASE ACCEPT THAT MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PROMOTED TO A PANELIST WHEN IT APPEARS AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES? I BELIEVE I DID. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY. AH, GOOD EVENING.
THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE TIME. I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS FOR LIKE TWO AND A HALF 3 HOURS AND IT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE ACROSS THE CITY AN APPETITE FOR EXAM SCHOOLS AND UNFORTUNATELY
EVERYBODY CAN'T GET INTO IT. WE'RE BUILDING A LOT OF SCHOOLS IN THE CITY NOW. WOULD ANYBODY CONSIDER A BRING TO THE TO THE TOPIC OF BUILDING
ANOTHER EXAM SCHOOL IT'S BEEN ONE WAS THE LAST SCHOOL BUILT ALBRIGHT SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF THE STUDENT ATHLETES ALL THE STUDENT ATHLETES WHO DO NOT GET INTO THE PLAYS. THE PLUSES AND O'BRYANT ARE GOING TO BE HIGH TEAMS SO
VARIANCE THERE'S WHEREVER AND I THINK THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PARENTS BUT SPENDING ANOTHER 50 $60,000 A YEAR WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOLS RIGHT HERE SO THAT'S MY TAKE AS A
TAXPAYER IT'S SAD THAT SOME OF THESE PARENTS CANNOT USE THEIR TAX DOLLARS TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TESTIFYING AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME
AND TESTIFIED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO OUR COMMUNITY PANEL BUT THEY JUST SPENT THROUGH THE PANELISTS. SO WITH US WE HAVE ROSANNE TONG
WHO IS A 2021 EXAM SCHOOL TASK FORCE MEMBER AND AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH CONSULTANT. WE HAVE WITH US ON ZOOM CHRISTA MCLAUGHLIN WHO'S A STATE
ORGANIZER WITH MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION JUSTICE ALLIANCE AND WITH US ON ZOOM AS WELL I BELIEVE WE HAVE PETER ALVAREZ WHO IS A PARENT AT THE LINDEN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I KNOW FOR OVER 3 HOURS NOW I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. I'M GOING TO TURN OVER I BELIEVE TO CHRISTA FIRST AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER
HERE. SO CHRISTA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. HI, EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS CHRISTA MAGNUSSON. I'M A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS
WHO ATTEND THE ORIENT AND AS YOU SAID, I'M ALSO AN ORGANIZER WITH MAJOR THE MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION JUSTICE ALLIANCE. TODAY I AM ALSO REPRESENTING ONE OF OUR ORGANIZING TABLES ASIA, WHICH IS THE BOSTON
EDUCATION JUSTICE ALLIANCE. THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO OUR EXAM SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS THAT RAISE DEEP CONCERNS. BUT FOR TODAY I WILL STICK TO THE SHOW AN INSUFFICIENT FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AROUND THESE PROPOSALS AND THE GLOSSING OVER OF WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE MEANT TO BE SOLVED AND THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED TO SOLVE. SO FIRST TO THE ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS THAT BP HAS CONDUCTED AROUND THESE PROPOSALS FOR ADMISSIONS CHANGES TO STATED PLAINLY THE ENGAGEMENT NUMBERS ARE EMBARRASSING. BP HAS HELD TWO WEBINARS. THEY WERE SET UP SUCH THAT ATTENDEES WERE UNABLE TO SEE
EVEN HOWEVER, HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE IN THAT ZOOM WITH THEM WITH NO MECHANISM FOR DISCUSSION OF ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED. CHAT WAS CLOSED.
I HAVE OFTEN COMPLAINED IN THE PAST ABOUT BP ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES AND THE WAY WE ARE FREQUENTLY CALLED TO BE PUT INTO SMALL GROUPS FOR DISCUSSION. BUT THESE WEBINARS DID NOT EVEN FEATURE THAT SMALL AMOUNT
OF ACTUAL CONVERSATION. THE FEEDBACK FORM WHICH WAS THE MAIN MECHANISM FOR FAMILIES TO REPLY TO THE PROPOSALS AND TO THE WEBINARS GARNERED A MERE
326 RESPONSES 81% OF WHICH OR 264 WERE ACTUALLY FROM BBC FAMILIES. IS THIS FROM A DISTRICT WITH MORE THAN 45,000 STUDENTS? WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH A CHANGE WHEN BP IS MANAGED TO SOLICIT
FEEDBACK FROM LESS THAN 1% OF ITS COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE 264 BP FAMILY RESPONSES WERE FROM BLACK OR BROWN STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
HOW MANY WERE FIRM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES LIKE HOW MANY YELLOW STUDENTS ARE REPRESENTED IN THAT FEEDBACK? THESE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OFTEN NOT IN THE ROOM WHEN THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN. THEY DON'T FEEL HEARD BY THE DISTRICT.
INFORMATION IS FREQUENTLY NOT SHARED WITH THEM IN INVITING OR ACCESSIBLE WAYS. SO WE KNOW AND I THINK BP'S KNOWS THAT YOU NEED TO GO TO GREATER LENGTHS TO REACH THESE FAMILIES AND YET WE ARE BEING ASKED TO MOVE FORWARD KNOWING
THAT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN HERE WITH TWO WEBINARS HELD IN THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. ALSO NOTE THAT THE FEEDBACK HAS NOT BEEN SHARED OUT BROADLY WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN HEAR WHAT THE CONTENT
OF THE CONCERNS OF THE RESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN AND THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN RATHER MYSTERIOUS. I PAY A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO THE ISSUES THAT I ENDED UP LEARNING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD BE PRESENTING HER
RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE SEPTEMBER 25TH SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING FROM THE GLOBE AND NOT FROM ANY BP'S OUTREACH OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS ALSO NO DEFINITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHEN THE FEEDBACK FORMED CLOSED AND IT
WAS CLOSED A FEW DAYS AFTER THE SECOND WEBINAR WHICH LEFT VERY LITTLE TIME FOR FAMILIES TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS WITH THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES OR ANY OF THEIR OTHER QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
MY OTHER MAJOR CONCERN IS WHAT IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WE ARE SOLVING FOR? I WAS STRUCK DURING THE WEBINAR THAT I ATTENDED AT THE WAY BP'S REPRESENTATIVES TALKED ABOUT THE ARC OF THEIR PRESENTATION.
THEY OPENED BY TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINAL 2021 EXAMPLE CHANGES AND WHAT STRIDES THOSE CHANGES HAVE LED TO IN BRINGING BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS TO THE EXAM SCHOOLS.
AND THIS IS CLEARLY PRESENTED AS PROGRESS THAT WE SHOULD BE HAPPY ABOUT. AS I VERY MUCH AM. BUT THEN WE MOVE DIRECTLY TO THE SET OF THE THEN THREE SORT OF THREE PRONGED PROPOSAL FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS.
WHEN I EXPECTED THAT BEFORE WE WOULD HEAR ABOUT SOLUTIONS WE WOULD HAVE AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROBLEM WE TRYING TO SOLVE. IF AN INCREASE IN PREVIOUSLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IS A GOOD THING, WHY ARE ALL THE PROPOSALS WE HAVE ON OFFER
GOING TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT THOSE ADMISSIONS RATES? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GOALS OF EQUITY AND ACCESS THAT WERE CENTRAL IN 2020 AND 2021 WHEN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS WORKING TIRELESSLY TO BUILD OUT
THESE POLICIES? I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT BP DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE TO PLAINLY ADDRESS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SOLVE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO SAY IT THAT SOUNDS ACCEPTABLE WHEN
THE FOCUS OF THE ROUND OF EDITS IS TO ENSURE MORE DIRECT PATHWAYS TO EXAM SCHOOL SEATS FOR FAIRLY PRIVILEGED STUDENTS AT THE EXPENSE OF UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A GOOD LOOK
TO ADMIT IT. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH SETTLING FOR NOT ENOUGH RICH KIDS DOESN'T REALLY FLY AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TOUCH ON THE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT WE FIND IN THE EXAM SELECTION PROCESS.
SO WHILE THE CARPET IS BEING LAID OUT FOR EXAM SCHOOL ACCESS FOR PRIVATE PAROCHIAL STUDENTS, LITTLE TO NO TIME HAS BEEN SPENT TO REINFORCE PATHWAYS FOR STUDENT GROUPS THAT OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED. SEVERAL PEOPLE TODAY HAVE MENTIONED THERE'S NO EXAM
SCHOOL PATHWAY PLAN FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. THERE CONTINUES TO BE MINIMAL, PROACTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL REPORTING FROM THE DISTRICT TO ADDRESS THE MOSTLY MENTIONED 7%
DECREASE IN BLACK STUDENT EXAMS LIMITATIONS AND THERE'S BEEN NO REASSURANCE THAT THE DISTRICT IS WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOWNWARD TREND DOES NOT CONTINUE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THIS
ALREADY TRAVEL GROUND IN 2021 AS WE HEARD EARLIER THE EXAM STILL TASK FORCE PROPOSED ASSIGNING 100% OF THE SEATS THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT CONSIDERED STUDENTS SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS. THE POLICY PRIOR TO THEN HAD
INCLUDED THIS 20% SET ASIDE LIKE THAT WE HAVE BEING PROPOSED NOW AND DATA AT THE TIME SHOWED THAT 70% OF THE STUDENTS ADMITTED IN THAT SATISFIED HAD NO ECONOMIC
DISADVANTAGES COMPARED TO 57% OF THE OVERALL POOR STUDENTS. POLICY ALSO LED TO HISTORIC LOWS IN RACIAL DIVERSITY AT THAT TIME SEVEN ONLY 7.5%
OF BLACK STUDENTS WERE BLACK DESPITE BLACK STUDENTS MAKING UP 30% OF THE OVERALL PBS POPULATION. AT THE TIME THERE WAS A VIGOROUS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN WITH CASH TO KEEP IT 102 FOR
EVERYBODY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE KEEPING IT 100 IN LINE WITH THE ORIGINAL TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO WE HAD COMMUNITY DEBATE AND THEN MAYOR WALSH ENDED UP SUPPORTING KEEPING IT 100.
IN THE END THAT SATISFIED THIS ROUTE SO WE'VE DONE THIS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. WE MADE A DECISION AND WE ADOPTED THE 16 SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICIES AND YET
EVERY YEAR SINCE THOSE CHANGES WERE FINALIZED WE'VE CHIPPED AWAY AT THE POLICY A LITTLE BIT. YOU SAW THE SLIDE EARLIER THAT DPS PUT OUT SAYING, YOU KNOW, EXPLAINING THAT THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE EVERY SINGLE YEAR SO FAR SINCE 2021.
NOT ONLY DOES THAT LEAD TO THE INSTABILITY THAT THAT PARENTS ARE SO CONCERNED WITH, BUT IT IS IT IS CHIPPING AWAY AT THE GOALS WE SET FOR OURSELVES IN MAKING THE CHANGES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, MESSING WITH TEARS AND THIS TIME AROUND WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING BIGGER. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A MULTI-PRONGED CHANGE STRIKING IN A PORTION OF THE POLICY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEBATED AND
DECIDED THESE PROPOSED CHANGES DON'T ADVANCE WHAT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE GOALS OF INCREASING REPRESENTATION FOR PREVIOUSLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS OR AT LEAST IN 2021.
THOSE WERE OUR STATED GOALS. WHAT THEY DO IN FACT IS MOVE US BACKWARDS TOWARDS A RESEGREGATION OF OUR EXAMPLES. LAST YEAR WAS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOSTON'S SUPPOSED DESEGREGATION AND YET WE ARE RETURNING TO THOSE
PRACTICES BY WAY OF A POLICY UPDATE. THANKS. THANK YOU. HOW MANY MINUTES DO I HAVE?
WE DO THINK WE DO LIKE 20 MINUTES FOR THE WHOLE PRESENTATION SO WE HAVE PETER ONLINE. YEAH, I'M HERE. I'M HERE IF I COULD GO JUST BECAUSE I HAVE KIDS IN THE
BACKGROUND THAT ARE ABOUT TO GET LITTLE WILEY AT THIS POINT I'VE HAD THEM ON HOLD IN AND YOU MAY SEE THEM IN THE BACKGROUND BECAUSE I CAN'T HELP
IT BUT I APOLOGIZE. SO JUST INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS PETER ALVAREZ. I'M ACTUALLY A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL ALUM FROM MADISON PARK TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL ORIGINALLY FROM UP IN THIS
CORNER AREA OF DORCHESTER. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN WEST ROXBURY AND I'M THE FATHER OF THREE STUDENTS AT THE LINDEN . I'M TESTIFYING IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGE WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE TOP PERFORMING STUDENTS ACROSS
THE CITY TO OBTAIN ADMISSION INTO THE EXAM SCHOOLS INCREASING FAIRNESS WHILE ENSURING THAT THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS REMAIN IN PLACE AND KEEP TEN POINTS FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN HOUSING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT I WOULD PUSH IS FOR MORE CATEGORIES. I HEARD COUNCIL RAIL TALK ABOUT THIS TO BE CONSIDERED INTO THE TEN POINTS TO TRULY EXPAND THE TENOR OF WHAT STUDENTS ARE GETTING THESE EXTRA POINTS FROM
SECTION EIGHT MASS HEALTH SNAP. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, THE TEN POINTS ARE GIVEN TO MORE STUDENTS. I THINK AND I WANT TO MAKE A
NOTE HERE THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING HEY, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE LOW JUST READING THROUGH LIKE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE
LOW INCOME KIDS IMPACTED AT THAT. HILMAR LINDEN ELIOT MOZART I'LL GET ALLEGORY AND MANNING. THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS EVEN THOUGH THOSE KIDS ARE ASSIGNED
TO THOSE SCHOOLS THEY EFFECTIVELY GET NO CHANCE OF GETTING INTO THE EXAM SCHOOLS WHILE AT THE FIRST CHANGE WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE GETTING TEN POINTS FOR ANY SCHOOL THAT WAS 40% YOU HAD
SCHOOLS WHERE YOU HAD MULTI YOU HAD FAMILIES THAT WERE MAKING OVER 500,000 $1,000,000 A YEAR OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME GETTING TEN POINTS. SO NO ONE HAS REALLY EXPLAINED WHY MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION WAS GOOD ESPECIALLY IF YOU
THINK ABOUT THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WERE GETTING TEN POINTS. THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE LOW INCOME STUDENTS THERE AND THOSE STUDENTS WERE COMPETING AGAINST THE HIGHER INCOME STUDENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS. I KNOW THAT THEY CHIPPED AWAY AT THE POLICY BIT BY BIT BUT
THAT WAS THE EFFECT IN THE BEGINNING WHILE WE ALL ARE SAYING YEP WE WANT TO GO BACK THERE IT WAS DISENFRANCHIZING LOW INCOME STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AS WELL AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF LEVEL SET THAT AND ALSO
THESE ARE ALL BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH FAMILIES THAT INVEST WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE EFFECTIVELY BEING PUNISHED AND THEIR STUDENTS NO ONE TO REALLY PUT UP A CASE AS TO WHY STUDENTS WITH A 100 SCORE
SHOULD NOT BE GETTING INTO AN EXAM SCHOOL AND NO ONE HAS ACTUALLY FLAGGED THAT AS AN ISSUE OR A PROBLEM THAT'S ADVOCATING FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK AND I WANT TO STRESS IS I DO
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO EXPAND THE TENT OF THE STUDENTS GETTING THOSE TEN POINTS TO BE JUST NOT BOSTON HOUSING BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE LOW INCOME STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
YES, IN WEST ROXBURY, IN ROSLINDALE, IN EAST BOSTON, IN THE NORTH AND IN JAMAICA PLAIN THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOW INCOME STUDENTS. THEY MAY BE IN SECTION EIGHT. THEY MAY NOT BE ON A CENSUS TRACT THAT SOMEWHERE ON THE
TIERS I AM IN FAVOR OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS AND DOING THE WATERFALL THROUGH THE TIERS AS WELL BECAUSE IT IS ENSURING MORE SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY IN
I THINK THE RIGHT COMPARISON POINT MIGHT BE FOR THE FIRST AFTER LIKE WITH THIS POLICY IS GOING TO BE GOING BACK TO 2019 AND SEEING HOW THE EXAM SCHOOLS
HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME. IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT AS A MADISON PARK ALUMNI I THINK EVERY SCHOOL HAS DIFFERENT FACTORS. I WAS A STUDENT THAT DID WELL. I WENT TO BOSTON COLLEGE AFTER I WAS AT MADISON PARK TECH FOR
HIGH SCHOOL. IF I WENT TO ONE OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS THOUGH I WAS VERY TRUANT IN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS LATE ALL THE TIME. IF I WENT STRAIGHT TO AN EXAM SCHOOL I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD HORRIBLE GRADES AND I
WOULDN'T KNOW. WENT TO BOSTON COLLEGE. THAT'S WHY I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF INCREASING OUR FOCUS ON ALL OF THE SCHOOLS ALTOGETHER. I AGREE WITH THAT. I ALSO THINK THAT IN DOING SO
AND IN BELIEVING IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WE ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE SOME LEVEL OF FAIRNESS ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY GO TO. SO I WOULD URGE A LITTLE MORE I
HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT YOU KNOW AND CAN'T COUNCILOR WEBER MADE THIS POINT AS WELL GIVING POINTS TO BPC STUDENTS AND JUST SEEING IN ADDITION TO IN THIS POLICY MAY BRING MORE STUDENTS
INTO THE DISTRICT MAY INCREASE ENROLLMENT WHERE WE'VE BEEN HAVING LESS ENROLLMENT AND HAVING MORE FAMILIES STAY IN THE DISTRICT AND STAY IN BEEPERS IF THEY COULD GET POINTS AND MAYBE AT LAST ONE YEAR AND IT GETS INVALIDATED OR
MAYBE IT DOESN'T AND WE'LL HAVE AN EVEN MORE ROBUST PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH MORE FAMILIES CHOOSING TO BE INTO BPC AND NOT GO INTO METCO AND NOT GO INTO PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE STILL GOING TO GET
PARENTS DOING THAT BUT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS OF LESS OF THAT. I THINK WITH THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED, THESE FAMILIES AS MENTIONED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT ARE A LOT
OF TIMES THEY'RE NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. THAT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY LIVE IN OR THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO THOSE SCHOOLS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. MAYBE IT'S THE TIME THAT THE SCHOOL STARTS OR CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT ARE THERE AND A LOT OF THEM ARE EFFECTIVELY
LOCKED OUT OF EXAM SCHOOLS. AGAIN, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYONE SAY YES, THAT IS WHAT I WANT OR THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT RESULT THAT STUDENTS DO SCORE 197 OR WHAT HAVE YOU SHOULD BE LOCKED
OUT OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS WE ALL PAY PROPERTY TAXES INTO THE CITY. WE ALL CONTRIBUTE. WE ARE ALSO BP'S FAMILIES. THE PROPOSED CHANGE WILL MAKE SURE THAT LOW INCOME STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY NO MATTER WHERE
THEY LIVE GET A SHOT AT THE EXAM SCHOOL. AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT LIKE SCHOOLS LIKE NEW MISSION BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY, SNOWDEN TO QUINCY FENWAY. THESE ARE GREAT PUBLIC HIGH
SCHOOLS AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE MAKING THEM GREAT AND MAKING THEM A MODEL THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. AND I'D LIKE BP'S OVERALL TO TO CREATE A STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LIKES OF UPPER BOW MINES MATTER BOSTON AND OTHER
COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS PROGRAMS FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT MAY NOT BE PERFORMING AS HIGHLY RIGHT NOW. THEY COULD GET THESE SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMS IN THERE AND REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET MORE STUDENTS INTO THESE
PROGRAMS AND ENROLL BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S A DISCONNECT IN CONNECTING THESE PROGRAMS WITH THE SCHOOL. AND SO I JUST WANT TO REALLY STRESS I WANT ALL BP SCHOOLS TO BE GREAT.
I ALSO WANT THERE TO BE FAIRNESS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP BLACK LATINO WITHIN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WENT TO THE TEXTBOOK HIGH SCHOOL AND AT
FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF THE 20% SLOTS PER SCHOOL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I ALSO AM AN ATTORNEY AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT, I WANT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE INVALIDATED AND WE GOT TO GO BACK TO SQUARE
ONE. SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY MORE ON THAT. BUT I DO THINK THAT I SAY THAT ON ONE END. BUT I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT GIVING THE POINTS FOR STUDENTS WOULD ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING
THAT THAT DOES THAT. SO I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT JUST IMPLEMENTING HAVING ALL BPP'S FAMILIES GET ADDITIONAL POINTS AND I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE
THAT WE REALLY DO THINK ABOUT LIKE STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SEE WHERE KEEPING SOCIOECONOMIC TIERS AND WE'RE ALSO I DO THINK WE NEED TO
EXPAND THE TENT OF WHERE THOSE TEN POINTS GO ON AN INDIVIDUAL FAMILY BASIS BY TAKING IN ADDITIONAL TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME.
AWESOME. HI EVERYONE. THANKS FOR STILL BEING HERE. BESIDES BEING ON THE 2021 TASK
FORCE, I'M THE PARENT OF A BP GRADUATE. I'M ALSO AN EDUCATION RESEARCHER WHO'S PUBLISHED STUDIES ON AIW SEA EFA AND EXAMS SCHOOLS.
I'M GOING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO COVER BUT I DID SHARE MY EVIDENCE BASED PERSPECTIVES INTO SCHOOL COMMITTEE TESTIMONIES WHICH I CAN SHARE
WITH ALL OF YOU FOR THIS HEARING. I GET THAT BP IS CONCERNED ABOUT ENROLLMENT DECLINE AS THE GROUPS THAT HAVE DECLINED IN ENROLLMENT AT EXAM SCHOOLS
SINCE THE POLICY CHANGE ARE WHITE ECONOMICALLY ADVANTAGED AND THOSE WHO ATTENDED PRIVATE PAROCHIAL AND METCO SCHOOLS. I GET THAT BP WANTS A POLICY
THAT IS EASY TO EXPLAIN BUT THEIR PROPOSED SET ASIDE FOR TOP 20% BY SCHOOL FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER 80% IN TEARS IS NOT
EASIER TO EXPLAIN THAN 100% BY TEARS. I GET THAT THE CURRENT BONUS POINT SYSTEM PENALIZES APPLICANTS FROM A FEW BP SCHOOLS I HAVE TO PROPOSALS
THAT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM NEITHER OF WHICH PENALIZE LOWER TIER FAMILIES LIKE THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION DOES. I CAN DISCUSS THIS IN THE Q&A.
I GET THAT BP WANTS A STABLE POLICY THEN DON'T CHANGE IT OR IF YOU DO CHANGE IT HAVE A GOOD RATIONALE THAT IS ABOUT JUSTICE
AND IS EVIDENCE BASED NOT ABOUT COMPROMISE THAT REDUCES ACCESS FOR OUR MOST HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS AND SENDING SCHOOLS I WILL FOCUS
TODAY'S COMMENTS ON THE VARIABLES IN THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THURSDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING WHICH IS SIMULATION B FROM JUNE 17. FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT IT'S GOOD THAT THE RECOMMENDATION KEEPS TEARS BONUS POINTS FOR HOUSING ELIGIBILITY, GPA AND COUNTING SCHOOL AGED RESIDENTS INSTEAD
OF APPLICANTS FOR TWO YEARS. THE VARIABLES CHANGING IN THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION ARE ELIMINATING BONUS POINTS SETTING ASIDE 20% OF SEATS IN
EACH EXAM SCHOOL FOR A CITY WIDE COMPETITION AND WITH THE OTHER 80% BY FOR EQUAL TEARS INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT 100% BY
FOR EQUAL TEARS AND JUST A NOTE RESPONDING TO SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER'S STATEMENT THE TASK FORCE DID NOT RECOMMEND A 20% SET ASIDE.
IT WAS ADDED BY THE CO-CHAIRS AT THE LAST MINUTE AND NEVER VOTED ON BASED ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS THIS MONTH I PREDICT THAT THE FINAL
RECOMMENDATION WILL ADD A THIRD VARIABLE GIVING MORE WEIGHT TO THE MATH TEST 50% INSTEAD OF 30% AND LESS TWO GRADES. I'VE ALREADY ANALYZED THE
SIMULATIONS PRESENTED AND TESTIFIED THAT THE RECOMMENDATION PORTENDS A REGRESSION ON THE GAINS WE MADE REGARDING REPRESENTATIVENESS.
I WANT TO MAKE TWO SUGGESTIONS IN HOW BP'S SHARES ITS SIMULATIONS BESIDES TRULY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY FIRST
THE SIMULATIONS SHOULD BE DONE ON THE 20 2021 APPLICATION POOL AND TO THE PUBLIC SHOULD SEE SIMULATIONS THAT CHANGE ONE
VARIABLE AT A TIME. LET ME EXPLAIN FOR THE MORE ACCURATE APPLICANT POOL THE SHARED SIMULATIONS ARE BASED ON
THE MOST RECENT TWO YEARS OF APPLICANTS 2425 SCHOOL YEAR AND 2526 SCHOOL YEAR APPLICANT POOLS WHICH WON'T BEAR OUT BECAUSE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC
SHIFT IN APPLICANT FROM PRE-PANDEMIC TO NOW PRIVATE PAROCHIAL AND METCO STUDENTS NOW APPLY AT LESS THAN HALF THE
RATE THAT THEY DID IN 2020 2021 SCHOOL YEAR INVITES ASIANS DECLINE FOR WHITE STUDENTS AND FOR SOCIO ECONOMICALLY ADVANTAGED STUDENTS SUGGESTING
A DECLINE IN APPLICATIONS IF SIMULATION B IS ENACTED. I PREDICT THE APPLICANT POOL WILL SHIFT BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC
NUMBERS AND PROPORTIONS SO I SUGGEST THAT THE SIMULATIONS USE THE 20 2021 APPLICANT POOL DATA. ONLY THEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO ANALYZE FAIRNESS AND
REPRESENTATION OF HOW INVITATIONS ARE DISTRIBUTED IF BONUS POINTS GOES AWAY AND A 20% SET ASIDE IS IMPLEMENTED.
MY MY NEXT SUGGESTION IS AROUND SIMULATIONS THAT WE CAN ANALYZE PROPERLY. I'M A MOLECULAR BIOLOGIST BY TRAINING AND WHEN WE TEST NEW
CONDITIONS OR NEW PROCESSES WE CHANGE ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME. IF WE CHANGE TWO OR MORE AT A TIME AND THE OUTCOME CHANGES, HOW WILL WE KNOW WHICH VARIABLE
CONTRIBUTED? HOW MUCH TO THE CHANGE? BP AS IS RECOMMENDED POLICY AS OF NOW CHANGES TWO THINGS AT ONCE AND THEY MAY EVEN CHANGE
THE THIRD THING THE WEIGHT OF THE TEST THE SIMULATIONS NEEDED TO ALLOW ANALYSIS OF FAIRNESS AND REPRESENTATION BY STUDENT GROUP WOULD CHANGE
ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME. SO THAT WOULD BE TWO SETS OF SIMULATIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T YET SEEN ONE WHICH IS THE
CURRENT 100% BY TEARS WITH NO BONUS POINTS AND ONE WOULD BE THE CURRENT BONUS POINTS WITH THE 20% CITYWIDE BY SCHOOL ON
THE 20% SET ASIDE IF SIMULATION BE RECOMMENDATION PASSES THE FAMILIES WHOM BPC SEEMS TO WANT TO WU BACK WILL LIKELY RECEIVE
INVITATIONS IN THE CITYWIDE TOP 20% ROUND FOR EACH SCHOOL THAT'S 20% FEWER SEATS FOR STUDENTS IN THE LOWER TIERS. I'VE HEARD FOLKS SAY WELL 80%
WILL STILL BE BY TIER BUT REALLY ONLY HALF OF THOSE WILL BE FOR STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE LOWER INCOME TIERS WHICH ARE DEMOGRAPHICALLY LESS WHITE AND
LESS ECONOMICALLY PRIVILEGED. ADDING A THIRD CHANGE THE WEIGHT OF THE MAP TEST IS ANOTHER DISTRACTION THAT WE COVERED EXTENSIVELY IN 2021 AND
ACHIEVED CONSENSUS ON I'LL SAVE MY TESTIMONY ON THE USE AND MISUSE OF TESTS IN SELECTIVE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE. BUT IN A NUTSHELL MANY STUDIES
SHOW TEST CORRELATE WITH FAMILY INCOME MEASURE PRIOR OPPORTUN ITIES AND HAVE GREATER DISPARATE IMPACT THAN GRADES. SECOND GRADES ARE BETTER
PREDICTORS BECAUSE THEY'RE CUMULATIVE AND REFLECT EFFORT AS WELL AS ACADEMICS SKILLS. WHY WOULD WE INCREASE THE WEIGHT OF A TEST SCORE AND
DECREASE THAT OF GRADES? SO IN MY WRITTEN TESTIMONY REQUEST A COUPLE OF OTHER SIMULATIONS THAT ONLY CHANGE
ONE AT A TIME AND INCLUDE THE 50% TEST SCORE WAY TO SUMMARIZE IT SEEMS BEPS WANTS TO BOOST ITS ENROLLMENT OF AFFLUENT FAMILIES BY MAKING TWO CHANGES THAT BENEFIT THEIR CHANCES
OF GETTING INTO EXAM SCHOOLS WHILE TAKING AWAY SEATS FROM LOWER INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR. THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO SEE AND DISCUSS SIMULATIONS THAT USE THE MOST ACCURATE APPLICANT
POOL AVAILABLE WHICH IS PRE-PANDEMIC AND THE CHANGE ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME IF BPC IS RUNNING A NEW SIMULATION FOR A 50% TEST WAIT THEN I REQUEST
THOSE SIMULATIONS INCLUDE ONE THAT CHANGES ONLY ONE VARIABLE SO CURRENT BONUS POINTS CURRENT 100% BY TIERS AND 50% TEST.
BUT IF WE WANT SIMPLE FAIR ON GAMBLE AND TO ALLUDE TO COUNSELOR MORE HE IS POIGNANT STORY FROM HER DAUGHTER NO NEED TO PROVE NOT BEING A ZIP
CODE KID THEN LOTTERY OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS BY TIER FITS THOSE CRITERIA. AWESOME THANK YOU TO OUR
COMMUNITY PANEL. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO COUNSELOR'S QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL WERE PREPARED AND WE'LL PUT 5 MINUTES ON THE CLOCK. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR THIS PANEL. I UNNECESSARILY HAVE A QUESTION MORE OF A THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO BECAUSE I'M
SPEAKING TO YOU HOW SPEAKING TO YOU DIRECTLY HERE BECAUSE I'M JUST SO I REMEMBER A CONVERSATION WE HAD AT WAS A BE HEALTHY AND RATHER THAN YOU CAME TO ONE OF MY COFFEE HOURS
YOU VERY MUCH WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INEQUALITIES THAT EVEN EXIST AMONG THE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS IN THEMSELVES NOT JUST BETWEEN EXAM SCHOOLS AND REGULAR SCHOOLS AND I REALLY WANTED TO FOR MY OTHER
COLLEAGUES TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVE IN THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE SO THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING A PANELIST AND I WON'T ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PREPARED AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I LIKE MANY OF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE ALL DAY BOTH FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE,
FROM AN EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE. YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN A THIS HAS BEEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT IT CAN BE VERY MUCH ABOUT INDIVIDUAL RIGHT LIKE WHAT I WAS SAYING EARLIER IS THAT LIKE THE TEARS
ARE NECESSARY BECAUSE WE WANT TO COUNTERACT THE FAILURE OF SYSTEMS AND SO I WANTED TO
AT THE SAME TIME ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOES CONCERN ME IS THE MATHEMATICAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF CERTAIN FOLKS FROM CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO ANY OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS.
RIGHT. I TAKE ISSUE I WANT TO SAY THAT I TAKE ISSUE WITH THE PRESSURE THAT WE PUT ON OUR SYSTEM, OUR SCHOOLS TO BELIEVE THAT ALL
THERE IS ARE THESE THREE EXAM SCHOOLS. BUT I ALSO VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND IT RIGHT AS SOMEONE WHO WENT TO BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL WENT TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL. WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE RIGOR THAT LATIN SCHOOL GAVE ME? NOT SURE BUT YOU STATED THAT YOU HAVE A MODEL FOR GETTING AT THAT MATHEMATICAL IMPOSSIBILITY
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONSIDERED AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MODEL IS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE THAT GETS AT THE MATHEMATICAL IMPOSSIBILITY
RIGHT? BECAUSE FOR ME CITYWIDE SCHOOLS ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD FEEL I SHOULD FEEL LIKE THIS IS THEIR SCHOOL A SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN GET INTO. RIGHT. LIKE PART OF THE ISSUE IS YES,
WHEN I WAS AT LATIN THERE WERE KIDS FROM MATTAPAN BUT THERE WERE LIKE THREE THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY AND THERE WERE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAD A GREAT SENSE OF REPRESENTATION AT THE
SCHOOL. SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE LIKE I DON'T WANT TO BE THREE KIDS FROM MATTAPAN, I WANT IT TO BE MORE BUT I ALSO WANT IT TO BE I DON'T WANT ANY NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE SHUT OUT.
WHAT IS THE WHEN IS THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE? YEAH THANK YOU FOR ASKING SO WELL THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE.
ONE IS FROM COUNCILOR WEBER WHICH IS BONUS POINTS FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THERE IS A POTENTIAL I'M LOOKING INTO IT
AS WELL BUT LIKE THE AND I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE THE POTENTIAL ILLEGALITY OF SUCH A PLAN. YEAH YEAH. AND SO THE OTHER TWO ARE THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH
BEHIND THEM ESPECIALLY AT THE SELECTIVE COLLEGE LEVEL ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME AT THE SELECTIVE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHICH ONE IS LOTTERY WHICH I'VE
ALREADY SUGGESTED SO IF WE KEEP THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT AND THEN DO A LOTTERY AMONG ALL ELIGIBLE THEN EVERY EVERY
SENDING EVERY APPLICANT HAS A CHANCE RIGHT ASSUMING EVERY SENDING SCHOOL HAS ELIGIBLE
KIDS WHO APPLY THEN THAT'S ONE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S MATHEMATICALLY POSSIBLE FOR EVERY KID TO GET IN ANOTHER. WHAT POINT YOU CONDUCT THE
LOTTERY IS IT AFTER AFTER ASSESSMENT OF THE SCORE AND ALTHOUGH IN MY PERSONAL OPINION
AS IT SHOULD BE WHOEVER WANTS TO GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE SO AND THEN THE OTHER OPTION THAT
I'VE STUDIED IS THE TOP CERTAIN PERCENT OF EVERY SENDING SCHOOL THAT'S SIMILAR TO LIKE THE SELECTION PROCESS IN TEXAS AND
EXACTLY EXACTLY. AND RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT WELL I WON'T NERD OUT I'LL JUST YEAH I JUST WANT WORK I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS YEAH I GET IT THE POTENTIALLY
LEGALLY DUBIOUS OPTION OF POINTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOTTERY BASED AND THE SELECTION TOP CERTAIN PERCENT THAT ADDS
UP TO THE SEVENTH GRADE SEATS. HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR I MEAN ARE YOU ARE YOU INCLUDING IN THAT CHARTERS METCO YEAH YEAH PRIVATE PAROCHIAL EVERY
SCHOOL SCHOOL THAT I MEAN BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL LEGAL PROBLEM AROUND ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS NOT ONE AROUND THE TOP CERTAIN PERCENT OF EVERY
SENDING SCHOOL THANK YOU SOME THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY THANK YOU AND I JUST WANT
TO THANK ALL THE PANELISTS FOR THEIR TESTIMONY SO AND I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR FOREVER. YOU KNOW, WE JUST WE I HAD TWO
CASES THAT I WORKED ON AGAINST THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE HAD TWO TRIALS OF EACH ONE FOR A MONTH JUST ON THE ISSUE OF WHAT A MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM DOES, YOU KNOW, AND HOW YOU SCORE IT AND THE DISPARATE
IMPACT THAT HAS BASED ON RACE AND SO BECAUSE I AND I MENTIONED THAT JUST ROSANNE I GUESS THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU IN TERMS OF WE WE DEALT WITH AN
ISSUE ON THAT WITH THERE WAS AN EXAM EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION COMPONENT OF THAT COMPOSITE SCORE AND THE CITY WOULD SAY LOOK WE'RE MEASURING YOU KNOW,
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE THAT'S NOT THE MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST. THE THING WAS EVERYONE HAD THE SAME SCORE ON THAT PORTION OF THE TEST SO IT REALLY PLAYED NO ROLE IN HOW SOMEONE YOU KNOW
IN THEIR COMPOSITE SCORE SO HERE DO YOU IN TERMS OF GRADES DO YOU KNOW LIKE WHAT DIFFERENCE HOW MUCH THE GRADES DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN STUDENTS?
YOU KNOW IN THIS PROCESS I JUST DO LOOK AT THAT. NO WELL I'VE SEEN MONICA'S GRAPHS ABOUT THAT AND I KNOW THAT TODAY THEY ALLUDED TO THE
FACT THAT THE MAP TEST SCORES DIFFERENTIATE MORE THAN GRADES DO. BUT I'D HAVE TO DIG THROUGH. OKAY. YEAH.
AND I GUESS IN TERMS OF YEAH AND I ASSUME THAT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE MAP SCORES LIKE DO WE SEE THE SAME KINDS
OF DIFFERENT SCORE DIFFERENCES ON MAP THAT WE SAW ON THE AC OR THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT WE LEARNED IN IN THE CASE OVER TIME THESE MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS YOU ARE ON AVERAGE GOING
TO SEE A SCORE DIFFERENCE BASED ON RACE AND IT'S NOT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INTELLIGENCE . OFTEN IT'S JUST EVEN THE TEST TAKERS OWN EXPECTATIONS FOR OH,
IDEAS, YOU KNOW SO DO DO WE HAVE THAT DATA ON THE MAP? IS IT ANY BETTER THAN THE AC? THE MAP IS AN IMPROVEMENT ON
THE AC BECAUSE IT'S ALIGNED TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS AND TIPS CURRICULUM WHICH THE AC WASN'T. IT'S ALSO BETTER BECAUSE IT'S
GIVEN IN BPO SCHOOLS WHICH THE AC WASN'T BUT THE MAP TEST IS A SERIOUSLY FLAWED TEST AND THE
FIRST PRINCIPLE OF ASSESSMENT IS THAT YOU USE A TEST FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. THE MAP TEST IS A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT. IT'S SUPPOSED TO GIVE TEACHERS
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY'RE TEACHING AND IT'S BEING USED FOR A HIGH STAKES SELECTIVE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS.
SO IT'S IT'S IT'S BREAKING THE FIRST RULE OF ASSESSMENT. SECOND, IT'S ONLY MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS.
SO IT'S IT'S NOT MEASURING A LOT OF THINGS THAT MOST OF US CARE ABOUT. AND THIRD, NOBODY HAS EVER
SHOWN THAT IT HAS PREDICTIVE VALIDITY MEANING THAT IT IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.
SO IN THAT SENSE I THINK IT'S A BAD TEST AND IN FACT I THINK ALL TESTS SHOW IS CORRELATION WITH FAMILY INCOME WITH YOU
KNOW, RESOURCES. THEY THEY BASICALLY CEMENT OUT OPPORTUNITY. THEY DON'T THEY DON'T ACCURATELY MEASURE ACADEMICS
AND THAT WOULD THAT WOULD JUST THAT WOULD THAT INFORMATION WOULD SUPPORT KEEPING THE 3070 DIVISION AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO
A 5050 YES AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS 4 HOURS ON THE TASK FORCE HOURS AND SETTLED AT 3070 AND WE CAN LOOK AT THE SIMULATIONS
AND MY PREDICTION IS IF WE GO TO 5050 THE DEMOGRAPHICS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT. OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT COUNCILOR LAUREL AND OTHERS MENTIONED THAT PERHAPS THE
BLACK STUDENT NUMBERS COULD GO UP BY DOING THAT. YOU KNOW AND I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED THAT IT WAS THE GPA ISSUE ON KIND OF JUST DIFFERENT GPA INFLATION AND DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND THAT THAT WAS WHAT LED THERE. SO I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT ONE PIECE AND I I ALSO WANT TO FLAG THAT, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS ALL OF THE COLLEGES A LOT
OF THE COMPETITIVE COLLEGES NOW HAVE RELATED ADMISSIONS TEST I SAT AND ASKED SCORES AGAIN AND I REALLY DON'T WANT OUR LOW INCOME STUDENTS OF COLOR THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND
JUST HAVE A VIEW OF TESTS THAT LIKE WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO TO COLLEGE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THEM. I AM ALSO VERY SKEPTICAL OF TESTS AND USING THE RIGHT TEST BUT I JUST I ALSO DON'T
WANT TO CREATE A NEW TEST TO TEST THE STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY TAKING MAP AND M CASTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THOSE THOSE TWO ITEMS.
WELL, OKAY IT JUST IF YOU LET ME ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP JUST APOLOGIZE MEJIA SORT OF JUST WASN'T WHEN YOU WERE ON THE TASK FORCE DID YOU AND I MY
BELIEF IS THE FIRST YEAR WE ADDED THE GRADES OR MAYBE WAS THE 2020 2021 WE ACTUALLY HAD A 20 THIS 20% SET ASIDE AT THE SCHOOL.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION OF THAT THAT PARTICULAR COMPONENT AND HOW WENT AND WHAT YOUR OPINION WAS OF IT THEN
WHEN ON THE TASK FORCE? WELL I HAD TO GO BACK AND REFRESH MY MEMORY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND IN OUR
SECOND TO THE LAST TASK FORCE MEETING SO MEETING NUMBER 27 SEVERAL HOURS IN THE CO-CHAIRS
A BREAK AND WENT OFF SCREEN AND THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND WHEN THEY CAME BACK THEY DIDN'T ADJOURN THE MEETING BUT
THEY ENDED THE MEETING AND THEN I THINK IT WAS TWO OR THREE DAYS LATER WE CAME BACK ON TO A PUBLIC MEETING AND THEY
PROPOSED THEY RECOMMENDED I HAVE TO LOOK THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THAT THE HOLD ON ME YES
THEY THEY CAME BACK ON AND RECOMMENDED THE 20% THE TASK FORCE NEVER DISCUSSED IT. THE TASK FORCE NEVER VOTED AND
SPECULATION IS THAT SOME PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES MADE THREATS THAT WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S
HOW THE 20% GOT PUT PUT IN WITHOUT TASK FORCE DISCUSSION. SO IT'S YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. AND WHAT WAS YOUR WHAT'S YOUR RECOLLECTION OF HOW THAT THAT
WORKED THE LAST TIME WE TRIED IT? OH YOU MEAN THE DATA. YEAH, FROM 2020, 2021. OH WELL I MEAN I CAN LOOK IT UP FOR YOU AFTER THIS MEETING BUT
I'M SURE THE THE DATA LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN WITHOUT THE 20%. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNSELOR MIA THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER.
COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ARE YOU SAYING THANK YOU TO ME? EVERYBODY IS I'M I DIDN'T SAY NOTHING. YOU KNOW I HAVE TO KEEP DEFENDING MYSELF IN THIS CHAIR
HERE. SO I THINK FOR ME AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND YOU KNOW AND FOR YOU TO BE HERE YOU KNOW, I WAS WE WERE ON THE YELLOW TASK
FORCE TOGETHER BACK IN THE DAY SO WE'RE NO STRANGER TO EQUITY WORK AND FIGHTING THE SYSTEM THAT WE CALL PEACE. BUT I GUESS FOR ME THE BEST WAY
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE WEEDS OF THIS CONVERSATION TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IT I GUESS A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENCIES IN HERE UNDERSTANDING THE WAY I GUESS
THE BEST WAY I CAN TRANSLATE IT . SO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE TALKED ABOUT BEING YOU KNOW, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR BILES SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN YOU KNOW, HER PATHWAY
TAUGHT TO HARVARD AND COLUMBIA SET HER ON A PATHWAY TO HAVE ACCESS AND YOU KNOW, MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN CERTAIN SPACES AND PLACES.
AND THEN JUXTAPOSE THAT TO ME WHO WAS BUSED DURING THE THE THIRD ROUND OF BUSSING IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR I WAS BUSED FROM DORCHESTER TO EAST
BOSTON WHERE I ENDED UP HAVING TO DROP OUT AND THEN I EVENTUALLY ALMOST AT 20 GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL FROM DORCHESTER HIGH WHERE IT WAS CALLED DUMB CHESTER RIGHT.
SO I WENT TO DORCHESTER HIGH AT A TIME WHERE YOU KNOW IT JUST WAS NOT THE SCHOOL TO TO GO TO SO BUT HERE WE HAVE TWO VERY DIFFERENT JOURNEYS WITHIN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
RIGHT. AND IT TELLS A TALE OF THOSE WHO HAVE AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT AND HOW DIFFERENT OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THAT.
RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THE SAME GOES TO WHY FOR ME I HAVE SUCH A STRONG BELIEF AND PASSION FOR MAKING
THIS AS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STUDENTS BECAUSE IT IS A FAIR IT IS ABOUT WHO HAS AND WHO HAS NOT. AND I THINK THAT WE GET SO
CAUGHT UP WITH THAT IDEA AND THE ILLUSION OF FAIRNESS WHEREAS YOU ARE ALREADY FARING FAR BETTER THAN SOME STUDENTS
JUST BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE THE TYPE OF PARENTAL HOUSEHOLD YOU GREW UP IN AND SO THAT THE SYSTEM ALREADY IS STACKED
AGAINST YOU JUST BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE AND HOW YOU GREW UP AND WHERE YOU GROW UP. AND SO IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR ME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WHEN THERE'S SO
MANY OPPOSING VIEWS. AND SO I'M CURIOUS THERE IS A QUESTION HERE 2 MINUTES INTO IT BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW ARE WE IN WHEN THESE ARE ALL FOR YOU TO PETER BECAUSE YOU
AGREE WITH THE CHANGES BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GET THIS RIGHT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS
BUT CENSORING EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR THOSE KIDS WHO DON'T LIVE IN A WHITE PICKET HOMES GREAT LIKE SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE Y'ALL? BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET CHASTISED ABOUT THIS IN THE MEDIA AT SOME POINT BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT POLITICS AT THE END OF THE DAY. BUT HOW CAN WE SLEEP AT NIGHT,
RIGHT, KNOWING THAT HAVE CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP OUR SCHOOLS TO MORE RACIALLY DIVERSE AND THEN NOW CLOSING
THAT BACK UP HOW HOW CAN HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS RIGHT RIGHT NOW I JUST TO SAY LIKE YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A THIRD JOURNEY I WENT TO MP AND THEN I
WENT TO BC FROM MADISON PARK. I HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT YOU KNOW I WAS IN THE UPPER BOUND PROGRAM AND THAT THAT'S WHY I KIND OF PUT A PLUG FOR SOME OF THOSE COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS PROGRAMS TO BE REALLY KIND OF INTEGRATED INTO A LOT
OF OUR SCHOOLS AND I THINK THAT'S ONE AVENUE IN ADDITION TO MAKING ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS BETTER. WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER TOO I WORRY THAT IF STUDENTS LIKE ME WHO I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WERE PUSHED TO AN EXAM SCHOOL I
WOULD HAVE STRAIGHT F'S AND I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT TO BOSTON COLLEGE. EVERY SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND I PROBABLY COULD HAVE MADE IT INTO THE EXAM SCHOOL SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING
OKAY LET'S PUT EVERYONE THERE BASED ON ME WHERE I GREW UP. I GREW UP WITH A FATHER WHO WAS IN PRISON FOR 15 YEARS. I WENT TO MADISON PARK. I WAS TRUANT. I WASN'T GOING TO SCHOOL AS OFTEN AS I SHOULD HAVE AND I HAD GREAT TEACHERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS THAT HELPED ME THROUGH AND THAT BRINGS ME KIND OF HERE WHERE I JUST THINK THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIKE YOU WANT STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET
ACCESS TO THE SCHOOLS AND I THINK EVERYONE'S HEARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER AND THE COUNSELORS HAVE ALL MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE STUDENTS LOCKED OUT OF THE EXAM SCHOOL.
I THINK THE WAY TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE IS TO CREATE EXPAND THE CATEGORIES FOR STUDENTS GETTING TEN POINTS SO THAT THERE'S MORE STUDENTS GETTING THE TEN POINTS EXTRA THAT IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO BOSTON
HOUSING AND THERE'S AND SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS MAY ACTUALLY LIVE IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO LIVE YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT IN BOSTON HOUSING THEY CAN LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE SECTION EIGHT STUDENTS NOT MASS HELP
RECIPIENTS, ALL OF THAT ARE ABLE TO GET AN ADDITIONAL TEN POINTS INCREASING THEIR CHANCES OF GETTING IN THOSE SIMULATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE ARE ONLY BASED ON BOSTON HOUSING. SO I THINK IF YOU ADD THAT
ELEMENT TO IT AND INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE EASIER TO DECIPHER WHERE IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE BOSTON HOUSING I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET IT A BIT MORE EQUITABLE.
I'M COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH DOING THAT AS WELL I THINK I DON'T LIKE THIS TO TURN INTO LIKE THESE PARENTS OVER HERE THEIR KIDS DON'T DESERVE IT BECAUSE X, Y AND Z SO IF
THEY'RE LOCKED OUT OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS THAT'S COMPLETELY FINE. THAT'S NOT REALLY THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE AGAIN SCHOOLS LIKE THE LINDEN AND THE KILMER AND THE ELLIOT THOSE SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE STUDENTS OF COLOR. THEY HAVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS. THEY HAVE LOW INCOME STUDENTS AS WELL. AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THOSE STUDENTS? THOSE STUDENTS ARE ALSO BEING LOCKED OUT OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS AND THERE'S DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SO WE WANT TO DO THE BEST FOR
THE MOST AND I THINK WE NEED TO GO IN THERE WITH THAT MIND FRAME AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE STUDENTS I FEEL LIKE YOU AS WELL YOU ACTUALLY ARE WE'RE BOTH LIKE I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE SUCCEEDED OR
THRIVED IN AN EXAM SCHOOL BASED ON THE HOME LIFE THAT I HAD. AND SO IF I WAS JUST KIND OF BROUGHT IN THERE, I DON'T THINK I WOULD ACTUALLY BE WHERE I'M AT NOW. AND I'M ALSO A FORMER BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHER AND I WAS TEACHER FOR FIVE YEARS AND SO I KIND OF HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON THIS AND THAT'S WHY I ALSO PLUG LIKE LIKE ONE OF THE PANELISTS HERE
LIKE GIVING STUDENTS FROM BEEPS, ALL OF THEM. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GET MORE EQUITABLE TOO. I THINK IT'S WORTH TRYING EVEN IF IT GETS STRUCK DOWN. I THINK IN ADDITION TO THESE CHANGES THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH TRYING FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT. HOW DO WE GET THIS RIGHT?
I THINK THAT BELIEVING WE LIVE IN A MERITOCRACY IS A FALLACY IN THE DR. ROSE SAID EVERY
STUDENT HAS TALENT BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS OPPORTUNITY. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR ME SAY COMPROMISES, OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE
GRAPHIC THAT EXPLAINS EQUALITY EQUITY AND JUSTICE AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM. EQUITY TO ME IS KIND OF LIKE
WHAT BP IS DOING TWEAKING THINGS EVERY TRYING TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS GO UP OR DOWN A LITTLE BIT JUST AND THE GRAPHIC
THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS HAS A PICTURE OF THE GIVING TREE ROOM AND APPLES AND JUSTICE. SO JUSTICE IS STRAIGHTENING THE
TREES SO THAT THE APPLES AREN'T CLOSER. SOME KIDS BUT OTHERS ARE THAT SOME KIDS NEED A HIGHER LADDER . OTHERS JUSTICE MEANS STRAIGHTENING THE TREE WHICH I
KNOW DOESN'T HAPPEN IN NATURE BUT SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS STRUCTURES AND BP'S THE ONLY WAY TO STRAIGHTEN THE TREE IS
TO GET RID OF EXAM SCHOOLS, EXAM SCHOOL STRUCTURE BP AND AS INTO INTO A TIERED EDUCATION SYSTEM. I SAID A PREVIOUS SCHOOL
COMMITTEE IT'S THREE TIERS. IT'S EXAM SCHOOLS, APPLICATION SCHOOLS AND OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS. AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.
SO THAT'S MY ANSWER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I AM. I DO AGREE. I I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXEMPT SCHOOLS EXISTED. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU UNTIL I
STARTED WORKING IN THE EDUCATION SPACE LIKE MY MOM NEVER MADE IT BEYOND THE THIRD GRADE SO NOBODY WAS EVEN THINKING ABOUT ME EVEN GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL TO BEGIN WITH. RIGHT. SO THIS CONVERSATION IS REALLY
ABOUT PRIVILEGE AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE PRIVILEGE REGARDLESS OF WHAT NATIONALITY THEY ARE. THERE'S PRIVILEGE IN ALL
DIFFERENT SPACES AND PLACES AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GRAPPLE WITH THAT REALITY. AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW,
SHOUT OUT TO PETER COMING OUT FROM YOU KNOW, MADISON PARK AND DEMONSTRATING THAT YOU KNOW, I WENT TO GEORGE AS TO HOW YOU WENT TO MADISON PARK TO OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS AND HERE WE
ARE YOU ARE A LAWYER AND I'M A CITY COUNSELOR, RIGHT? LIKE EXAM SCHOOLS ARE NOT THE END ALL AND BE ALL BUT WE CONTINUOUSLY POUR ALL OF OUR TIME AND ENERGY INTO THESE
ELITE SCHOOLS AND I STRUGGLED I DID NOT WANT TO SEND MY DAUGHTER TO BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY AND THE ONLY REASON WHY SHE ENDED UP THERE WAS BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO PROVE A POINT
THAT SHE BELONGED AND SHE DID GET THE HONOR ON HER FIRST YEAR. BUT THE FACT THAT SHE HAD TO PROVE THAT AND THE FACT THAT SHE GOT CALLED A COOL KID REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES TO HOW
FAR WE STILL HAVE TO GO IN THE EDUCATION SPACE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE'RE ALL FOR 50 YEARS SINCE BUSSING AND WE'RE STILL HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION.
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED NOW IS THAT WE'RE TAUGHT IT'S THE EXAM SCHOOLS ARE THE NEW YOU KNOW, BUSSING ERA. IT REALLY IS. AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE REAL
IMPORTANT FACTORS TO PUT INTO THIS MIX AND I THINK THAT WE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO REALLY GET IT RIGHT.
AND I THINK I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO PIT PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER WHICH IS HOW EVERYBODY ALWAYS WINS, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FACT OF THE MATTER. OUR KIDS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO FAIL AND I AND I THINK THAT WE KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THESE VOTES. BUT I BET YOU IF WE PUT THIS UP FOR A VOTE, YOU KNOW, A
RESOLUTION OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD PAUSE OR WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE POLITICAL WILL STANDS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS TO SUPPORT THIS RIGHT ALSO BENEFIT FROM THAT. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE THE DANGER IS AND THAT'S WHY
BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THIS CLIMATE IS VERY DIFFICULT IN THIS MOMENT BECAUSE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS UNDER ATTACK ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND HERE WE ARE IN AN
OPPORTUNITY TO STAND AND AND COMBAT THAT EVEN WITHIN THESE EXAMS SCHOOL WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S A DANGEROUS SCENARIO TO BE IN
AND I CAN SPEAK FREELY BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T CARE. I DON'T NEED THE SEAT TO DO MY JOB WHETHER I'M HERE OR NOT. YEAH, I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU IN MY MOUTH BECAUSE I WILL HEAR IN MY MOUTH BEFORE I CAME INTO THIS CHAMBER RIGHT?
SO LIKE I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHATEVER STANCES I TAKE BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE IN TAKING THOSE STANCES AND SO I GOT A LOT OF FREEDOM. SO THAT'S ALL THAT'S MY TEDTALK. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER HERE FOR ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU. I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OUR
PANELISTS A COMMUNITY PANEL FOR BEING HERE BOTH IN PERSON AND ZOOM. I KNOW WE ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES AND IT'S BEEN A LONG HEARING SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND I WILL JUST ASK
ABOUT NOW. SO I THINK OUR FIRST PANEL OUR SECOND PANEL, MY COLLEAGUES AND CENTRAL STAFF AND MEMBERS FOR THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE CAME AND
TESTIFIED AS WELL THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 1 TO 8 TWO IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU