Last Night at School Committee: December 4th, 2024 Meeting Recap

Last night’s School Committee meeting was focused on hiring and transportation. The meeting began with public comment, after Chair Robinson announced that there would be no Superintendent’s Report. Public comment featured a little less than 50 testimonies, with the majority of speakers members of the Boston Teachers Union advocating for a fair contract and working conditions. Over the past few months, BTU members have continued to testify at the School Committee about the need for a two-teacher model as part of the district’s inclusion plan and other important considerations. Last night’s public comment emphasized the BTU’s clear message to the district, which comes as other towns in Massachusetts have dealt with teacher strikes. 

The School Committee heard two reports last night. The first report was regarding a tentative bargaining agreement between Transdev, the district’s transportation provider, and the bus drivers union. Prior to the meeting, the School Committee went into executive session to discuss the negotiations, and last night’s meeting did not feature a robust conversation about the contract. While the contract includes agreements to increase drivers’ pay and hours and ensure students get to athletic competitions, as well as continuing previous agreements that ensures the drivers will be employed regardless of the contractor, there was no discussion as to whether this new contract would address transportation issues plaguing the district and the cost implications of a contract, when 10,000 less students are riding the bus. 

The last report of the evening was an update on hiring and workforce diversity. Every year, the district provides the School Committee with an update on hiring practices and initiatives to have a diverse workforce. Similar to previous years, the report did not include any data or discussion regarding teacher vacancies, the number of positions added, professional development, and evaluation. The report left key questions unanswered about whether the district staff is truly representative of the students they serve, and continued to show the disconnect between the district and the Boston Teachers Union as it relates to its ongoing contract negotiations and the looming budget season.