Good evening and welcome to this meeting of the Boston School Committee. I'm chairperson Jerry Robinson. We'll begin with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I want to welcome everyone who is joining us tonight in person, on Boston
City TV, and on Zoom. I'm going to ask everyone here in the chamber to please turn off the volume on your laptops or other devices so that it does not interfere with the audio for tonight's meeting. Thank you for your cooperation.
Tonight's meeting documents are posted on the committee's web page, bostonschools.org/schoolcommittee, under the June 17th meeting link. For those joining us in person, you can access the meeting documents by scanning the QR code that's posted by the doors.
The meeting documents have been translated into all of the major BPS languages. Any translations that are not ready prior to the start of the meeting will be posted as soon as they are finalized. The meeting will be
rebroadcast on Boston City TV and posted on the school committee's web page and on YouTube. The committee is pleased to offer live simultaneous interpretation virtually in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cavarana,
Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language. The Zoom interpretation feature has been activated. Zoom participants should click the globe icon at the bottom of your screen to select your language preference. I'd like to remind everyone
to speak at a slower pace to assist our interpreters. We begin tonight with two celebrations. First, I'm pleased to announce the presentation of the $10,000 Michael Casterly Legacy Scholarship for
Educational Courage and Justice, named after the Council of Great City Schools former Executive Director. The scholarship is sponsored by Curriculum Associates. The scholarship will be will be presented by Michael Cassley, former
executive director of the council of the great city schools in Don Masters, senior vice president for curriculum associates. Going to ask everyone to join me down in front and then we will turn it over to vice chair O'Neal.
test test. Thank you, Madam Chair. So the Boston public schools and the Boston school committee have a long history of involvement with the council of great city schools which is a national organization that represents the top 78 urban public K to12 districts in the country. So all the large cities and
Boston has belonged for many years I believe since its founding and uh Dr. Michael Cassley has been involved with the organization for 48 years. Uh first as their legislative director, 30 years as their executive director, and the past couple years as an adviser to their
current executive director, um Dr. Ray Hart. And uh Dr. Cassie, simply put, and I'm sure the superintendent and chair would back me up on this, is a towering figure nationally in urban public K to2 education. Uh he has been involved in
every administration. He has led uh districts being involved urban districts like ourselves being involved in the trial urban district assessment part of NAPE. He has pushed all of us to increase our achievement always keeping districts focused on students and has worked with districts across the country
to improve their operations, their leadership, their governance, their management. And uh several years ago when he was retiring, I was the vice chair of the board of the council at that time representing Boston and was asked to chair a committee on how to honor Dr. Cassley's legacy um with the
council and with all our member districts. And uh we came up with several ideas, one of which the council board of directors implemented, which is the award we named after Dr. Cassley, which is the Michael Dr. Michael Cassley award for educational justice and
courage because those have been the two guiding lights in Dr. Cassley's life in pushing for making courageous dishes uh districts making courageous decisions and pushing for justice for all of our students. And um Curriculum Associates was very kind to step up and sponsor. So
each year the council at their spring legislative meeting uh picks someone who makes courageous decisions in education um and it could be a legislator or it could be from a nonprofit, someone from outside a council district and curriculum associates then grants a
$10,000 scholarship um that is chosen by Dr. Cassley and a committee and the person who was awarded. So with that's the case uh this year Dr. Cassley was nice enough to include Boston public schools in the potential for this awarding. And now we're going to call up
uh Dr. Cassley and crew to come up to make the presentation. [Applause] Thank you so much. First of all, um uh Michael, you are uh very humble in
describing how that award was really initiated. And it was really because of your uh initiation that uh this award uh came about in uh in the first place. And frankly, it's the reason why we wanted
to come back to Boston and to award a student in Boston uh this award to say thank you uh to the Boston school committee, the Boston superintendent, and Michael uh to you, my friend. So, I have to say uh when we decided to uh
present this award to a student in Boston, we didn't realize how difficult a task this was going to be. uh the uh students uh that we uh received essays from from showed remarkable uh talent.
Uh these were students already who had done just astonishing things. Um they had uh initiated my brother's keeper uh clubs. They had done uh uh fundraising activities. They had started cancer
awareness programs. They had done all kinds of things that will continue to make Boston a great city. And the thing that uh was even more remarkable uh to me was not what they had done but what they aspired to do uh in the future.
They wanted to be doctors and lawyers and teachers and uh detectives and all kinds of things that will help improve the overall uh future of this nation. Um, but it was the essay that our award
winner tonight, Andrew Tronaso, uh, wrote, uh, that, uh, really stood out to me and it was filled with, uh, passion for not only what he did at the Boston School of the Arts. Um, he played
viola, he used his, uh, uh, his skills to work with senior citizens. Uh he gave back uh in all kinds of community activities at homeless shelters uh with the military uh and uh all kinds of
other community organizations in need and took leadership uh uh responsibilities in the uh part-time jobs that uh that he uh held. Uh but it was how he talked about his mother who
is here and I wish would come up. uh Daisy uh talked about the uh uh the courage and uh uh resilience and determination of his mother and all the things that he
wanted to do after uh graduating from Boston School of the Arts. He's going on to uh Bentley University uh to study finance. Um, but he had one big idea in that. As you can tell, if he was a viola
major and he wanted to study finance, he was good in math. But one of the things that uh struck me was that uh he uh uh clearly watched over the years how uh
his family, his neighbors and others who didn't have the financial skills that it uh really took to build wealth u in the community. It was that that really motivated him uh to study finance and to
be in a position after he graduated from college that he could help people who did not have the wherewithal uh to build wealth to do so. U and I thought that was a big idea and an idea that not only
was going to help uh uh him, but it was going to help innumerable uh people uh who would benefit from uh his skills and commitment and his determination to do all of that with courage and a sense of justice really struck me as a remarkable
uh thing for a high school senior. So, Uh we are really proud to present this uh award the scholarship this evening. Before we but before we do I'd like to ask uh uh Don to say a few words. Uh Don
is the vice senior vice president of curriculum associates uh who funds this scholarship. Uh thank you Dr. Casserly. I I'll just uh be very brief here. It's quite an honor to partner uh in in the awarding of this scholarship uh to partner with
the council for all these years. Um and I want to congratulate you on a uh Michael and I had a had some time to spend just chatting the poise, the confidence, the graciousness. Uh really really excited for you and want to wish you the best of luck. We're a
Bostonbased company and so it uh it gives us a lot of pride to be honoring Boston public school student. Thank you. So with that, um, Andrew, would you like to say a word? Don't have to, but uh, just want I just want to say thank you
for this opportunity. It really means the world, and you guys are really changing lives in Boston. Thank you. [Applause] Um, just Andrew, congratulations. And congratulations to mom and your family because clearly you were the inspiration
for all of his hard work. Say to all of you, thank you one. Take another. Let me just make sure all your first question. This is not a check. [Applause]
Thank you. Um, so if Dr. Cassley can just stay here for one second. So Dr. Castley has been an incredible friend to the Boston public schools and Boston school committee over many years. You have no idea how many times he has presented here and back at Court Street to various
school committees. More importantly, how much time he has spent with superintendents and senior teams advising us on so many different aspects of operations, teaching us about best practices, how we can improve, always pushing Boston public schools to improve. And so you've presented to us
many times. Um, but we wanted to also briefly honor Dr. Cassley for the work that he has done. And he's going to be incredibly mortified right now with what we're about to say because he's uh the definition of a humble leader. Um, but
among other things, he's an Army vet. He's a very dedicated and loving um husband and father and father-in-law. and um as as well as thinking of the many millions of children in the bo in the districts across the country as
youth that he wants to shepherd and help improve. So uh we wanted uh tonight to read this pro proclamation whereas Dr. Michael Cassley has spent 48 years with the council of great city schools dedicated to improving urban public K
to12 education across the nation including 30 years as 30 years as its executive director and whereas Dr. Cassidy built the council into the pre-minent membership-based educational organization due to his relentless focus on improving student achievement,
strengthening urban school system governance, leadership and management, and bolstering public confidence in public education, the nation's leading cities. And whereas the city of Boston overall and Boston public schools in particular has benefited from Dr. Cassley's advice,
counsel, and guidance over the years, most particularly in the form of in-depth technical assistance teams in a variety of topics from finance to academics, from food service to transportation, from English language learners to special education, all designed to fairly evaluate and suggest
best practices nationally for Boston to consider. And whereas due to Dr. Cassley's leadership, the Boston public schools have participated in the trial urban district assessment tutor as part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, NAPE, the nation's
report card to measure our students progress against our peers nationally and provide the data necessary to continue to improve consistently. And whereas the council recognized Dr. Cassley's incredible achievements with the Dr. Michael Cassley Award for Educational Justice and Courage, now
awarded annually to deserving recipients who take similar pioneering stances in education. And whereas Dr. Cassley is awarding a deserving Boston public school senior with a $10,000 scholarship as part of this award. Whereas the city of Boston would like to extend a
heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dr. Michael Castley for his longtime focus on improving urban public education and for ensuring to quote the late Senator Kennedy that Boston is always in the room. The youth of Boston have been better
served due to your leadership and guidance. Now therefore, I Michelle Woo, mayor of the city of Austin, do hereby declare June 17, 2025 to be Dr. Michael Castley Day in the city of Austin. And this Army veteran knows that today
is the commemoration, the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunka Hills. So all that history that that entails. Congratulations, Dr. Castle. Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you to the city of Boston and to the great uh Boston school committee
and its superintendent and all of its amazing staff uh that I've known over the years. U I can't even remember the first superintendent I met from uh from Boston. It's been it's been 48 years now. So anyway, thank you so much.
[Applause] uh just to say that I I've had the pleasure of working with Dr. Castley now in the council of great city schools and uh truly is an inspiration for all superintendants to just be able to see
what humble passionate about kids leadership looks like. So I'm so happy that today is your day. Again, thank you for all that you and the council have done, but especially you over all these years. And thank you
particularly for today. Thank you. Okay, we will continue tonight with special rec recognition for a talented group of graduating. Thank you. Graduating seniors who are ending their terms with the Boston
Student Advisory Council, also known as BSAC. These students have proven to be true leaders and powerful advocates for their peers. We are so proud of them and while they'll be greatly missed, we know they will go on to do great things for the Boston community. At this time, I'd
like to invite my colleagues to continue to be here with me um for this presentation. Um, and we have some citations. I know some folks are not with us tonight. Um, I'm going to read one completely and then we will just read the names and um,
those who are here can come up and get their their citations. Thanks. So this is for Adrina Adams and it says, "The Boston School Committee extends its deepest appreciation to Adrina Adams,
representative Boston Student Advisory Council and Excel High School class of 2025 for providing a strong consistent voice for her fellow students in the Boston public schools. The chairperson and members of the school committee of the
city of Boston join with the superintendent of schools in extending their appreciate to Miss Adams for influencing and assisting students to effectively form, evaluate, and understand the district's policies that impact their daily lives and wish her
continued success in all future endeavors. June 17, 2025. [Applause] Okay. Okay. Ali, thank you.
Oilia Anise [Applause] from the John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science. Congratulations and thank you
Vanderbilt. Okay. Okay. You want to stand and get a picture? Yeah. London Clark from Boston Latin Academy. [Applause]
Thank you. Thank you. Great. Congratulations, Angel Deina from um the John De O'Brien, Nisarin Fem from the John De Omar Ishmael from the John Dean. will be joining us a little later with our
student representative Paulina Menddees Javier from Boston Latin Academy. Where are you going next year? Boston College. Chanel Mahia. Okay. Mahia from Snowden International
High School. Iman Muhammad from the Josiah Quincy Upper School. Ishmael Sano from Bosul. Congratulations. and Naomi Via Cole from um the Henderson.
[Applause] That's it. Thank you. Perfect little bit right. One more. Three, two, one.
[Applause] Thank you. Okay. Okay. I would like to begin tonight by taking a few minutes to note the passing of two dedicated individuals who left a lasting
impact on both Boston public schools and the broader Boston community. First, Joan Hayes, known as Joanie, who dedicated 18 years of service to BPS, primarily serving as the administrative
assistant in the office of labor relations. Second, Carmen Pola, a passionate community leader who worked tirelessly for the people of Boston and was key driving force behind the evolving
approach to bilingual education in BPS. She also served as one of Ray Mayor Ray Flynn's top aids. Superintendent, would you like to say a few words? Thank you, Chair. Yes. Um, so we will begin with a moment of silence for two very special
women leaders that we lost um since our last time together. Joan Hayes, who we called fondly Joanie um in BPS. uh as chair said she worked 18 years and during that time she worked both at our schools and she also worked centrally
primarily serving as an administrative assistant in the office of labor relations. Uh Joanie will be remembered as a kind and supportive person who cared deeply about her work and about her colleagues. She truly touched so many lives over her time here and her
impact will be felt for many years to come in the BPS and she will be missed truly by all of us. And Carmen Paula who is a longtime civic leader in Boston. Carmen was a true trailblazer who fought for bilingual education in the BPS. She
was born in Puerto Rico and she came to the Boston in the early 1970s and later served as a top aid to former mayor Ray Flynn. Uh she was the first Latina to run for the Massachusetts state legislative, paving the way for future
candidates. Her legacy truly will live on today as we continue in the BPS and throughout the city to incorporate bilingual programming. So um for both of these um incredible women, uh we would ask that you join us in a moment of silence.
Thank you, chair. Thank you. And now I would like to offer school committee member Shantel Lima Barbosa the floor to share some news with the committee and the general public. Thank you. Thank you, chair. Thank you, Superintendent, to be able to address the my fellow
committee members and the public. I did wanted to let uh everyone know that uh well, unfortunately, next month will be the last meeting uh for me as your committee member. I've gotten an opportunity that unfortunately I'll have to leave the city, making me ineligible
to continue to serve um as a member of the Boston school committee. I I've been in the city of Boston for the past five years since I've graduated um and had the opportunity very early to be able to serve this the city in the city of Boston. I actually have a former
colleague of mine that's here in this room. It just feels like a full circle. Um but I'm very grateful for being able to to be here and represent my community voice. Um you know, a lot of voices that often is forgotten and fight the good
fight. I know there's a lot that still needs to be done. So, that's the hard part is leaving and feeling that, you know, there's things that I still want to be able to participate. Uh, but yes, I just want to thank the superintendent and the chair, uh, committee members,
uh, district staff, faculty, families, um, and my family for always, uh, supporting me, especially when it's transition time. But, thank you so much. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, thank you, Miss Lima Barbosa. And
as a proud BPS alum, Miss Lima Barbosza has brought a unique and valuable perspective to the committee since joining in 2023. She has been an invaluable member, always uplifting student voices and keeping their needs to the forefront. Her commitment has been had a powerful
positive impact on our schools. I now open it up to the committee for comments. Thank you, Madame Chair. When you called me this morning, I felt my heart beating so hard. Thank you from my heart for everything
you gave to the committee. I will always appreciate all your interventions for English um learners. [Music] ificant and I know he's going to be with you wherever you go.
I wish you the best of luck and I wish the best for you. Um I wanted to cry um because I just really do value your voice so much. I think like you've just brought this great balance of um
advocacy and uh ability to put it in very practical terms for how we can operationalize. So just really f felt good partnership with you to make change. Um also just like your fierce advocacy for our multilingual learners and it coming from like your own
perspective and experience. Um, and you know, you're just you're a BPS kid that's grown up. And um, so I'm going to just deeply miss that in a lot of ways. Um, but I also know that you
but I also but I also know that um, you have so much talent and passion and I know you're going to follow your dreams in doing that. And in that process, you're going to whatever you do, you're going to do with your heart full and you're going to help people. And so, uh, I'd
never be in the way of that. So, I think this is not goodbye, but this is till we see you again. So, congratulations. Hey, Miss Lima Barbosa. Um, as I said to you this morning, this is a win for your new future employer and hopefully for
you personally, and this is a loss for the Boston School Committee and Boston Public Schools. As the others have said, you brought a great voice immediately onto this committee. um your thoughtful approach, your practical approach, how you push the district um but also your
sensitivity to the challenges and needs of our students. Um and the chair and I are both graduates of the Boston public schools and we loved having another graduate join us from a different generation. Admittedly, you brought a very different perspective than the chair and I. Um, a more recent
perspective and that was great. And I love spending time with you at you graduated from the Burke, but we were there together for the ceremony to rename it as as the Holland School of Technology. And I appreciate your advocacy with the district to make sure that we achieve the second part of that
name, not only the Dr. Albert Holland, but the school of technology and that the district always honors that. and I know you have advocated quite strongly for that along with a number of other programs and schools across the district and I've enjoyed getting to know you and
uh it's still a small city so hope to be working with you in the future but um congratulations. Thank you again Miss Lima Baboszer and we are grateful for your service and wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Thank you. Thank you.
Okay, we will continue the meeting with the approval of the minutes. I will now entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the May 14th, 2025 school committee meeting and the May 2020 May 28th, 2025 retreat. Is there a motion? So move. Thank you. Is there a second?
Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Is there any objection to approving the motion by unanimous consent? Hearing none, the minutes are approved. We'll now move on to the superintendent report. I present to you our superintendent, Mary Skipper. Wonderful. Thank you, chair. So, as the
year comes to a close, I want to recognize 146 individuals. I'm not going to read all their names. Uh who have retired during this school year or who are currently in the process of retiring. Uh first of all, just congratulations to all of them on
careers well served. Uh BPS employs thousands of people that keep the district running every day, every year, and they are the district's unsung heroes. The people who take care of our students, our families, our school communities in so many different ways.
This year's retirees include school leaders, teachers, paraprofessionals, lunch monitors, nurses, clerks, custodians, and many others. Some have served for more than 40 years. Others have been with the district for two or three decades. All of them have made an
impact on our students lives, on our schools, and on their colleagues. So, I want to thank each and every one of our retirees for their dedicated service to the children of Boston. We appreciate your contributions, and you will be missed. We will formally honor our
retirees at a lunchon on Monday, July 14th, here at the Bowling Building. We would love to have members of the committee join us as we celebrate our retirees and thank them for their years of service. Uh after tonight's meeting, I plan to
sign a memorandum of understanding with the Boston Police Department, which is intended to comprehensively govern schools reporting of school-based incidents to law enforcement. My team is engaged with community advocates regarding the details of theou who have
helped us revise the student incident documentation policy. A factor in signing the document was updating the student information sharing policy which you may recall you voted on earlier this spring. Theou will direct schools to
report certain incidences to BPD but only those incidents in theou must be reported. That list of incidences is reserved for the most serious of offenses. PPS will not ask or share information on a student's immigration
status. Any reporting of these most serious incidences will work in tandem with the provision of school-based supports designed to ensure to the greatest extent possible rehabilitation and restorative justice. An updatedou
with BPD helps ensure that we accurately and transparently describe BPS's relationship with BPD. It also ensures consistent changes in the law and best practices over the past several years. Entering into theouou is operational in
nature. So it does not require a vote from this school committee but consistent with the terms of theou and to further our productive partnership with the community. Theou will be publicly available once it is signed.
On Wednesday, June 4th, the Boston City Council voted to approve our FY26 budget allocation that this body approved in March. This vote represents the culmination of monthsl long partnership between the BPS team, the school
committee, and the council, and allows us to go into this upcoming year prepared to build on our priorities. I want to express my deepest gratitude to city councelor Brian Warell for his leadership on the budget and collaboration throughout the process. We
have also given school committee members copies of the finalized FY26 budget book that includes the detailed information on the budget that was approved and copies will be made available to the public on our website at bostonschools.org/allowercase
budget. Tonight, we'd like to provide you with a fourth quarter update on transformation schools, the final report for the school year 2425. As you know, we were required to provide quarterly transformation schools updates
to the committee as part of the requirements in the soontobe concluded systemic improvement plan or SIP. The second and fourth quarter updates are part of the superintendent's report and the first and third quarter are formal
reports that go more in depth. More specifically, the transformation office shared an in-depth report at the October 23rd of 2024 and April 16th of 2025 school committee meetings. I also
provided a second quarter update on February 26th as part of my superintendence report. As a reminder, transformation schools is the term BPS uses to refer to schools identified by DESIE as requiring assistance or intervention. These are
schools in the bottom 10% of state accountability percentiles. As you know, primary support for our transformation schools comes from our transformation office in partner in partnership with regional teams and the school division in general. Executive
Director of School and District Transformation, Mike Sabin, is here to answer any questions you may have. Over recent weeks, we were excited to bring our improvement strategy to life through visits to several of our transformation schools with school committee members.
We were able to share quality school plans and our observation tools and to visit classrooms together. Each quarterly report provides an opportunity to share updates in our three priority improvement areas. In the
area of instruction and student academic performance, we observe slow and steady progress in the implementation of our district curriculum and in the percentage of classrooms where we can observe active student engagement with each other and with challenging tasks.
what we call productive struggle or student heavy lift. We continue to provide coaching and monitoring as we move toward 100% of the classrooms meeting our goal of active student engagement with the grade level curriculum. We are eagerly awaiting the
results of our year-end MAP assessments and the 2025 MCCAST assessments. These results will be shared with the school committee in the fall. In the area of school climate and culture, we are proud of the positive climate in so many of our schools as observed in our school
visits. Student excitement has also been on display during graduation ceremonies and other year-end activities as well as within classrooms. Our year-end panorama survey data shows similar results for sense of belonging in transformation
schools and non-transformation schools with 16 schools scoring higher than the district average. We were particularly pleased that sense of belonging data improved in more than half of our transformation high schools. Chronic absenteeism has also continued to
improve in transformation schools. Both schools serving elementary and high school students have re rates declining 3 percentage points compared to the school year 2324 as of the end of May.
However, overall rates of absenteeism still remain higher in our transformation schools than non-transformation schools, particularly at the high school level. For instance, at the elementary grades, 27% of students in transformation schools were
chronically absent as of June 1st. 7% 7 points lower than students in non-transformation schools. At the high school level, 50% of transformation school students were chronically absent as of June 1st, compared to 30% of high
school students in non-transformation schools. We will not be able to close gaps in outcomes if we do not work together as a community to address this attendance challenge. We continue to try a range of strategies to address
attendance, including extensive outreach this summer. Further addressing the attendance issue is a critical part of our improvement strategy as a district. One additional area to mention is hiring. The BPS Office of Human Resources and the Division of Schools
continue a close partnership around transformation hiring. We are happy to share that as of June 1st, the overall BPS rate of hiring is ahead of the past two years and that the percentage of jobs filled in transformation schools is higher than in non-transformation
schools. This is a challenging environment for education hiring, but with collaboration and hard work, we can continue to make progress each year. At this point in the meeting, I usually share some bright spots from around the district, but we're going to do it a little differently tonight. First, I'd
like to recognize the outstanding BPS communications team led by Chief Chris McKinnon for being honored with eight awards in the 2025 publications and digital media awards from the National School Public Relations Association.
The team was honored in areas of infographic and marketing material, newsletter, photo, special purpose publication, video, and website. This national recognition is a testament to
the team's dedication to making sure our BPS community is not only informed with crucial information, but is also celebrated. Now, we'll share the special end of the year video that captures highlights from the school year 2425
by our multimedia production team, Marcus Omar, Raone Galvin, and Neil Ray. This video is about 3 minutes long, and it really, I think, captures a lot of the excitement of our students, including a beloved student, Orilia, who has through her work, brought such joy
to our staff here in the bowling building. And you'll see her at the start of the meeting. Um, I think we'll we'll all enjoy this very much. Should we come down there? [Music] Good morning. Good morning. Good
morning, my friend. You already know what time it is. It is time to wake it on up. [Applause]
[Music] She inspires us to be our best. I plan to be a career teacher, you know,
lifelong teacher. Our hearts beat the same with big dreams to claim. We are all human with love strong within. [Music] Holiday [Music]
[Applause] i. [Music] Our cafeterias in Boston public schools are called BPS Eats and BPS Eats means local, healthy, and fresh food for our kids. Cafeteria staff is actually amazing. They um treat us like family.
Everything that they make is healthy. And that's what I like about the food. The food is delicious and at the same time healthy. After that win, like when the buzzer went off, I don't think I've ever felt anything like that. I see her her as a
role model as she was part of the same team. mentorship is so so crucial. You want to help people reach reach their goals. I told him to sign up for the mentoring program. is a blessing for me to be able to experience
God. All things were made that have been made. Nothing was made was [Applause]
[Music]
We are currently in the Aspen Challenge and I am here because I want to make a student-led change in my community in Boston and in my world. I appreciate Miss Fergus from the Agassi Elementary School. She taught me a love for reading. We have a room filled today
with 33 validictorians from around the BPS who just represent the promise, the hope in everything that's good about BPS. No matter where you start, no matter what they say about you, no matter what rooms you're excluded from,
you belong. You are enough. You are powerful. You are already the change we've been waiting for. So go out there and make it happen. [Applause] Hey, Chris, take a bow. Chris, take a bow. Raone's here.
Thank you. And that concludes my report. Thank you. Mic drop. Right. Thank you, Superintendent. And I would also like to extend appreciation and gratitude to the educators staff that are retiring this year. Thank you
all for your dedication. A rigorous and rewarding education is not possible without many hands and hearts. And I'll now open it up to discussion and questions from the committee. So, I I have a a comment and a question. Thank you, superintendent, for honoring
so many of our retiring teachers, and I look forward to that celebration in July. And um that video, I loved it. And I think the chair and I both agreed one of our happiest days of the year was the arts celebration at the holidays and
seeing how our arts program has grown, particularly in our elementary schools when we never used to have that. and all the different interpretations our various schools did. So, teaching our students to enjoy and appreciate the arts. We were talking to the student from the Boston Arts Academy who won the
scholarship earlier today and here he plays the viola at Boston Arts Academy, but he's going to study finance. We were talking about working the left brain, right brain side, and that's the value of the arts education. So, love that day. I do want to ask one question changing gears about the transformation
work because you particularly focus in on chronic absenteeism and um you know thinking about some of the other presentations that you've been digging in on you know we're really seeing the tie of chronic absenteeism and the impact on academic performance
and I think back to the example of um you know we got we all get these letters in the mail of well you use 10% less electric less electric less electricity or 10% less natural gas than your neighbor, you're doing well. How do
we help families understand the direct tie we can make between chronic absenteeism and academic performance and the impact how that happens year after year. It's so easy to think I can miss this one day. I'm not feeling well. I
have a sibling I have to take care of. I I was up late last night. There were always there were many reasons and I'm fully understanding of that and but how do we understand how help families understand the cumulative impact of you know one day one day one day and all of
a sudden it's impacting the academic performance right so I think it's I think we know chronic absentism is just a really complex um issue I think uh you know we've done we've had some real success not this microphone there we go we've
had some real success with um our win the day campaign uh which has been really uh focused at our high schools but then we extended it this year uh in going to the students themselves so that they could understand how important it was to be in school on a regular basis and if they were not in school what they
needed to do the steps they needed to take to make things up. I think at the elementary in the middle we did um we did a a campaign with the city on this uh that Rebecca Granger had you know was supporting to reach out to parents directly to help them understand that
significance but I think we have to also acknowledge that post pandemic families and students are struggling with more complex issues that it isn't as simple as just telling everybody they need to be in school that you know homelessness and and home and food insecurity
job and employment insecurity. Uh some of our students are financially contributing to their families and so feel that pressure point of work or are taking care of siblings while a parent works multiple jobs. So there's just a lot of that complexity. There's also a lot of deep mental health post pandemic.
And I think what we have learned is that chronic absenteeism is a symptom um that we have to then look at and be able to go deeper, work with the family and the student to understand better what's going on to support. It's only going to be in that way that we um that we're
able to get our students to be able to come back regularly when we help them solve some of those issues that are going on in their lives. So it is complex. I think our data is very promising. you know, we have not only have we met our targets, but more importantly, we've seen good drops in
points. Um, and I also think at the high school level for students who have given up and are chronically absent lots of days, this is part of the work in alternative ed redesign to say what are those options for students so that they don't have to feel like they can't come
to school or they have to drop out, but they actually have some meaningful options. So, it is complex. we know that and we're working on a variety of levels to do that. Um, from messaging to helping actually dig into what the root causes are. So, that's helpful and I I
agree it is it's a symptom. Um, and there are many many issues that are involved in in why a student ultimately ends up being chronically absent. It's just the impact is so great for them. Thank you also for arranging for us to visit transformation schools and uh to
actually do the classroom observations. It was extraordinarily helpful to see the work that the transformation teams are doing. So thank you for that. Thank you. Because we have a lot I'm not going to ask questions a lot anyway. So anyway,
thank you. I will now entertain a motion to receive the superintendent's report. Is there a motion? So move. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Is there any objection to approving the motion by unanimous consent? Hearing none, the superintendent's report is
approved. We will now move to the next report, the student activity account authorization. This item will be presented at this time and be brought forward for a vote during the action item portion of the meeting. I'd like to invite the superintendent to offer
opening remarks. I see that uh our CFO has beat me to the uh to the podium. Um uh but just um in terms of this particular one, this is one of two votes that we actually ask
for. Um this particular one is uh is really just allowing the school committee to authorize our schools to continue to maintain their student activity accounts. Um and this was actually we used to do it uh every other or every third year and we've now since
been advised that an annual practice of authorizing is a much healthier practice. So thus we're bringing it to you each year. Uh and CFO Bloom has anything else? Thank you. Thank you so much, Superintendent, and members of the committee for taking this under
consideration today. Um, the memo you have and as shared with the members of the public outlines uh our responsibilities as a district and your responsibilities as a committee to authorize student activity accounts. Um
we also added um some commitments from the superintendent and myself to this body to ensure that we are following best practice and are in alignment um with the law. Um, this vote allows our
schools to continue doing important but also small detailed day-to-day work that in ensures that our students have access to field trips and events and other amazing activities. So, I hope you'll vote yes on this item.
I'll now open it up to questions and comments. Right. Thank you. We'll vote on this later in the evening. We'll now move on to general public comment. Miss Prax. Thank you, Chair. The public comment period is an
opportunity for individuals to address the school committee on school related issues. Questions on specific school matters are referred to the superintendent. Questions on policy matters may be discussed by the committee later. The meeting will feature two public comment periods with
the first comment period limited to one hour. After one hour, anyone who hasn't testified will have the opportunity to do so at the end of the meeting. We have 23 speakers this evening. Each person will have two minutes to speak and I will remind you when you have 30 sec
seconds remaining. Please feel free to email your comments for distribution to the committee. Speakers may not reassign their time to others. The time that an interpreter uses for English interpretation will not be deducted from a speaker's allotted time. Please direct
your comments to the chair and refrain from addressing individual school committee members or district staff. Please note the comments of any public speaker do not represent the Boston public schools or the Boston school committee. Please state your name, affiliation, and where you live before
you begin. If you're on Zoom, please sign in using the name you register with for public comment and be ready to unmute and turn your camera on when you when it's your turn to speak. Please raise your virtual hand when I call your name. I will call the first group.
The first speakers is Mina Yu, Hanan Yuh Salah and Safa Yu. Mina Yu. Good evening, madame chair, school committee members, and superintendent giver. My name is Mina Husse. I'm 11
years old. Um, in the fifth grade, I attend the Ethan Hill Elementary School and I live in Roxbury. I am here with the Eid Coalition group to advocate about closing school on Eid because it's not fair to us Muslims that we have to
miss a very important test or a class celebration. For example, this field day was scheduled on E day and this and um I had to go to my teacher to change the day. I feel like the and I feel like
it isn't fair that an 11year-old has to advocate to a teacher so they could reschedule the day. Thank you everyone for your time and audience. [Applause] Thank you. Next speaker is Hanu.
Wait. Good evening, madame chair, school committee members, and superintendent skipper. My name is Hanan Ysef. I am 15 years old. I go to John De O'Brien and I live in Roxberry and I'm here with the Boston Aid Coalition to get aid on the
BPS calendar. ETH for me means coming together with loved ones to share meals. It's a day that strengthens family bonds and brings a sense of unity and joy. Having the day off off school on Eid would make me feel more included and
celebrated in school and I wouldn't have to constantly worry about missing an important day or an important test or a field trip instead of spending time with my family. Thank you for listening. Thank you. Next speaker is Omul Salah.
Good evening, madam chair, school committee members, and superintendent skipper. My name is Amar Salah. I'm a Boston native from Dorchester and a rising junior at Boston Arts Academy. I'm joined here today with the Boston Eid Coalition. Our mission today is requesting the addition of both aid holidays on the BPS academic calendar.
Here in Boston, Muslim students, teachers, staff, and parents are important part of the BPS community. Recognizing aid as a holiday shows cultural respect and help us feel truly included. Every year it's stressful having to explain why I'm absent on Eid. I heard it all. We can't reschedule this
test. Is it really that important or can't you just skip it? This past Eid, instead of celebrating with my friends and family after prayer, I spent the morning constantly checking my phone, making sure I didn't miss the bus to get to my final exam. This isn't this isn't just my reality.
It's the reality of countless Muslim students who are forced to choose between honoring our religious identity and maintaining academic success. We know the consequences of missing a day of school, coming back confused, trying to catch up, and risk falling behind. But it doesn't have to be this way. With your support, we can make our community
more inclusive in a welcoming space. It empowers our youth by helping younger students feel seen, easing stress for older students, and giving parents and guardians a peace of mind. This is a change you have the power to make. Thank you for your time and consideration. Supporting this change would not only benefit many students and families, but
also show a commitment to respecting and valuing our diverse community. Thank you. Next speaker is Safa Yu. Good evening, Madame Chair, school committee members, and superintendent Skipper. My name is Safa Hussein Ysef.
I'm a Roxberry resident. I'm 9 years old. I'm a third grader and I go to Nathan Hale Elementary and I am with the Boston Coalition. If there was a school test and aid, I have to pick the school
test or aid. My family or school. So if we So if we had a day off, all Muslims would never have to pick um E or going to school. So that is why school should
be closed on Eid day. Thank you for hearing me out. Thank you. Our next group of speakers is Ahmed Ismael, Sarang Sad, Dedra Manning, and Haja Savan. Ahmed Ismael. And if our
interpreter, our Somali interpreter can come up to support. School of the Boston Latin Academy. Um first thank you all. My name is Ahmed. I am a parent of uh one of uh
public school uh Boston public school students. My daughter's name S. Ahmed. Sarah smile Latin Academy. Uh she uh goes to Postal Latin Academy. I'm uh here to request as
the students did that uh my daughter needs to be off on E days to celebrate with their her family. uh so I'm requesting that she didn't miss her classes for celebrating the Eid
days as well as taking part uh the celebration with her family. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Sar Say and if we can have our Dis interpreter coming up.
Hello everybody. uh ado I'm requesting that aid uh would be uh recognized as an official holiday. we have aid and we have Ramadan and I'm
requesting that uh the uh school would give them time to celebrate it with the family. Uh so they don't have to go to school, they don't have uh they will have time to stay and celebrate it with the
family. Uh we also have Ramadan that we celebrate Ramadan also. This is what I would like the committee chair and everyone to consider. We'll be
grateful for your consideration on this matter. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Our next speaker is Steve Manning. Good evening. My name is Dearra Manning.
I'm a resident of Dorchester and single parent and sole financial supporter of two public school children. I would like to talk to the school committee tonight. Just giving a little bit of background which I'm sure you've heard before. I um started speaking before the school committee probably three and a half
years ago, but for the last two years it's been almost exclusively about the inequitable exam school policy. I participated in both retreats um one in the fall and one in the spring. And I would like to let people know that it's
been very frustrating to have BPS fail both our family, my children, as well as the Henderson community. and listening over the past three years to many many other people who have trouble with um BPS. I would like to say that leadership is visiting a school slated for closure,
not just carefully curated BPS bright spot events at schools. It involves doing your own research on school choice rather than following the recommendations of BPS administrators without providing information or options. Leadership is rolling up your sleeves wanting to serve on a
subcommittee. I was astounded when I was told three members of the public took advantage of an opportunity to speak at a retreat last fall. The school committee serves the community, not the superintendent. Public service should include an opportunity for meaningful public input. If there are school
committees who limit or budget only 20 minutes for public comment, I suspect they oversee a well-run district. In my family, we stress the importance of inclusion, kindness, and service to others. I was not surprised when my 11-year-old daughter said to me at the end of retreat, "Mommy, I can't believe
how rude she was to you. Leadership is not demonizing members of the public who advocate for, among other priorities, their children, English language learners, and male students of color." Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Haja
Saban. Hello. Good evening everybody. I had a 13 year old that went to school in Newton, Mass. He's in middle school through medical school program. He loved this program very much. And then um like
Eid day, he has to go to school on Eid day. So I woke him up at 5:00 a.m. because we have to be able to attend the 6:30 a.m. Eid that ended at 7:30. So it was it was very difficult for me
and him to go to school for him to go to school and at the same time to celebrate it with us which he failed to do. So we end up Hello the second one. Yeah. Okay. Hello. All
right. So then um after the Eid around 7:30 I have to drove him all the way to New to drop him off. He never get the opportunity to celebrate
the I mean the breakfast and the dinner. He came home very very late that day. He wasn't too happy about it because he loved to celebrate it with us, you know, with friends and family and then um Muslim community.
So we really appreciate it if Eid day can be a day off, you know, for for the sake of our kids and then we really appreciate it. Thank you all. Thank you. Our
next group is Sab Yuosa Hassan Kadra Abdullahi and Fisa Sharif sign up y. Okay. Good evening, Madame Chair, superintendent, and the member of the committee. My name is Fossa Hassan, and
I am a proud Muslim mother of two children. My son recently graduated from Boston public schools and my daughter is currently a student in Boston public school. I'm here to respectfully urge the committee to make Adidal Fet and
Adidal Ata official school holidays for all Boston public school students. For years, I've watched my children struggle with the painful decision to whether to attend school or celebrate one of the most important days of our faith. Aid is not just a celebration. It's uh it's a
deeply spiritual day that begins with prayers and continues with family reflection and giving back to our community. No ch no child should uh have to miss this sacred time because of school. When my when my son was in
school, he often left uh felt left out. He would either stay home and fall behind in class or go to school and feel like he was missing once once a year a moment with his family and community. Now I'm watching my daughter face the same unfair burden and it breaks my
heart. Boston is a city that embraces many cultures and communities, but when our holidays are not recognized, it sends a message that Muslim students are not fully part of the fabric of this district. That hurts. It's not just uh
about missing a day. It's about feeling invisible. A system that's supposed to support all children. Other nearby towns like Brooklyn, Cambridge, and Milton have already recognized it as an official holiday. Why can't Boston do that? Uh we are asking, we are not
asking for a special treatment. We're asking for fairness, inclusion, and our children to fully practice their religion without having to choose between faith and education. This is about equity. It's about being seen. It's about doing the right thing for all families. I thank you for your time and
consideration. I truly hope you will take this consideration. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Kadra Abdullahi. Good evening, school committee and attendees. My name is Kadra Abdulahi and I am a Roxberry resident and former BPS graduate. Thank you for allowing me to
take this moment to tell you why having Eid as a BPS holiday is a great idea. I am testifying in support of the Boston Eid Coalition request to add the two Eid holidays to the BPS academic calendar. Boston students face many challenges when attending school, family dynamics,
home life, and ongoing mental health issues. Attendance should not be one of those problems. Students in observance of Eid very much want to do both. They want to maintain their attendance, but they also want to honor their faith. We are asking with your help for an opportunity for students to do both. We
are not asking for anything that is without precedent. Students are also able to observe Good Friday and many other religious holidays. Boston public schools by legal mandate makes it so that all students regardless of race, creed or religious orientation ought to
have a fair opportunity in observance to their holiday. Eid is one of our Muslim holidays that we are asking observance for and it should not come at a determined to our educational or spiritual lives. Students who are participating in Eid are having to choose between their education and their
religion if they want to celebrate at any means necessary. The importance of missing a school day is missing important information that could end up on a big test, ruining your perfect attendance, which could end up in you not being awarded for your hard work. How would you feel if you or your kids had to choose whether you could see
family, indulge in your religious beliefs, or going to school, learning new ideas, and furthering your education? Thank you for listening and we'd like to know how we can work together in making this a reality and letting us know your opinions and thoughts. Thank you so much. [Applause]
Hi Sasha Sharif. Um good evening uh Chair Robinson, school committee members and superintendent skipper. My name is Fesa Sharief. I'm a Southoun resident and BPS alum and I'm a member of the Boston Aid Coalition. Uh we were in this building nine days ago for an aid celebration
hosted by the city of Boston. Uh we asked students as young as six to 16 what being what school being closed for Eid would mean to them. Their eyes lit up as they spoke about feeling included uh about getting to spend time with loved ones and feeling respected. Uh
they also spoke about their current reality of missed academic opportunities and enrichment activities. This is a long-standing issue of access and opportunity. It's an issue of attendance that the superintendent stressed in her report tonight as a concern for BPS and
that vice chair O'Neal just spoke about the impact of even one day missed. It's also an issue of labor as the work of supporting these students falls to teachers and staff members who are already stretched thin like MA's teacher at the Nathan Hail uh which this year uh
had to reschedule field day because it coincided with aid. It's tempting as policymakers to cling to a scarcity mindset and fear the consequences of a new change, but we also know that the status quo is currently untenable and Boston is not the first district to
confront this issue. In addition to the students and parents and community leaders who are attending tonight's meeting, we've submitted an open letter and a petition of nearly 350 Boston residents. 55% of those are parents and students of BPS who are in support of a
change. We want to work with BPS on a policy which will meet the which will meet the needs of our families. Um we look forward to continuing this dialogue at next month's school committee meeting. Um and this is not part of my testimony, but on a personal note, I just want to congratulate uh member Lima
Barbosa for all of her commitment to this committee and I just want to stress that her voice is really going to be uh missed on this committee. Um and we really support everything that she's done for the city of Boston. Thank you. Our next group of speakers is Carolyn
Kaine, Joseph Dickens, and Mary McClennon. Don't stop. Okay. Good evening. Uh, good evening, Chair Robinson, Vice Chair O'Neal, Superintendent Skipper, and other members of the school committee. I am here tonight to elucidate the repeated failures of the district
regarding the Dr. Henderson inclusion school. The school has gone from a shining star, an internationally recognized inclusion program, to a school where staff and students are leaving in droves because the district has not provided the necessary leadership, oversight, and
accountability to maintain its history as a level four academic achievement school that was highly sought after by families throughout BPS for decades. For those members who do not know me, my name is Carolyn Kaine. I was the Boston I was the chair of Boston's bedpack for
11 years spanning the terms of five superintendent. I was also a parent leader at the Henderson during my own daughter's 19 years at the Henderson. I along with many parents advocated for the expansion of the Henderson from a K to 5 to K to 22 school. At the time
there was no full inclusion school that serves students with intellectual disabilities. I was on the committee that developed the innovation plan that was approved by the school committee in 2013. 12 years later, the school is circling the drain and the district is not doing
anything to change that. When the school committee did expand the school, it did it one year at a time. Ninth grade one year, 10th grade the next. And no family wanted to choose that school because there were not four years available to high school students.
Fast forward to November 3rd, 2021, when the principal was viciously attacked after repeated attempts from the district for more support. All of her requests for help had gone unanswered. Sadly, the support for mi for the district for Mrs. Lampron and the school
continued after the attack. The district did not reach out to Mrs. Lampron to check on her recovery after the attack despite her exemplary service to the Boston public schools and the school was left without a permanent leader for the next three years. Thank you. This year a
new leader was finally installed at the Henderson. Excuse me. Your time is up. I heard you ma'am. After this person was hired and prior to the beginning of the school year, I offered to meet with her and provide my my support. That meeting never occurred and was obviously never welcomed. Thank you very much.
Throughout this year, I have been reporting concerns concerning me and the ad concerning shared with I've shared them with the administration. Miss Kang, could you please give us your testimony in writing because we're we're trying to be fair and equitable to all members. I
understand that. Thank you. So, can you please I know you have your written. There are a number of different issues that have been raised that have not been addressed and it's disgraceful that this school is in such shape that it is. I advocated it for years. I am
heartbroken and I am disgusted. Our next group of speakers is Joseph Dickens and then Mari Mlan. Uh thank you uh Miss uh Madam Superintendent and the chair uh taking this time and to listen uh to these
issues. Um I wanted to advocate for the community uh when it comes to the Eid prayers. um you know just not growing up Muslim and and and and enjoying that journey o over the last 12 years or so.
Um I see the importance of it. Um and then seeing the struggles as you see the the sisters that are in the school and the mothers, the fathers that are advocating for it. Um and just that growing uh strength and and importance.
It's it's from day one from when being alone and kind of just new to the religion to now grown uh family of three uh uh girls myself. Um I think it'd be very important um if you took that took that initiative uh to listen to these
concerns and really consider it because uh it's a time of family. It's a time it's a time of worship and it's a time of reflection and being with family and then and them not having to go through them struggles that they have to uh you know on a daily basis um just an
identity of the Muslim or in the public school and the struggle that uh may occur but having this this what may seem like a small thing uh would really uh empower them and and help them in and just uh like like the um vice g uh vice
uh chair person said as well, Mr. O'Neal, you know, just that time off that one, you know, things life, you know, life happens and uh so just having that support to to really just embrace that and and like you said, other other communities around have done it. So I
don't think it would be uh you know, controversial and it actually be uh really beneficial for everybody to you know uh add to that inclusion that sounds like you want to strive for. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Our last in-person speaker is Mary
McClennon. Good evening. My name is Marie McClennon and I'm the mother of Frankie McClennon, first grader at the Henderson Lower School. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I'm here tonight to share serious concerns about Boston public schools violations of special education law and
the inequitable, inconsistent process surrounding my son's IEP placement. Frankie has autism and has been at the Henderson School for 5 years. After a recent neurosych evaluation and classroom observation, our IEP team unanimous unanimously agreed that he requires a small structured subsparate
classroom with peers who share his learning profile free of major behavioral disruptions. He also needs inclusion opportunities and support grounded in the principles of ABA, not in ABA strange, which would actually increase his anxiety and hinder his progress. With the district's approval,
I toured three schools. Only the Elliot school had the right environment, academically focused, calm, structured, and aligned with Frankie's IEP. The IEP team formally agreed to request a seat at the Elliot. Minutes later, that decision was overruled by an administrator who wasn't invited to the
meeting. I did not give consent and had not participated in any of the team's discussions. She I was told to go to the welcome center, which contradicts the placement process for IEPs. When asked for a policy supporting her decision, she admitted that there wasn't one. Instead, I was told to go to mediation
or to apply through the welcome center. This assistant dire this ad also made inappropriate and unprofessional comments to my advocate who was attending in good faith to support me. Her conduct shifted the tone of the meeting away from student centered collaboration to administrative instruction. This isn't just frustrating, it's a violation of the
Massachusetts special education law, which clearly states that IEP placements must be based on a student's needs and not school school zones. I would also like to point out that a comment was made to me during this process that um school placements cannot be based off personal preference. I find
this comment very offensive and want to be clear that my decisions on my son are not on preference. They are based on professional recommendations um of educators, clinicians, and careful observations. It's my top priority that his well-being is insur is ensuring he
receives the needs to thrive. We will now transition to In closing, I request that the team's decision to place Frankie at the Elliot School be honored that BPS provide written clarification of its policies and procedures for IEP placement as this policy reference completely violates the
special education law. Thank you. Thank you. We will now transition to Zoom testimonies. The first speaker is Carol Garcia. Okay, sounds good. Good evening.
Um, good evening madam chair, school committee members, and superintendent skipper. My name is Carol Gracia. I'm a Doorchester resident and a parent of a 10th grader at the Henderson Inclusion School. My daughter Amelia has a history of 22Q.11
micro duplication syndrome. She carries a mild intellectual disability along with a generalized anxiety disorder. Amelia began at the Henderson right out of early intervention at three years old. This has been the only school that she knows. The Henderson School was
built on family involvement because so many families believed in the mission of the school and wanted it to be successful. There were events like school carnivals, family pasta night, international night, and our biggest event, the Henderson Gala. These events and fundraisers were not possible
without family involvement, and our family was very involved. At one point, all three of my kids were students there. When I moved my youngest to private school, I was told what a great loss it was as she was a model student for her special education peers. The
model and the vision that was the Henderson where students like my daughter Amelia were to learn alongside their general education peers like my daughter Meredith. It is so sad that the vision and mission of the school is gone. Our family is well aware of the
violence that continue go to that continues to go on in the school and most recently outside involving parents. We are also aware the amount of fantastic teachers the school is losing. I'm not sure who the new demographic of
students is or looks like that Principal Wiggins references in her newsletter. the school we knew were students with and without disabilities learning together to make inclusion possible for all. Over our time at the Henderson, my
daughter Amelia has developed a generalized anxiety disorder resulting from the chaos and violence takes place in in the classrooms, hallways, and lunchrooms in the school. Our
next speaker Nal Sahel is not in the meeting. So I will ask for John Mad. Mr. Mud, please unmute yourself and turn on your camera. Okay. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear
you. Yeah. My name is John Mud. I'm a resident of Cambridge and have a grandson of John F. Kennedy Elementary School. The school committee retreat on May 28th established three subcommittees called priority working groups composed of school committee members and BPS
staff to meet during this summer to probe deeply into the critical student outcome issues focused on equitable education, inclusive education, and the long-term facilities plan. Creating a subcommittee structure to analyze BPS
strategies and challenges could be an important step in making key recommendations for changes in policies, practices, and accountability for BPS to improve student outcomes. But I would suggest there's a major gap in the
proposed structure. The working groups include only committee members and BPS staff. There is no provision for introducing new thinking into the district education system that is not producing the kind of progress in improving student outcomes that all of
us would want and should expect. There are no new education experts involved. There is no provision for participation by public stakeholders. The creation of working groups could provide the structure to move in this
direction of expanding the conversation. Why do you want to just talk among yourselves behind closed doors? Invite some public participants to join the working group meetings over the summer or at least make the meetings open to the public or ask experts and advocates,
parents and others to suggest questions and recommendations. and at minimum ensure every workg group looks at its issues recommendations through the lens of eliminating the and the goal of eliminating opportunity and achievement
gaps. We need change. Open up the discussion and dialogue. Don't lose this opportunity. Thank you for hearing me. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Mike Hushman. Mike Hushman Dchester, I was having
technical issues with my Zoom. Blena, thank you once again. You're wonderful for your assistance. More important than education, our children and their families need to be safe. What is the BPS doing to take care of our Palestinian children who are
dealing with genocide? I stand I fully support the demands of the Muslim community made at this meeting. What are we doing to care for our immigrant children? Many are afraid to travel to and from school. Another school year is coming to an end. The
school year runs together in my mind. So these evaluation remarks go back to the beginning of the war skipper regime. There has never been enough resources to provide a quality education for all of our children. This tradition unfortunately has continued under the
previous leadership of Dr. Cilius and her chief assistant Dr. Charles Gransson. Equity had been a major priority. The racial equity tool was created and used. Community equity roundtable discussions were held on a regular basis. More black and brown
children were admitted to our exam schools. Under the misleadership of Superintendent Skipper, this progress has been erased and the system is energetically marching in the opposite direction. Immediately after Miss Skipper had been hired, black and brown central office
leaders were removed. Dr. Gransson and many others were fired despite significant efforts. 30 seconds or black and brown teachers have left the system than they have been recruited. The racial equity too has become invisible. Community equity
roundt discussions ended. Woo skipper attempted to bulldoze the removment of the O'Brien exam school from Roxberry to White West Roxbury. Our unhealthy, unsafe and out ofdate schools are decaying at a much faster rate than the modernization of our facilities. Schools
are closed and school. Thank you, Mr. Hushman. Your time is up. Black and brown children. I was Our next group of speakers is Cheryl Bachman, Marian Sharif, Anise Abdullah, and Hava Yu. Cheryl Bachman.
Good evening. My name is Cheryl Buckman. I'm a former DER alum, current current DER parent and proud lead spokesperson for the Save the DER movement. Tonight I stand before you not only to acknowledge the closure of a school but to reflect
on the profound legacy of the Paul Dele Dee leaves behind and to speak to what this decision truly means for our community. While this clo while the closure is now a reality, it is essential that we recognize the
unwavering efforts of its educators, staff, students, parents, and supporters. Their dedication throughout this incredibly difficult time deserves acknowledgement, respect, and remembrance. For months, our community fought to
protect something irreplaceable. We organized rallies. We spoke at school committee meetings like this one, and we shared our stories with the media and the public. The commitment of the Denver community was powerful and transformative.
We showed the city what it truly means when a school becomes more than just a building. It becomes a family. Denver was built on two pillars, community and family. These weren't just words. They were values we lived every single day.
They shaped a school culture where every student felt seen, supported, and empowered. This spirit was and still is the heartbeat of the dev. 30 seconds. As we as we move forward, I urge the school committee and the city council to honor
the Denver's legacy, not in words, but in meaningful action. Let the values we upheld, unity, inclusion, resilience, become the compass guiding the Boston public's future. Through though the may be closing, its spirit lives on in every
student, every teacher, every family member who walk the halls and the spirit cannot be closed. Thank you. Thank you very much. Our next speaker, Marian Sharif, is not signed into the
meeting. So, we will go with Anise Abdul. Anise Good evening members of the school committee, superintendent and chair. My name is Anise Abdul. I am from Roxbury. I am a uh BPS parent and also a former
BBS graduate uh myself and I'm here to urge the Boston public school uh school committee to formally designate um and the two major Islamic holidays in the year as official BBS school holidays. Um as has been mentioned already by students and by families as well for
thousands of Muslim students and families across the city. These are two uh Eids that are most sacred days in the year time we all come together to celebrate come and join together as a community. Yet year after year we have issues where Muslim students and families are faced with the difficult
decision to either miss a school day a day of learning or miss a day of family and celebration and faith. Uh I don't think this is a choice any student or family should be forced to make. Uh so recognizing Eid as holidays would send a very strong message that BPS our
district values and respects the diversity of our student body just as we honor other faith traditions. Uh designating Eid holidays affirms that our Muslim students belong um that their faith and traditions matter and that our district BPS reflects the people of
Boston. Um I also want to note as has been noted that this is not something uh that is not done anywhere else. Uh this is something that is recognized as a holiday in Brooklyn, Cambridge, Milton Welshy as an example. So as a parent, as a former PPS product myself, um I
respectfully respectfully urge the committee to designate and ala as official uh school holidays in the Boston public schools. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Um, our next speaker
Howa Yu is is not in the zoom meeting. No. So, and Marian Sharif is not here. Okay. So, chair then we and public
comments. Okay. Thank you very much. And um we want to thank everyone who spoke this evening. Your comments are very important to us. Um um earlier in this evening, we recognized BSAC U members and our own Mr. Ishmael was not amongst
us and tonight um is Mr. Ishmael's final meeting as our student representative. He's already graduated um and as you can see is off already getting ready for MIT. Um, Omar, it's been a true pleasure working with you. Um, you've asked
thoughtful questions and I really appreciate the insight and perspective you brought to this table. Um, we're immensely proud of all you've accomplished and excited to see where your journey will take you. And at this time, I'd like to um invite Superintendent to share a few remarks.
We're going to miss you very much, but you have made BPS proud. You made us proud. really did appreciate just you're very thoughtful and you are so good at making sure that we stay focused on student voice. So, thank you for your
service. You're going to rock MIT and just enjoy all of it. Thank you. Like to give other members a moment. Thank you. Good luck. I can't wait your future because you're the best. Thank you,
Mr. Vishnail. We're honoring you. I assume. Thank you. I apologize having to step out for a minute, but I'm delighted to do that. I've I've said this before. You've been a great voice to this committee as a fellow member. You've been very, very thoughtful in your comments. I am so excited about your
next step. I'm so sorry Boston College didn't have an engineering program that would interest you, but you know, MIT is a good choice. So, uh, congratulations. Go make us proud. I have no doubt you will. I'm gonna echo what everybody said and
I'm glad that I get to graduate with you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you all for your kind words and I really enjoyed my experience in the school committee and it's definitely going to remember it for the rest of my life and carry the lessons that I had that I had
here with me. All right. Thank you. Excellent. Thanks. Okay, our first action. MIT. He's already certificate. Certificate. He got his certificate.
Yes. Okay. You get to take that. [Applause] Okay, our first action item this evening is the grants for approval totaling
$3,559,33. Now, I'd like to turn it over to the superintendent for any final comments. Uh, wonderful. Thank you, chair. There are 10 grants for your consideration tonight totaling more than 3.55 300 3.55 million.
The two largest grants will fund schoolyard renovations. The first is the 1.86 million homes innovation yard phase 2, which will serve 283 students and include new playground equipment, safety surfacing,
and adult fitness structure, and a multisport court. The second is the nearly $983,000 Hurley K8 playground grant, which will support the rehabilitation of the Hurley schoolyard into a safe, age appropriate, and inclusive play space. The remaining
eight grants total a little more than $79,000 and will fund a variety of services. Uh, and those are in your packet. Uh so it um and and to just give the public a sense, the grants are
supporting um academically enriching out of school time programming at four schools, health and wellness for students, staff, and community, the continued IEP process rolled out that was started last year, equitable literacy, and a redesign of the ELA curriculum at the Denver School,
community engagement in STEM for 600 students at 10 schools, summer meals access for 20,000 students and supporting Mildred AB and Melvin H. King school students and educators with an investigating history, ge geography and
ancient civilization curriculum just as an example of the flavor of the grants. We also have uh CFO Bloom were there to be any specific questions on the grants. Now open it up question.
Okay. Um there's no further discussion. I'll now entertain a motion to approve the grants as presented. Is there a motion? So move. Um is there a second? Second. Yes. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Hearing none, the grants are approved. Our next vote
is the fiscal year 2026 um interim salary and non-personnel payments on external funds. I will now invite the superintendent to offer comments. Certainly, chair. So tonight we'll be asking school committee to take two votes on uh additional topics. One
is the FY26 interim salary and non-personnel payments on external funds and the second is what you heard earlier about the student activity authorization. The school committee members received memos on each of these topics in packet. First, each year the
school committee authorizes the district to make interim salary and non-personnel payments on external funds while we're awaiting the formal award. This allows us to hire staff to start at the beginning of the year without any disruptions. Second, we are asking the school
committee to authorize our schools to continue to maintain their student activity accounts. The committee authorized this several years ago, and as I indicated earlier, we've been advised to move to an annual authorization. This allows schools to collect fees for things like field trips
and school events and so forth. Uh, Chief Bloom is here again where there to be any questions, but we would ask an affirmative vote for both of these items. Um, any questions? It's separate votes though, right? Two separate votes. Two
separate votes. Okay. There's nothing further. I'll now entertain a motion to approve the fiscal year 26 interim salary and non-personnel payments on external funds as presented. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Is there any discussion or objection to the
motion? Miss Pox, will you please call the role? Thank you, Dr. Alkins. Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Mbosa, yes. Miss Palanco Garcia, yes. Mr. Tren, Mr. Neil, yes. Miss Robinson, yes. Thank you. The motion is approved. Our
next action item is student activity authorization that was presented at the beginning of the meeting. I will now open it up to questions and comments from the committee. Lots of conversation. There's nothing further. I'll now entertain a motion to approve the student activity authorization as
presented. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Pravic, will you please call the role? Thank you, Chair. Dr. Alkins, Mr. Kernandez, Miss Lima Barbosa, yes. Miss Palco Garcia, yes. Mr. Tran, Mr. O'Neal,
yes. Miss Robinson, yes. The motion is approved. Thank you. Our next vote is the superintendent approval authority over school trust expenditures. As you may recall, the committee voted at the May 14th meeting to authorize to load trust funds into school budgets.
Tonight, we'll be voting on the superintendent authority to approve trust payments. I will now invite the superintendent to offer comment. Oh, wonderful. Thank you, chair. So, the city and its schools are the beneficiaries of several small trust funds. A trust is a dedicated fund set
up for a stated purpose by a donor. These trusts generate income that is spent on the purpose set by the donor. The school committee is the board of trustees for school trust funds. We are asking the school committee to vote to give the superintendent, myself, the
authority to approve trust payments. The city's trust office and the BPS finance department are working with me to implement a series of clarifications and improvements to make it easier for schools to access their funds. The school committee plays an important role
in these improvements by empowering me to implement expenditures consistent with the purpose of the funds. Again, Chief Bloom is here to answer any outstanding questions. Are there any questions? I don't have a question. I have more of a comment and
this is both for Chief Bloom um and the superintendent. The last point, the student activity authorization and this one, the approval of school trust expenditures. These are great examples of just tiny little things that could trip us up in the public's eye, in the community's eye, that there's not trust
that we're keeping an eye on things and doing things right. Um, and specifically, I think the student activity authorization has been a source of issues in past years. So, I'm really delighted to see that we're doing that work, that you involved others, you looked at it. Um, you put together a
policy that included making sure the city auditor looks at it as well. And I just want to express appreciation for the fact that um we're doing both of these which are new for the committee for the first time but it's an example of you know just a tiny little minutia
work but all of these add up to um improvements in the financial condition of the district which is important for the residents and the city's taxpayers to know. So thank you Chief Bloom and thank you superintendent. You're welcome. Any questions? Okay, this there is no
further discussion. Um I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the superintendent approval authority over school trust expenditures as presented. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Provic,
will you please call the role? Thank you. Dr. Alkins, Miss Gernandez, Miss Barbosa, yes. Miss Panco Garcia, yes. Mr. Tran, Mr. O'Neal, yes. Miss Robinson. Yes. The motion is approved. Thank you. Our next action item is a charter
renewal request for Boston Green Academy, a Horus man in district charter school. You'll recall that at our last meeting, Boston Green Academy headmaster Matt Holtzer and Alex Chu, chair of BGA's board of trustees, presented an overview of BGA's charter renewal
application. I will now invite the superintendent to offer any final comments. Thank you, Chair. Boston Green Academy School Leader Matt Holtzer is here tonight. Uh, as you recall, he joined us at the last school committee meeting and presented the school's charter renewal application. As an in
district charter school, BGA must seek school committee approval of its application for charter renewal. This is the school's fourth 5-year charter renewal. BJ has already received the approval of the BGA board of trustees and recently the unanimous support of
the Boston Teachers Union vote on June 11th. Serving a student population that mirrors our district, BJ's curriculum is focused on sustainability and preparing students to study and work in fields related to climate climate resiliency. I'm incredibly proud, as I think I said,
of the progress that BGA's made um especially under Matt's leadership. Uh and you can see this both in in the outcomes of the school but also in its extensive weight list. So tonight I'm asking that the school committee approve the street charter and uh bless Matt and
BGA on its way to its fifth. And now open it up to the committee for any final questions or comments. I'll just uh quickly I want to thank Mr. Hol and his board chair who I don't see tonight, Mr. issue um for the willingness of of the Green Academy
board and school leadership to work with the districts on on issues of commonality. Um, you have shown that repeated repeatedly over the years and as the superintendent said, the progress that we see at the school, the weight list and quite frankly the culture that
comes across like just at your graduation last week with all of your um uh teachers presenting awards to the students and you really get a sense how the culture has permeated through to your graduates. So, congratulations on
what's going on at Green Academy. Thank you. Congratulations. All right. There's no If there are no further questions, I'll entertain a motion to approve Boston Green Academyy's Horus man in district charter school renewal application for the
period 2026 to 2031 as recommended by the superintendent. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Pravis, will you please call the role? Thank you, Dr. Alkins, Mr. Hernandez, Miss Lima Barbosa, yes. Miss
Polano Garcia, yes. Mr. Tran, Mr. O'Neal, yes. Miss Robinson, yes. The motion is approved. Great. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Our next item action item is a vote on the private school application
for Urban Achievements High School. You'll recall that at our last meeting, assistant superintendent of autonomous schools Pauline Luggera White and Urban Achievers founder Leno Sanchez presented an overview of the Urban Achievers high
school application to open a private school in Roxberry serving students beginning in school year 2526. Massachusetts general law requires that private schools wishing to open must first receive approval from their local school committee. We have t we have we
take action based on the superintendent staff's review and recommendation. I will now invite the superintendent to offer any final comments. Uh I would just say that I'm fully supportive as is my team of Urban Achievers School receiving an
affirmative vote tonight. Uh I think Lo and his uh his fellow leaders in the school have demonstrated that they are ready for this next step and I think it'll be a very good thing for the students in Boston. Thank you. I'll now open it up to questions and comments from the
committee. Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to say thank you to Lo and his team uh for bringing this to Boston and for uh your perseverance. Uh this journey has been truly inspiring
and I know you had to wait a lot but I wish you good luck and you have us here to support you. Good luck. I I just um want to say I really appreciate the work that Leno and and the entire team has done. Uh to see that
when the BPS first went out and visited they were unsure and that you dug down and worked harder and um met the concerns that were raised and went deeper about the financial plan, etc. And and to hear the testimony at our last meeting
Um, and you said no, you weren't going to get emotional tonight. So, I'm watching you now. It's um, you know, it's a little bit of sweet because um, you know, you may be attracting some students that would love to have in
Boston public schools, but you're touching their heart and you're and you're meeting them where they want to be met and we can learn from that as well. So, um, I will be supporting the proposal this evening on the superintendent's recommendation and look
forward to see what happens with the school and and would love to come out and see it at some point when you're up and running. Yeah, I join the vice chair and the rest of the committee in congratulating you on getting this far and particularly
um excited for our student athletes who need a different kind of environment to both balance their academic prowess and excitement with academics as well. and look forward to being able to
come and visit with you in the near future as well. Okay, if there's nothing further, I will now entertain a motion to approve Oh, sorry, wrong one. Let me go back. All right. I will now entertain a motion
to approve the Urban Achievers High School as presented. Is there a motion? Is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Provix, will you please call the role? Thank you. Dr. Hawkins, Mr. Klet Hernandez, Miss Lima Barbosa, yes. Miss
Panco Garcia, yes. Mr. Tran, Mr. O'Neal, yes. Miss Robinson, yes. The motion is approved. Congratulations. [Applause]
Thank you. Okay, sorry about that. Our next action item is the approval of the graduation requirements amendment. You may recall that this recommendation was presented to the committee at our last meeting. I will now invite the superintendent to
offer any final comments. Thank you, chair. Um, so we are asking tonight for two separate votes. First, we are asking for approval of an amendment to the graduation requirements for students attending alternative education schools
that would give them an attainable yet rigorous graduation goal. As you know, four years ago, this body voted to adopt the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mass Core framework as the graduation
requirement for all BPS students. Since then, the district has been implementing that change. Mass Core establishes standard standardized graduation requirements across all schools. This
decision is grounded in creating a highquality academic experience for all of our students. Secondly, we are also asking for the school committee to extend the currently approved competency determination
process for the class of 2026. This vote will allow us to ensure students in the class of 2026 are enrolled in appropriate coursework to meet the competency determination while we await the outcome of the governor's statewide K to2 graduation council.
Chief of teaching and learning Leslie Miller and Ted Lombardi secondary superintendent for college career and life readiness are also here were you to have any additional questions. I would again ask for an affirmative vote for both of these motions.
Thank you. I'll now open it up to questions and comments from the committee. There's nothing further. I will now entertain a motion to approve the graduation requirement amendment as presented. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Is there any
discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Pavix, will you please call the role? Thank you, Chair. Dr. Mr. Alkins, Mr. Keternandez, Miss Lima Barbosa, yes, Miss Banco Garcia, yes, Mr. Tran, Mr. O'Neal, yes,
Miss Robinson, yes. The motion is approved. Thank you. Our final vote tonight is the competency determination for the class of 2026 that was presented during the graduation requirement amendment report during our last meeting. I'll now open up I'll now
invite the superintendent to offer any final comments. Uh just combined the two chairs. So I think uh this we would also ask for an affirmative. Okay. I'll now open it up to questions and comments from the committee. Okay. I just have one. Um and we just
talked about I know that um particularly for the alternative schools the issue particularly around world language not being able to um happen because of other things. And so one of the concerns I had
was that if there were a student that wanted world language, is it possible through other mechanisms to make sure that student can get that knowing that sometimes kids move from one school and doing that. Not that it just would just rule them completely
out, but there could be. Yeah, there could be an accommodation. So, the answer in short is yes, but I know that Mr. Lombardi is waiting for this question. I'm here for it. Um, thank you, chair. Great question. Um, yeah, I think we addressed this a little bit the last time, but to to take it a little
bit further, we have so part of the issue with offering world language in the alternative eds is that offering the breadth of world languages that are offered across our mainstream high schools is just not possible in these small schools. We do have um through admentum and other means some um online capability though to do some to do some
language work and and th those are um actually areas we've tried to explore a little bit more to broaden what options are there but but currently Edenum does offer a suite of world language classes so that particularly if students are you know one course into a two course um
path that they can finish it that way. Great. That was that was the question. Thank you so much. Sure. Okay. Um, okay. I will now entertain a motion to approve the competency determination for the class of 2026 as presented. Is there
a motion? So move. Is there is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Miss Prox, will you please call the role? Thank you, Chair Dr. Alkins. Mr. Ket Hernandez, Miss Lima Barbosa, yes. Miss Panco
Garcia, yes. Mr. Tran, Mr. Mr. O'Neal. Yes. Miss Robinson. Yes. The motion is approved. Thank you. Okay. Now we will transition to the reports. Our first report is the superintendent
school year summitive 2024 2025 evaluation. Evaluating the superintendent is amongst the chief responsibilities of the school committee. The superintendent completed her self- evaluation and shared it with the committee for review. Each committee
member finalized their individual evaluations, providing their insights and assessments of the superintendent's performance. Dr. Alkins led the process this year and consolidated our feedback into a comprehensive summitive
evaluation which will be presented this evening. We will vote on the superintendent's evaluation at our special meeting on July 9th. As you can see, Dr. Alkins is unable to join us in person tonight. Vice Chair O'Neal, who has co-led the
process in the past, has graciously agreed to step in to present the superintendent summit of evaluation. Um, I will now turn it over to the superintendent for remarks followed by Vice Chair O'Neal. After the
presentation, I will open it up to other members for comments on the superintendent's evaluation. I'd like to remind the superintendent and vice chair to please speak at a slower pace to assist our interpreters. And now I invite the superintendent to give introductory remarks. Wonderful. Thank
you, chair. So, um, and thank you to the committee members. Uh, I am truly grateful for this opportunity to reflect on my work as superintendent over the past three years and the progress we are making as a district. I want to thank Chair Robinson, Vice Chair O'Neal, and
each of you as members for your continued support and direction that you've given to me as I begin the fourth year of my superintendency. I also want to give a special thanks to school committee member Dr. Alkins for his work during the evaluation process.
I'm grateful for the collaboration of this body and your questions and your guidance make me a more effective leader. Leading this district is truly the pinnacle of my career and it's more importantly the honor of a lifetime. I
begin work each day with the same excitement and enthusiasm that I did on my first day and I hope that that is true my last day of this superintendency. Um I'm surrounded by an incredible team of extraordinary talent. Some of whom
are here tonight, others of whom are not. Um, but I'm just I'm proud of what we have collectively achieved over the past three years. And every day, more importantly, I'm just really blessed to call them my colleagues. When I came back to the district in
2022, it was a period of great transition here at the BPS and at the city level. Um, we've continued to focus on building a strong and stable district that is now ready to reach new levels of growth and achievement. And although we
find ourselves challenged uh again this time by policy changes at the federal level and difficult funding decisions, we are more determined than ever to ensure that the foundation we've created stays strong. The steady and passionate
leadership of Mayor Woo and other civic leaders inspires me and all of us to work even harder. As we near the end of the 2024 2025 school year, we're also nearing the end of our systemic
improvement plan or our SIP. This marks a major milestone in the district's improvement and stabilization efforts. There is certainly much work left to be done, but this accomplishment is a testament to the systems and structures
that my team has implemented in partnership with DESIE, and we're ready for that work ahead. As in previous years, I've focused my self-evaluation on the feedback that was shared at the end of last year by this committee. And I've continued to do my
best to align that feedback with the goals of this committee, our district priorities, the expertise of our team, and the standards for superintendent evaluation set forth by DESIE. In my evaluation, I provided you with
many data points, lots of exemplars of the district's progress, too many to certainly name here that correspond to our performance goals. They show we continue to move in the right direction. And though I'd love to go through every detail tonight, I know the agenda is
packed, so I'm going to try to keep it brief, but I do want to take a few minutes to review some key improvements because they represent the hard work of our team. On the academic side, we have effectively built the foundation for
improved academic achievement and developed a clear set of academic strategies after years of inconsistent leadership. To start, BPS has made significant strides in preparing our students for
college and career. We prioritized pathways at all BPS high schools, bringing the total number of college pathways to 15 across eight schools. We completed the process to ensure all schools use highquality instructional
materials. 100% of our schools are using these materials with 85% of schools adopting district supported high-quality instructional materials and 15% of the schools using materials approved by
teaching and learning that meet that high standard. We focused on our multi-tered system of support or what we call MTSS over the past two years working on strengthening tier 1 instruction for all students with
our focus tuning to the implementation and documentation of intensifying tier 1. And we continue to improve the connection between the central office and the schools through the regional model.
As we move forward with our inclusive education plan, Boston is becoming a district where students learn in the least restrictive environment. Just a few highlights. reach an agreement with the BTU for 2024-27
collective bargaining agreement which is redefining what inclusive practice looks like in the classroom. Opening six programs in 24-25 with capacity to serve more than 300
students and launching nine new programs in school year 2526 with the capacity to serve more than 200 students in the first year of implementation and over a thousand students when fully implemented.
operational improvements, ensuring all students have the physical spaces to support every aspect of their education. We needed to make and continue to make operational improvements. This includes implementing our long-term facilities
planning work and optimizing our footprint by continuing to merge schools and rightsize the district. This year we opened the new Quinsey Upper School and newly renovated building for the Horus man school for the deaf and heart of hearing. We
advanced in the MSBA process for new and renovated buildings for the Sarah Roberts School and the Ruth Batson Academy and completed an application for the renovation of Madison Park. In the fall, we'll look forward to opening the
new Carter School, the renovated Sarah Roberts Elementary School, and the renovated and expanded PJ Kennedy School. In April of 2025, we released a report on BPS transportation that highlights progress in key areas. We also
implemented other changes that have led to a better experience for students and families. We instituted the Zoom app which has contributed to on-time performance improvements. We implemented a new ridership policy, a procedure that ensures only students who use the bus
are routed for transportation. 800 students who have consistently not been riding the bus this school year were opted out of transportation. and we are continuing to move forward with fleet electrification with a goal of
being fully electric by 2030. Families are our greatest partners in this work and so we continue to strengthen our connections to parents and caregivers in various ways. We reorganized the office of family and community advancement.
We hired more staff with linguistic capacity to best serve our multilingual families. We empowered families to advocate for their students by getting involved in their school site councils, which have grown from 30% of our schools
just two years ago to 110 schools today. We built a team of seven BPS helpline specialists who have handled more than 32,000 cases so far this year. That's up from even last year, which was our historic high. And we've implemented
innovative programs like parent mentoring that we know make a key difference in our schools. There's so much more I could talk about. Literally could go on and on because the work of the team is very powerful and transformative.
As it closed the 2024 evaluation process, I I said in the next year we would focus and and and I explained how we would center the identities of children to cultivate a sense of belonging in their schools, shift our practice so that children would learn in
the least restrictive environment, expand native language supports and access to native language instruction, and provide the tools and professional development for our teachers and staff to do their best work and this came from our committee from you. These were the
things that we centered upon. I believe we've made significant progress over the past year in demonstrating how we would meet and will continue to meet these goals. The operational and academic shifts that we have made have set the foundation for future growth and
achievement. I certainly do not do this work alone. I really want to thank my whole team for their hard work and commitment to the students of Boston because they are our greatest asset and I look forward to the
work ahead in my fourth year and to the continued partnership of the committee. So with that chair I'll turn it back to you. Thank you. Thank you superintendent. Thank you madam chair. So uh fellow members um Dr. Alkins is you can see he's not here
tonight. he planned upon making this presentation because he has led this process uh since the chair asked him to earlier this year. Uh however, his employer uh asked him on short notice to attend the nationalmies of science,
engineering and medicine convocation on the status of informal science and engineering education to engage in critical discourse about the future of STEM education in the US. So, the chair asked that I step forward in his absence to share tonight's presentation due to my part partnership in the
superintendent's evaluation process. Um, as Chair Robinson uh shared, Dr. Elkins led this process from start to finish. Uh, you know, I am never shy about expressing my opinions or thoughts or uh comments. Uh, but tonight there'll be none of that because I am strictly
reading Dr. Elen's written words from here forward. um because he he uh did the presentation, wrote the summit of evaluation. Uh each of us did seven individual evaluations. He collected them, wrote the summit of evaluation and wrote the talking points that from here
on in are strictly his words. So as the governing body of the Boston public schools, the Boston school committee is responsible for one defining the vision, mission, and goals of the Boston public schools. two, establish and monitoring the annual operating budget. Three, setting and reviewing district policies
and practices to support student achievement. And four, and most importantly for tonight, hiring, managing, and evaluating the superintendent. So, the superintendent's evaluation process includes multiple key components. There are agreed upon goals
co-developed and negotiated with the school committee and superintendent and driven by community input. Self-evaluation of the superintendent highlighting process towards those progress towards those goals. Individual school committee member evaluations providing strengths, areas for growth
and reflections on progress. A summit of evaluation that ties together salient themes across all individual member evaluations and an eventual vote to approve the summit of evaluation and official performance rating of the superintendent for the current academic
year. Now BPS has adopted DESSISE or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's rubric to conduct the superintendent's evaluation across four standards. One, instructional leadership. Two,
management and operations. Three, family and community engagement. And four, professional culture. Further, we have aligned DESSI's four category evaluation rating system with the BPS's more nuanced five category
rating system by subdividing the DESIE proficiency rating into developing and effective. This will appear later in the presentation with more context. As a reminder, as a body, we revisit our school committee priorities at our
annual retreat to ensure alignment with vision, goals, and actionable steps to achieve these goals. As such, the three priority areas are as follows. Priority one, accelerating academic performance
as assessed by progress developing highquality academic experiences, making strides and equitable literacy, and implementing highquality instructional materials. Priority two, ensuring access for all students as assessed by progress
on serving our diverse population of learners across a range of experiences and backgrounds, including socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity, geography, and language. Further, we prioritize progress in advancing inclusive education,
particularly in the expansive experiences to support our multilingual learner and multilingual learner with disabilities populations, dual language, transitional bilingual education, students with limited or interrupted formal education, and newcomers.
Priority three, maintaining consistency and highquality learning opportunities as measured through the implementation of a long-term facilities plan, and access for every student to a highquality student experience defined by rigorous and culturally affirming learning experiences, wellness and
enrichment, supportive network of caring adults, and physical spaces that support learning. Now we'll dive into these priorities more concretely to discuss the superintendent sting student learning goals and progress measurements.
So each of the student superintendent student learning goals are aligned to a school committee priority. Student learning goal one is aligned to school committee priority one. Accelerating academic performance is to demonstrate progress in the district-wide strategic implementation
of grade level learning focused on one access to highquality instructional materials or HQIM. Two, regular observance, observation, and data cycle data review cycles to respond to student needs. Three, systems and structures to support
multi-tered systems of support or MTSS. and four, implementation of the district's regional model. Progress was measured by data relative to the adoption rate of high-quality instruction materials, observational data collected through instructional
rounds using the equitable literacy tool or ELQ or EQL, and documentation of multi-tered systems of support. Now, student learning goal two is aligned to school committee priority two, insurance access for all students,
which is to demonstrate progress in the implementation of the district's inclusive education plan focused on one, enhancing inclusive practices to create the intended instructional conditions, two, expansion of inclusive programming, and three, implementing inclusive
settings in grades K0, K1, K2, 7, and nine. Progress was measured by feedback from teachers regarding required professional development, expansion of bilingual programs and programs for multilingual learners, implementation of inclusive
settings in grades K0, K1, K2, 7, and nine, and planning completed by school-based inclusive learning plans or IP teams, excuse me, IPS, and completing service mapping for the next cycle of implementation.
Student learning goal three is aligned to school committee priority three, consistency and highquality learning opportunities, which is to demonstrate progress in the continued implementation of the district's long-term facilities plan focused on one, the 2030 vision for
the district's footprint. Two, implementation of ongoing capital projects. Three, the implementation of previously announced closures and merges. And four, the announcement of the new school closures emerges, which is school pri school committee priority three, consistency and high quality
learning opportunity. Progress was measured by release of a 2030 vision and long-term enrollment projections, progress of capital projects in the district, implementation plan for school closures and mergers, and analysis and engagement to inform
school closure and merger announcements. Now, we want to take a second to explain the DESI rubric versus BPS rubric for the public and folks watching. This slide juxtaposes the DESIE and BPS evaluation rubrics mentioned earlier to
illustrate the differences between each. Note that each rating under the BPS rubric is assigned a numerical value for calculating a rating across each standard and an average rating across the entire committee. Also, it's important to note that the proficient
rating, as indicated by DESIE, is subdivided into two ratings under BPS's rubric, effective or development. We believe this action allows for a nuanced understanding of accountability when evaluating the superintendent's leadership capabilities and actions and
growth within the role. So, now let's dive a little bit into the evaluation for standard one on instructional leadership. Committee evaluations provided feedback on curriculum and instruction efforts. In regard to strengths,
the school committee strongly valued the progress made in fortifying the academic foundation of the district. The superintendent and her team successfully closed out the systemic improvement plan, completed the first iteration of the inclusive education plan roll out, saw NAPE scores returned to pre-
pandemic preandemic levels, and expanded available availability of AP options and college and career pathways across high schools. Further, the 100% adoption of high-quality instructional materials across the district and the additional coordinated professional development 12
hours that in the district reflects commitment and buyin from schools. Accountability measures that have been put in place to more deeply uh accelerate reflective practice via equitable literacy tool and classroom
observations and verify critical factors of student success. eg or for example student enrollment. So for areas of continued growth there's agreement across the board from the committee that the district has made positive strides and also as a district
we are not yet where we want to be. Of particular importance is the development of a comprehensive plan to address our persistent opportunity achievement gaps, particularly for black and latinx students, multilingual learners, and multilingual learners with
disabilities. We look forward to moving on this in the future and acknowledge the reconvening of the opportunity and achievement gaps task force. Also key in strategic planning is the continued improvement and aligned instructional and
professional development support to operationalize the long-term vision for multilingual learners and multilingual learners with disabilities. Particularly advancing innovative strategies for teacher preparation and recruitment and district-wide native language instruction
for standard one instructional leadership using the DESIE evaluation ratings. The committee overall rates the superintendent as provision. Now if you look at the distribution of evaluation responses, member ratings ranged between developing and highly
effective. Moving on to standard two on management and operations. Committee evaluations provided feedback on transportation, facilities, human resources, and fiscal systems efforts. In particular,
in regard to strengths, the district has made significant improvements in transportation following recommendations from the Council of Great City Schools, resulting in beginning the school year fully staffed in drivers and monitors and the use of Zoom technology to
increase on-time performance to 94%, the highest monthly performance in the last five years. Additionally, the district has made great major strides in tackling facilities work. The district has increased schools with air conditioning from 32% to 92%.
And has completed nearly 7,500 maintenance requests. And there were more capital projects underway than in decades past. The Office of Human Resources continues to make positive strides via strategic realignment to foster efficiency
improvement in our early hiring rate of school leaders and teachers. targeted recruitment to increase the linguistic and racial diversity of our educators and alignment to the regional model to meet the needs of schools. Also notable are this year's multiple
successful contract negotiations and the proactive stall staggered calendar approach to ensure all contracts do not expire in the same year in the future. Finally, the district has been strong in coming off of ESS. It is commendable
that BPS avoided layoffs and invested in key priorities such as inclusive education, strengthening key student services, multilingual learning, and college career pathways. For areas of continued growth, our high
operating costs continue to be a concern. While the district works closely with our transportation contractor to make our systems as safe as possible, the devastating loss of one of our students requires us to continue to examine our safety message to ensure
this never happens again. Further, our facilities maintenance continues to be a top priority and concern. With over 11,900 work orders submitted, nearly a third remain incomplete. With so many pressing needs, we need to increase the capacity and resources in
this area as our buildings are key to supporting the high-quality student experience. The need for closures and mergers is disruptive but essential. We must however continue to cultivate deeper clarity around the factors that influence decisions to give the BPS
community as much notice as possible. Amidst funding uncertainty, we hope programs that increase the linguistic and racial diversity of our workforce continues. The focus on recruitment is evident. A clear focus on morale and staff retention is also important. We
must also continue to strengthen a line between budget decisions and the greater systemwise goals for rating for standard two management and operations using the DESIE evaluation ratings. The committee overall rates the performance of the
superintendent as proficient. Again looking at the distribution of evaluating respon evaluation responses ratings range between developing and highly effective same as the first as standard number one. For standard three on family and
community engagement, community evaluations provided feedback on engagement and communications efforts. In particular, in regards to strengths, the superintendent team have put forth a stronger engagement effort to illustrate their willingness to be present for
critical conversations and to further elaborate on how community voice is valued and helps shapes decisions and policy. This evidenced by This is evidenced by additional meetings to support transitioning school communities impacted by closures and merges and the
achievement that 110 schools now have a school site council which has increased engagement around facilities changes. The structural reorganization of the office of family and community advancement workshops by parent university and hiring of staff with more
linguistic capacity especially at the welcome center. [Music] It's back. Thanks. Have allowed for deeper engagement with the diversity of families in the district and have led to 700 migrant families being supported
through the BPS registration process. Finally, this has been a year of modernization for technological services with improvements to the BPS website and the use of parent square to provide direct birectional communication for families with teachers and school
communities. Under standard three for areas of continued growth, the committee felt we must continue refining and improving engagement practices. As we continue to improve our delivery of services, we need to continue to consider the staff
and incapacity need to execute our priorities. Well, authentic community engagement in Boston public schools processes should be the ethos across all departments and involves clear conversations of roles and the navigation of power dynamics within
these roles. To this end, the area committee sees some areas for continued growth and monitoring. One, ensure that the district is keeping a close eye on how communities of merged and closed schools are coalescing and fairing. Two, more clearly articulate equity analysis
findings use of the REPT to communities or racial equity planning tool. Three, consider the expansion of welcome centers to include satellite centers. And four, include families in the testing of BPS products such as the BPS
website for iterative improvement of website organization and prioritization of content. The committee provided an average rating of proficient by Desi standards for standard three family and community engagement using the DESIE evaluation
rating. As I said, the committee overall rates the superintendent as proficient. Once again, if we look at the distribution of evaluation responses, the ratings range between developing and effective with the majority providing a range effective. I think we see that on
the next slide. Thank you. For standard four on nurturing professional culture, committee evaluations provided feedback on cultural proficiency, continuous learning, and shared vision. In particular,
in regard to strengths, the district has provided training to prepare staff to adapt to a variety of distant situations to best serve our students and families, including more intentionality to the needs and rights of immigrant families and our LGBTQIA+
community. The district has invested in diversity, equity, and inclusion training for the executive team, including an inclusive leadership assessment with tailored individual recommendations and renewed focus on the opportunity achievement gaps policy. The conclusion of the systemic
improvement plan is a significant accomplishment. Additionally, the offering of multiple leadership fellowships, expanded leadership development programs, and professional learning communities demonstrate a small strong focus on continuous learning and developing
talent from within with the focus on diversity and an emphasis on staff having the opportunity to improve their practice. Finally, Superintendent and Skipper and the work of the district has laid the foundation for a new strategic plan with a clear alignment to the opportunity
achievement gaps policy and the school committee's priorities for areas of continued growth in this standard. The district the committee felt the district needs to maintain evaluation of the effectiveness of training with clear metrics and cross departmental collaboration to assess
quality, sustain momentum and ensure alignment. Professional development aimed at cultural competency and strengthening a sense of belonging needs to be adopted consistently throughout the district, especially in schools with larger equity
gaps. Further, school leaders need to be supported in creating accountability systems that are flexible for both teachers and administrators to make changes that better support students. As we continue to strengthen the regional model, we must make sure liaison in the
regional structure are equipped to make positive contributions. Finally, there is a continued need to better highlight successes and to communicate the impact of central office work. We must consider creative ways to involve the media in communications and spotlighting the work of the district.
For standard number four, professional culture, using the DESIE evaluation ratings, the committee overall rates the superintendent as proficient. Once again, looking at the distribution of evaluation responses, rating range, ratings range between developing and
highly effective, the same as standards one and two. Now, when Dr. Elkins put these together taken together the average across all four standards and this is evaluate evaluation the school committee rates a superintendent as effective or
proficient by DESIE standards indicating the superintendent's performance consistently exceeded expectations in all essential areas of responsibility and that the quality of work overall was excellent. Annual goals were met. When looking at our overall rubric
distribution across standards and evaluations, we can calculate an average score of 4.0 out of five for the superintendent's rating. This graph shows simply the entire distribution across all standards together, further
illustrating consistency across ratings and individual committee member evaluations. When assigning numerical values to each category across the four standards, not only do we see the average rating for the year, but we can also compare it
to the previous year's evaluations. And Dr. Alkins asked me particularly to make this point. Though the comparison between this year and last is not shown on this slide, for context, in this year's evaluation, the superintendent improved numerically across every
evaluation standard in compared to last year. This is important to keep in mind as we discuss the superintendent and BPS's team's collective efforts to unify and operationalize a collective vision for excellence across the district, particularly one that has experienced
our level of turnover, instability, and instability at leadership levels. It's also critical to keep in mind when this growth what this growth means for a district that has experienced disruption and is still recovering from the learning losses and chaos of a pandemic.
Writing the ship is not easy, but there is confidence from the committee in the direction and stewardship of the district. So to summarize areas of strength, strong district-wide adaptation of highquality instructional materials and tier one instructional
focus paired with aligned professional development and classroom observations to support effective implementation and ensure students do the heavy lifting. Strong found two strong foundation laid for long-term academic quality.
Implementation of a district-wide inclusive education plan. Increase multi-tered systems of support. Expansion of bilingual and multilingual programs. Clear focus on staff development to increase alignment and achievement district goals.
Three, measurable progress in core operations which have resulted in significant outcomes that has led to stability after years of leadership and operational instability. There's improved transportation outcomes. On-time performances at a 5-year high, recruitment outcry and
recruitment efforts there have resulted in staffing improvements. There's thoughtful implementation of facilities improvements and rightsiz in the district. the largest capital planning facilities modernization of decades with a clear foundation laid to
continue the work. Three, improved financial management, stabilization of payroll, avoidance of layoffs despite the end of ESR funding. Four, conclusion of the systemic improvement pan plan and the department of justice oversight. and five investors
investments in educator pipelines and professional development to ensure students have talented educators able to serve their diverse needs. It goes without saying that while the ship is being writed, the superintendent committee have stated as district we are
not yet where we want to be. The committee commends growth of the inputs and is still a body that prioritizes and centers outcomes of students as its north star. So areas of continued growth in the coming year that the committee would
like to see is a strong foundation for progress has been laid. The district is showing signs of improvement. However, overall student outcomes remain largely unchanged and progress is uneven across schools. As we move forward, increased focus on accelerating student outcomes
and closing opportunity achievement gaps is needed. This includes one continued focus on strengthening tier one instruction and increased focus on tier two and three supports. Two, clear metrics and evaluation processes to measure the effectiveness of our
implementation and investment choices on student outcomes. Another area of continued growth is structural progress in the office of family and community engagement is evident as we move forward. continue strengthening our systemwide approach
and responsiveness to the input of our families. Continue building practices that are intentionally shared across departments and facilitate our families being well informed and able to effectively navigate our systems. The committee looks forward to the renewal of a strategic plan in the
coming year. We encourage the superintendent to ensure the plan works with the committee and includes key implementation goals intentionally align our resources as they will anchor the district to our core priorities. We encourage as well to continue to hone
and strengthen aligned implementation process. In closing, Dr. Elkins writes, "The superintendent has consistently demonstrated annual growth. We are confident Superintendent Skipper is the leader to continue moving
the district towards transformational change as per the provision in the superintendent's contract which outlines the potential for contract renewal discussions after July 1st, 2025 if the superintendent has reached a rating of proficient or above in the
past year. The committee will recommend the s school committee chair enter into negotiations with the superintendent on that matter after July 1st 2025 and after the committee votes on this final profession. Last slide is join our next meeting on
July 9th we will vote on the superintendent's evaluation this summarative evaluation as put together by Dr. Elkins. So I thank Dr. Elkins for um putting that doing that all work putting it together reading each of our individual
evaluations uh doing the math and coming up with that summit of evaluation and writing these comments which I read on his behalf. I'll now pass it to Chair Robinson and the rest of the committee for questions and comments. Thank you. I'll now open it up for questions from members. Thank you. Thank you, Madame Chair.
Thank you uh superintendent for hard work this year. I think the Dr. Arenal I think I feel like Dr. Alkins made an awesome summary um of the and a really
good job of what we've been talking about in your voice. I think it's important. Next year is going to be a very challenging year because we're going to be working on a strategic planning.
And I liked a lot when superintendent said, and I'm going to quote her, um, next year we're going to start with instructions on our native languages. And honestly, I think we are facing a
new language and this is like lighting up a bulb uh for new language learners. house and I highly appreciate that. So, next year we're going to keep pushing through for our students to have the
best results. Thank you. Now, now back to Michael O'Neal speaking. I I will just um strictly say I have not had the chance to read other members evaluations. We provided them tonight so
I will read them. I did as I read um Dr. Elkins comments uh Elkins comments excuse me in the summitive. I noticed some of my input and I'm sure other members felt the same way. So that is what a summitive is. It's trying to make
sure each of our voices are represented. I noticed some of my comments in it and but I also know I learn from fellow members as well and what their reflections are, what they notice that I may have not have noticed. So I look forward to reading the um individual
evaluations to then be able to vote on the summit of evaluation at our next meeting. But for my individual evaluation uh the superintendent self-evaluation and Dr. Elen summitative evaluation. It certainly seemed to me to
capture the viewpoints that we have heard consistent at this table during the year, the questions that have been raised, the comments that have been raised and and what I have observed in the district in the past year. So, I thank Dr. Elkins for that work and I look forward to reading my fellow
members evaluations as well. First of all, I want to thank you, Superintendent Skipper, and your team for the um incredible hard work um that you all have done this past year. Um you know, I really see this that we finally
have a strong foundation. I mean, I don't think there was any aspect of work that hasn't been touched upon that is going to help create that. whether it be getting the high quality materials there, making sure that schools are
using them, doing all of the focusing. Um, you know, I've often said that this district has two key audiences. It's educators that we are trying to work with and to improve their ability to work with the wide variety of students
that we need and the district has to invest in both sides. and um it's clearly been seen that that work has been done. Um there is still a lot to do. I think we all we all agree with that
but and and and I'm hoping that um obviously not just you but all of our adults be they the parents who have got to get our kids to school um as well as all of our teachers etc. understand that
it it's more important than ever that we all work together, if at all, that we're going to be able to see and realize the um changes for students, that we support every single day. Um of the work that
everybody comes here to do. Um it's a lot. Um and as we and I and I think all of us will say out loud or continuously think about is that um the world around us is not making it easy
for us. Um, as we move forward, particularly because of the students that we serve, um, we have a very diverse population of kids, many English language learners, and many communities that are being pushed out against um, by
our federal government. So, it's going to be um a very tricky balance of how we're able to go forward and continue to support the very students that we want to support. These are our kids. Um and
how we do that work and how do we make sure that our adults are all committed to um supporting the students we have who continue to be um part of the ongoing training and support
that we will be looking forward to as we move forward. Um the area of parent and community engagement continues to be that thorn in all of our sides in terms of figuring out how best to support um the
variety of families that this district supports. We see it all the time that we have people all over the map in terms of their particular needs and what they see as success and how they want to be um supported by that. It's really the
district's job to figure out how to do it well for for all. So, we will continue to push in that area, but also to work and support you and your team and um want to find more ways that we can hear
um from our public and from a wider variety of our public as well. Um there are many quiet voices um within our public who um we don't hear from um unless there's something
not going well. But um I think one of our challenges is to figure out how to make sure all voices find a way um whether they are happy or whether they are having concerns that they can give us more feedback in order for us as a
district to to help them. But um but again, thank you so much um for getting us this fall. Um and we look forward to um continuing to move forward next meeting. Thank you. Thanks. And
again, I want to say thank you to Dr. Alkins for leading the superintendent evaluation process and to vice chair O'Neal um for sharing the presentation this evening. And again, as I said, thank you to you, Superintendent Skipper, and your team for the work you've accomplished in the past year.
Um, we thank you for the way you engaged in this evaluation process and your commitment to continuous growth and improvement in service of our team, our students and our families is clear and the data you presented and the reflections you shared and your openness
to discourse. So, we will vote on the superintendent's evaluation at the July 9th meeting. Okay. Our last report of the evening is the exam schools update.
Okay. Let's aim to keep this presentation within 20 minutes. I'd like to remind our presenters to speak at a slower pace to assist our interpreters and I want to invite the superintendent to give introductory
remarks. Wonderful. Thank you, chair. So tonight we have chief of data information and systems improvement Monica Hogan and senior adviser for strategy and opportunity gaps Colin Rose who will give an update on the district's exam school policy. First, as
a reminder, this policy is important and it impacts only three of our 112 schools. While this policy will rightfully generate much discussion and attention, I want to assure the public that the committee, my team, and I remain focused on the larger district
and the needs of all students. When this policy was put in place, the district and school committee at the time knew that it might need to be adjusted. The policy itself asked for a thorough review after five years, and we're now at that fiveyear mark. This past
December, we promised to come back to this committee with an analysis of the policy impact over the last five years and some additional data for consideration. As requested by this committee, we have tried to improve the policy with each minor change over the past several
years. Yet, some of the core of feedback we hear publicly on the different versions of this policy have not been fully addressed. that it pits schools against each other and neighborhoods against each other. Tonight, we begin the
process, and we are just beginning the process of re-examining what, if any, changes should be recommended, and that process will continue into the fall. Our district goal remains the same, to create an equitable and transparent
policy that ensures that all students have the opportunity to apply for a seat at one of the city's three exam schools. Tonight, we will show you three simulations that are refinements of our original policy. These are only three simulations, and I'm sure this committee
will want to see others as we go through this process. If we choose to make a change, I would recommend a robust community conversation to gather feedback from the committee and from the community.
And if we decide to make a change, I want to make a recommendation to this body on a clear policy that is equitable and fair, holds to the tenants of the original policy to ensure socioeconomic,
geographic diversity, and one that will stay in place without further change for multiple years so that students and families understand the process, can make an informed decision, when they apply to attend an exam
school. And as a district, we can reliably track trends in the data. I know I'm going to have comments in the presentation. So, uh, at this point, I'll turn it over to Monica and Colin. Good evening, school committee.
Uh, Superintendent Skipper, back in the hot seat. Uh, picked a very easy topic to ease myself back into the district. Um today we'll talk a little bit about um the exam school policy uh a review kind of a retrospective of the last five
years uh and then look at some scenarios and I'm really going to kind of drive the retrospective piece and pass it on to my colleague Monica who will uh talk a little bit about the simulations. Um, so as we need to reiterate kind of
multiple times tonight, I want to start off by saying this is just an exploration of data and not a decision point or a recommendation that we're bringing before you today. Started wanted to start with the context. Uh, in 2021, Boston School
Committee voted to amend the Boston Public Schools exams uh policy to promote more equitable citywide access to the district's exam schools. as school committee uh commissioned. The task force explored possible admissions
policies with the goals of expanding the applicant pool, maintaining academic rigor, and generating a student body that reflects the racial, socioeconomic, and geographic diversity of all students in the city of Boston. Essentially, it's
the belief that there's brilliance across all of our neighborhoods in all of the corners of the city from all backgrounds. And if we are to have exam schools, we must make sure that there's access for all of those children. Um, as in any process, it's important to keep
that history and those values in mind. Based on the work of that task force, the superintendent at the time, Dr. Casselius re uh recommended and the school committee approved a new admissions policy that considered students composite scores which are made
up of GPA uh and uh a test map assessment two distributed an equal number of exam uh invitations across socio socioeconomic tiers in Boston and
assigned students uh additional points in title one schools which is 40% % more economically disadvantaged uh as well as points for students in public housing, experienced homeless homelessness or in the care of DCF. The policy re uh required a review after
5 years to analyze the outcomes. Uh and in December 2024, this last December, the district also announced that we'd be conducting an analysis to explore other variables connected to some issues that folks were hearing. So that's why we're here today. Going to pass this along to
Monica. Uh so before we go further in the presentation, we just wanted to remind everyone of what the current admissions policy is. Um so our current policy divides the city into four socioeconomic tiers. Um this is done based on data
from the US Census, the American Community Survey. Um interested students then rank an exam school, um take the MAP test and submit grades. Um test scores count for 30% of the students composite score and their GPA um counts
for 70%. Um additional points are then added uh for students attending a school with 40% or more economically disadvantaged students. Um the number of points they receive is determined based on the tier differential which you may remember as a
policy change um two years ago. and um add- students experiencing homelessness in the care of the department of children and families and living in Boston housing authority housing um also receive additional points. Invitations are then distributed to the highest
scoring applicants within each tier. Each tier receives an equal number of invitations um and they are distributed within that tier. If all seats at a student's first choice school are filled, um the applicant is invited to their second or third choice depending on which schools
still have seats available. Although the original aim uh was to do this retrospective and exploration of updates to the admissions policy after 5 years, the policy has been tweaked every year. Um, this table shows the changes over the last six years going back to
the years immediately preceding the task force recommendations and including the tweaks starting in 2022 2023. Uh, in many ways the data will show movement towards the goals and values of the policy while still reflecting that we have a ways to go.
As you can see in this table, applicants to exam schools have increased every year starting in 2022 2023 to today. The drops in applications between 2020 and 2022 were mainly due to policy changes.
So in 2020 2021 the district moved to administer the IAC in schools something that we were intimately involved in during the school day um allowing more access for students um at that time any student who took that test automatically
became an applicant. So that's why you see those huge numbers in 2020 2021 that changed during COVID uh where students had to at least have a B average and select at least one of the exam schools to be considered an applicant. Now we'll take a look at what effects
the policy changes have had on the makeup of the student body uh at the exam schools as well as invitations. So, uh, as you can see in this slide, uh, the policy did work to increase the percentage of e economically disadvantaged students at exam schools.
Although we're not at par, uh, as the percentage of e economically disadvantaged students in the district has also increased over the years. The percentage of students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and former English learners has stayed consistent uh, except for an increase in
former English learners at BLS. Multilingual learners and students with disabilities are generally not reflective of the student body in BPS which is a longer term issue we'll talk later about later. This show uh slide shows the racial uh
ethnic uh demographics of the three exam schools pre-missions changes in 2019 2020 compared to this year's student body. All three schools have seen an overall student demographic to be more reflective of the city. Uh with BLA and
O'Brien continuing to be much more reflective than Boston Latin School. This slide shows the distribution of invitations across the city's neighborhood. The far left is the city's population distributed uh distribution of fifth and
sixth graders just in general. Uh in the middle is the 2020 2021 and the far right is the 2025 2026 maps by exam school invitations. If you focus on the shading uh for the 2025 2026 map, it is much more
reflective of the city's population than it was in 2020 2021 before the policy changes came into effect. Students chances of getting in an invitation into exam schools does vary by sending school and socioeconomic
tier. there are more applicants and therefore more competition for exam schools invitations in higher socioe economic tiers uh which are the higher numbers. Uh after the policy tweak uh moving from eight tiers to four tiers uh this year that difference has dis
decreased significantly now between tier one and tier 4. This slide shows the invitation rates over the past several years to exam schools by race, ethnicity as compared to the cities and districts uh districts demographics as well as the percentage
of multilingual learner uh multilingual learners and students with disabilities receiving invitations over time. As you can see, the race ethnicity percentages immediately became more reflective uh post the change in policy, although not to parody with the district
of the city and stayed fairly consistent over the uh over a few years. However, this year's invitation uh has shown a 7% decrease in the number of blacks uh in the percentage of black students receiving invitations. Due to the amount of changes to the
policy, potential social factors, and limited time to analyze this trend, I think we got this data about a month ago or less. Uh it's difficult at this time to pinpoint exactly what might be ex uh be to explain for this dip. The percentage of economically
disadvantaged students and former ELLLs rose uh and has stayed constant throughout the years while the percentage of multilingual learners and students with disability initially rose but now has fallen back in the current year's data to 1% and 2% respectively.
This chart shows the minimum minimum composite scores to receive an invitation varies by socioeconomic tier and by exam school. Um students in tier four need a higher composite score to receive an invitation to exam schools as
compared to students in tier 1. Again, after the move from eight tiers to four tiers this year, uh that difference uh is not as stark as in the past. Now I'm going to pass it to Monica. Um so as part of the presentation we
gave in December um we identified the questions on this slide for further analysis based on the feedback that we've heard over the last several years related to the admissions policy. These questions informed the analysis
that we performed this spring that we will now go into more depth on. Um, as Colin mentioned earlier, our our work to increase access to exam schools, we know it must go beyond the admission
policy alone. Um this work uh to increase access for our students with disabilities and our multilingual learners um requires more time to develop a broader longerterm structure of supports, staffing, and facilities changes at both the district and school
levels to accompany any change in policy. As we thought about the desired outcomes of this policy analysis, we identified four components. Maintain the basic structure of distributing invitations across socioeconomic tiers.
Ensure that the highest scoring students from across Boston have a path to an exam school. Simplify the policy so it is easy to understand and can be implemented effectively and craft a policy designed to remain
stable for multiple years. I just once again want to remind people of the process today. We're just looking at and examining data both kind of in a retrospective way uh and looking at some scenarios uh that could be in the universe of many scenarios. Um this
summer there'll be some engagement uh around this presentation both the data uh and the simulations. Um and then if there is any updates uh to the policy, all those discussions and decisions will be made sometime in the fall. And so just to remind everyone, we're really in
this data stage even before we get into engaging the public. So before we move into the simulation data of tonight's presentation, um I'm going to spend a few minutes going through the different variables that we considered in the analysis that we did.
Um so the first variable is the additional points. Um as you know students can receive additional points in two different ways in the current policy. One based on if they attend a school where 40% or more of the students are considered economically
disadvantaged and the second for students experiencing homelessness living in BHA owned housing or in the care of DCF. Um, we've heard a lot of feedback on the schoolbased points, um, that they're both hard to explain and understand and can make it
mathematically difficult for students with high composite scores in some tiers to receive an invitation. And so, as you can see on this slide, uh, the percentage of applicants receiving those school-based points has increased over the past four invitation
cycles. Um, this increase changes the impact of those points. As more students receive them, um, they become less impactful um, and not as close to the original intention of providing additional points to some students.
The second variable we looked at in this analysis was the addition of a city-wide round. Um, a citywide round is a means to ensure that students with the highest composite scores have a path to an exam school. This could be implemented in one of two
ways. Um, you could either allocate 20% of the seats at each exam school to the students with the highest composite scores. Um, or you could allocate 20% of the seats overall without a threshold by school to the students with the highest
composite scores. The third variable we looked at was the sizing of the socioeconomic tiers. Um you might remember that currently the socioeconomic tiers are sized based on the city's population of students in grades 5 through 8. Um and what we
considered in this analysis was the impact of sizing the tiers by the number of applicants in that year's admission cycle. Um so this would create tiers that have an equal number of applicants resulting in a similar invitation rate
for each tier. Um Colin shared earlier the differences in invitation rate by tier that we have seen over the last few admission cycles. Uh the applicant based tiers would likely increase representation from neighborhoods that have more applicants
um making it less geographically representative. it'll come back. Um, this change would also have an impact on the timeline for invitations to be sent as we would not be able to determine the
tiers until we have determined eligibility of applicants. Um, and we estimate that this would delay invitations by at least two weeks um, from when they are currently sent. All right. Before Monica jumps into some of the data around the simulations,
um I wanted to talk about what a simulation is and what it isn't. Right? So a simulation uh uses data from previous admissions years to create a whatif scenario. What if we had this policy last year? Um this
can be helpful uh because it gives you good insight on how a change in policy might change um outcomes with real data. But it also assumes a few things. It assumes that the applicant pool will not change significantly from year to year
which might not be true. And the second piece is that they cannot predict social behavior, right? Changes in behavior once people understand the implications of a policy change. And so those are things that you need to think about as you think about simulations and
and how that might affect in the real world. But these are good uh starting points to have a conversation around what if we had this policy. So we'll share tonight um data from three possible simulations using data
from both the 2425 and 2526 applicant pools. Um you will see on the next few slides data that reflects results under the current policy as well as the three following simulations. Um, so these
three simulations all remove the schoolbased points and reduce the number of points for students experiencing homelessness in the care of DCF or living in BHA housing to 10 from 15. Simulation A uses tiers that are sized
based on the number of applicants and continues to distribute all 100% of invitations by tier. Simulations B and C both use tiers that are sized based on the population, which is consistent with the current policy.
Each of these has a city-wide round with simulation B's citywide round reserving 20% of seats at each school and simulation C's citywide round reserving 20% of seats overall. Um I will move a little quickly through
the simulation data slides. Um, so the first two slides you'll see show the results for each simulation by tier. You'll see that the current policy and simulation A both result in each tier receiving the same number of invitations.
Simulations B and C have an addition of the citywide round resulting in different numbers of invitations by socioeconomic tier. And this slide shows the same data but using the school year 2526 applicant pool instead. So it is also um the
invitations distributed by tier. This slide shows the simulation results for different student groups. uh multilingual learners, former English learners, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students. The gray columns show the percentage for
that group in the BPS population, as well as the results from the school year 2021 invitation cycle, which was the last year to use these test prior to co This slide shows the simulation results
by race with the citywide percentages and again the school year 2021 invitation percentages in the gray columns on the left. And this final simulation slide shows the minimum and average composite scores
for each of the three exam schools as well as the maximum score for students who did not receive an invitation. Looks like we have less than 20 seconds. I'm not used to this budget, so I don't know what's going to happen when it hits zero. But uh I just want to again uh
remind people that the process uh we are in a space where we're looking at data um and exploring some simulations. There'll be some there there we go some engagement this summer. Uh and again if there is any changes to the policy that
will happen those discussions will happen in the fall and beyond. So uh happy to take any questions uh from the committee. Thank you for your presentation on that. Hi, thank you for the presentation of
the exploring that y'all are doing. I I appreciate the the friendly reminder because a lot of times when the district comes to the school committee, it can often feel like we're just having a conversation about a proposal and not just having a dialogue
and exploring data or any information that can help uh or guide you know the decision- making. I think you know just the size of how many years and how many times the district have tried to come with a solution um as much as we want to
explore is just really important that we remind ourselves that every year that we're just exploring is another missed opportunities for for some families but I do understand that there is care here that we're making sure whatever the policy is doesn't leave families behind.
Um, but also in a perfect world, maybe every single school of EPS would be a perfect school and we wouldn't have to make decisions or give out points or have to look into the different uh factors that we talked about like social economic and race and all of that. I
don't have um a particular question. I just I'm hoping that whenever this uh body is having this conversation and we're voting on a particular proposal that is not just to look into like what's going to happen next year because every year we're going to come with a
different result a different you know data that we're looking because every year there's been a policy change. So how many policy changes are we going to do every year in order to get it right? So that is my big you know concern. Um,
but I'm I'm hoping that um with the different simulations that you all have with all this data that we do have from the past 5 years, we can make a decision that doesn't feel like a bandage but actual, you know, a system that is going to prevail and stay uh longer. But thank
you so much for the presentation. I appreciate it. So, thank you for this presentation. Um, I found it fascinating how you laid it all out and particularly how you talked about what we've heard
from a whole range of community um folks that are interested in this process. Obviously, as the superintendent started off by saying, this is three of our 100 plus schools.
They are three of our larger schools. I I do grant that. And there is obviously intense interest across our district, even though we as a committee often wish folks would realize that we have other great schools besides these three schools. Um, having said that, I'm
really um interested, Miss Hogan, in particular, and thank you both for the presentation, by the way, and your thoughtful analysis. And I kind of have two questions, one for each of you, if I may. I'm really fascinated in how you presented each of the scenarios,
but then you looked at what the impact pot simulation, excuse me, scenarios, but then you simulated in how it would be compared to the applicant pool from 2425 and then the applicant pool from
2526 and you see differences in each because as Dr. Rose, you had pointed out there are changes between 24 and 25. And so, two questions. One probably for you, Miss Hogan. Um,
when you're when you're looking at that two different applicant pools, is there a way to average or to look at, you know, we have multiple years now. So, instead of just because you're you're looking at a moment in time and as Dr. Dr. Rose pointed out there are
differences between the two pools and I'm going to ask you about that in a minute, Dr. Rose. Um, but is there a a way to look at like an average of the past three years or am I am I pushing the thinking too far on
that? Um, it's a great question. And I think we can think about how we might um sort of combine applicant pools across years to think about what um
almost like a a simulated data set um rather than actual applicants. I think it is tricky as you see when you look at the differences in the applicant pool of just different groups of students being more represented in different applicant
pools and making different choices yeartoear um that it is a little tricky um to sort of determine how to do that but I think it is um I think what we've generally been doing is looking at the
applicant pools separately and then sort looking at averages across um the multiple years of the policy that we have. But I think that is also tricky because each year has had a slightly different set of rules applied to them for admission. Also the issue, right? Keep
changing the tiers as an example, right? And so I think we we could also think about using additional historical years of data um and trying to apply the same rules we have now where possible. But um
it gets complicated and I think you can you can sort of do analysis for years on some of this and not necessarily be able to predict any better what a particular policy change might reflect. I hear you and I'm and
I'm very conscious of asking oh well let's look at it this way let's look at it that way right you you have helped uh teach me on the implementation steps and so thank you for pointing out one of these may result in a longer time because if we go to applicants
then we need to find wait to see how many applicants there are per tier before you size it and that adds time so thank you for that so I am sensitive to adding more but I'm also curious curious because when we see a difference between two years and then when you run the
simulations office you're looking you go oh I don't like the results there and yet is it a moment of time that so I'm I'm wondering if there's a way we can think about that and we're going to have plenty of time on this so let's just yeah definitely just put it on the
table and Dr. Rose, I I want to go back to so when we talk about the difference between the two years and and you hinted at a couple of things in your comment or I interpreted as a hint when I underlined u one line that you said and I don't mean it in a bad
way but um shoot I'm sorry I should have had that page ready as simulations cannot predict how policy changes may change behavior. Mhm. And we have seen that, right? We we know that from anecdotal evidence from parents who come and talk to us at
school committee or the emails we all get. I get an email from a parent who um they're a divorced family and the child spends half the time with the mother, half the time with the father. And when they went to apply, they thought they were both in the same neighborhood in
the city. They didn't think twice about it. They put down the mother's address. It turned out the mother was in tier what we now call tier four. The father who has the child half the time is in tier what we now call tier three. Mhm.
And they missed the cut off for a school. They had a I think you had 97.4 in here. They had a 97.2 which if they had put in the father's address it would have been acceptance. So you know we hear about this from parents who come and testify us all the time. the the
concern they have over the tears and and then they say to us, well, we hear about this person moved and that person moved or they're changing schools because of the school points. So, could you explore for me a little bit, Dr. Rose, your thoughts on some of the things that may
be impacting the change in results in in admissions yeartoyear? I mean, I think about his grades as well, right? Do we have disparities how grades are given out? I think there's social implications. I think there's
like it we've said it I think five times like if you if you change and tweak a policy every year is going to be hard to follow that ball and see what might be part policy, what might be part social construct, people's understanding of the
policy. Maybe they understand parts of the policy that was implemented two years ago that now they're catching up on and making adjustments. So I part of my thought is if you're making changes and as you as you think about making changes to not just go on what a
simulation might tell you but if a change significantly would open up loopholes for instance for people to do things and maneuver like that needs to be under consideration as well. Um I think there there's some qualitative analysis that needs to happen just in
general around some of the the the changes this year um that might tell us some things around things like grades or you know movement of of families. But um I just think that's a variable that needs to be considered anytime you change a policy.
I I don't want to jump too headon into something I'm sure the chair is going to bring up because she asks it every single time, which is how are the students are doing? But what I'm going to make that I'm going to ask that a slightly different way because I know our colleges or many colleges are
starting to rethink they moved away from entrance exams, right? Um, and now some are starting to rethink it because they're saying the research is some of the exams actually are helpful in predicting how students will do. And I'm
wondering I I I was fascinated to read in here that we're having a study done was it Loyola is looking at how our students are doing in the student experience and that will be really interesting to hear their findings. But do we think the map is working at because we have grades and
the map assessment and so in the simulations you didn't look at the mix of that and I understand it but do we have disparity in how grades are given out? Is the MAP assessment a better judge of how our students are doing? Is that less
inclined to have disparities based upon how school schools view grades as an example? I'm just I'm I'm trying to, you know, dig in on a couple of the different pieces that all impact a student's composite score. Yeah. I
mean, I think any any measure that has subjectivity to it or potential bias can be problematic and that can be grades, right? So, right now grades are weighted at 70% in the formula whereas uh tests can also have bias. So this is
like part of the struggle of what the right combination should be and you know at what measures. Um I think to Dr. Rose's point, you know, when you think about the social implication piece, we're talking about behavioral change.
And so that can be everything from, you know, we see higher amounts of our students choosing secondary schools, not leaving the system without an exam invite, but actually staying and choosing another secondary school in Boston. It's a really great thing.
That's a behavioral change. um relocation to other parts of the city can be a life change that families decide to make or change of schools. You know, this gets kind of back into the we don't want to pit schools against schools and neighborhoods against
neighborhoods, but those are all like things that are behavioral changes, social changes that can impact what the results of a particular applicant pool are. I think your your question was how the how are the students doing in in the schools? I think that's I was channeling
our chair who I guarantee was gonna get that two twofold. I think I I don't see anything in the data that's remarkably different than than the past. But I also think as a district as we grow, we need to be able to support all students in
all of our schools. So I think partly that's on us if we're looking at the student experience data correctly. Um it's not just about who's who's entering in exam schools. is how are we supporting every ski kid in an exam school to do the best that they can to
bring out their talent. So, um I think that's that cuts both ways. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. O. Thank you. This is the beginning as as that's the sheet clearly lays out. This is the beginning of a process that is going to be continuing for quite a while before
you even get to a recommendation. So, I'm sure we'll be digging in on this multiple times. Yeah. I want I want to go back to the question that Mr. O'Neal raised around how are they doing and I guess my question often has been um the
entry and the acceptance into an exam school is one point and my question has often been how are we preparing all of our students to be able to be successful irregardless
of points and other things. that our students ready to do grade level seventh grade work um across all socioeconomic and racial and other
needs in terms of being prepared to be successful in a rigorous environment. I would I would think the superintendent agrees that that is the work of the district, right? I think it's not just
about these three schools. No, no, it's every student no matter what. But I'm I'm particularly concerned as we provide a certain manipulation to provide opportunity for one student over another, you know, to add these things
that if we took all of those things away, it was just on the individual students preparation. Are we sending students to these to to all of our seventh grades ready to do
seventh grade work? ready to be successful because they have been prepared. Not just, you know, not that, you know, we we talk about are the grades actual. Is an A in school X equal
to an A in school B. Um, all of those things, you know, when they're all sitting in seventh grade math, are they all ready to do seventh grade math? or are we finding even kids who've gotten into our exam schools are really doing
fourth grade math? I guess I'm trying to understand overall our preparation for our students to be successful no matter where they are. Um yeah, so I think um I think just a few kind of data
pieces. So, one is when we we sort of look at the the grade side um or or say when we look at the MCAT side, I don't think we're seeing any big stark differences at the exam schools that we're not seeing more broadly in the district and throughout the state
pandemically, which is that students have gaps and they have gaps from that learning. So, we're not seeing anything that would indicate a bigger issue there. We have recent attrition data and I I don't think we're seeing much there either. Um it's very consistent. You
know, it varies uh depending on the year and the applicant pool and what the rules were under that particular year, but we're we're not actually seeing any um incredible increases in attrition, meaning that students that are at the exam schools are staying at the exam
schools. Uh I think you know this has been a a big argument around um advanced placement for years as to who should have access to advanced placement and what we've come to learn is that when students are given the appropriate
supports uh students do just fine who previously would have been restricted from not being able to take it. So we years ago in the district um adopted an AP for all where students can choose and elect to do that. And what we found is that by providing and changing our adult
behavior and giving the right supports we have more students than ever uh that represent the demographic and the socioeconomic of our district who are doing fine. So I don't think right now chair we see in any of the major data points for the exam schools um that that
we're seeing anything to the different right now and we've uh we've also spoken with each of the exam school leaders um each year and they're they're reporting the same. Um what I will say is that I think we have learned that post pandemic
all students need support. So we've invested um more in our ESI prep uh ex our exam school initiative for the summer. I think if you guys remember right we increased by 100 seats which was about a third of the total last year. We will continue to do that. Uh we
have expanded into the fall programming. All three exam schools, much like the other schools, have programs during the school year that provide additional tutoring and support uh for their, you know, day-to-day uh academic material and so forth. Um and we'll continue to
do that because frankly, we need to do that across all um you know, all across all of our students. Uh in fact earlier today I was reviewing a data set interestingly enough favorite part of my day but I was reviewing a data set uh for alternative education and the
biggest uptick of referrals to the re-engagement center happens to be right now our 16 17 and 18 year olds and that maps back in pandemic to when they began like in the they were like basically 11 and 12. Uh and so I think we're seeing
that same bubble move up through the exam schools which coincides very much with the data um you know on the the exam school policy. So again we're not seeing anything different there than we're seeing in in just broader uh BPS data or broader state data.
Yeah. it it but it still I guess disturbs me when I see that particularly the numbers for black and brown kids are going down um in our data which says they're not either their math scores are lower or
their grades are lower even if they were getting points or or whatever else that we're doing. So there's something again in that earlier preparation is what I'm looking at is what are we doing from kindergarten to fifth grade to give them those foundational skills so that by the
time they're taking these tests that mean more in the fifth and sixth grade they actually have those baseline skills um to be able to you know at least be accepted into that
next um and irregardless of school, but that that that's the issue. Um you know, I'm struck by the number of students. I mean, Nor Eastern offers this, you know, in what do they call foundational
year program for kids who um come out of Boston um who aren't quite ready to do college work. And I'm, you know, I thank them for offering that, but I'm wishing that weren't the case that all of our
graduates are ready to do full college work and not, you know, sort of a quasi high school year support to get you ready for college. When we graduate, we should be ready. Um, no matter what school we go to. And you know, again, my
other question often is, what's the value of a BPS diploma if it means different things depending on the school that you come out of? And that should not be the case. Um, all of our kids should be equally ready. And you know,
clearly the reason why families clamor for two or three schools is that somehow they feel something more magical is going on there that's getting their kids a better shot at being prepared than they are in the rest of our schools. I
mean, I wouldn't push back against most of the stuff that you said, but I think there are other schools in this district and Oh, no. I'm I do I know. But in the in the public sphere, I think we quite often as we have this conversation around three of our quoteunquote elite schools,
we tend to denigrate the other other schools. And I think there's other and I'm not saying that you're doing it, but I think just generally for for public consumption, there are, you know, a lot of my colleagues that are running spectacular schools um that aren't these three schools. And so I think reminding
people uh that kids go to Harvard out of a lot of our schools, they go to MIT out of a lot of our schools. Um just to put that in the public sphere um so that that doesn't continue to be a talking point I think for for um you know East
Boston High School or the Quinsey um who are really doing wonderful things and and folks are really actually weighing whether they want to stay in their neighborhood, go to those schools. That's what we really need to be talking about and replicating across the city so there isn't this pressure and the oxygen
taken out of the room by these three schools consistently. I'm all set. Yeah. I would also I I I say u you know anytime we see a difference in data we owe to try to figure that out. And so I
think as we spoke about we see in the applicant poll from 24 25 to 25 26 some differences of data particularly with our black applicants that black student applicants that we need to drill down on and try to understand better. We
actually don't see it with our Latinx students. Um and so it's something that we are like very much honing in on and trying to understand better and will continue to do that. Okay. Well, thank you. Um, I know that this is
just the very beginning of a conversation around this and um, we look forward to really taking a deep dive into looking at what you've given us tonight and um, look forward to more conversation as we move forward. Thank you. I know this work is not easy but um
thank you for back in the hot seat. That's all right. Helping us to understand it better. Thank you so much. Um I'll now turn it back to public comment as prov. Yes, we have two speakers on reports. Okay, so our first speaker is Dedra Manning.
Thank you for the opportunity. Do I have three minutes? You have two minutes. Two. Oh goodness. Um I I first want to say um this is the emperor has no close moment. Um this is all information that's been readily available for years
and it's just um really discouraging that it's taken this long to um bring it to a point where we can discuss it. Um, I want to add that this doesn't go far enough. Evaluating the policy should also include the inequitable implementation that increases the difficulty for non-BPS students to
receive a seat at an exam school. Specifically, the superintendent circular, which is hard to find or maybe impossible to find with the new website. Um, the grade conversion for standardbased grades that is only used for BPS fifth graders. A real world example takes the composite score of a
student who had standardbased grades and they are hard to get that four and it depressed that overall composite score by four entire points in a competitive environment where decimals not points decide admission. MAP testing conditions
are wildly different for nonBPS students. They are not providing accommodations to nonBPS students such as a familiar test administrator for students with anxiety. Students have to take backtoback ELA and math on a weekend at an unfamiliar testing site,
unfamiliar test administrators, and without their peers. This year, nonVPS students tested on the weekend were told that only students with an extra time accommodation could take the map without a time limit. That is really, really distressing. The process must include
meaningful opportunities for public engagement. Two or three minute sound bites are not an effective way for parent voices to be heard and their input to be included. and all stakeholders need access to data. The original task force um didn't represent
people who are now being excluded. That can't be what happens going forward. There's no student outcome data which makes it impossible to evaluate the options. Current applicants and the community were not a made ofware of changes which likely deprived an applicant that is now possibly not targeted for exclusion. That person
missed a testing opportunity this past May 31st. Our next speaker is Kathleen Shardon. Hi, good evening. Um, I'm Kathleen Chardwin. I'm a BPS parent from Charles Town. Um I generally agree with Dearod Manning, but I do want to take a
slightly different um tactic here. I really want to thank you for the analysis. Um it's comprehensive and it accurately captures the concerns that families have been raising to everyone, the school committee, the district, the
mayor for four years now. So, thank you. um eliminating the school-based bonus points as all the scenarios depict that is a meaningful step towards addressing those concerns. And further scenario A
um TR size based on the number of applicants that is the fix the math solution that parents have advocated for for over four years. Um, it's the only scenario that addresses what the memo now acknowledges, that the policy allows
students, including those in lower socioeconomic statuses, to be disadvantaged based on where they live. And that's a situation that directly contradicts the district stated values.
Now, while it's uplifting to see this analysis and the proposed changes, the acknowledgment of the reality here and in quotes, a significant number of students with high composite scores are not receiving an invitation. 30 seconds.
That's a reality that's persisted for four years, and it's troubling that it's not accompanied by any remedy for these students. I'd encourage the district to explore creative solutions there. Um, lastly, two more technical points. Um,
Miss Hogan said that you'd have to wait to assign applicants to tiers until the the applicants apply. That's not true. You you you just have to wait to know how many invitations each tier should receive. And the second point technical
points is the comparison of minimum that concludes public. Okay. Thank you. Um any new business? Okay. All right. That concludes our business for this evening. Um, please note the next school committee special meeting will be virtual and will and
will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, July 9th at 5:30 p.m. There's nothing further. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. Is there a motion? So move. Is there a second? Is there any discussion or objection to the motion? Is there any objection to approving the
motion by unanimous consent? Hearing none, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you all and have a good night. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair.