Dec 1 2021 · Last Night @ School Committee Recap · Ep. 44

Written By Josh Block

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 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. 

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Dec 15 2021 · Last Night @ School Committee Recap · Ep. 45
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Nov 17 2021 · Last Night @ School Committee Recap · Ep. 43