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Last Night at School Committee: February 15th, 2022 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting was the first School Committee meeting since the announcement that Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will be resigning from her position. Cassellius, who began in July 2019, announced in a press conference with Mayor Michelle Wu that she will step down at the end of the school year, and Mayor Wu expressed her commitment to hiring a new superintendent by June.

What happens at each Boston School Committee meeting has big implications for our students and our city. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting was the first School Committee meeting since the announcement that Superintendent Brenda Cassellius will be resigning from her position. Cassellius, who began in July 2019, announced in a press conference with Mayor Michelle Wu that she will step down at the end of the school year, and Mayor Wu expressed her commitment to hiring a new superintendent by June.

The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report, which included updates on COVID-19 testing protocols and mask mandates in Boston, the status of acceleration academies for students during February vacation, and a preview of future announcements around summer programming. Committee members asked pointed questions that circled back to key outstanding issues from the last meeting, continuing to press for updated enrollment and graduation data.

The School Committee tabled a planned report on an agreement between the district and the Boston Teachers’ Union regarding the citywide vaccine mandate due to a court decision earlier in the day that prevented Mayor Wu from moving forward with the mandate.

Public comment included numerous teachers objecting to the vaccine mandate and the tentative union agreement. In addition, the public comment period featured a large coalition of students and community members of the P.A. Shaw Elementary School advocating for the promised expansion of the school, as well as from the Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) asking the Superintendent to ensure the program would continue to have necessary space and resources.

The School Committee heard two reports last night, with the first one regarding extended pay for four in-district Horace Mann charter schools. The final report of the night discussed the impending search for the district’s next Superintendent. Glenn Koocher, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, outlined best practices for a search and detailed potential challenges in recruiting candidates. Chair Jeri Robinson outlined next steps for the process and discussed the coming release of a new RFP for a search consultant.

The School Committee will continue to hold several public budget hearings over the next few weeks (dates below) and will vote on the final budget on March 23. The next committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 16 at 5pm.


Here are some of the questions that we think are worth asking:

  • What is enrollment looking like for next year? How many students applied to schools in the first round?

  • How many students applied to exam schools this year? Students and families should begin hearing about admissions results around the end of March, but there should be data on the total number of applicants now.

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? School Committee members continue to ask this question. The Superintendent last year mentioned an RFP to create a campus master plan, which we still have not seen. Will there be a master campus planning process?

  • What kind of leader are we looking for to run Boston Public Schools and how will the community come together to support the hiring of the right leader?

  • And then, how will the community support the right person once they are hired?

  • And, what if this is not all wrapped up by June?  Will an interim superintendent be appointed?

Ways to Engage and Resources:

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Last Night at School Committee: February 2nd, 2022 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting kicked off the Fiscal Year 2023 budget process for Boston Public Schools.

What happens at each Boston School Committee meeting has big implications for our students and our city. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting kicked off the Fiscal Year 2023 budget process for Boston Public Schools. Over the coming weeks, there will be public hearings on the draft budget proposal unveiled last night, culminating in a vote in March by the School Committee and subsequent consideration by the City Council and Mayor Wu. The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report, where the Superintendent addressed a recent Boston Globe report highlighting discrepancies in BPS data that suggest the district has overstated its graduation rate for five of the last seven years. The Superintendent downplayed the significance of this data, while School Committee members asked pointed questions about transparency and trust.

The meeting continued with public comment, in which parents and students from the P.A. Shaw Elementary School continued advocating for the promised expansion of the school, followed by the nominations of School Committee member Rafaela Polanco Garcia and Roxanne Harvey, Chair of the Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SpEdPAC), to the English Language Learner’s Task Force.

The Superintendent then presented the preliminary budget to the School Committee. After discussion of MassCore implementation, academic outcomes, and a “quality guarantee” for all students, the Superintendent and her team answered questions from members of the School Committee, who pressed her on why the budget does not factor in enrollment declines and how the budget addresses the needs of current – and not just future – students.

The School Committee will hold several public budget hearings over the next few weeks (dates below) and will vote on the final budget on March 23. The next committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 15 at 5pm.

Here are some of the questions that we think are worth asking:

  • District leaders last night mentioned the development of a list of unsustainable schools in BPS. What schools are on this list?

  • What is BPS doing with the 17.8 percent increase in the Central Office budget?

  • How will the district deal with the perfect storm of loss of ESSER funds in two years and the dramatic decrease in enrollment for at least the next 10 years?

  • Will another audit of the BPS graduation data be performed? What will the district do going forward to ensure they are collecting accurate data and keeping up with any students they’ve lost?

  • How will the district regain the trust of families in Boston?

Ways to Engage and Resources:

  • Listen in and consider testifying at the upcoming budget hearings:

    • February 10th, 5pm

    • March 1st, 5pm

    • March 16th, 5pm

  • Ensure you know the list of unsustainable schools. This may signal that a school may eventually close and impact the education of your child.

  • Advocate to the School Committee members to increase their accountability of the Superintendent and her team. 

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Last Night at School Committee: January 26th, 2022 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting began with the introduction of the newest School Committee member, Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, to round out the seven-member committee. A former advisor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cardet-Hernandez is currently the Executive Director of the Ivy Street School, a private program serving students with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and other learning disabilities. Cardet-Hernandez joins Dr. Stephen Alkins as the two newest members appointed by Mayor Wu this month.

What happens at each Boston Public Schools School Committee meeting has big implications for our students and our city. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting began with the introduction of the newest School Committee member, Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, to round out the seven-member committee. A former advisor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cardet-Hernandez is currently the Executive Director of the Ivy Street School, a private program serving students with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and other learning disabilities. Cardet-Hernandez joins Dr. Stephen Alkins as the two newest members appointed by Mayor Wu this month.

The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report that first celebrated this year’s Educators of the Year. The report focused on COVID rates and updates to testing options, and concluded with a preview of the only report of the night on high school redesign. After thoughtful questions asked by committee members, the School Committee heard public comments primarily from two school communities: the P.A. Shaw School, with numerous students and parents asking for the district to keep their promise of adding a fourth and fifth grade, and the Manning Elementary School, with parents expressing concern with the new exam school policy that denies students assigned to their school the ten bonus points.

After a vote on approving a revised Code of Conduct, the School Committee then heard the only report of the night on high school redesign. The Superintendent and her team provided a high-level vision for schools that was lacking in details, metrics, or timelines. One of the more notable points of the presentation was the plan to convert the King K-8 and Trotter K-8 into K-6 schools that would have a guaranteed pathway to the Burke High School in the Grove Hall section of Roxbury. The School Committee asked targeted questions about implementation and timeline for the redesign.

The next committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 2nd at 5pm on Zoom, and the Superintendent and her team will present a preliminary budget for FY2023.

Here are some of the questions that we think are worth asking:

  • Dr. Drew Echelson mentioned a new RFP last night during the high school redesign presentation on collecting and evaluating data. When will this RFP be posted?

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? School Committee members continue to ask this question. The Superintendent last year mentioned an RFP to create a campus master plan, which we still have not seen. Will there be a master campus planning process?

  • A first draft of next year’s budget will be presented at the next School Committee meeting. With the District entering next year with more money than ever, where will the Superintendent invest these resources? 

Ways to Engage and Resources:

  • Join your school’s School Parent Council and Site Council, and talk to your school leader about the needs of your school and any potential changes for the upcoming year. 

  • Testify at the next school committee meeting and share your thoughts on how to address the issues facing your school.

  • Reach out to Mayor Wu and the City Council to discuss your priorities for BPS.

  • Sign up for our email list at ShahFoundation.org to provide feedback on this podcast, receive updates on our work, and be notified when new podcast episodes are available.

  • Advocate to the School Committee members to increase their accountability of the Superintendent and her team. 

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Last Night at School Committee: December 15th, 2021 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting began with the announcement that two current Committee members, Hardin Coleman and Ernani DeAraujo, would not be seeking reappointment to the School Committee after their term ends. After this announcement, the Superintendent provided a brief Superintendent’s Report that touched on a few subjects, including COVID-19 testing updates and an experiential learning competition, where a BINCA student designed artwork for a new sneaker that is available for purchase.

What happens at each Boston Public Schools School Committee meeting has big implications for our students and our city. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting began with the announcement that two current Committee members, Hardin Coleman and Ernani DeAraujo, would not be seeking reappointment to the School Committee after their term ends. After this announcement, the Superintendent provided a brief Superintendent’s Report that touched on a few subjects, including COVID-19 testing updates and an experiential learning competition, where a BINCA student designed artwork for a new sneaker that is available for purchase. After a quick presentation on charter amendments for the Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Academy, the meeting shifted to public comment, where there were numerous public comments regarding the prospectus for the Charlestown Innovation and Inclusive High School, as well as comments on COVID-19 testing and the exam schools.

The School Committee took three votes last night, voting on two charter amendments for the EMK Academy and the Boston Day and Evening Academy, and finally voted to close the Irving Middle School, Jackson/Mann School, and Timilty Middle School – a vote that had been put off several weeks ago. After voting, the School Committee heard two reports last night: the first was a detailed report from the Office of Equity, and the second a financial update on the district’s budget and ESSER funding. During this report, we heard that much of the federal recovery funding granted to BPS still has not reached schools, and there was also a discussion about the budget impact of continuously declining enrollment numbers across the district.

After the final meeting of 2021, we are still left with the following questions:

  • Will the Superintendent and her team transparently share the details of how ESSER funding is being spent at each school and at the Central Office?

  • What is the long-term plan for BPS school buildings? School Committee members continue to ask this question. The Superintendent mentioned an RFP to create a campus master plan. Will there be a master campus planning process?

  • A waitlist has been added to the new Exam School Admissions policy. Does this addition by the Superintendent need the School Committee’s vote?

  • What is the schedule for School Committee meetings in the Spring of 2022? 

Ways to Engage and Resources:

  • Testify at the next school committee meeting in the new year and share your thoughts on how to address the issues facing your school

  • Reach out to the new mayor and new city councilors to discuss your priorities for BPS

  • BPS has proposed a community conversation about goals for our schools. Email Miriam Rubin in the Finance Office at BPS to join the conversation: mrubin3@ bostonpublicschools.org

  • Sign up for our email list at ShahFoundation.org to provide feedback on this podcast, receive updates on our work, and be notified when new podcast episodes are available.

  • Advocate to the School Committee members to increase their accountability of the Superintendent and her team. 

Bill Walczak December 9th Article in the Dorchester Reporter

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Last Night at School Committee: December 1st, 2021 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, in which she discussed Acceleration Academies, ELL services, ESSER funding, and a reversal on which elementary schools will be getting a sixth grade.

What happens at each Boston Public Schools School Committee meeting has big implications for our students and our city. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, in which she discussed Acceleration Academies, ELL services, ESSER funding, and a reversal on which elementary schools will be getting a sixth grade. There was a lot of new information during this report but few follow-up questions from members of the School Committee seeking clarity. These topics were also brought up during public comment, in addition to comments on COVID-19 testing, the Mission HIll School, the exam school policy, and a proposed plan for a new innovation high school in Charlestown. 

The School Committee heard two reports last night, one on a hiring update and another on amendments to the Boston Day and Evening Academy’s charter. Before the meeting ended, there was a discussion about the exam school policy, focused on the 10 bonus points for students going to schools with poverty levels of 40% or higher. Following the last meeting that featured a presentation of school-by-school data with key information missing, the Superintendent presented new data to the School Committee, as well as introducing a new feature to the policy: a waitlist to each of the exam schools beginning this application cycle. Again, there were few questions on this entirely new element of the policy from members of the School Committee. While there were public comments both for and against the 10 bonus point policy, the Superintendent and School Committee agreed to keep the policy in-place and reassess it next June.

After the meeting, we are still left with the following questions:

  • There are staffing shortages throughout the district - including bus drivers, food services professionals and other key areas. How is this being addressed?

  • What was the result of the ESSER 2 funding?  Did we get what we planned for?  What is in the ESSER 3 proposal?

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? Is there an RFP to create a campus master plan? The superintendent mentioned that there was one but we still haven’t been able to find evidence of it.

  • We are heading into budget season and the budget is based on enrollment.  What is the projected enrollment for next year?

The School Committee will meet again next week on December 15th, tentatively at 5pm. 

Ways to Engage and Resources:

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Last Night at School Committee: November 17th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The School Committee reconvened last night after a two-week period in which Boston Public Schools has been featured prominently in the news. This includes issues regarding COVID-19 testing and outbreaks, calls for reforms to the new exam school policy, and inadequate staffing - particularly for our English Language Learners and to support the mental health of our students and staff.

What happens at each Boston Public Schools School Committee meeting has big implications for our students, our city, and our state. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

The School Committee reconvened last night after a two-week period in which Boston Public Schools has been featured prominently in the news. This includes issues regarding COVID-19 testing and outbreaks, calls for reforms to the new exam school policy, and inadequate staffing - particularly for our English Language Learners and to support the mental health of our students and staff. Reference was made to each of these topics in the Superintendent’s report, and these themes were the focus of public comment. 41 parents, teachers, students, and community members expressed frustration with the way many of these issues are being handled and called for action from the Superintendent and School Committee.

The School Committee only heard one presentation, which was an update regarding the implementation of MassCore standards for the district’s high schools. The Committee was supposed to vote on the closing of three of the district’s middle schools -- the Jackson Mann, the Irving, and the Timilty -- but this was delayed by the Superintendent to continue engagement with families and community members of impacted schools.

The Superintendent also presented simulations on the new Exam School admission policy, which had been requested by School Committee members and the public since the adoption of this new policy in July. However, many questions still remained, as parents pointed out missing information in the data and a School Committee member formally called for reconsideration of the 10 bonus points included in the new policy.

After the meeting, we are still left with the following questions:


  • The temporary transportation contract with the bus union ended Monday. What is the status of this contract and how does the district ensure we are not in a transportation crisis in the coming weeks?

  • There are staffing shortages throughout the district. How is this being addressed?

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? Is there an RFP to create a campus master plan? 

  • How will the tensions around the exam school policy be resolved?

  • What is happening with the ESSR funds? We’d love to hear an update.


The School Committee will meet again next week on December 1st, tentatively at 5pm. 


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Last Night at School Committee: November 3rd, 2021 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting took place just one night after a historic election that saw Michelle Wu as the first woman and person of color elected Mayor of Boston and a non-binding ballot question in which 80% of voters favored an elected school committee, rather than the current mayor-appointed model.

What happens at each Boston Public Schools School Committee meeting has big implications for our students, our city, and our state. In “Last Night @ School Committee,” Jill Shah and Ross Wilson recap the highlights of each meeting, provide commentary and context, and shine a light on the decisions our leaders are making.

Last night’s meeting took place just one night after a historic election that saw Michelle Wu as the first woman and person of color elected Mayor of Boston and a non-binding ballot question in which 80% of voters favored an elected school committee, rather than the current mayor-appointed model. After School Committee members responded to the results of this ballot initiative, the Superintendent shared a presentation in which she briefly addressed the public outcry heard at last week’s meeting concerning the upcoming vote to close the Irving, Timilty, and Jackson-Mann schools. The meeting then moved on to a public comment period that primarily featured parents expressing frustration about the lack of communication and transparency regarding changes to their child’s schools, with a particular focus on the Sumner, Blackstone, and Mendell schools.

The School Committee voted on two items last night that were retracted from the previous meeting’s agenda: the first giving the Superintendent the authority to temporarily adjust policies for its Advanced Work Class program, and the second on the Superintendent’s performance goals. Following these votes, the School Committee heard two reports: one on updates to air quality in schools, and a second on the district’s high-level academic vision. The meeting concluded with comments from several members once again reiterating the need for data and simulations on the new exam school policy, as well as calls for re-evaluating BuildBPS and developing a master plan for all facilities.

After another long and complicated meeting, we are still left with the following questions:

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? Is there an RFP to create a campus master plan? Will the system move forward with short term plans for long term problems?  What is the quality guarantee and when will it be implemented?

  • Will the School committee members ever receive the exam school simulation data they have been requesting meeting after meeting or will the Superintendent’s team continue to brush aside their requests?

  • What is happening with the ESSR funds? The application date for the new and largest round of funding has come and gone. What is BPS doing with the funding? We’d love to hear an update.


The School Committee will meet again next week on November 3 tentatively at 5pm. 


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Last Night at School Committee: October 27th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report, which featured an unannounced update on the exam school policy and its implementation. The report left many of the key questions unanswered, and numerous public commenters expressed confusion and frustration on this topic.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report, which featured an unannounced update on the exam school policy and its implementation. The report left many of the key questions unanswered, and numerous public commenters expressed confusion and frustration on this topic. The meeting continued with two reports. The first was an update on BuildBPS and included plans to close three schools: the Irving Middle School, Timilty Middle School, and Jackson-Mann School. This announcement elicited a large outcry during public comment from parents impacted by these closures, including a group of commenters from the Sumner Elementary School in Roslindale who were informed just this week that theirs would be the only elementary school in the neighborhood not getting a 6th grade. The last report of the night was a presentation on the Superintendent’s Strategic Plan, which was presented by Charles Grandson and lacked necessary data and measurable outcomes.

After a long and complicated meeting, we are still left with the following questions:

  • What is the long term plan for BPS school buildings? What is the quality guarantee and when will it be implemented?

  • When will the school system respond to the concrete data requests from school committee members?

  • It is important to note that both Lorena and Rafaela’s terms expire after the next meeting following the election of a new mayor. Given their insightful and meaningful questions and contributions, these should be considered when the new mayor and her team review their applications for a full term. Will they be reappointed to full terms?

  • What is happening with the ESSR funds? The application date for the new and largest round of funding has come and gone. What is BPS doing with the funding? We’d love to hear an update.

The School Committee will meet again next week on November 3 tentatively at 5pm. 

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Last Night at School Committee: October 6th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The meeting began with a discussion about the persistent issues with COVID-19 testing in schools and transportation, including an announcement from the Superintendent of a new task force to address chronic transportation issues. After a public comment session that featured comments on special education services, the Mission Hill School, and the new exam school policy, the Superintendent’s team presented the first report of the evening on the district’s MCAS results.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The meeting began with a discussion about the persistent issues with COVID-19 testing in schools and transportation, including an announcement from the Superintendent of a new task force to address chronic transportation issues. After a public comment session that featured comments on special education services, the Mission Hill School, and the new exam school policy, the Superintendent’s team presented the first report of the evening on the district’s MCAS results. The results showed alarming trends among all grade levels, with double digit drops in performance for many grades. The meeting then followed with the most anticipated report of the night on the revised exam school policy and simulations that have been promised since the policy was passed in July. The presentation left unanswered the biggest question that has been raised repeatedly since the policy was announced -- do students in certain schools have a 0% chance of admission to exam schools under this new system? As School Committee members attempted to press this point, they were provided with answers that were confusing and incomplete. The meeting concluded with a report on the Superintendent’s performance goals.

After a long and complicated meeting, we are still left with the following questions:

  • Given the new policy, will all students in the city of Boston have a chance at attending an Exam School 

  • Will the School Committee change the policy they adopted if they determine that it does not give all students a chance at attending an Exam School?

  • Will the school system create a plan for increasing the quality of the other high schools in BPS?

  • How did we measure the impact of the ESSR funding to help inform round 3 of ESSR funding. Previously released plans from BPS said they would submit a preliminary plan for ESSR round 3 funds by October 4th. Is it October 7th. What happened?

The School Committee will meet again on October 27 tentatively at 5pm.

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Last Night at School Committee: September 22nd, 2021 Meeting Recap

The meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, in which she promised an update on exam school simulations at the next meeting. She also discussed the ongoing transportation issues and painted a rosy picture of the timeliness of buses, in spite of the fact that hundreds of students are still unable to get to school, hundreds more are not arriving on time, and families are still facing troubling uncertainty.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, in which she promised an update on exam school simulations at the next meeting. She also discussed the ongoing transportation issues and painted a rosy picture of the timeliness of buses, in spite of the fact that hundreds of students are still unable to get to school, hundreds more are not arriving on time, and families are still facing troubling uncertainty. Following a short public comment period, the School Committee heard two reports on an update to the Code of Conduct and library services, and the Committee took a vote on ESSER funding that has already largely been allocated.

Even as school has started and students will begin their third week on Monday, we are still left with the following questions:

  • What is the plan for ensuring students receive healthy food rather than plastic wrapped, processed food?

  • How will BPS continue to address transportation issues? How will they ensure this issue will not continue?

  • How many staff have been vaccinated and / or signed on for weekly testing?

  • We heard many testify during public comment about the Mission Hill School. What is the plan and strategy for MHS and supporting their school community?

  • What is the plan for the Horace Mann School for the Deaf? What is the plan for a long term strategy for the EMK? 

  • Is it now too late to take any action on the new exam school admission policy?

  • How will we measure the impact of the ESSR funding to help inform round 3 of ESSR funding. Especially considering a plan must be submitted by October 4th?

The School Committee will meet again on October 6th tentatively at 6pm.

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Last Night at School Committee: September 1st, 2021 Meeting Recap

With school starting next Thursday, the Superintendent and her team presented on back-to-school and reopening updates. While the updates began on a positive note with a recap of summer programming and backpack distribution, it quickly turned to a discussion of major operational deficiencies that remain unresolved one week before school starts: a severe bus driver shortage that will impact transportation for an unidentified number of students, a food service shortage that will prevent kids from eating fresh, healthy food, and a lack of data or accountability on how many school staff have complied with the vaccine requirement.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. With school starting next Thursday, the Superintendent and her team presented on back-to-school and reopening updates. While the updates began on a positive note with a recap of summer programming and backpack distribution, it quickly turned to a discussion of major operational deficiencies that remain unresolved one week before school starts: a severe bus driver shortage that will impact transportation for an unidentified number of students, a food service shortage that will prevent kids from eating fresh, healthy food, and a lack of data or accountability on how many school staff have complied with the vaccine requirement.

Following a public comment that featured the outcries of community members from Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers about the fact that they still have not been provided with adequate learning space, the School Committee received two presentations: one on reforms to the Boston Student Advisory Council, and another on updates regarding federal relief funding. 

Given that students will be sitting in classrooms a week from today, we are left with the following questions:

  • How will students get to school in one week? When will families know if they have transportation or not?

  • What is the plan for ensuring students receive healthy food rather than plastic wrapped, processed food?

  • How many staff have been vaccinated and / or signed on for weekly testing?

  • What is the plan for the Horace Mann School for the Deaf? What is the plan for a long term strategy for the EMK?

  • When will we see a simulation for the exam school admissions policy? Will it also be too late to take any action?

  • How will we measure the impact of the ESSR funding to help inform round 3 of ESSR funding?

  • What will happen if the Superintendent does not pass her licensure exam? This should be made available on September 10th. 

The School Committee will meet again on September 22nd at 5pm. 

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Last Night at School Committee: August 4th, 2021 Meeting Recap

Just before the meeting began, the public was made aware of a bombshell story, broken by the Boston Globe, that Superintendent Cassellius’ license had expired. We also learned that state officials had notified the Superintendent multiple times in the six months prior about the pending expiration, and yet the Superintendent did not take the assessment necessary for renewal.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. Just before the meeting began, the public was made aware of a bombshell story, broken by the Boston Globe, that Superintendent Cassellius’ license had expired. We also learned that state officials had notified the Superintendent multiple times in the six months prior about the pending expiration, and yet the Superintendent did not take the assessment necessary for renewal.

The meeting began with the Superintendent’s Report, with the Superintendent honoring the late Thomas Payzant, former Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. She then addressed the report on her license expiration, deflecting blame for her failure to renew her license, and she went on to provide updates on summer learning. While the Superintendent and her team showed some of the highlights of summer learning, it was reported earlier this week that thousands of students did not attend any summer programming and were not contacted about these opportunities. After the School Committee voted to approve a policy allowing students to complete their degrees even if they are over age, and to renew their existing Memorandum of Understanding with Unlocking Potential, an organization that operates two schools in Boston, members heard two reports on back to school planning and the BPS Wellness Policy. However, their discussions did not respond to the concerns and outcries of families and community members during public comment, which focused largely on the lack of adequate learning space for students in the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (“EMK”).

Given the significance of many of the topics discussed last night, we are left with the following questions:

  • Who will carry out the Superintendent's duties until she is licensed to do so?

  • Are the facilities for the EMK, Horace Mann, and Jackson Mann students sufficient and serving the needs of students while we wait for their new buildings to be built?

  • When will we see simulations released on the approved exam school admission policy which was different from the final task force recommendation?

The School Committee will meet again on September 1st at 5pm. 

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Last Night at School Committee: July 14th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The bulk of the meeting focused on the Superintendent’s proposal for a new Exam School entrance policy, which was different from the previous proposal presented to the School Committee at the last meeting.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The five-hour meeting began with the Superintendent providing an update on summer learning, the hiring of new positions in the district, and more. 

The bulk of the meeting focused on the Superintendent’s proposal for a new Exam School entrance policy, which was different from the previous proposal presented to the School Committee at the last meeting. The new policy sets a weighted composite score consisting of a test score and grades to rank students via tiers based off of census tracts, with additional points going to students living in Boston Housing Authority housing, in the care of the Department of Children and Families, and experiencing homelessness, or to students who attend a school with 40% or more of students from economically disadvantaged families. Even as many during public comment offered their support for distributing 100% of seats via tiers, many opposed the policy and argued for using the previous admissions policy, while others offered their concern for approving the new policy given the lack of simulations running the new policy and no opportunity for the public to provide feedback. 

Even with many of the members expressing confusion and wishing to review the policy further, the School Committee unanimously approved the proposal and agreed to revisit the policy at a later meeting in September.

The School Committee will meet again on August 4th at 5pm. 

Ways to Engage and Resources:

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Last Night at School Committee: June 30th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The six-hour meeting began with the Superintendent preemptively framing the evening’s conversation around the recommendation from the Exam School Task Force for a new admissions policy to the three exam schools. The Superintendent also provided updates on summer learning, saying, with just a week before summer programs begin, 75% of seats are filled.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The six-hour meeting began with the Superintendent preemptively framing the evening’s conversation around the recommendation from the Exam School Task Force for a new admissions policy to the three exam schools. The Superintendent also provided updates on summer learning, saying, with just a week before summer programs begin, 75% of seats are filled. The meeting then moved to public comment, in which nearly every commenter spoke in opposition to the new admissions policy, with many advocating for a return to the decision that was reached just two days earlier before it was subsequently revised. The School Committee then voted to approve the Superintendent’s performance evaluation and extend her contract by two years, coming just one week after a new report showed overwhelmingly low morale and disengagement from district leaders.


The School Committee then heard a report from Tanisha Sullivan and Michael Contompasis, co-chairs of the Exam School Task Force, on the Exam School Task Force’s recommendation for a new admissions policy to the three exam schools. The proposal uses a weighted composite score consisting of a test score and grades to rank students first city-wide (20%), and then via tiers based off of census tracts (80%). While the task force co-chairs presented the final policy, multiple members dissented and expressed their discontent with the new policy. The meeting concluded with a report regarding the federal funding coming to the district and how funding could be spent.


With summer programming starting next week and the committee set to vote on the exam school admissions policy at the next meeting, we are left with the following questions:


  • How will the school committee vote on approving the recommendation of the Exam School Task Force if questions of implementation haven’t been resolved?

  • Will BPS be able to fill the empty summer school seats, and do we know who still needs a plan for the summer?

  • Where will the Horace Mann students attend school until their new school is built? How are the issues being resolved with the McCormack BCLA merger?

  • How many teachers have been hired for the 2021/22 school year and how many vacancies remain? 

  • What are the updated enrollment projections for next year based on the first round of student assignments?

  • What are members of the graduating class of 2021 doing next?


Ways to Engage and Resources:

  • Attend the next exam school task force listening session on July 7

  • The commission to advise the superintendent on how to spend the incoming $400m will have 5 public meetings, which you can attend. They will meet on the following date:

  • Thursday, July 1, 5:00pm

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Last Night at School Committee: June 16th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The first meeting since the resignation of two committee members, Lorna Rivera and Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, the meeting began with the election of the new chair, Jerri Robinson, with Michael O’Neill remaining as vice chair. The Superintendent provided an update on the end of the school year and summer programming, which starts in a few weeks and currently has 73% of its seats filled and a need for staffing.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s Boston School Committee meeting. The first meeting since the resignation of two committee members, Lorna Rivera and Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, the meeting began with the election of the new chair, Jerri Robinson, with Michael O’Neill remaining as vice chair. The Superintendent provided an update on the end of the school year and summer programming, which starts in a few weeks and currently has 73% of its seats filled and a need for staffing. The meeting then featured an emotionally-charged public comment period featuring 42 speakers, covering numerous topics of concern. Following public comment, the school committee heard a report from the co-chairs of the Exam School Admissions Task Force with an update on the task force’s considerations for a new admissions policy to the exam schools. Despite the fact that this recommendation is expected to be finalized by the next school committee meeting in two weeks, the report contained a wide spectrum of options without any consensus. The meeting concluded with a review of the Superintendent’s composite performance evaluation.

With the last day of school tomorrow, June 18th, we are left with the following questions:

  • How will the momentum created last night by the school committee for the creation of another exam school influence decisions moving forward? What will the task force proposal ultimately include? And how will the conversation about high quality high schools continue once the policy is approved by the School Committee?

  • 73% of seats for summer programming have been filled. The district promised months ago to know the plan for every student in BPS.  Does every student have a plan for the summer, and how will the district address staffing needs for the summer?

Ways to Engage and Resources:

  1. Attend an exam school task force committee meeting, which will be meeting weekly in May on Tuesdays, starting at 5pm 

  2. Attend one of the listening sessions for the exam school task force. They will meet on June 22nd at 6pm, and June 23rd at 4pm. You can find previous information and data from previous meetings here

  3. The commission to advise the superintendent on how to spend the incoming $400m will have 5 public meetings, which you can attend. They will meet on the following dates:

    • Sunday, June 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, July 1, 5:00pm

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Last Night at School Committee: May 26th, 2021 Meeting Recap

Overall, the plans presented last night outlined a positive vision for BPS grounded in equity and student achievement but lacking important detail around implementation.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, which included the revised policy for retention, and an update on an investigation regarding the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC), which was reported in length in a recent Boston Globe article. Following the Superintendent’s report, the Committee heard and voted on facility plans and the naming of the library at the Nathan Hale Elementary School. Concerns about some of the discussed topics were voiced during public comment, which featured multiple students and parents speaking about the ongoing BSAC crisis as well as staff and parents from the Horace Mann School. The meeting then concluded with two reports, one from the Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council and another regarding systemized grading throughout the district. Overall, the plans presented last night outlined a positive vision for BPS grounded in equity and student achievement but lacking important detail around implementation.

We are left with the following questions:

  • What further steps will the district take to ensure that the current and former students of BSAC are okay? How will the district manage BSAC rather than outsource it in the future?

  • What is the plan for summer? The district promised months ago to know the plan for every student in BPS. Do we have a plan for every student?

  • Where will the Horace Mann students attend school until their new school is built?

  • How many teachers have been hired for next year and how many vacancies remain? 

  • What are the updated enrollment projections for next year based on the first round of student assignments?

  • When will we hear a draft policy on exam school admissions? 

  • What is happening with our graduating students? How many are attending college? If they aren’t going to college, what are they doing next? Does the district have any of this data?


Ways to Engage and Resources:

  1. Attend an exam school task force committee meeting, which will be meeting weekly in May on Tuesdays, starting at 5pm 

  2. The commission to advise the superintendent on how to spend the incoming $400m will have 5 public meetings, which you can attend. They will meet tonight at 5pm and on the following dates:

    • Thursday, May 13, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, May 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, June 10, 5:00pm

    • Sunday, June 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, July 1, 5:00pm

  3. Members of the commission include: 

  • Sam Acevedo, GBLN, HERN, OAG CO-Chair 

  • Celina Barrios-Millner, Equity and Inclusion, City of Boston

  • Rahn Dorsey, Stakeholder

  • Pam Eddinger, Bunker Hill Community College

  • Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyers for Civil Rights

  • Theresa Garcia de Quevedo, Mildred Ave School

  • Roxanne Harvey, Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council 

  • John Jackson, Schott Foundation

  • Karla Jenkins, Principal of Higginson Inclusion School (K0-2)

  • Suzanne Lee, ELL Task Force

  • Margaret McKenna, Human Rights Commission

  • Xyra Mercer, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

  • Keith Motley, Urban League

  • Alex Oliver-Davila, BPS School Committee

  • Lee Pelton, The Boston Foundation

  • Paul Reville, Harvard Graduate School of Education

  • Ruby Reyes, Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA)

  • Nicol Riley, Citywide Parent Council

  • Valerie Roberson, Roxbury Community College

  • Jeri Robinson, BPS School Committee

  • Jim Rooney, Boston Chamber of Commerce

  • Ayele Shakur, OAG Task Force

  • Chris Smith, Boston After School and Beyond

  • Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, UMASS Boston Chancellor

  • Tanisha Sullivan, NAACP

  • Neil Sullivan, PIC

  • Jessica Tang, Boston Teachers Union

  • Pastor Matt K Thompson, Jubilee Church

  • Dania Vazquez, Head of School - Margarita Muniz

  • Grace Wai, School Superintendent & Executive Team Member

  • TBD, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

  • TBD, District English Learner Advisory Committee

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Last Night at School Committee: May 12th, 2021 Meeting Recap

As the School Committee voted in a new graduation policy and shared a vision for new buildings, there were many things that were not addressed in the meeting, including attendance numbers in schools, updates on the return to full in-person learning for high school students, and detailed plans for summer learning.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent’s report, which included an update and summary of the results of the one-year, temporary exam school admissions process. The meeting then followed with a presentation and vote on changing graduation requirements and implementing Masscore standards across the district. While the Committee ultimately adopted the proposal, there was dissent from one member who expressed hesitation on the district’s ability to implement Masscore standards in all BPS high schools. The meeting concluded with a presentation on the capital budget and an ambitious plan for replacing all BPS schools older than 50 years.

As the School Committee voted in a new graduation policy and shared a vision for new buildings, there were many things that were not addressed in the meeting, including attendance numbers in schools, updates on the return to full in-person learning for high school students, and detailed plans for summer learning.

We are left with the following questions:

  • How many teachers have been hired for next year and how many vacancies remain? 

  • What are the updated enrollment projections for next year based on the first round of student assignments?

  • What is happening with our students who are graduating without any graduation standards? Are they attending college, the job market, does the district have the data?

  • What is the plan for summer?  The district promised months ago to know the plan for every student in BPS.  Do we have a plan for every student?

  • Where will the Horace Mann students attend school until their new school is built?


Ways to Engage and Resources:


  1. Attend an exam school task force committee meeting, which will be meeting weekly in May on Tuesdays, starting at 5pm 

  2. The commission to advise the superintendent on how to spend the incoming $400m will have 5 public meetings, which you can attend. They will meet tonight at 5pm and on the following dates:

    • Thursday, May 13, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, May 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, June 10, 5:00pm

    • Sunday, June 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, July 1, 5:00pm

  3. Members of the commission include: 

  • Sam Acevedo, GBLN, HERN, OAG CO-Chair 

  • Celina Barrios-Millner, Equity and Inclusion, City of Boston

  • Rahn Dorsey, Stakeholder

  • Pam Eddinger, Bunker Hill Community College

  • Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyers for Civil Rights

  • Theresa Garcia de Quevedo, Mildred Ave School

  • Roxanne Harvey, Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council 

  • John Jackson, Schott Foundation

  • Karla Jenkins, Principal of Higginson Inclusion School (K0-2)

  • Suzanne Lee, ELL Task Force

  • Margaret McKenna, Human Rights Commission

  • Xyra Mercer, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

  • Keith Motley, Urban League

  • Alex Oliver-Davila, BPS School Committee

  • Lee Pelton, The Boston Foundation

  • Paul Reville, Harvard Graduate School of Education

  • Ruby Reyes, Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA)

  • Nicol Riley, Citywide Parent Council

  • Valerie Roberson, Roxbury Community College

  • Jeri Robinson, BPS School Committee

  • Jim Rooney, Boston Chamber of Commerce

  • Ayele Shakur, OAG Task Force

  • Chris Smith, Boston After School and Beyond

  • Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, UMASS Boston Chancellor

  • Tanisha Sullivan, NAACP

  • Neil Sullivan, PIC

  • Jessica Tang, Boston Teachers Union

  • Pastor Matt K Thompson, Jubilee Church

  • Dania Vazquez, Head of School - Margarita Muniz

  • Grace Wai, School Superintendent & Executive Team Member

  • TBD, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

  • TBD, District English Learner Advisory Committee

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Last Night at School Committee: April 28th, 2021 Meeting Recap

Last night’s meeting also included a vote on the revised attendance policy and on an agreement between the Boston Teachers’ Union and the Boston School Committee regarding Family Liaison Classification. The meeting ended with a report on equitable policy.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent's report on the status of the return to in-person learning for K-8 students. Following this report, the School Committee unveiled their goals and values for student achievement over the next five years. These goals set the bar notably low for student proficiency, with an aspiration of one in two students graduating unprepared for college or the workforce, and that bar was set even lower for students of color and students with disabilities. Despite hesitation from the members, and unanswered questions about how these goals will be monitored and enforced, they were approved unanimously.

Last night’s meeting also included a vote on the revised attendance policy and on an agreement between the Boston Teachers’ Union and the Boston School Committee regarding Family Liaison Classification. The meeting ended with a report on equitable policy.

Missing from last night’s conversation were a number of topics on the minds of students and parents across the city, including the exam school invitations that were just sent out and any plans for the fast-approaching summer.

We are left with the following questions:

  • Where are the students? How are they doing? Mentally, emotionally, academically?

  • What do we need to do to plan for next year given that we don’t have measures in place to discern where kids are?

  • No plans for the summer-- why didn’t this make it on the agenda? When will this be communicated to parents? And how?

  • How many graduates are going to college? What is going to happen to the rest of the senior class?

  • Families received a notification about the results of the exam school admissions process. What are the results of this? 


Ways to Engage and Resources:

  • Attend an exam school task force committee meeting, which will be meeting weekly in May on Tuesdays, starting at 5pm 

  • The commission to advise the superintendent on how to spend the incoming $400m will have 5 public meetings, which you can attend. They will meet on:

    • Thursday, May 13, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, May 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, June 10, 5:00pm

    • Sunday, June 27, 5:00pm

    • Thursday, July 1, 5:00pm

  • Members of the commission include: 

Sam Acevedo, GBLN, HERN, OAG CO-Chair 

Celina Barrios-Millner, Equity and Inclusion, City of Boston

Rahn Dorsey, Stakeholder

Pam Eddinger, Bunker Hill Community College

Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyers for Civil Rights

Theresa Garcia de Quevedo, Mildred Ave School

Roxanne Harvey, Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council 

John Jackson, Schott Foundation

Karla Jenkins, Principal of Higginson Inclusion School (K0-2)

Suzanne Lee, ELL Task Force

Margaret McKenna, Human Rights Commission

Xyra Mercer, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

Keith Motley, Urban League

Alex Oliver-Davila, BPS School Committee

Lee Pelton, The Boston Foundation

Paul Reville, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Ruby Reyes, Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA)

Nicol Riley, Citywide Parent Council

Valerie Roberson, Roxbury Community College

Jeri Robinson, BPS School Committee

Jim Rooney, Boston Chamber of Commerce

Ayele Shakur, OAG Task Force

Chris Smith, Boston After School and Beyond

Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, UMASS Boston Chancellor

Tanisha Sullivan, NAACP

Neil Sullivan, PIC

Jessica Tang, Boston Teachers Union

Pastor Matt K Thompson, Jubilee Church

Dania Vazquez, Head of School - Margarita Muniz

Grace Wai, School Superintendent & Executive Team Member

TBD, Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)

TBD, District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)

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Last Night at School Committee: April 7th, 2021 Meeting Recap

There were two votes removed from the agenda on the day of the meeting; school committee goals and guardrails, and using masscore for the district’s graduation policy. Public comment featured 16 speakers, nearly all of whom advocated for suspending this year’s MCAS exam. The  Biden administration has already granted one waiver to a school district to postpone their standardized testing.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. This meeting began with the Superintendent's report on returning to school, including the plan to return many students in k-8 to 5 days a week of in person learning beginning April 26th. The Superintendent also announced a major reorganization of her leadership team. The final presentation provided an overview of a policy regarding attendance and course completion and discussion about chronic absenteeism. Notably there was a concerning conversation about the lack of consistency in teaching and learning between and within schools in BPS. 

There were two votes removed from the agenda on the day of the meeting; school committee goals and guardrails, and using masscore for the district’s graduation policy. Public comment featured 16 speakers, nearly all of whom advocated for suspending this year’s MCAS exam. The  Biden administration has already granted one waiver to a school district to postpone their standardized testing.


We are left with the following questions:

  • We didn’t hear a summer school update. How many openings are there? Are they in person or virtual? How many students have already signed up for a summer program?

  • What is the update on teacher and school leader hiring to ensure an effective opening in September?

  • How is the district thinking about using the federal stimulus funding?

  • School assignments have been released for most students. What are the enrollment numbers for next year?

  • With pending litigation, when will assignments go out for 7th and 9th grade students and exam school applicants?

  • Which assessments will the district use for the end of year for both the social emotional needs and academic needs of our students? 

Ways to Engage and Resources

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Last Night at School Committee: March 24th, 2021 Meeting Recap

The meeting began with the Superintendent's report on returning to school including the plan to return students in K-8 to 5 days a week of in person learning beginning April 26th.

In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. The meeting began with the Superintendent's report on returning to school including the plan to return students in K-8 to 5 days a week of in person learning beginning April 26th. After a three month process of community listening sessions, meetings, and revisions, the School Committee voted unanimously to support the Superintendent’s FY22 budget. Additionally, there was an elaborate presentation on high schools including celebrating the highest graduation rate ever. The presentation also featured a resurfaced proposal to implement MassCore as the district graduation standard. 

We are left with the following questions in reflecting on this meeting...

  • How will support 2020 graduates as well as graduates from this school year, who ended their high school careers in less than optimal circumstances?

  • How will we use the federal funding to help both them and current families who also suffered greatly these past two years?

  • What will 5 days a week in person or fully remote look like across all grades? Will students have different teachers, will students be able to switch classes in person at the upper grade levels? What happens if a family wants to switch from in-person to remote learning?

  • With the school choice season coming to a close, when will families find out next year's assignments? What are the enrollment numbers for next year?

  • Who is taking advantage of the 22,000 summer opportunities that were presented at last week’s school committee meeting?  How will the district ensure that every student has a plan? And, how will they track this?

  • How will BPS ensure safety in their programs this summer?  Will they include Covid-19 testing?  What are the other expected protocols? 



How to Engage and Resources

  • Boston’s City Council approves the school department’s budget that was voted on last night.  It is the biggest part of the city budget.  Make sure that they know what you think about the budget and where you have questions or would like to see changes. Advocate for a clear strategy on how the influx of recovery money will be spent for long term positive change for BPS. 

  • Email Your City Councilor:

Matt O’Malley (City Council President, District 6)

matthew.omalley@boston.gov

Annissa Essaibi-George (At-Large)

a.e.george@boston.gov

Julia Meija (At-Large)

julia.meija@boston.gov

Michelle Wu (At-Large)

michelle.wu@boston.gov

Michael Flaherty (At-Large)

Michael.F.Flaherty@boston.gov

Lydia Edwards (District 1)

lydia.edwards@boston.gov

Ed.Flynn (District 2)

Ed.Flynn@boston.gov

Frank Baker (District 3)

frank.baker@boston.gov

Andrea Campbell (District 4)

Andrea.Campbell@boston.gov

Ricardo Arroyo (District 5)

ricardo.arroyo@boston.gov

Kim Janey (Mayor of Boston, City Councilor for District 7)

kim.janey@boston.gov

Kenzie Bok (District 8)

kenzie.bok@boston.gov

Liz Breadon (District 9)

liz.breadon@boston.gov

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