Boston City TV, MA Boston School Committee, 6 Sep 2017

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From YouTube: Boston School Committee Meeting 9-6-17

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Boston School Committee Meeting 9-6-17

A

Good evening everybody and welcome for those of you who are watching home or those here in the audience the School Committee has just returned from executive session, where we discuss collective bargaining strategy pertaining to the Boston Teachers Union. We will now continue with our regular school committee. Meeting tonight's meeting is being broadcast live by Boston City TV, Comcast channel 24, asean channel 13 and files channel 1962. It will be rebroadcast at a later date.

A

If anyone wishes to sign up for public comment, please see our school committee staff member, miss lina parks out in the main hallway sign up for public comment, will close at 6:30 a quick note. Our next School Committee meeting will take place next Wednesday September 13th, not September 30th, as previously scheduled to avoid a conflict with Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on September 20th. So, as I said, our next school committee will meeting will take place next Wednesday evening, we'll move on now to the approval of minutes.

A

If the minutes were approved as presented, hard, copies will be made available immediately in the hallway with other handouts. If changes are made, you may access the minutes tomorrow and the bps website at this time, I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the July 19th 2017 school committee meeting as presented Thank You Dean Robinson. Is there a second second?

A

Thank you, Miss Oliver WI, any discussion, objection to the motion, any objection to approving the minutes by unanimous consent. Hear me now the minutes were approved, we'll move on now to the superintendent's report. I present to you, our superintendent, dr. Tommy Chang. Thank.

B

You for only on good evening, School Committee I have many updates to provide today, so bear with me there's a bit of a go, so just one okay, so I want to start off by just welcoming everybody back to a new school year. It's I hope everybody had enjoyable summer.

B

Relaxing Labor, Day I want to take a moment to recognize all the teachers, all the school administrators, all the custodial staff, nurses and everyone that just has been all hands on deck, to make sure that we have a great opening tomorrow morning for grades 1st through 12th grade and for kindergarten on Monday. We also know that tomorrow is opening day of the Patriots season week, one and that's always important to know right, but so both are successful. Yes, both will be.

B

It's been a very busy summer. We prepared we've been doing a lot of preparation for 2017-2018 school year and can't wait to kick it off tomorrow morning, I'll be visiting several schools tomorrow morning, along with the mayor and the visiting many schools from kindergarten opening next Monday as well. I want to personally thank each and every one of you all I should just say to all the parents that may be watching I want just personally thank all of you for choosing Boston Public Schools.

B

You place great trust in us by providing your most precious to us and they will get an excellent public education here in Boston Public Schools in bps. We truly believe our young people will be the leaders of scholars, entrepreneurs, innovators, advocates of tomorrow and the district as a city. We, our goal is to make sure a hundred percent of our young people graduate from Boston Public Schools being ready for college career and life, but we know we can't get to that mission unless we close persistent offer community and achievement gaps.

B

That's why the values, the equity coherence, innovation guide, our day to day work and they shape our decisions, and it is essential and part of that, and actually most essential to that is making sure that every single school every single classroom is safe, welcoming and sustaining for our students.

B

We are very proud that we have a school system- that's racially, culturally and linguistically diverse, and that's why we work so hard to affirm and sustain each young person's identity and whether you are in returning to Boston Public Schools this year or you're, a newcomer to Boston but you're newcomer to Boston Public Schools. We want you to know your your young people will be embraced.

B

Our teachers care deeply about ensuring that every single student flourishes and regardless of your race, your immigrant status, you will be welcomed into Boston, Public Schools and you will receive a high quality education in Boston Public Schools. That's what BPS stands for! That's what Boston stands for and that's what this country stands for.

B

I want to take a moment to talk a little bit about some exciting things that will be happening now being happening new in Boston, Public Schools. We obviously make it a key part in BPS to provide our students with healthy and appetizing meals to help fuel their learning throughout the day, and we know that some of our students, the meals they get in our schools, are sometimes the most nutritious.

B

If not the only meals that they get throughout the day- and we know that there was studies and studies and studies- students learn better when they are not hungry and that's why I'm really excited about the partnership we have with revolution food revolution food. These are an new vended food vendor.

B

They will bring all natural, delicious meals to 85 of our schools. Currently do not have kitchens full kitchens and revolution. Food is committed, providing wholesome ingredients. There will be free of artificial colors. Flavors sweeteners, preservatives additives. They will not use high fructose corn syrup, they will all the meals will be freshly prepared. They will virtually eliminate the use of frozen food in Boston, Public Schools, so we're very excited about bringing them as a new partner into BPS. Also, this year, we're really going to be ramping up.

B

Our breakfast in the classroom project and breakfast in the classroom is initiative that makes it easier for our students to access this vital meal during a day so we'll be partnering up with. We have been partnering up with the EOS foundation.

B

We currently serve breakfast in classroom at 17 school, but our aim is to expand a minimum of 50 schools this year and for decades, BPS has been providing students breakfasts and for the past four years and no cost their students, regardless of income, but we know that only thirty, nine percent of our students currently participate, and that means thirty one thousand nine hundred this important meal. So we're committed to expanding that initiative. This year we also are going to be expanding.

B

Our work around excellence for all I've talked about excellence for all all throughout last year. Thank you, school committee, for your commitment of $715,000 to expand excellence for all in the thirteen schools to fifth grade, so we're very, very proud that we are going to be able to continue to expand rigor and enrichment in these thirteen schools that have excellence for all. We also this year are expanding our extended learning time initiative to additional 13 high schools, so 15,000 kindergarteners through eighth grade stood grade.

B

Students will receive an additional 120 hours of learning time, which is the equivalent to 20 added days. So in this short time of three years, bps will now have fully implemented extending learning time and 57 schools serving over 23,000 students, and this will allow our teachers more time for creative and project-based tasks that obviously are more engaging to our students, so very excited about like full implementation, ELT and now and I. Just don't think people recognize like his three short years.

B

We have implemented this in 57 schools also last year last budget cycle, the school community did also approve for increased funding for our students experiencing homelessness. I had the opportunity to walks on the schools and see how schools are thinking. How are using this funding and just I know some of you know about Katie's closets. So it's you see, catiusa closet actually really expanded in bps McCormick. Has this beautiful room completely ready to go now or for students who may be experiencing homelessness?

B

This 1.2 million dollar investment will be targeted and it will support the 3,000 students that we know are experiencing homelessness, and we know that probably there probably are a lot more other students as well. So, thank you for the important investment some highlights from the summer. I want to make sure I share with the school community, and the public I want to start off with fifth quarter summer learning. We know how critical it is to stem summer learning loss and that's why.

B

This summer, we launched in collaboration with Boston after school, in Milan and beyond the fifth quarter are learning and the fifth quarter. Learning is approach. A blending academic and enrichment together and I want to share this very staggering statistic: the average daily attendance in our fifth quarter sites this summer was 85 percent, and this was even more shocking for high school summer programs. The attendance was 93%. I actually asked the team to go back and double-check.

B

These numbers I was like that's staggering, but many of our partners and I worked very closely with bps schools created some really innovative programming for young people and young people. When the programming is engaging, they show up no matter how far it is, whether it is on a college campus or it's on a boat on a way to Nova Scotia. They show up hard not to show up I guess if you're on the Your Honor on a boat, but just incredible incredible work, also the exam school initiative.

B

We continue this year dissipation this year increased we had 720 students participate in this summer, prep program for the ISEE.

B

This included 349 students out of the 720 coming from our underrepresented schools, and this is a large increase from 2016, where we had 646 total students and only 225 from the underrepresented schools, even more importantly, for black students. The percentage increased from 10% in 2014 to 23% this year and for Latino students, 14 233 during the same three-year period, so very proud of the work of the opportunity. You've been capped office and this cat tardy approach. They had to our underrepresented schools to get these sort of results and a couple other highlights.

B

From the summer we had summer graduation for 190 bps students from about net from 19 schools over the last couple weeks, and we actually have four separate August. Graduation ceremonies I think it's always important for us to recognize our students who are committed enough to making sure that they finished your credit. You know credits and then actually graduate this summer. So congratulations to the 190 additional bps students who graduate from bps this August this summer. We did a lot of professional development. Oh the person who isn't responsible for pictures, I apologize.

B

It did a little bit of jumping around this yeah this summer. We did a lot of professional development for teachers or administrators at both our August Leadership Institute and our inaugural teacher Summer Institute at Boston University, where we trained 600 teachers.

B

We took the opportunity to launch some very important work, called our essentials for instructional equity in your packets, School Committee. You will see this document. It's call our bps essentials for instructional equity. It is a culmination about two years of work of developing four competencies that will support every teacher in bps, too close opportunity and achievement gaps and prepare our students for college career in life. We launched this work during this during the summer at our August Leadership Institute and our teacher Summer Institute. We got some great feedback from teachers.

B

The teachers and bps actually led these workshops and when we surveyed them at the end of each one of these sessions, the average rating through that week was a nine-point two out of ten and so over the course of the year. We will offer follow-up sessions and support to school leaders and coaching giving feedback on the essentials the summer. The teacher Summer Institute was a joint effort between bps and the Boston teachers union.

B

For us this was we've, never I've been told. We've never done this scale of training, at least in very recent memory. So thank you for to the entire academics and student support services team. Thank you, the Boston Teachers Union for folks that may be watching if you're interested in knowing more about this work- and you will hear more about this work moon for years to come, you can go to our website.

B

Www.Videoculinary.Com.

B

Next highlight during the summer last Tuesday I had a great time as usual meeting our new kindergarten students at countdown to kindergarten hosted by the Boston's children museum school committee. Member Jerry Robinson was there mayor Walsh, we had number of EPS staff there. We actually met nearly 3,000 kindergarten students and their parents. Now this event is in its 18th year.

B

So I want to thank the office of engagement, our department of early education for doing a fabulous job and obviously always want to thank Jerry Robinson for her commitment and her visionary work with the earliest young people in bps. So some pictures for you to see there.

B

Next highlight during this summer, we worked very closely with the massachusetts school buildings authority to do some upgrades or schools I think we shared I shared that information with you last year. We have we're nearly complete with our windows projects in bps, so forty million dollars we've spent nearly forty million dollars to replace over three thousand windows at seven schools and I personally have visited the school these seven schools over the last two weeks. We also did a lot of repair work with roofs and then boilers f5 other schools.

B

When you get an opportunity visit somebody school say they do these schools. They look like brand-new buildings with these windows.

B

This is part of this is part of our ongoing collaboration with Massachusetts school buildings Authority. We obviously will continue working with that MSBA as we roll out build bps. Also, during the August summer, August Leadership Institute. We gave our principals their allocation for the 21st century furniture, furniture, fine, so every single school will have sir malodors that they will be able to invest in 24, first century furniture and technology. So that's kind of the first big push to get to access the 1 million dollar investment, 1 billion dollar investment bill bps.

B

So that was just a sample of some furniture that the principals got to see. So they now all basically have a little card with a dollar amount that they will be able to start investing this furniture and yeah and they have. They will be working very closely with staff and parents and the school side councils to make to make these purchases. So this will be a collaborative effort. School.

B

Next item hurricane Harvey I just want take a moment to express some deep thanks to our schools and our school leaders for basically responding to a call to help our brothers and sister in Houston last week, I reached out to the superintendent Houston Independent School District Richard Carranza, who I've known for many years and offered up an idea that of matching bps schools with Houston Independent, School, District, Schools and our target is a hundred.

B

Our principals are have reached out already I'm connected with principals in Houston and, most importantly, we want to provide some emotional support. So, depending on school, students may be sending other students notes. There may be video messages from classrooms I heard from one school today that they requested for stuffed animals. So the school I think it's a Sumner right. It is bringing together stuffed animals to send down to Houston Ike I did all call out to our principals and they're. Very they literally started raising their hands last week.

B

I want to share some powerful words from the deputy superintendent in Houston, who wrote in an email to me. Our city needs some form: normalcy, a safe learning environment for our students, where they can count on a meal and take their minds off their most. Recent experience is much needed. Please keep in mind when, speaking to your principals, our principals have not yet been able to walk their schools.

B

They may not know what they actually need as far as support I do know that it will mean the world to them to know that they are not alone. Your principals will be that ray of sunshine beaming through our dark clouds, I'm just proud to say that over 50, actually, as of today, 58 of our principals have signed up to support a sister school in Houston and, despite all the challenges with starting their schools tomorrow, they're taking a time to pick up members of another school committee, so I can give them a round the.

B

Next update yesterday, as you know, the Trump administration ended the deferred action for childhood arrivals program, known as daca, which, since sign as an executive order in 2012 by former President Obama, has helped over 800,000 so-called dreamers to secure in-state tuition, work permits and obtain Social Security numbers I know a number of dreamers. Personally, we have many BPS alum that are accessing colleges and universities, universities in Massachusetts, with in-state tuition and I know we have dreamers who are educators in Boston, Public Schools.

B

That's why it was so important for me to be pretty vocal on this issue. I joined the mayor, Attorney General, helium, senator Markey and others. Our press conference yesterday denouncing this decision and yesterday also the Boston teachers union. President Jessica tang and I released a joint statement urging Congress to pass a legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrants. I would like to share a few a few passages from that statement. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder and fighting for the continued protection out of all dreamers.

B

Those law-abiding young people who have come to this country, often through no choice of their own and have grown up and been educated here. These are hardworking students, employees and inven members of our militaries who enrich and strengthen our communities, eliminating daca would drive them into the shadows, depleting our schools on a workforce for a productive members of our society, who is simply yearn to pursue their dreams and fulfill their full potential.

B

Boston educators remain as committed today, as ever in continuing our work to protect and uplift all students, families and communities it does go on, but I do want to just share a personal reflection on this I. Don't think. As I said earlier today, this decision does not reflect the values. I grew up with as an immigrant in this country. It sends the wrong message to our young people in this country and sends a wrong message to our global community. I know in bps. We will continue to embrace immigrants.

B

There are young people from a hundred and thirty nine I believe 139 different countries that now called the city home when I grew up in America I was watching coca-cola commercials with people holding hands and singing together, and that's what I thought this was all about and so to all the dreamers I want you to know that we will continue to fight for you and I know. That's the cool committee will continue to fight for you as well.

B

And lastly, just to last quick updates. This is for the general for your general public I want to announce that the application for their our exam schools is now actually open and for the first time it will be online this year, and so, instead of filling out a traditional paper bubble, forms families can visit the exam school web site at Boston. Public School store at 4:00, slash exam and ready to register your child immediately for the ISEE and later on.

B

During the meeting we'll talk about pushing back the deadline for families for residency, verification to give as much opportunity for young people to sign up for this exam and I will conclude tonight by just saying again: I'm really excited about starting the 2017-2018 school year.

B

I'm excited that would be joined by the mayor and the chairman, O'neill and beachy president Jessica tang and others. We will be greeting families, we will be visiting classrooms, we will be tasting. Our new of food I will be going to ERV and when you start at the Irving tomorrow, I will head over to Young. Achievers I will also head over to excel and Brighton.

B

Tomorrow and then I will be spending some time at the Blackstone for lunch and then on Monday, looking forward to starting the first day of kindergarten at them, Mattapan early elementary school, and it is going to be a first of seven schools who, which I will visit on Monday and at the Mattapan early elementary school we will be have. We will be launching our first ever k1 Haitian Creole classroom.

B

Twenty five young people will be starting their education in bps in that program. The opportunity to visit that classroom today- and it already gives me goosebumps that we are starting the program so very excited and to be able to to do that on Monday, sup welcome back to the school year. Everyone. That concludes my report for tonight. Thank.

A

You superintendent I hate to start with a correction, but in fact your first visit tomorrow is not to a school. Where are you gonna be at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning? We.

B

Will be at a bus yard.

B

A

A

Opening out of questions and comments from committee members still.

C

Contour well, thank you mr. chair, and thank you superintendent Chang first of all, is the parent of three children in the Boston Public Schools I am also very excited for the starters, as.

D

C

My wife, so thank you for welcoming us back I, just wanted to remark briefly on two of the extracurriculars that you've engaged in over the last few weeks and I call it a extracurriculars, because it's certainly not something that you're required to do by your job, but I think you have a moral compass and an urgency in addressing things that affect us as a society, and so you know certainly the leadership that you've shown on Daka and the city's response and the school districts response and partnering with the Union on that.

C

Is you know that reflective of I think the the views of this committee and, moreover, just the response that you've seen from our city and our leaders and so I I, deeply appreciate that and I think many others in this room do as well as well as in our district in our city at large, and then the other thought is around Houston. You know. Certainly you know I appreciate the fact that you've you've asked for applause for everyone in the district.

C

That's done so much to contribute money or supplies or I, give their time and volunteer to partner with schools down in Houston. But you know that took leadership and that took initiative, and- and so your effort to reach out to Richard, Carranza and partner with Houston ist was certainly you know, exemplary and and reflects well on the city and the way that we come together in times of so I just wanted to appreciate that and I think.

C

Unfortunately, as a product Boston excuse me, Broward County, Public Schools in South Florida, we might have some new districts to partner with in coming weeks with with our the impending storms, bearing down, and certainly within our diverse community within bps. We've got many families that have family members from Caribbean islands that are currently about to be hit by ARMA. So you know we're sensitive of that and and as as we've been in the past, and we will be again will rise as a community to support one another.

A

Thank you, Thank You, mr. La canto, any other questions or comments. Dean Robinson I too.

E

Just wanted to echo the excitement that we have for the start of school I want to thank you for all of the updates from the summer, because the work that took place in the summertime with the students with educators was really remarkable. So thank you for giving us that extensive list of just accomplishments over the summer and I too, want to echo mr. Lacan so I, don't know who's more excited about tomorrow. I actually have all four of mine in Boston Public Schools this year, so I am through the roof running to the bus.

E

Stop tomorrow, running I will bring back my track days, I'm so excited you have no idea. So we still have you know some fun things to do tomorrow morning to get ready, but I will be joining you at some of the different schools. I know some of the other committee members will be visiting throughout the next couple of days. It's an exciting time.

E

I did read a post, though I just have to mention on social media that there there is a thought that sometimes teachers get a bad rap during this time, because you know they are are hearing from. You know the teachers well good luck. Teachers this year and I want to give a shout out and highlight how excited I've seen teachers. You know for this upcoming school year, coming to the August Leadership Institute and seeing the principal's the cheering that took place when we walked in for the and the school leaders.

E

I just want to applaud the teachers, the school leaders, the custodians, the nurses, the parents, everyone who's, getting ready for the school year, because it's an exciting time. Our kids are excited. Some will probably have to be kicked out of the bed, because there's no more of the late nights, but I just want to really set the tone and applauding our teachers and getting everyone excited about the school year.

E

I'm also really grateful for the leadership you provided to Houston that we will probably provide to Florida and to our neighboring islands and the support that they're going to need, because we've seen that Boston does come together during these times and we become Boston strong, just not for our city but for others as well, and our teachers take the lead. The students want to send notes and send stuffed animals, and so thank you for giving us.

E

You know that insight of some of the needs that the Houston children are looking for us to provide, because I think that our students will step up, because our teachers are excited to teach our students empathy. So thank you for the updates. Please continue to keep them coming, even anecdotally, because it helps me know even how to parent. My kids- and you know my kids friends, to show empathy to our neighbors when they're in need. So thank you so much for sharing. Thank.

A

You any other questions or comments for the superintendent. Yes, miss all of Adobe, like I.

F

Did or what everybody said, I don't want to repeat, but I had a question in terms of everything: that's been happening in our country over the past few years. There are some conversations that I feel could be great for our students to have in school I'm just wondering if there's a plan, to talk about doc, to talk about immigration, to talk about the recent marches and just I think as a way to continue the conversation and Boston to be a leader. I mean we've seen you we've seen the mayor and I did. Oh, what mr.

F

la canto said: I mean I, I I feel like that is going above and beyond and I just I want to say. Thank you, but I also hope that it's a great opportunity for us to have these conversations in our classrooms, with our students and and teachers and family.

B

Teachers have really led the effort in basically saying these conversations need to happen in our classroom. Our young people need to have these discussions yesterday. In the joint statement with the Boston teachers union, we also included links to resources to parents, educators.

B

These this work is not going to stop it's going to be ongoing. I know our team is, could like continue to curate more resources for schools, for our families and to make sure that we're also doing this in a respectful way and making sure the work is being translated in different languages. So, yes, the work is ongoing, but it is a lot of our teachers are the ones that are really saying. We've got to step up and we have to be the ones helping to lead this work.

B

So I actually really want to thank our two teachers.

D

B

I'm I feel like I'm following their in their footsteps. Here, that's.

E

A

Thank you and and I also just want a comment. Tomorrow is a big day opening of school and I am personally, we are, as the committee is, of how hard you and your team have worked all summer. We have been in here with all of the school leaders in this. This was the first time the school leaders Institute was held here instead of off-site I personally met with all the new school leaders, a group of about 15 18 this year.

A

That I was extremely pleased for two reasons: one it's the smallest group at a number of years. So there's more stability now in our school leaders and to the vast majority of them, graduated from DPS, and/or have taught in bps and I was absolutely overwhelmed by that and I was thrilled because for years we've had folks say well, there's no pipeline and you're not moving teachers up into positions of leadership and was really excited to see that this was a group of experienced.

A

A number of them are working on their doctorates, they're committed to public education. They practically all had masters and really encouraged by this group of new school leaders that we have this year and what this between that and the ones that have added the past couple of years, really excited by the crop of school leaves. We have right now in the energy and in this particular room when all of the school leaders were here along with the lead teachers was palpable and superintendent. You and your team have put in place a number of changes.

A

This year, we've had some changes to transportation, bringing in innovative ideas working with an MIT crew in how we can start to look more efficiently, a transportation. We have a new food service provider for a number of our schools. You've already mentioned the buildings that have new windows, those of us who have visited schools where you can't even see our windows, so they can't open or you hear through, but you can't see through. This is exciting work and there have been a number of changes.

A

I know you, but personally, on top of all of them, like you mentioned, you visited every building that I've had renovations we're opening a new school building tomorrow, which is the Elliott one of the Elliot buildings Elliott school buildings, the DIA blue one is well under renovations and will be finishing up this year. So we have. We have a lot going on and I. Thank you for that. I also want to echo and and publicly state the strong support this committee has had, and several members have already mentioned it already for two particular things.

A

You did the some of those that, as we said, were above and beyond the Job Description one regarding the deferred action for childhood arrivals, the decision made by the president's team and I guess the president as well, though he personally didn't announce it and the impact that will have on both our students and our staff and how strongly you have reached out about that and superintendent. This is important for the public to know that the School Committee 100% is supportive of your actions on this and your statements.

A

We are completely behind you on this and we feel very strongly that our students, who were impacted by this and our staff, who were impacted by this, the school committee and the district, a completely supportive of you and do all in our power with with this regard- and the second thing is superintendent. Other members have mentioned this as well and I like the way mr. Locarno phrased it about your more compass showed through in what the the immediate actions you took regarding our colleagues in Houston and I was actually traveling overseas with my family.

A

What happened? I was a couple of days late, catching up on the news and I immediately reached out to Richard currents around mutual friend and apologized would be insulated and reaching out to him. He told me, don't worry about it. Dr. Chang is all over it and we got a great plan in action. He was deeply appreciative of what you immediately did and I know a number of other counsel. Great city schools have reached out to Houston as well.

A

It's we are an organization that supports each other, Richard credenza, folks, who don't know the superintendent of Houston was formerly the superintendent San Francisco has been very supportive of Boston Public Schools over the years, and it's been very helpful to us behind the scenes in a number of questions on key issues.

A

So it's nice to be able to repay the the favor to an excellent man and an excellent organization, and so superintendent I want you to know how supportive and appreciative this entire school committee is of those actions that you have taken and, above and beyond, while still ensuring that school opens on time strongly tomorrow for all 57,000 youth in our care. So thank you for that. Thank you. So if there's nothing further, I'll entertain a motion to receive the superintendent's report.

E

A

You is there a second second, any discussion, objection to the motion, any objection to approving the superintendents report by Union s consent hearing down the motion, carries move on to general public comment. I do want to acknowledge as well that we are joined by council wasabi George, the vice chair of the City Council's Education Committee Thank You council asabi George for joining us this evening and we'll move on in general. Public comment: miss Sullivan, Thank.

G

You mr. O'neill, the public comment period is an opportunity for parents and other concerned parties make brief presentations to the school committee on pertinent school issues. Questions on specific school matters are not answered at this time, but I refer to the superintendent for later response. Questions on specific policy matters are not answered at this time, but may be the subject of later discussion by the committee. Each speaker will have three minutes to speak in our mind you when you have one minute remaining and then 30 seconds.

G

Those who require interpretation services will be a lot in additional two minutes. Speakers may not resign their time to others. Large groups addressing addressing the same topic are encouraged to consolidate their remarks or select a spokesperson to provide testimony. Written testimony is appreciated and encouraged. Please state your name and affiliation before you begin. Tv cameras are only record speakers who face the committee. We have eight speakers this evening, beginning with councillor Anissa, asabi, George and she'll be followed by Tom Carr, CO and Sylvia Goldman.

H

Thank you, everyone and good evening. I am I want to echo what everyone said about just sayin you're.

A

Excited I'm very.

H

Excited, yes, that's that's exactly what I'm gonna echo and really just give some general wishes for a great new school year and so excited to send the boys off tomorrow and I. Just really recognize and thank Boston Public Schools for taking such great care of my kids over the years and, of course, starting tomorrow again, but I do have to say. As a former teacher, it is always an exciting time of year to sort of start it's you know you get new year's resolutions in January.

H

You get to do them again in September and I would say. This is the time of year that I missed the classroom, kind of sort of, because I do know that all of my teacher friends are getting excited about the classroom and sort of cleaning and preparing and getting excited for the fresh new year and with with that in mind and referencing, the comments about our concerns around daca and our children, our students in our schools that we as a district remain committed to supporting our teachers and our staff.

H

That are also not sure how to respond in in so many cases, and that we remind our school personnel and our school staff to do some self-care and to really understand and respect and appreciate the pressure that they feel as they respond to the needs and the fears and the anxieties about our students that are before them every day. Knowing that there are so many instances where we can, we can offer assurance.

H

But can we truly ever offer safety, with the exception of the time that they're in front of us in our school buildings, so that fear doesn't go away and and I through my years of teaching and conversations with my friends that are in the classroom and in the building? Not just our direct teaching personnel, the pressure that they feel and the anxiety that they feel that they internalize because they are putting on the brave strong faces for our children.

H

So I'd I'd like to remind all of that just sort of generally in public that our teachers are feeling this pressure as well. We need to remind them for self-care, and we should encourage that as well.

H

I did want to just come very quickly this evening to share a few of my hopes for the coming school year with my work on that on the City Council and just reflect quickly on some testimony that I gave earlier this summer regarding breakfast before the bell at the Statehouse and really a breakfast after the bell, I'm, sorry and really supporting that effort to make sure that our kids are appropriately nourished in the classroom, but then also remind as our schools move to an extended day and a longer day that we're also giving them the nutrition they need to sustain that day.

H

When we add 40 minutes at the end of the day, my boys will be out of school at 4:10, but lunch is often very early in the day. What you know? What, except what exceptions are we going to make to food in the classroom, policies in our school buildings, where we want to make sure kids have the snack, so they can sustain the day, but very specifically to some of the work that I'm doing at the council. Bps residency is most important to me or not most important.

H

It's all important to me, but as we start the school year, our seats should remain for Boston kids and making sure that our residency policy is as strong as ever and I. Look forward to this new policy for students taking the exam for our test. Schools very excited, as I've got three boys preparing to take the exam school tests that will all be online because it is a very nerve-wracking period of time.

H

So I'm looking forward to doing that and happy to learn of that tonight also excited to start at least at the council in the council. Space conversations around great configurations, as well as later high school start times, which you know that councilor Madame, Ali and I are strong advocates for also to continue to support our students who are experiencing homelessness and support their families.

H

I know superintendent reference 3000 I go with the four thousand number and I believe that it is closer to four thousand than it is to three thousand and look forward to supporting Catie's closet and hopefully bringing it to one of our high schools in the city, but with private money. It's really important that Katie's closet has some really great resources and that we utilize them and support that, but with some private funding, I also am excited to support the work.

H

That's happening in transportation, to route, to reduce those costs and really get those dollars into our classrooms, and certainly my my list isn't limited.

H

My time is limited, not my list, but two other points that I'd like to just mention it's Madison Park and our work that we're doing over at our city's only vocational school and then finally, I spoke earlier this year about preparing our schools and our students for the legalization of recreational marijuana and that we're doing the work in our schools to make sure that our kids are educated and informed and that we're also collecting baseline data as we over the next less than 12 months, we'll be introducing it to our city. Thank you. Thank.

A

You councillor thank.

G

You, our next speaker, is Tom kako and he'll be followed by Silvia Goldman.

I

Thank You mr. chairman, dr. Chang and members of the school committee for the opportunity to speak to you today, coincidentally, on a subject that you'll be discussing later, my name is Tom cargo I'm, a resident of Dorchester I, am also proud of my work as a k0 and k1 special educator at the PA Shaw elementary under the leadership of principal, a cocea OC Bobby. My students are my neighbors and I. Consider myself fortunate to be able to live and work in such a vibrant community.

I

Boston Public Schools is responsible for tremendous good in our city, but I'm here today to speak on a seemingly small matter that prevents us from doing the most good for our children. Even after meeting with union leaders, the executive director for OHC, nothing could be done to overcome some systems that I believe you were in the process of addressing early childhood in special education classrooms thrive with the support of paraprofessionals and I'm. Grateful that the proposed contract recognizes us and take some steps toward appropriately filling these roles with dedicated and qualified individuals.

I

I cannot stress enough, however, that the current paraprofessional placement process seems to prioritize seniority and longevity over the service of student needs. Mine is a substantially separate, multi-age classrooms of three four and five-year-old children with special needs and special rights due to a hopefully former system of hiring. My students will not return to two familiar and trusted adult faces next week, a teacher who and a paraprofessional who deeply understand their needs. Instead, my students will come back next week and meet a pair with seniority who was assigned from across town.

I

Despite my objections and the objections of my principal, the paraprofessional, they knew and trusted has been shipped off to another bps school by failing to provide the consistency that these children deserve. I believe we are failing to do the most good for some of Boston's, most fragile learners. As you review the proposed contract and the steps it takes to increase school based hiring autonomy for paraprofessionals I implore you to keep my little classroom in mind. My principal is highly involved in the academic success of students at our school.

I

She, as my evaluator knows the strengths and weaknesses I bring to the classroom and with our hiring committee, she is best equipped to make a hiring decision, not a seniority list, I'm, confident that the office of human capital can find a way to balance a commitment to our career teachers and the paraprofessionals. While maintaining a focus on student needs, I love the work I do I'm as excited as you are for my kids to come back again.

I

My students are my neighbors and I hope that we can continue in our efforts to do the most good. Thank you, Thank.

A

You mr. Carr Co thank.

G

You, our next speaker, is Silvia Goldman and she'll be followed by Nica Hall in chelina. Some xn there's miss Goldman here, okay, next we'll hear from Nica hall.

A

And after miss hall will be after.

G

Miss Hall will be chelina, some xyn and Harry Harding.

J

I'm asking my auntie to sit with me: I'm, not afraid to speak, but I do get emotional when I'm speaking about my babies good evening. First I'd like to thank you, dr., Chang and deputy superintendent, Josh Travis Estrada. Sorry for speaking with me before the meeting started.

J

I'm Knight, NECA, Hall and I live in Hyde Park I'm, the mother of two Boston Public School students and I'm here to talk about my 17 year old son, who lives with kidney disease after 6 504 plans in a three-year period being told that the exam schools beat to the tune of their own drum, and if he were here more, he would not be downgraded and too many more comments to mention here.

J

At this time my son, who had been a student at Boston Latin Academy since seventh grade, decided to make an attempt to salvage his future plans by leaving BL a and enrolling in Boston collaborative high school, which, as you know, is another Boston public school. He began at BC HS in December and by May 8th. He had completed all of the seven classes required to graduate. He was 16 at that time.

J

16.6 I'd say sixteen point, six, sixteen point, seven when he finished his coursework and received a graduation date of June 16th.

J

My son's father did not agree with the change and did not want him to graduate from any school other than BL a not because of the intense academics, but because of the name, a father who added his name to my son's file two years ago, not to get involved, but because he could, we went to court on June 5th and the court sent my then sixteen year, ten month old son on an extended visit with his father and stepmother in North Andover, where he still resides on June 12th, a temporary restraining order was put in place, barring the Boston Public Schools, from allowing my son to graduate when I reached out to be LA.

J

I was told that they would take him back if he had not been graduated in the system. I asked about the state requirements and I was told he may have completed the state guidelines, but not ours. My son returned to be LA and took the 11th grade finals and passed all except for one. He went to summer school for the first time in his life and as of tomorrow, he will be returning to be LA as an 11th grader being retained for the first time in his life. 20.

G

J

Am a graduate from the Boston Public Schools I went to Boston Latin School and for similar reasons, I left, Boston, Latin School and went to another course to college where I received my diploma I'm just wondering is my diploma valid or anyone else who did not receive a diploma in the Boston Public Schools from an exam school, because if my son, which he did he was scheduled to graduate I, have all of the documentation he's been told differently he's been retained.

J

He will graduate in 2019 if something isn't done legally he's done with his high school education, but because his father wanted him to return he's now going back tomorrow and he doesn't know when he realized in school tomorrow from North Andover, he will be placed in an 11th grade, classroom who's. Speaking for my son where's, my son's voice who's. Listening to my son's voice.

J

Thank you for listening. Thank.

G

You Miss Hall thank.

A

You Miss Hall our.

G

Next speaker is Celina szymek, Sen and she'll be followed by Harry Harding and Sam Tyler.

K

My name is Selena Sam exit I'm, the parent of three wonderful children. Currently, my kids attend Kipp I'm here on behalf of Kipp parents, I'm one of the Kipp parent leaders, I'm on the Kipp parent leadership, team, I'm nervous, you guys so forgive me and I'm here, because we've been having trouble with transportation and the trouble we've been had it been really bad.

K

The last two days, a couple of our kids got no truck no buses and the kids stayed in the school till 7:30 yesterday and today the school had to call parents to come pick up their kids.

K

Today I was fortunate to help some parents get their kids home today, but to know that there's no transportation for our kids is unacceptable to know that, for the last three weeks we've been struggling with getting our kids in the system, I was told that my six-year-old who is in the system has transportation, has taken a two Roslindale I live in Dorchester I have three kids: all three of them should be able to get on the same school bus.

K

Last week, Friday I was informed when I call transportation that she cannot get on the bus that her older to work. Yet all the two siblings are getting on, because her name is not on that I still put on the bus in the morning. Another issue that I run into transportation have overbooked the buses. There is 80 students assigned to a 72 seat bus, so there's three kids sitting in the seat at a time that is a safety issue.

K

My biggest concern, I'm glad that you guys are doing great things. It's good! That MIT is coming on board to help us out with this, but I am beginning to believe that, because we are a charter schools that are trend, they don't want to give us transportation and when they do their school buses, that's come at school starts at 7:30. There's bus, that's coming in at 9 o'clock in the morning, so these kids are still at the bus.

K

Stop waiting for school buses, I'm, not sure what you guys can do to help us parents out but I, know BPS provides transportation for our charter school and we need help. So if there's something that you guys can do, that can work with us to help us because I know it's out of the hands of the staff at Kipp. I will be more likely to work with anyone to figure out what we can do to get transportation on board with helping us out.

K

You know it's sad that you have little ones sitting in the school at 7 o'clock in the evening. You know to get a phone call at 6:30 and the school is letting you know your child is still in a school. Come pick up. Your child is unacceptable. You know, especially when you have kindergarteners they're missing dinner, and what else are they missing? They can't get their homework done by the time they get home it's late.

K

So if there's something that you guys can do to help us out I'm willing to work with you guys as a parent and if you guys need us to come back again next month, I can rally up some parents who are willing to come in here, so they could speak also, so you guys can hear their testimonies also about this transportation issue. Thank you guys for listening to me. Thank.

A

You mr. Nixon I'm gonna, ask mr. John Hanlin you'll, see him standing up here in a second he's: the chief of operations for bps and transportation reports to him. He is aware of this issue that had happened so he's gonna, I'm gonna ask him to speak with you directly on this. Thank.

K

G

Thank you. Our next speaker is mr. Harry, Harding and he'll be followed by Sam Tyler and John Mudd.

L

Good evening, mr. chairman superintendent Chang fellow members of the committee, particularly those of you who are ready to get rid of your children tomorrow,.

D

L

Name is Harry Harding, a resident of Dorchester former, a parent of a former student in bps, but I come to you today, representing local nonprofit children, services of Roxbury. We are located right down the road here on Dudley Street coming today to really invite you and engage you regarding a particular event and cause that children's services at Roxbury is currently campaigning on September 23rd, which is a Saturday.

L

We are inviting the community to set a Guinness World Record to assemble the largest human peace symbol in the world, and this cause is both a benefit to Children Services of Roxbury, as well as a message to send to the larger community and the world that peace is both something that has derived from the services that are provided from an organization like Children Services at Roxbury, but also from the idea of us coming together as a community children, services of Roxbury Service, approximately 6,000 families across the state of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

L

A large subsection of those 6,000 families are represented in the Boston Public School System. We also have a fairly tight partnership with many of the schools here at show. Just at Boston Public Schools, which a colleague of mine, Dubois Marcia, will also speak to in a moment.

L

But again we I encourage you in and inviting you and engaging you, the both as committee members and as community members and as parents to help us engage the collective of the boston public school system, as well as your personal networks to join us on the sill on Saturday, the 23rd of September to celebrate peace and again Children's Services of Roxbury. Both provides early education, childcare homeless, a lot of the homeless population that was spoken about earlier in this committee meeting.

L

We are, we serve as well as a large behavioral health center, which we again serve hundreds of families in this community, particularly specializing in trauma, so I'd like to again invite you to be a part of that and I want to turn it over to my colleagues, talk a little bit more. Our progress with partnerships, good.

M

Evening committee members, thank you for giving us this time. My name is Dubois Marshall and I'm. The training.

N

Staff development, specialist.

M

For Children's Services Roxbury, my job is to train over 350 staff to go out in the community and support families who have children with emotional and social issues or in diagnosis, many of which are in Boston Public Schools. We definitely have skin in the game when it comes to mental health and Boston Public Schools. We are currently in about 15 to 17 schools, one of which is Young Achievers, where we have clinicians on-site and we work closely with staff and so forth and so on, and so what we have asked some folks to do.

M

We are we've gone around to the schools talked to some of the principals, especially some of the high schools connecting peace of mind to the community service hours and principals have been very open to allowing the children to count whatever they do for this as part of their community service hours be at 25 hours, 30 hours, whatever that looks like we are currently in the Taylor, the curly Higginson Lewis, Higginson Elementary. So again we have some skin in the game peace of mind when you brought up another opportunity to continue the dialogue about.

M

What's going on this event can provide those kinds of opportunities and we really hope that folks will come out in support what we're asking folks to do in each individual school, and we would like to ask the committee members is: have a team. We have a tracking forum here right, and so we have team members in schools who are getting their families or friends or those other students in the classroom who would like to come and participate again. This is going to be September 23rd on the Boston Common.

M

We have the mayor as honorary co-chair, we'll come and speak, and we have some committee committee members.

L

Present Rosenberg Senate President Rosenberg is actually honorary co-chair as well. I mentioned the mayor as well also thank councillor sabe George, who spoke earlier today. She actually is also publicly endorsed us as well as terms of this cause, so Thank You councillor, Sami George, for that as well. So.

M

Just really opening up the dialogue on what is peace of mind. What does that look like internally, because that's where it starts, then also in our schools and our communities, and this is an opportunity we need about 6,000 folks to break the world record. So we've got a big task ahead of us and we really appreciate you guys.

M

You folks help and getting the word out, be it through newsletters or whatever is throughout all Boston Public Schools, and also asking you guys if you would be a team leader, your own social networks within the schools that would be great I, do have information here, tracking forms and more information on it and again, I am the point person and how is the point person we'll give you our contact information, any other information that you may need, and just one thing we know it's a Saturday.

M

So what we've worked out with the MBTA is free transportation for all of your children who want to attend the event. What they're, gonna be able to do is download a particular credential anywhere they are in the city. You present this at the MBTA and you'll have free transportation to and from the event for the youth for the children and their families. So we've tried to think about that the logistical part of it and again we can explain more on how that would work for all those who would like to participate. So.

A

Thank you mr. Hardy and mr. Marshall. Let's go over the details: September 23rd on Boston Common. What time 10:00.

L

A.M. 10:00 a.m. is when it opens the will be gathering people for the actual formula P somewhat 11:30. The official count will take place at noon. I assume would be on the big open field at 3:00 ground.

O

L

A

M

A

Gonna ask that you also see mr. Richard aware in the back corner from the bps communications team, just so that he could be helpful and get it out to the PPS communications. Okay,.

D

A

Channels which all of us will then pick up on as well. Thank you Jane. You need how many to break the record.

L

We need six thousand five five thousand and possible break the record, but we're gonna shoot it for sixty.

M

Six thousand to make sure.

L

So just bring five thousand ninety 99.

M

L

Be just fine, but.

M

Anything you can do to help us.

A

If you make sure to see mr. Richard we're on.

M

That corner and he'll.

A

Communicate he'll coordinate about Canada to the bps channels. Thank.

L

You very thank you for your time, appreciate it. Our.

G

Next speaker is Sam Tyler and he'll be followed by John Mudd.

P

Mr. chairman members, superintendent Chang, um as you might have guessed, going to be talking about the teachers contract that you'll be discussing later on today or this night.

P

This meeting, you know it's been our custom over the years at the research field to be an advocate for me and reform in the Boston teachers contract and over the past two years, we've written the research report arguing for bold reform, basically centering on improving or teacher quality teacher effectiveness in the next contract, and we have issued a series or a few called Bureau updates, which are single page articles or updating where the status of negotiations is in this contract and reiterating the the need for bold reform.

P

So in that context, this should be no surprise that, with a little information that is available at this point in time about this contract, they were disappointed in what we see in terms of lack of really bold reform to improve student achievement. You know the contract has been described as fair and reasonable for teachers and and students and I think. Certainly it is for teachers not as much for students.

P

There are a few incremental improvements that sound, exciting, codifying mutual consent to facilitate the hiring effective teachers sounds good and, yes, mutual consent is built into the contract, so the words are there, but in practice that represents no change other than the fact that the school won't have to pay the stipend of $1,250 for each open position.

P

That'll save the bps $500,000. However, the contract does not address the issue of the eight million dollars in this school budget to pay for the SPC teachers who have not been selected by schools that should have been part of this contract. Applying the concept of mutual consent to paraprofessionals who support students with autism and other emotional impairments is a good step, but it's limited. It applies to 20% of all the Paris mutual consent, given them responsibilities of Paris in schools, particularly in elementary schools.

P

Mutual consent should be equally applying to the prepare professionals, as it does to the teachers that should be in the next contract next Wednesday. You know the teacher certainly will ratify this contract with a two percent three percent for two years, as well as other provisions in the contract and the School Committee will approve this next Wednesday as well. However, the lack of meaning will reform in this Boston teachers contract provides.

P

It does provide a reset, as has been described in the media, but it also ups the ante for bold reform to improve student achievement in the next contract. Twenty-Second.

G

P

The city must be firm in its reform objectives in this next contract and be resolved not to accept anything less than what you start out with this two-year contract was for the teachers. The next contract needs to be needs to be for the students. Thank you thank.

A

You mr. Tyler thank.

G

You, our final speaker, is John Mudd.

Q

Good evening advocate emeritus John Mudd a new strategy this year, instead of being among the last to talk I'm going to try and be among the first secular wise, if not spiritually, so welcome to the new year. You know in our joint struggle to try and bring social and educational justice to the next generation of our young people.

Q

Last July, we celebrated the opportunity and achievement gap presentation which was a milestone in the process of translating the policy into practice in the schools. Now you and we have the opportunity and challenge to make this real for students in their schools and classrooms. I've got a few specific suggestions for your action in this respect. One I would encourage you to insist on reviewing detailed plans and SMART goals of each of the key operating departments at the July meeting. The chair asks that the departments were taking these implementation plans seriously.

Q

I think for you to regularly review and give visibility to that review of plans that have been in effect approved by the superintendent and the achievement gap. Task force as adequate will provide the kind of visibility the issue needs. Secondly, staff. The opportunity and achievement gap office, so it can do its job of providing leadership and especially effectively monitor each of the operating departments in their implementation of the SMART goals.

Q

My sense now is that the the office has too much program staff, 10 boys projects or other things like that, and not enough high level monitoring staff to oversee the department's Colin Rose can't do that alone.

Q

Third, and perhaps most challenging for you I've suggested in the past, and would reiterate that the School Committee should consider holding a series of oversight hearings now, each of which would focus on a specific area of implementation on a regular basis.

Q

Perhaps bimonthly and I'm saying oversight hearings which would be different than these school committee meetings different than the budget hearings in which you would focus on a particular topic, have not only testimony from Boston public school staff, but also from outside experts and stakeholders, and enable you to have a discussion with those outside experts and stakeholders and not just have them pour out their thoughts as I do very frequently when these evening meetings without a chance to talk with you, I would focus these issues on critical priorities requiring interdepartmental action and scheduled us throughout the school year, I'd suggest initial hearings on early hiring and staff diversity on professional development on literacy.

Q

There are other key points of leverage that the School Committee can highlight to ensure that the opportunity and achievement gap issues receive the intentions that they should. These targets include issues like the program budget, the school quality plans or whatever there now, you could called the instructional focus, there's a required of each school and a fully developed, OMG impact statement that goes beyond the equity. We now see the the program budget that was distributed. Last meeting was a beginning step, but it doesn't deal effectively with opportunity and achievement gap issues.

Q

They are not embedded in that document and I would hope. You would insist that for fiscal year the next budget for fiscal year 18 that that that those issues be embedded in the program budgets for each of the operating departments, so I guess I'm being buzzed I look forward to you're gonna be hearing from special education.

Q

Later you can look at that in terms of its analysis of opportunity and achievement gap, issues and the explanation of how those gaps will be overcome or reduced and I look forward to talking with you perhaps early in the next meeting on the program budget. Thank you for indulging me. Thank you too much.

G

Mr. Neil, that concludes our speakers. For general public comment. Thank.

A

You miss Sullivan. Our first action item this evening is grants for approval, totaling, 106 million nine hundred twenty four thousand and nine dollars before we open it up to questions to committee, I'd like to invite our director of federal and state grants a new Jenaya and chief financial officer, Eleanor Lorentz to please join us I'm doing that, because we have several large chunks in this, namely that we now have the actual allocations of the federal title 1 and the IDE a grant.

A

So I also want to inform committee members before our speakers talk in particular about those grants it actually totals 19 grants. I am gonna. Ask that it be in a series of two votes instead of one, because when committee men will have to abstain for one so we'll actually try to cover 18 grants, totaling 106 million nine hundred fifteen thousand and nine dollars in one vote, and then one separate grant for nine thousand dollars and I'll explain that at the time so I chose going to bequest good.

R

Evening so, as chairperson O'neill just mentioned, we have 19 grants tonight, totaling 107 million for approval. These grants include our federal entitlement grants so title 1, 2, 3, Perkins and I da, as well as a new title for allocation with these allocations were roughly in line overall versus our FY 18 projections, with some areas coming in higher and some lower than projected with title 1, we received approximately 5% or 1.7 million more than our projection.

R

However, the new SR requirement states that a proportionate share of funds for private school services should be calculated, based on the total amount of the district grant allocation. Before we take any reservations which is different from prior years. As a result, we're required to set aside a larger amount for the non-public schools with eligible Boston students, which is approximately 1 million more than the allocation. In previous years. With title 2, we received approximately 31 percent lower than our projection. We is about 1.7 million, less I da came in at just 1% lower than our projection.

R

School allocations remain unchanged, so schools will still receive a total of fifteen point, eight million in title one funding, which is what we allocated during the budget cycle.

R

The new title for grant is a student support and academic enrichment allocation. That is part of the formula grants under essa. We have been awarded nine hundred seventy six thousand under this new funding stream. These funds also have a set-aside requirement for the non-public schools, but the balance of the funding follows the same priorities as title one, and so we can be. It can be used on priorities that are already identified with our original title. One needs assessment. We plan on using this new funding stream to balance our priority priorities within all the three title.

R

One sorry, all the three title: funding streams.

A

Thank you. Do you have the aggregate then, between one two, three, four etc of projection versus total? Yes,.

R

So when we balance across all four, all the the three funding seems title one, not title three sorry title one title two and the new title for allocation we're just a little bit lower than our projection. So it came out to approximately about $150,000 lower than what we had projected okay.

A

And miss Lawrence. Could you just address how you had done the projections because we actually talked about this during.

D

A

Cycle you had planned for overall reductions, yeah.

S

Frankly, given the level of uncertainty both at the federal and state level, we're quite pleased to be this close to our projections, and there is as much art as there is science. In doing the projections, you have been a great partner chairman, O'neil in being in touch with what's happening at the federal level. So we look at historic patterns.

S

We appreciate our partnership with colleagues at deci, who we met with on a number of occasions over the course of the year for them to foreshadow what they were expecting, particularly with title 1, and use that to inform our projections. As a new said, we were a little high in places a little low and others, and we're quite pleased that they've evened out it's a a good news situation for us, given the environment. Did that address your question. There's.

A

Some questions from committee members on this particular issue: any impact to schools or it's a budget based upon the changes that youth and saw of actual versus projected.

S

Not material changes, no okay,.

A

Thank you, the members, questions on that great. Thank you. Thank.

S

A

If there are no further questions on the grants, then entertain a motion to approve the grants. I do want to make sure miss Sullivan that we do this very carefully. So the first is for 18 grants, totaling 106 million nine hundred fifteen thousand and nine dollars. We excluding everything but the sixth grant on the list. So it be everything except grant. Number six so may I have a motion to approve those 16 grants as presented.

T

A

You, dr. Hirata, is there a second thank you Dean Coleman any for the discussion, if not any discussion.

D

A

An objection to approving those particular 16 grants by Unanimous Consent hearing none those grants were approved. We will now entertain a now entertain a motion to approve the sixth grant on the list, which is totaling nine thousand dollars, and that is entitled. I want to make sure I get the list right.

A

High school graduation rates and post-secondary readiness among first language is not among students whose first language is not English and that's a $9,000 grant. Is it I? Have a motion to approve that so moved? Thank you. Mister Lacan a serve a second second, second, okay. Thank you. Any discussion or objection. Dr. Hirata ab, miss Oliver Davila.

F

No I'm abstaining so.

A

You just want to make a record that you were abstaining on that particular vote, so with that any other, any other discussion objection, any objection to approving that grant pioneers consent with one abstention. Thank you. That grant is approved.

A

Well, now move on to our next inaction. Next action action item- excuse me, which is the renewal of innovation school status for all, with all current autonomies for the marguerite ammonia's Academy for the school year, 2017 18, you lee call it our last meeting marguerite, ammonia's, Academy, headmaster, Daniel Vasquez presented this proposal to the Academy to the committee superintendent. You have any final comments on this.

B

No I just want to note that dhaniya Vasquez- the headmaster, is here today and.

B

All the way in the back and is any of your team members here or just you, okay, so cheesier so just wanna- make note that she is here today great.

A

Thank You headmaster Vasquez for attending considering we know you have a school first thing in the morning. I said. Thank you mr. Vasquez, for attending. Knowing you have a school first thing in the morning. Are there any questions or comments from committee? On this request? Hearing none I'll entertain a motion authorizing the renewal of innovation school status with all current autonomies for the marguerite ammonia's Academy for school year, 2017 18 as presented Thank You Dean Coleman. It sounds like a second for Miss Oliver Davila. Any discussion objection I saw.

A

When will you please call the roll mr.

G

Leconte, oh yes, miss Jerry, Robinson, miss Regina, Robinson.

A

G

Me, dr. Yuri, Earth, Day yeah, dr. Coleman, yes, mr. O'neill.

A

I'm sorry I talked to your idea. Was that a yes? Okay? Thank you! No, it sounded to me like you would sit here. I didn't! Okay! Thank you. Mr.

G

A

G

Motion passes unanimously thank.

A

You and Thank You headmaster, Vazquez to you in your team and we look over to a great year at the school as well. I'm sure a number of us will be able to see you during the year.

A

We'll move on to our first report, an update from the Office of Special Education. At this time, we'd like to invite assistant superintendent city Neilson to please join step 4 with their presentation, but for a superintendent change with some opening remarks, and this is the first of two presentation, tonight's around special, a just so folks know. The first is from the office of special ed and then we will hear from sped back as well so superintendent.

B

You have some opening comments. Yep today, you're here from assistant superintendent of special education, Cindy Neilson she's, going to be providing some updates from the office of special education.

B

Specifically, she will be talking about progress made to build more inclusive settings across the district and also some specific actions we've taken to ensure our students with special needs are being more prepared for college career and life. We'll turn over to you. Thank you. Thank.

U

You Neil School committee members, superintendent, Chang I, want to thank you for this opportunity to present this evening on the work. The office of special education is doing to prepare students with disabilities to be college, career and life ready. Our special education vision guides the work that we do each day, aligned with the essentials for instructional equity.

U

We understand and respond to the strengths and areas growth of growth for our students with disabilities, born out of the recommendations made in the 2015 report to the School Committee and previous and present work done around inclusive practices in the district. We have developed five priorities that build toward inclusive practices. They are identification and placement quality of instructional sports and services, students, family and community engagement, equity and accountability, or compliance and transition services. Each decision that we make as a department and collaboratively with acid takes these five areas of work into account.

U

Our students with disabilities make up about 20% of the entire bps student population. Our English learners with disabilities make up approximately one-third of that 20% of students. As you can see from the slide, there has been movement in increasing the number of students in inclusive settings and decrease in the number of students in substantially separate settings. The movement is consistent across both students with disabilities and English learners with disabilities.

U

While we are proud of the small gains made since school year 1415, we are aware that there is much work still to do in moving students and to receiving more of their services in general education settings.

U

This slide illustrates our students broken down by disability and race. Our students with low incidents in spectrum disabilities are more aligned to our state rates when comparing by race in our high incidence disabilities, we have a higher instance of black students diagnosed with emotional impairment and intellectual impairment when compared to their white and Asian peers. There is a higher instance of being diagnosed with a communication or specific learning disability amongst our Hispanic students when compared with white and asian peers.

U

Specific to these data points, we recognize the need to dive deeper into this data to address the root causes of the difference in primary disability, designation based on race. In addition, we have synthesized our work with that of asset specifically opportunity and achievement gap office and the policy to create specific target goals, to address root causes and is in existing disparities in the slides ahead. There are more specific action steps that address these data in analyzing our graduation and dropout rates.

U

We need to remember that these data show all students based on the four year cohort in special education. We have students that are with us until age 22 in 2016, graduation data. We are seeing that the graduation rate is on the rise overall for our students with disabilities and since 2012, specifically, we have seen a steady increase with our students with communication, disabilities, emotional impairment and specific learning disabilities and our English learners with disabilities.

U

In our interest to keep this momentum going, we recognize that there are specific disability categories that we need to address in a more concerted way. Our students with autism and intellectual impairments have made scattered gains over the years.

U

We are also seeing a decrease in dropout rates, while looking at their rates dependent on setting. We see clear data that show that students in inclusive settings are less likely to drop out than our students and substantially separate settings. It is important to continue our work with inclusive settings to decrease the dropout rate further, as expectation is that this rate is much closer to zero. To that end, we are going to take a look at the work that has been happening to continue the successes and to continue to address our challenges.

U

We focus the budget this year on services that target the work that we have outlined this year. We redistributed the inclusive support dollars from going to a certain number of schools to distributing the dollars to every school that had full inclusion, students and roles. This led to more equity across how we distribute our dollars to support inclusive practices. We also increase our ABA specialists by 7 and added one B CBA for the high school level. Transition is maintained, the investment from school year, 1617 of 1.7 million dollars to continue the work this year.

U

In order to improve our accuracy with identification and placement for students, we are targeting referrals to special education. The office of special education, in collaboration with asset systemically offered foundations to all k2, first and second grade classrooms across the district. Fundations is a rule-based, rules-based reading program that teachers have as a tool to teach fundamental reading skills like decoding and encoding, the multi-sensory approach to teaching utilizes different modalities to learning and results in teaching that can reach many different types of learners.

U

Students who may be attending school for the first time to students who could read by four are all able to access foundations.

U

There has been a concentration in increasing the quality of instructional supports and services in autism ABA for the past few years. This year we are continuing our work in the area of ABA and also targeting the quality of instructional supports and services and specific learning disabilities. Our SLD SLD is the most common primary disability that we have in BPS, similar to that of the nation. To that end, intensive rules-based reading programs address the tresses, the challenge that are common characteristics.

U

More often, our students with SLD, fall into the category of reading training our teachers to provide wool. Sonoran Gillingham provides teachers with the multi-sensory tools and strategies necessary to address the challenges with reading and decoding intensively.

U

Another way that we are increasing the quality of instructional supports and services is through direct support, schools through inclusive support teams. We are excited to have 12 educators, deeply committed to inclusive practices and sharing their knowledge and skills and instructional strategies and classroom management to ensure that students are successfully accessing the least restrictive environment. The inclusive support team spent the past two days, continuing their own professional learning, as well as developing a strong team of support for our schools.

U

In addition, the inclusion working group meetings have been scheduled for the school year and we will be meeting in smaller groups around these topics. The bps vision for inclusive practices supports four established inclusion programs supports for schools, looking to establish or expand examination of weighted student formula and needs of students in inclusive settings and, finally, geographic of opportunities and assignment impacts, starting at the teacher Summer Institute this summer, in a collaboration with asset special education launched.

U

Three, our professional learning courses and the topics listed TSI was a great place to start this work, as we had participants from different roles, including general education, special education, coordinators of special education, related service providers and others. We are offering the same professional learnings to be held at school sites over the course of the year. In addition, special education will be developing professional development. The focus is on general education, curriculum in both resources and substantially separate settings and strategies for middle and high school students.

U

Our goal is to reach at least 500 participants between now and June, 2018 student and family in a community engagement is the cornerstone of the work for our students with disabilities. The most important members of the IEP team are the students family. It is our responsibility as a district to provide information to families so that they can make the most informed decision for their children with one third of our students with students with disabilities, population also English learners. We must provide trainings for parents in their native language.

U

We have partner with sped pack neighborhood community-based organizations and that the Federation for children special needs to present on three key topics: understanding special the special education process, understanding a child's IEP and transitions, our transition planning in the fall we will be presenting in Chinese, Haitian, Creole and Spanish in the neighborhoods that those languages are most prevalent from in January through March, we'll be presenting in Cape Verde and span in Vietnamese, and we're confirming a presentation in Somali income in the compliance world of Education. We are excited to roll out IDI plan.

U

We are very grateful for the partnership and dedication that OIT and Oda provided for to us and with us. In this journey we had an expected launch sheet of 95, which is listed but hit a few bumps along the way. We are happy to report that plan officially launched today about 92 about two hours ago. Officially launched IDI plan will house our IEP system and for the first time a bps 504 plans will be housed in the same database.

U

The accessibility features Abed planner analysts from dashboards of information available to all users, to more flexibility in documenting services to overall, better throughout the year. Compliance monitoring IDI plan is able to carry out our individual individualization and data needs to the next level. With the new IEP system, the special education process and procedures handbook has been redesigned updated and made electronic. This handbook is launched to bring us up to speed and Moe coherent simultaneously with the training on the new IEP system.

U

I want to specifically thank Andrea Thomas for her tireless work and unrelenting drive to get the transition, this transition as perfect as possible, and, lastly, we are continuing the work from last year and building transition services, so our students are college career and life ready. We will be continuing the same partnerships as last year, starting some new partnerships and expanding expanding long-standing partnerships.

U

Our new partnership, with Marriott bridges from school to work opens up opportunities for our students with mild to moderate disabilities, to train for and experience their strengths in the workforce in partnership with the Ruderman foundation. We're able to extend this opportunity to 60 students this year with an expectation to expand to 75 students next year. Our new partnership with REI provides the infrastructure to create mentoring opportunities for students with specific learning disabilities.

U

We are excited to learn and grow from eye to eye by way of students, learning from and building relationships with, people relationships with people who are similar to them. I am happy to thank you and I'm happy to take any questions you have thank.

A

You Miss Neilson a lot of questions and comments from committee members.

F

I just had a question on. Thank you for your presentation and it's great that that ruled out two hours ago. My question is in terms of the IDI plan piece, so it's very staff focused. Is there also a place for families to be able to access the information? Will that be part of the trainings? Yes,.

U

It's one of the most exciting pieces of the plan of the new to IP system is the accessibility for parents to be able to access their students information online as well. Okay,.

H

Great and there.

U

Also will be training as we roll that out definitely great.

F

Thank you. This.

U

A lot of this training excitingly is coming by the webinars too so much more accessible for people.

A

You were the most calm person I've ever seen in the middle of a rollout.

U

Know, what's in front of you have.

A

You checked to see if it's working.

U

Yes- and it's been with the team I have is phenomenal and I can't say enough about the work that everyone's done to make sure this happened. So that's why I'm so calm, so we should be thanking them. Okay, Barry I'm, very impressed. Okay,.

A

Doctor Yahtzee.

T

See thanks a lot for this presentation. I think that you know I communicated with you earlier today. I think that it shows some really important improvements that that should be highlighted and I want to go over them, even though you have, and just so that you you can see that we can see how things are improving. The first I think that the new IEP is a it's. A major gain.

T

I think I was I, think all of us that were watching this sort of unfold last year and the promise- and you know we were saying I I- am congratulating you I think this is really a big big big deal. I also have to say that I am almost in tears about how you have handled the inclusion of English language learners in this report. As you know, it's been an ongoing dialogue some times louder than others on this issue, and I am just beyond. You know, happy that that we can see it throughout that.

T

The you know, the spared community and bps is really owning. How high a percentage of that those group of children are children that are English language learners. I have some comments to make, but I think it shows very clearly and I wanted I wanted to congratulate you and your staff, because it shows movement, it shows growth, it shows hope and so I'm.

T

You know, I mean your number one applause, given this I think the outreach to multilingual communities is something that we have been struggling with, and you know trying to find ways in which families can gain information in whatever you know around issues that are really critical to them. I mean I, see Caroline in the audience. I'll ask her about spread packing a little bit, but I think that that parent to parent- and you know school to parent information is really critical and the fact that you're planning it in several languages is also really good.

T

So but I do have some questions that I wanted to go over. The first thing that I was gonna. Ask you to provide some information for us. One. Is that and and I'm gonna focus here, both on Els with disabilities and some of the general issues, but first on Els with disabilities?

T

If you can, if you could give us some the outcome, data comparing the Els with disability to english-speaking students with disabilities, so that we can see what how how much of an impact language makes and so that we can understand that better in slide number six I have a big question and that is around how you're handling English language learners in that. Are you meaning to say no? Okay? So what I'm my question to her because she listed English language.

T

You know yells as a category of disability. Yes, so my question to her is: are you sure that you want that? Okay? So why don't you tell us I.

U

Appreciate that you pointed that out and looking at it again, that was not the intent. It was to get as much information on one side as possible and we will not do that in the future.

T

U

And today, so definitely the next time that would be broken out. An intern exercise that was not the intent at all. It was to show the comparison.

T

Anybody saw that table I.

U

Appreciate exactly.

T

The same way and.

U

That's much appreciated. Thank.

T

You very much I want to make sure that, since it's a public document that we come out with public information in a way that that is correct- and it doesn't- you know- doesn't give a- you know an impression that we don't know what we're.

T

In terms of I was wondering when you could talk a little bit more about sort of the meaning of the large enrollment of Els inspect what the you know, what are the consequences of that and how are you and your team really looking at and sort of, transforming and dealing with that, and if you could just briefly talk a little bit about what strategies are being developed to, you know to adjust services to this large population?

T

How are you what kind of progress are being made in terms of the you know, of the hiring of teachers that can speak to these children in their own language and and also what kind of professional development is being you know developed that will allow for the broad community of spread teachers to you know to be more facile with students well, better PLL's with disabilities. I have two general questions.

T

The first is about the achievement gap and how you know it is a challenging one. So I was wondering and as I was looking at your data, one of the things that came off for me is that usually, when we see data in the Indy aggregate, it seems like an impossible thing to really tackle, because we don't know enough about the subtleties of the population to really be able to direct direct specific interventions.

T

So I was wondering whether you're not consider you all had considered your team had considered what are some of the ways in which, aside from the different types of disability, are there any other ways to sort of look at this population so that we can begin to direct more specific, more specific, you know in services or or ways to meet their needs. As we know, this is the largest gap. You know the opportunity and achievement achievement. Gap between students have special needs, it's the largest one, so that you know in thinking about that.

T

What are you you know? What are you finding and what are you thinking about and the other one, the the final one is that recently there have been a couple of articles talking about the you know that have come out that talk about the under enrollment of minority students in bed usually was soon. We assumed the ladder assumed the opposite, that there is an over enrollment, but there's no documentation that that there there is also an under enrollment problem. So I was wondering whether you could talk a little bit about.

T

How does that behave in in the mbps? Have you done any research on that? Is there anything that you would like to see done so that you can get a handle on that? So you know again in general, you know more slides are a good thing and, and then talk a little bit about the meaning of your you know, of having such a large group of PLL's among expect special needs students and then it to more general questions. Sure. Thank you very much. Absolutely.

U

Again, thank you for the side points out. It's good learning so, regarding the students, the large population of students that are ll, but also students with disabilities. What that's? What we looked at as a department as a district and wit, to really make sure we're focusing our time on, is making sure we're identifying language and how to speak, teach Langley, so the point of fundations.

U

That was exactly where we're going with what it looks like to have such a large population of students that might not have had access to phonics, basically and the decoding and encoding. So knowing that we have such a large population in students being identified that are also English learners in special and with disabilities, making sure that we have good first learning and Tier one teaching that's happening that addresses language specifically at the most basic level.

U

So we can ensure that as we're teaching and progressing with language to sorry, what's reading to literacy, that students have the foundation to be able to get there. So that was one of the major workings of when we're working with as asset and talking about this foundations.

U

Implementation making sure that we were looking at that specific piece around language once the students identified in getting special education services and also an English Learner, our IPs, and that's again, the system's really helping with this as well, but making sure we can disaggregate how we're writing our language goals for students and making sure identifying specific strategies that are getting put into the IEP for students so that they're able to so anyone reading the IEP can see need has been identified. That's not disability related.

U

It may be language related instead of disability related and how we're going to be addressing that either individually or together with the disability and so.

T

U

Yep I mean if we have the same features that we had from before, and we've been able to enhance some of some of those features. We have a lot of actually really exciting things we like to show the task force that we've been able to integrate into the new system. So it's now just part of what's happening. It's not going to be added later, it's happening now, so yes, definitely the language learning goals and also not to get too technical.

U

But on our accommodation section, that's another place that yeah there we're making sure yes see the accommodations that are there. We're also making sure that all the minutes that students are receiving for and you just learn allow services are going to be documented in the additional additional information section. So we'll be part of the anything else that you need to know for a student. Those minutes will be there for the students, a student with any less uh beauty.

U

Yes, so so those are some of the things that we need to address, knowing that we have such a large population of our students that are with disabilities that are also English learners.

U

T

About the training of you know the the professional development of teachers and staff in general. Yes,.

U

So a lot of the professional learning we're doing now is across so it's individualized to the department but across assets, so we're making sure that we're talking to other colleagues across the department so obviously yells one of them and making Emily also have a bond barrera with us to make sure that we are addressing both needs.

U

When we're looking at anything that we're doing she meets with us regularly so that our professional development is being developed at the lens of all learners, specifically, students that might have intersecting needs like Yale SW DS we're getting the hiring of teachers. We've been working with a couple universities on pipelines.

U

That was one of the major things we identified was that we didn't really have a pipeline of teachers to interview and hire so we're working with area universities to make sure that we're creating pipelines for existing bps employees that are culturally, linguistically, culturally and linguistically diverse that are interested in teaching and helping them. Get that next step towards being able to become a teacher, and that's actually with in partnership with Boston University. So we're working on those types of pipelines and again we've.

U

So many universities, in addition, we're always trying to find anyone that we can, that is bilingual and also Special Education certified it's a very unique skill set that we are always trying to cultivate.

T

U

When you ask to break that data out, I think that's really interesting about finding another way to break the data, not just based on disability but then, but then how to drill down to see what that looks like I. Think that what's really interesting is when we look at the data around making our the data down by race, and we see where the disparities are there and the over-representation that's happening, based on the amount of students that we have within the district and then how many are being identified. That is just that.

U

There's a disparate pieces happening there. So that's another interesting way to break it down as well as I was, would love to brainstorm more ways to break down ideas you're asking too, because once we were doing that drilling down it's one, we're fiying, where we need to find more strategies to your point on specific strategies for disabilities.

U

For all students, we've been working to differentiate the curriculum across different types of disabilities, so, for example, ace was something we introduced for autism a couple few years ago now and as with the success, we've also been able to expand that to intellectual impairment, piloting in there and then also piloting the ACE curriculum with emotional impairments so really being able to identify what are the good tools to use specifically for a student with with students with certain needs, so we're definitely drilling down the data to see what's working and also just making sure that we're providing the professional learning for our teachers and staff so that they are able to have a very full toolkit, because a lot of kids are coming with a lot of different needs.

U

So the more you have to work with the more you're able to address the challenges and, finally, the under enrollment of minority students is really interesting. Actually so asking about research, that's actually I'm in a doctoral program. That's part of my research topic is really looking at, where we're identifying students and for what disabilities, and so the under enrollment piece, are talking about. I'm very interested in the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and ability designation.

U

So, as I pointed out earlier, we have a higher instance of our black students being found with emotional impairment, all all the disabilities that we embossed and are finding our students have a higher incidence of are all socially constructed disabilities, so their disabilities. That team members are making decisions on they're, not necessarily medically based or able to be diagnosed with a checklist. So I think that's a fascinating topic about the under or over enrollment, and looking what those pieces are. So, yes, that's something I'm very interested in I will keep bringing information on. Thank.

T

T

A

You thank you, doctor you're, at a mr. la canto, Thank.

C

You mr. chair and thank you, miss Nielsen for this helpful report. First of all, I just want to note thank you so much for slide five and slicing and dicing the the data that you delivered to us on the special education population, broken out, of course, by language abilities, as well as the physical and mental disabilities and race socioeconomic status. That's very helpful for us to understand, and you know, as you know, that's been a work in progress for the committee in trying to get that type of slice on data and.

D

C

On a consistent basis, so it's very helpful for us. I also just want to take a moment to acknowledge the investment in manpower.

C

That's highlighted in your report tonight in new FTEs for inclusion, new babies, new commitments just through the recent contract settlement with the teachers union all helping to further the goals of the program that you've laid out for us tonight. So I just had to follow up questions on inclusion and specifically having to do with thinking back to prior year commitments and the work of the task force. I I, don't know if you have down and dirty sort of data that speaks to year-over-year changes to the number of classrooms that have been committed for inclusive settings.

C

But if you have anything with you that you can speak to now, it would be great to know you know how we progressed over the last couple years in opening new classrooms and what your projections might be going forward as well as.

U

You don't have the the number of classrooms. That's specific I can definitely get it for you by the end of the week. Absolutely.

R

U

You to be able to look at I'm.

R

U

Then also with that we're also in the process of projecting to so we can.

R

U

Rough estimates as to what we'll be projecting for the next school year and then beyond that.

C

Would be very helpful and I think you know when it comes time for the budget as well. You know be helpful to bring that back is once again so that we can have a touch base on. You know the work that we've done and what's what's remaining, the other question is just a simple one on you know we haven't reconstituted the task force, but you have a working group. That's working on the recommendations of the form of inclusion, task, force and I believe Dean Robinson has been attending those meetings.

C

Can you give us a quick summary of what the focus is for the working group right now sure.

U

So the the working group is working towards providing a report to dr. chein for his review and his review. The topic said so when we came back together as the working group to make sure that we are addressing what was presented as inclusion with the inclusion task force presented and then where we are now and then where we need to go, we came up with the lost them.

U

We have the four areas, so we're gonna have about three full group meetings this year, where everyone's coming together and then self selected people broke out into different areas of interest that they had, and so a lot of settings coming off of what we are in progress, but not completed for from the 2015 report. So those areas are making sure that we are able to produce a be a bps vision for inclusive practices, supports for establishing inclusion programs.

U

So what their needs are obviously different than how we need to find supports or schools looking to establish or expand and to see what they are examination of wsf and needs for students and inclusive settings. So we're looking at budget piece. That was a major part of I, think recommendation six from 2015 and then the geographic opportunities and assignment impacts is a big part of number two which is more about making sure we're two or three.

U

They were creating high quality programs across the city in neighborhoods, so that we don't have students traveling across the city. So that's what the inclusion working we'll be focusing on very.

C

Good we'll look forward to hearing more about that. Thank.

A

You thank you mr. Lockhart. Oh thank.

E

You so much many of my colleagues asked a lot of great questions that I was already gearing up to to ask as well. So thank you all for reading my mind. Early I do want to first just applaud your work, applaud your team's work.

E

The efforts made over the last seven years have really been remarkable leadership with partners like Carolyn Kane, but and in in in leadership across the district partners like Tom hair I'm, just kind of reflecting on the journey that I've seen in the last seven years, you've really taken on a stronger position and dr. chein, even in these last three years of leaning in to information insight given from the committee questions asked, the data shows here. These slides are very much indicative of questions.

E

We've asked over the last couple of years, and so I just want to applaud your efforts of listening and leaning into just some of the questions. The opportunity achievement, questions that we've been asking the disparities that we've seen so. Thank you thank you and your team for this work. This is really really critical work. You know it's dear dear to my heart. So just additional I guess follow-up question content experts in some of these really critical areas that we're that that have been discussed tonight.

E

Just in regards to expanding the language options of inclusion and engaging parents in the city. Do you have or have you all been able to build any partnerships for examples with any community health centers that are meeting the needs of these communities that can partner with the district to either come and speak to come and provide referrals to have some? You know in-house meetings, because I'm thinking of some of the community health centers across the city who are also trying to meet families needs and can help speak to both medical and educational resources.

E

Have there have you all been able to kind of scratch the surface in that area? So we definitely reaching.

U

Out we haven't been with the community health service centers, yet it's a great reminder to get that's a good place to go. Definitely so I'm definitely writing that down, but we've also what we've been able to do too, which isn't necessarily community based organizations but really made sure we partner with more state agencies to provide more services and information to our families, especially around things like agent majority, social security.

U

There's some very complex things that happen as students get older, so we're definitely partnering much more with MRC and DDS, which is exciting to make sure we're bringing more information to families. Okay,.

E

That's really good, that's really good and if you yeah and if you do have opportunities, I know that South End community health center, for example, is one that's I guess the district you know has been having some conversation and what it looks like to collaborate, both pediatrician and education, together with their organization so and they have a huge Latino population and so they're constantly grappling with how do we serve our population with bilingual pediatricians and and things of that nature?

E

So when I saw the slide of all the languages, I immediately thought about, you know potential partnerships that we can have the hospitals and the universities are really. You know. Critical partners information around, for example, sibling, support self care for parents, how parents can learn the system navigating the systems. I know many parents learned that firsthand from their pediatricians and from the hospitals before they even enter the school system. So the content experts. This is such a resource, rich City. So you know it would be great to kind of expand.

E

You know some of those partnerships and then the other question was just around the professional development. Do you have numbers on how that how many school leaders and teachers participated this year in the teacher Summer Institute I.

U

Know that there are about over 850 people that are enrolled, I know yeah yeah. We can definitely get it to.

E

You, okay, okay, because that's that's also helpful to know just the the the investment that the teachers are making into this specific content, because it's really critical and then I also want to echo dr. yar T's I'm questioning around just the outcome data that would be really great to see. Thank you.

A

Thank You Dean, Robinson I agree. A lot of colleagues have already asked questions, so I just simply want to make two points. First of all, I see a lot of people sitting closely together here very interested in this particular topic. Who've been working very long hours, getting ready for school and with a big technology project going on so I assumed. You wanted to make sure to give a shout out to your team I.

U

A

Be a perfect time.

U

This is the team that is committed and dedicated to. This is a committed and dedicated team of special educators who work tirelessly to improve the quality of supports and services for our students with disabilities, and we have Yvonne barreiro Marissa McCarthy, please stand up, they won't stand up. Please for the people see you please.

A

Stand up when your name is called stand.

U

Up Jennifer Sweeney Mary Malloy Michelle, Plast, Collins, Phyllis, McLean Tom, lamb and riyals Thomas Evelyn darío lemma, Giroux, D, Zachary, Houston, ID, Saburo, Sanchez, Eric, Andreson, Stefan, Rowe, Blake, Ryder, Erin, Herlihy, Greg, Zara and tawny nurse thanks.

U

Sorry and also Christine, Panna, Ricci and thumb appears.

A

Thank you all for joining this evening, and my second is more just a philosophical question. So this committee voted a number of years ago was a policy that we were going to move as much as possible to full inclusion and we set the district as a goal. Even when we didn't have the budget figured out or anything.

D

A

Just said you have to move towards it, and so the intrusion, inclusion task force working with sped pack and others. We see the numbers it's happening and I'm extremely encouraged by that.

D

A

I also I know when fellow members as well of head teachers testified to us. That said, you don't want to rush to inclusion. You want to do it, it's better to do it right than it is to do it and- and you can do a full inclusion classroom wrong and you can do it right. Could you just talk to me for a minute about your, but your thoughts on that and how you have tried to take that into account sure.

U

Absolutely so I've been able to be fortunate to be here as in different roles. Getting to this place, um I'm looking at how inclusion was rolled out in Boston and I wholeheartedly agree that it needs to be done deliberately and with much intention and very mindfully in order to be done right for students, which is why, when looking at the data, it looks like small incremental changes, but I know that the mindset shift and the amount of work that has to go into making a successful inclusion classroom is going to be slow.

U

To start what's been, exciting is being able to reflect on the data from the last three school years that we had in the presentation and then seeing where we are now I. It's one of those things that was gonna, be slow to start and then I think quick to move once that mindset was really starting to shift and when we have such wonderful support from the school committee and from the city at large about what we mean by inclusion for all I think that we can only go much faster, so I wasn't.

U

It was slower starting I. Think then thought it was gonna be, but I think that it it went at the rate that it should and then I think we're really ready to launch and take off with making sure that the first thing we're talking about is where students are in general ed and where they're receiving their services and accommodations. So.

A

Talk to me what you see about happening, that what are the next couple of steps your department need to make, and how can we continue to increase inclusive opportunities and something I'm sure miss Kane is about to talk about as well how we have better pathways, because, right now, it's a little disjointed. Yes,.

U

So definitely the next step to focus on is coherence, I think. The first part was the innovation part of really moving something quickly and now we're moving into the coherence and equity piece. So when we look at special ed and what I was speaking about a little earlier special, it is my passion and I love it, but there's also pieces of it that we really need to look at, because it does continue to allow us to perpetuate some inequities that happen in our district, so non district in our country, just in education in general.

U

So looking at our high end students, disabilities, part of where we are next in the next steps, are really looking deeper in a special it and not really just looking at the superficial piece that we're gonna have inclusion, we're going to have kids together in a classroom, but really what does that mean about students learning from each other? More than learning from the teacher, the teachers that are facilitate that piece and really being able to really understand what it means to celebrate and recognize differences rather than just having it be a superficial piece.

U

So that's the next piece that I think we need to push in by way of mindset and and.

A

While I do appreciate mr. Locarno called out slide five. Well, you did some breakout for us. I'd still like to see it one step further, because you don't have the male-female breakout. Definitely.

U

A

You know when I look at you know the high incidence for emotional and intellectual impairment for blacks being 10 percent higher than all students. You know when we've talked about this in the past, particularly black males, yes, and is there a greater likelihood I know? A lot of studies have been done on this. Is there a greater likelihood of kind of some catch-all diagnosis down here and what is the district doing about that now? Exactly.

U

So first identifying and seeing that it's there and calling it out I think is one of the first step towards looking at that and seeing what we've been doing for a while, but then also making sure that we're that's where we're this were acid is such a great resource for what we need to be doing in special education, because the five of us are all coming together. So this is in academics, thing that we talked about. This is e ll. This is the opportunity treatment gap, and this is so long.

U

So this is coming together and making sure that we're we're educating all of our students that in a culturally in-state, culturally linguistically sustaining way, so that we're not finding to your end a catch-all to get diagnosis or disability and.

A

I am very heartened by the drop out data. When you look at full inclusion versus substantially separate I mean it's exactly.

U

A

Kane has been saying to us for years right: it's! This is right in front of us. It is so stark, I mean how do we not you know, move as much as we can, but I'm encouraged. You know when we had was that the teacher Audrey Jackson right, inclusive teacher at the Manning Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, and she came and testified to us and said: do it carefully? Don't.

D

A

I'm glad you're doing that, but but keep pushing and I'm glad to hear that you think you're at a stage now of kicking it forward, even more so look forward to continued improvement on this. So thank you. I guess is you're gonna stay right there as we move right into.

D

A

We're actually going to move right, and these are joint presentations because you do work closely together, but this is also a legally mandated report. It's not why we do it, because it is very important to us the relationship that the special education department has with sped PAC, so Carolyn Cain, the president's pet pack, is going to give an update from the special education parents. Advisory Council welcome miss cane superintendent Chang. Do you have some opening statements to make? It's.

B

Very quickly, thank you all, as always for the partnership with bet PAC and, as you all know, Carolyn Kane, not only as a co-chair of sped PAC. She is also co-chair of the working group on inclusion and also the executive director to autism Commission for state of Massachusetts good to see you as always.

V

Thank You dr. Chang Yin. Thank you, members of the school committee and, first and foremost, I am a parent, and tomorrow is the first day of school. So I will be brief into the point to the extent possible, but I do appreciate the opportunity to be here. You have my slide presentation. I generally, don't read from slide so I'm, just gonna talk a little bit about what's going on with sped pack.

V

A lot of this will be familiar to you, but some of it I feel is worth repeating, particularly if people happen to be watching from home, which I do on occasion. So that's always helpful, but I just want to start out by first thanking dr. Chang and dr.

V

Estrada, really giving Cindy Nelson the opportunity to shine in the way that I've always known that she can Cyndi's worked in the district for a number of years through some very difficult transitions in the special education department, where you always know that somebody has the capacity and the ability to do things, but maybe not the opportunity so I'm very appreciative that the new administration has allowed those opportunities to happen and I think that you're seeing the results of that opportunity here tonight we are making forward progress.

V

Obviously we would like to make faster progress, but when it comes to special education, it needs to be thoughtful, comprehensive and deliberate to make sure that the needs of the children are always being put. First. I also want to personally, on behalf of sped pack, give a shout out to the team that Cindy already recognized, because they are the ones doing the work behind the scenes to make sure that each and every one of our families are getting their needs met.

V

Not only do they work day in and day out to do that, but they also attend our monthly sped PAC meetings and work directly with families. I can't tell you what an invaluable resource that has been from dr. strata to Cindy to all of the people that she named earlier coming to our meetings and really facilitating and helping parents to understand what the issues are diving deep into what their problems are in helping to come up with resolutions.

V

That is something that was unprecedented in bps before my tenure in bed-pack, which I do want to say, I think is going on my ninth year and I cannot commit to a 10th, but in any event, you know, since I've been in this role, there's been a lot of different changes and we are seeing forward progress, but you know with regard to inclusion, and what are we doing about it? This is now I want to say it's.

V

My third formal group from no it went from Mary Tamra to Jon veer to Aileen Nash to now Cindy Nelson. So while progress is being made, it's also been impacted by the number of different transitions that we've gone through, and what we need to do is allow her an opportunity to really understand at her current level what's been going on and how she can shape that and steer it in the right direction. So I think that's incredibly important, and that, yes, inclusion is you know it's it's not a location.

V

It's an experience and, most importantly, it is the law, and we've been behind for far too long in getting children with disabilities integrated with their peers, which we know is what's going to prepare them for future life in an integrated community. Separating them is an incredible injustice unless, of course, it is what their individual needs require, and I'm very mindful of the fact that for some children, that is what they do and will continue to require.

V

But while we've made advances in creating new opportunities for inclusion in the district, particularly at the younger Glee grades, I'm hoping that in the next year in the years to come, that um you know we'll be able to really look at the children who didn't get the advantage of this new wave of inclusion and who were put into substantially separate m-f remain there for years, because those are the children that we do see dropping out.

V

Those are the ones who are disengaged feel like they're, not meeting their own potential, and we want the opportunity to do that. But I think in looking at that. The biggest issue that comes to my mind is that creating more opportunities for inclusion, and particularly creating pathways for inclusion, really requires us to have a master facilities plan so that we can have a thoughtful process about where to locate these programs and where we can continue to grow them, because obviously they require additional classrooms in sizes.

V

Children with special education needs require things like sensory rooms, in particular therapy rooms. Children need you know some of their day may be pulled out or specialized in some way, but we want them to be integrated as much as possible. So we're hopeful that that master facilities plan will provide that opportunity in ways to build new opportunities across EPS to expand opportunities. I mean we all know that we have a lot of old school buildings. You know my daughter currently goes to the Henderson upper school.

V

It's also the school that my sister, who happens to be older than me, went to middle school, so things have been around for a while, and we really do need to invest in our schools and in our buildings, because what those do is they provide new opportunities. So again, I just want to thank Cindy and her team, and particularly dr. Estrada and dr.

V

chein, for creating these opportunities in special education in giving us a solid team that Cindy's been able to create and I think that that comes from trust and knowledge, and knowing that she has the commitment and the passion to carry us forward I'm only in bps for a few more years before my daughter goes into the adult world, but I will do what I can to support her during that time as long as as long as she stays, which hopefully will be a while, because I do think that with special education for many years in Boston, since I've, been in it now for over 14 years was something that historically did not get the attention that it deserved to not get the investment that it deserved.

V

But we've now started to make some real traction, and what we also know is that some parents with children with special needs are seeking out bps because they know we have better quality services, particularly in some areas, I mean when we started this process. Years ago. We were in horrible non-compliance when it came to ABA services, and you know the thought was okay. Well, we'll get rid of our ABA providers and we'll bring in contractors and I said well. The children aren't leaving they're just going to keep coming.

V

So we need to build our internal capacity not only for financial reasons, but to create a network of individuals who know our system and can work with the people who you know the other teachers and related service providers, and now we've been able to turn that around and go in the opposite direction.

V

These things do take time, but they're also providing parents with more confidence in the system that has existed in the past and that's not to say that we don't still have areas that need attention and more focus and more work on the go forward. But we have a lot more people coming to spread pack. Now we have a lot of. We had our board elections in May. We have a very diverse group of parents, culturally and linguistically they came to our meeting that we had a few weeks ago.

V

I did give them dispensation from coming to my presentation tonight, given that school starts tomorrow and since, if you are presenting, you don't go at the beginning of the meeting, you go more towards the end and, quite frankly, they can watch me on the web or not at all. You know I pretty much say the same thing all the time so they'll get used to that.

V

But the role of spread pack really is to work with the district, to create a partnership and to advise the district on special education programs and the development of those programs, because the feedback that you get from parents is it's unparalleled, I mean no one can tell you about our children more than we can and working with us helps you better to serve them and helps them to be more successful.

V

We obviously have established a great working relationship with bps. We continues to have weekly calls with dr. Estrada and Cindy Nielsen, and also we have meetings with dr. Chang four times a year. We do have just under 11,000 students with disabilities in bps. That's a significant number of families for us. Try to try to reach, given that we're a completely volunteer parent organization.

V

So we do need the continuous support from bps, and that means at the school level and getting out our notices and sending out those connected calls and interpreting materials and we're grateful for the addition of Tom Liam to the special education team. He's been very helpful with our meetings since dr. Chang still patty drummy from us special education.

V

We may not forgive him for that, but in any event, an Giro briefs stepped up to the call as well- and you know, I'm thrilled- to see that bps is now going to do its own additional trainings for years, I've been doing the majority. The workshops- that's bed-pack- does not because of many great public speaker, but because I know the information not only as a parent but as an attorney and so I appreciate what it's like to hear the information parent to parent in an understandable way. So we actually have a number.

V

We just developed our schedule for beatings this year, along with the topics and some of the things that we're going to touch upon are things that were requested by parents in a survey that we did last year. So more focus this time on specific learning, disability there'll be a specific workshop on that we know that's the highest number of individuals with disabilities in bps, and also issues relating to older students like guardianship and Social Security.

V

We actually were able to connect bps with someone from the volunteer lawyers project who has offered pro bono services as an attorney to travel to different high schools throughout bps across the year to educate parents on guardianship, which is a very difficult and complex legal process, particularly for parents who have generally not entered the probate system whatsoever. So we're very thrilled and excited about that. Marissa.

V

Mccarthy is going to facilitate connecting her with the principles, because, obviously that requires support at the school level, but I can't tell you the amount of admiration and respect I have for someone coming to us and offering to provide those services, knowing that we work with a lot of underserved communities, families who don't understand the process, parents who may have language barriers and really trying to inform them before they go through that process.

V

Because I'll tell you, I went to probate court recently to file guardianship for my own child and it is a confusing maze but um up there even for somebody who's. An attorney so I think that's a wonderful opportunity. So we'll continue to do our monthly workshops and connect with bps during that time and then obviously working with inclusion to make sure that the district stays focused on moving that forward, because we still remain despite our best efforts to date and as a result of numerous transitions to decrease.

V

That number of individuals who currently remain in substantially separate settings. Part of that I talked about was creating these inclusion pathways. I always like to give a shout out to the Manning I remember when we went there for the celebration a few years ago, mr. O'neal you and myself and mr. McDonough, and they were talking then about the need to expand their school and they do need to expand that school and part of that relates to sort of the building of the process, but there's other schools that are also doing inclusion. Now.

V

That will continue to need those pathways. So part of what I think about is that strategic planning I feel like in government, we're always putting out fires in dealing with the current budget cycle. That comes with restrictions and limitations, and usually deficits that we have to deal with and there's not an opportunity for any long-term and thoughtful planning. I think that dr. Chang has said that that's a priority of his and that's great, because I think that's what's going to be required to move us forward in a really meaningful way.

V

So we look forward for the facilities plan to come out and working with you know, you need to know where these kids can go before you develop a plan for them, because we know from missteps in the past that we've committed the same buildings to multiple schools, and that's resulted in a lot of hot ache, not only for parents but for students. So we don't want to see that repeat with regard to transition services. That's still, you know, that's!

V

The district has brought on a transition coordinator, Marissa McCarthy, we're happy for her addition, but this is an area that sort of was placed behind a ba and somewhat behind inclusion. So this is really an area focus where we need to see progress in the next several years. I think the issue is, is that transition is still an area where a lot of districts across the Commonwealth are still getting up to speed.

V

It goes beyond what historically, schools have been equipped to provide and been educated on, how to provide it means taking students out into the real world and out into the community and giving them community INSAS and helping them to learn pre-employment skills. You know skills needed for higher education and then for some it's going to require skills having to do with independent living.

V

So we really want to focus on that, and part of my goal is also to help connect, schools and teams with the resources that exist at the state level, we have the Massachusetts rehabilitation Commission, who is now required under federal law, to dedicate 15 percent of its funding to transition age youth.

V

So MRC now has funding with a number of employers on pre-employment skills and that's for all types of disabilities, but most parents don't know about that, and I know that MRC is not staffed well at the school level, but helping to educate our special education coordinators with those counselors will help connect our students to additional resources that they're currently entitled to and then helping them to connect, also with the Department of Developmental Services, and even just you know, helping them with the MassHealth process.

V

A lot of parents have MassHealth assessor insurance, whether it's primary or secondary, and there's much more expanded coverage, particularly for students with autism that are now available to parents. But we don't know what we don't know so, helping them learn about those things in helping them connect with those resources for their child, not only during childhood, but throughout their lifetime is incredibly important. So the other major priorities, I, would say, is also we're very excited about this new IEP process.

V

The new IEP plan, the IEP system that was in place for a number of years, was don't dying. A very slow death I mean it was more painful than a scene from The Game of Thrones, and no one would just kill it. Finally, it's dead and we're moving on to something newer and hopefully much better, because it has been extremely painful.

V

We're fine, we're glad that the new administration finally realized that there was no saving the old system and it was just making everybody's life miserable, not just the parents receiving the IEP, but for the people trying to develop them. So that's very important- and the other thing I'd like to say, is moving forward with special education, and particularly inclusion really requires the mandate from the top down so from the School Committee from the superintendent from the administration all the way down to the school level.

V

But people also need to know how to do it and really expanding professional development on Universal Design, so that people know how to modify instruction where necessary is incredibly important to keep on the radar on the go forward. The only other thing I would say is that, with regard to you know, sort of the disparity and either children of color are children. For whom English is a second language being over identified or under identified, a lot of that comes back to sped used to be the only game in town aside from general ed.

V

Now we have a tiered system of support. We have social and emotional supports being brought in in a much more comprehensive way, with schools being given tool blocks and how to handle these situations, and that should bring about more appropriate referrals to special education.

V

An evaluation should really bear out whether or not a child does have a specific disability and requires special education services, or whether a child just has a higher need at a specific area and needs more support across their day, but every school in BPS should be equipped to handle every child in BPS, because we are the public school system and we do educate everyone. Thank you. Thank.

A

You miss Kane, open up now to questions and comments for members.

E

I just want to first acknowledge your hard work, I kind of paused when you said this, maybe or last year, because it's like what would the district do without this Kane, but your leadership, the last decade has just been really encouraging. I know just personally between you and early intervention is where I got my advocacy, training and so I am always forever thankful for the role that you play in supporting the district and also supporting parents.

E

I first just want to acknowledge all of your hard work for thousands of families, like myself, I also wanted to just ask regarding spell pack meetings, and you mentioned the the partnerships with spread coordinators at the school level. Has there been able to have you been able to have any type of I?

E

Don't know presentation or collaboration with the actual school coordinators, so that parents and coordinators can understand how to work best together in a sped pack meeting within those four walls versus parents, just learning to navigate the individual, their individual schools and the coordinators there have coordinators ever been able to come to meetings to kind of share. What that partnership looks like I, don't know if that's for you.

V

Other certainly, there are open meetings, so they're always welcome and I would say that a number of sped coordinators have attended some of our speed pack meetings, but that's certainly something to explore further. We do provide a lot of our you know. We tape record our workshops, so it's also something that is available to people online on a 24 hour basis and that's particularly helpful for our families that can't physically make it to the meetings, but that's something that I can certainly explore further with with Cindy and dr. Estrada yeah.

E

I've seen the benefits of just those partnerships on the school levels, and you know the resources, the partnerships with best buddies. You find out about those things, sometimes more or less either from another parent or from the coordinator I found out about camp Shriver through the coordinator would have never known about it, and so there are some great partnerships and resources that I think you know, as we continue expanding the communication again great work and thank you for all. You do for our kids, Thank.

A

You Dean Robinson mr. Lockhart, oh hey,.

C

Mr. chair and thank you, miss Kane I just wanted to echo Dean Robinson's thanks for your your continuing leadership at spread pack and yes, you know all thing all good things must come to an end at some point, but let let us hope.

V

You can say: I was leaving I just didn't promise another. Yet I'm.

C

Just telling you just let's hope that day is still well.

V

Like you think, he's gonna be here, you.

C

Got at least four more years right, but in any case you know, I thought it was great, particularly to hear that you know under your leadership the spent package grown both in numbers and in diversity. You know to reflect. Certainly the the population of our district and I think that's very important. You know.

C

Typically, those who feel like they haven't been heard are those that are excluded from processes are feel like they've, been excluded from processes so working hard to make sure that all voices across the district are part of our conversations is important to us, and certainly a group such as yours, it's so close to the parent population, is very important. I think.

V

To that I just want to add to that is that I we've expanded the diversity on our board, which, let's be honest, it's a volunteer position right. People already have kids and jobs to deal with, but I would want the school community to know that at our sped pact meetings, 90% of the people that attend those meetings are people of color and people for whom English is a second language. The district is always supportive of providing interpretation services for any language requested.

V

So I do think that we're providing an opportunity that didn't exist before to this extent, but the words getting out and so we're seeing more and more families who are hearing from other families that this is really a valuable resource.

V

I can't blame them for not having the time to also be on the board, which is a lot of work, but I I'm satisfied just knowing that we're reaching them and helping them, because my goal in being Launchpad PAC is to help people to avoid the challenges and difficulties that I encountered when I entered this special education world, which doesn't come with a road map or a handbook, and to really try to make changes at a higher level to just make life that much better for families and for their children.

V

So, but it does require a lot of hours. I would say that I'm well into over a thousand hours already in you know it's just difficult and I just happen to be fortunate, that I'm able to do it for as long as I can.

C

Well, thank you again, and you know one other item. I just wanted to note was you know, I appreciate so much time that you spent in your presentation tonight on build VPS and the efforts to renovate and expand the district and and make you know just more cohesive sense out of the buildings and the pathways and art in our district and I know many sped pack.

C

Members played a role in the community meetings that the build bps project held earlier this year and I think you know what you spoke to was a common theme that you heard you know, irrespective of where you were coming from as a parent. You know whether it be that you have a child in general education. You were looking in one of the specialty schools, one of the exam schools.

C

If you had a language issue, if it was cultural issue, if it was a special education issue, everyone in this system is crying out for some level of understanding, some common thread of knowing when they entered the system that you know absent, either a need or a skill or an interest.

C

There's gonna be a reasonable understanding of where that child of progress over a number of years, and so you know certainly understanding. We have our overlays that relate to ll our overlays that relate to spend, certainly that extend across the district. Those are still works in progress, and you know certainly we're going to have some feedback on how those who have been working since Homebase was implemented, and we look forward to having continued support and participation from sped and having those conversations and better understanding how we can.

C

We can tweak that, both with the existing assignment program that we have in place and the thoughts that we are trying to bring together right now to build a cohesive plan for the buildings going forward. So thank you so much for making that a focus for spread package Thanks.

V

Well, I mean I, know firsthand how painful it was to get the Henderson school expanded from K to 5 Takeda 22. It took many years and hundreds of hours. What I think about is that if my child was entering the Mannings school this week tomorrow or next Monday and then not knowing at fifth-grade, where my child is going to go, other children have more options.

V

Children in special education and children in these inclusion programs need to have more options and pathways, but we need to know where we can put them in order to develop those programs and to make sure that their quality programs.

C

Thank you thank.

A

You mr. Lockhart Oh miss. Can you and me both nine years? You have taught me an incredible amount about the needs of the special students with disabilities and so I. Thank you for the work that you do and I'm sure it's a lot more than a thousand hours unless you're talking about per a year. So thank you for what you do and the other members of your board as well and two quick questions for you.

A

One is there anything more that either this committee and/or, the district leadership, can do to help build sped pack as an organization you, you know, we ask every school leader comes before us if they have a representative to spread pack, but is there anything more? The district can do. I know you mentioned about at the meetings. You know more and more the parents of students with disabilities to find out that it's important resource, but the more you represent as many of those 11,000 as possible. You know the better.

A

It is for those parents as well so yeah.

V

I like to think we represent all of them, whether or not they're physically present at any of our meetings or not yeah.

A

I mean it: I I meant the way around to make sure that they are aware of those resources. What.

V

We're trying to do is we're trying to build capacity so that those of us have been on the board for a number of years, who will eventually transition out that we working with other parents to sort of help them understand the process?

V

And you know nobody can be somebody else, but you just be yourself and do the best that you can do and that's all we ask and I think that the issue of you know it's really hard, because what we do is we provide opportunities for parents to learn and to get information and whether or not parents take take that opportunity is up to them. It's an individual choice, but we also provided it in different mediums.

V

I would say that we still struggle with at the school level getting those Flyers out where some schools are excellent at it. In some schools, you'd think they never received it, and so I think that needs to be more of a mandate from the superintendent, because it's more of an issue of the principals are the ones in the school buildings executing what goes home and we all know our kids come home with a lot of paperwork.

V

But if we could get our Flyers out, it's going to reach a few more families, and you know it's going to be sort of a building process, because when I started in sped pack, parents were very disengaged. So it has been a building process and you know I fully understand how challenge is to go out to meetings and have that opportunity to be in those so I'm happy if they can make the monthly workshops as opposed to participating on board. We certainly need to do more work in recruiting more parents.

V

So, obviously, if anybody in the administration are out there in their respective schools, know if parents who would like to play a role on spread pack, we're all a bunch of volunteers that welcome everybody so and I think that you know maybe just helping to spread the word about us in what we do. I'll be honest: I, don't know that many people watch these meetings on the neighborhood network, I'm one of them but I, don't think we're a big group. So just.

A

Actually been surprised over the years to find out how many people do watch the meetings I only.

V

Heard from the lady that used to take me at voter registration- and she saw me on TV and she was over 80, so I was like someone does watch. I am.

A

I am actually surprised as a lot of people connection with the school system that watch these meetings and comment on it to us all the time so I'm.

V

Just thinking it's not the parents first choice of what they are watching or their child's it's.

A

Not Game of Thrones- and the second question is that I am really interested in this, though I know what I've always enjoyed about my working relationship with you and we've served on many committees together is you are always pushing and advocating as much as possible. You're also very pragmatic about this is the right next step, even though we want here.

A

This is the right step to get us there, and so I want to harken back to the conversation I had with Ms Nielsen before about inclusion and as much as we want to have as many students as possible move to it, and you are always appropriately pointing out to us. It is the law, it's not just the right, it's the right thing and the law, but we started, have a conversation about doing it. Right for us is just pushing to do it as much as possible. Yeah.

V

Well, if you do it wrong, it's not meaningful inclusion. You just move somebody from one location to the other, which.

A

Is obviously not the goal, so any advice for the district and for this committee, as we continue to advocate for that I really.

V

Think that reinforcing with our principles that inclusion is the mandate. So while you may not be prepared for it at the moment, you're going to get prepared for it and that's going to come through professional development for staff and that you know it's going to be a process. But we need to make the a priority to provide that professional development or that inclusion will never be meaningful because we've just never had the capacity on a district-wide basis to provide that level of instruction in the modified way.

V

But we also need to take much better advantage of the ability of technology to support us in the classroom in providing that specialized instruction in ways that didn't exist. When I started out on my journey of special education, there's so many more tools now that doesn't require as much manpower in the classroom to provide that modified and individualized instruction. We just haven't kept pace with what's available to us. So hopefully you know.

V

Hopefully, things will get better financially or we can redirect some finances to things that will not only support our teachers but, most importantly, support our students, because having lived at the Henderson for so many years and seeing the opportunities that do exist and I'm not just talking about for my own child who's. You know in that highest level of need area.

W

V

For students across the board and seeing them being integrated into that classroom in lean learning at their own level through a very you know, minimal level of effort in terms of modified instruction because of the ability of technology to assist with that I mean when my daughter started out doing ABA services. I can't tell you how many things I printed and laminated, and some of them worked and some of them didn't and now it's all on the iPad and they exist. The programs I mean God bless Steve Jobs.

V

He created a lot of opportunities for kids with disabilities, but we need to get those into the classrooms and into the hands of the educators, along with the training on how to use them effectively. Excellent.

A

Great, thank you, as always, will for the close partnership. Thank you, miss Neilson, as well until all of your team that are here tonight. Thank.

V

You for staying I'm going home to put my daughter to bed. Yes,.

A

And thank you, the members of this backboard who are watching at home. We do appreciate their work. I will move on now to our next presentation is on the tentative Boston Teachers Union collective bargaining agreement. At this time, I'd like to invite assistant superinten of the office of human capital, Ella Emily quasi, to please step forward their presentation, she'll be joined by Erica, GM, Pietro, director of long-term planning, soup and Qian Qiang. Do you have some opening comments.

B

To make yes very quickly, Erika and Emily today will be presenting to the School Committee to details of a tentative agreement between the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union, which was agreed upon in the early morning hours of August 24th. It is a two-year agreement, retroactive from September, 1st 2016 and it will end August 31st 2018.

B

You will hear the specific sorry you'll be hearing about the specifics of this agreement, which is both an important step towards a more long-term contract, addressing many of the issues that we have consistently prioritized and part of opening the school year with our collective focus and energy, concentrating on the needs of our students, so very excited to be able to come to this ta with the Boston Teachers Union, and appreciate their partnership. All this work turn over to Emily and Erika. Thank you. Thank.

W

You good evening my name is Erika GM Pietro managing director of long-term planning, and this is Emily Kylie's, Casa, Bosh assistant, superintendent of human capital. We are here tonight, like dr.

W

Chang, said to share with you the details of the tentative collective bargaining agreement with the Boston Teachers Union and I'd like to start by acknowledging that we are here representing a larger negotiating team, some members of whom are here with us tonight and others who are not the Murphy al-ahmar Lauren's David, bloom, Zack, Scott, Kristen, Daly and Ross Wilson, who was here with us for most of the process. Our team represents a cross-section of departments and we spent nearly 40 negotiating sessions together with the Boston Teachers Union over the last year and a half.

W

The tentative agreement that we bring to you tonight is a short-term contract. It's an attempt to lay the foundation to grapple with more complex issues and items that, while we discussed at length over this process, we did not fully resolve to the level of our satisfaction. But it's an important step. We're pleased to be able to provide these two years of wage increases to teachers. While we continue to negotiate for the longer term and we'll describe, we have made progress in some areas.

W

This is this is part of open the school year with our collective focus and energy concentrated on the needs of our students. So tonight our presentation will highlight various aspects of the tentative agreement and, as always, we're happy to take your questions at the end.

W

Like dr. Chang said, the tentative agreement was reached in the early morning, hours of August 24th. Tonight we are sharing some details of that or all details of that tentative agreement, and a week from today at your next meeting, you are scheduled to vote on that and the Supplemental request for funding. That's the same day that the BTU is also presenting the contract to be ratified by their membership.

W

Keep basic information about the contract is again it's a two-year contract. You can see the dates on this slide, but overall it covers the 1617 school year that just ended and the 1718 school year that is beginning now and it Ward's a 2 percent wage increase for last year and a 3 percent wage increase for the coming year.

X

Great, as Erica mentioned, the district has achieved some modest but important reforms to staffing that we believe will eventually lead to direct and positive impact on students. We do want to take a moment to highlight those here. Most importantly, mutual consent hiring has been protected.

X

In fact, solidified in this tentative agreement, codifying mutual consent ensures that every single, open teacher position going forward can be filled through the process that we've called mutual consent, hiring where teachers choose to apply the jobs that match their skill set and then school hiring teams select the strongest candidate for the job Boston Public Schools is one of the first urban districts in the country to solidify this hiring practice in our collective bargaining agreement.

X

What this means is that bps will continue to ensure that principals and they're hiring teams have the discretion to hire the best candidate for each job, rather than the district force, placing teachers with school leaders in schools to take specific jobs on their staffs. This formalizes a practice that we have in place because we know that there is no more important decision that a school leader and hiring team makes then selecting a teacher with a background rich in experience, racial, cultural or linguistic, linguistic diversity, growth mindset and proven outcomes with students.

X

We have found that this approach to staffing BPS schools has an enormous ly, beneficial impact on the quality of instruction and the student experience. As you have heard me speak about many times before, specifically, under the terms of this tentative agreement, the contract would be amended to relieve the district of its obligation to attach a stipend of 1,250 dollars in exchange for additional duties for each individual teacher hired through the mutual consent process.

X

This amendment will save the district approximately $500,000 each year that we implement a hiring process of about this size, in addition to the formalization of mutual consent hiring for teachers. According to the terms of this tentative agreement, BPS will have discretion to appropriately staff paraprofessional positions with individuals most qualified to provide support and services to students with autism and emotional impairments, rather than be compelled to force, plays pairs into these positions that need highly-skilled educators.

X

This change represents mutual consent, hiring for about 20% of our Parra's. What this means on the ground is that principals are empowered, with greater discretion to select Parra's who are working with some of our most vulnerable students with the highest needs. This change is the potential to have a direct and significant impact on students with autism or emotional impairment. In addition, we have added positions in the area of restorative practices to ensure the district's approach to this work continues in alignment with the BPS code of conduct and reflects the districts and communities values.

X

Finally, in this tentative agreement, we've increased our investment in school nurses to create safe, healthy and welcoming learning environments for all students.

X

These next two slides continue to provide an overview of the context. Content of the tentative agreement. I'll hide I'll highlight just one item on this slide and then one item on the next. Our goal in bps is to recruit and retain top tier educators. To do that, we need to provide a favorable work environment by expanding the city's leave policy. As we've done in this tentative agreement, we advance our objective of being competitor, competitive and educator recruitment.

X

An area of shared interest between the BTU and bps continues to be advancing our system of teacher leadership by reallocating contractually committed dollars. This provision repurposes the teacher leadership fund in the contract, to ensure greater flexibility and to provide for a more targeted provision of resources in positions that we think will maximize the impact of teacher leadership.

X

Erica and I welcome your questions and discussions about these items that we've dug into and other items that you may want to know about.

A

Thank you both opening up now to members questions and comments I'm. Mr. la canto, as you were the School Committee representative to the negotiating team. Do you have any comments on this as well.

C

Sure and thank you mr. chair, and thank you Miss Jim, Pedro and cazel bash, so yeah, I I, don't have any questions, but I certainly have a few comments and you know I just want to reflect a little bit on on. You know the deal that's before us that we'll be voting on next week, and so you know a couple of thoughts.

C

First of all, I want to thank secretary, treasurer Betsey, dryin and one of the new lawsuits be to you for being here tonight in the audience and I think that's indicative of the the effort that was put into the negotiation of this deal and, frankly, the good labor relations that have been an undercurrent throughout this negotiation and and their relationship going forward. So I think we reached a reasonable and pragmatic deal.

C

No one ever gets everything, they wanted a negotiation, and so you know we certainly understand that and enter it with wide eyes and I think that the union does certainly as well, but nevertheless, we've come up with a deal that is financially viable, takes care of a number of issues that are of operational concern for the district and tries to make this a relationship that moves forward in several respects.

C

Having said that, you know our priorities remain as a district, and we understand the priorities remain for the Union as well, we'll be back to the table very soon.

C

Once again, this is a contract that goes through the end of this academic year, and so you know thinking about a number of the items that we couldn't reach agreement on those become our priorities when we return to the table and those will continue to be our priorities and those are things that we will attack once again and try to reach a agreement on modifications to our working conditions that are in the best interest of both our teachers and our students, and put up, as as with everything in our district, puts a primary focus on the effects on our students.

C

So the only other thing I think I'd leave with is just you know. Circling back to that comment about good Labor Relations, you know I'm, both parties bargained hard here, you know, there's there's always opportunities to you know get exasperated or you know, get a little upset when somebody says something that you don't agree with at the table. That's that's part of negotiations, but both parties came to this in a meaningful way and and argued for what they believe was in the best interest of their constituencies and we reached agreement.

C

You know nobody imposed this on us. This wasn't the product of any sort of unfair advantage and he's on either side. This was the product of labor and management coming together and making an agreement, and we walk away with a productive relationship that remains and I note that you know the foundation of this agreement where we started. You know almost eighteen months ago, I believe was a training on space bargaining and we brought in outside trainers from Cornell.

C

We sat together as a group I think it was probably about 80 of us between labor and management, that sat through a day-long training and and thought about the way that we, the architecture, that we wanted to create for this negotiation and that formed the basis for us to cut through a lot of the traditional adversarial way that negotiations happen, and we had some real, meaningful agreements that came out of that approach.

C

Of course, you know: there's everything always breaks down with the money right, so we didn't apply that that approach to everything in this deal, but certainly I, think we were able to take those principles and reach some common-sense agreements on a number of the items that you've listed in the presentation tonight and again.

C

I think it gets us very close on a number of other issues that we couldn't necessarily reach agreement on right now, but we have an understanding of where the respective parties sit on a number of issues and what our core concerns are, and so I think that sets us up again very well for the next round of bargaining, and we look forward certainly to developing our relationship with the new board at the the Union and working together for a long time to come. Thank.

A

You mr. Luke canto, want to be happy. Fellow members, thank you for the amount of time you put into this, including briefing us consistently, so that we were up to speed and accepting feedback from us on the priorities of this committee and then making sure the negotiating team was fully aware of it. Open up to other questions. Miss Oliver, Davila.

F

I, too, would like to thank mr. Luo Kanto for all his time and everybody who came to the negotiating table and not to repeat everything, you've said, but um you know I think we've come to some places. I'm excited about the restorative practice pieces I think that's really wonderful, addition to what we've been trying to do with our social, emotional learning and our code of conduct and really trying to further our student engagement and have practices that you know dr. Cheng when he first came in I.

F

Remember the first time I ever met him and he talked about you know classrooms being the same as they were. You know, ninth in the 1900s, and so this kind of thing is really helping us to move the way we actually educate our students in a different way and really taking it to really taking into effect what how they feel and how the struggles they have, and so I'm just very excited about that, and obviously the nursing piece.

F

Although again, it's not exactly where we want to be I agree that you know we have a working relationship and that is really important for me and I know for others. Thank you. Thank.

A

You miss Ovid, every lo t, Martin I, just.

E

Want to echo appreciation to the entire team and thank you Michael for being a part of this process as well. I do just I feel encouraged that the bottom line is our kids and the people that we have in front of our kids really does matter. So thank you for keeping that at the forefront, nurses, paraprofessionals folks, who are helping us, really advance restorative practices, the people in front of our children matter, so that they can succeed.

E

So you all are keeping that as your focus in your bottom line and so I appreciate the support from you know, Michael and his leadership, but also your entire team, to keeping that the bottom line being the bottom line. So thank you. Thank.

A

You and I would just like to simply state I, hear the messages from the members and also others that have spoken to us about this contract. To me, this is a reasonable, prudent interim step, but it is exactly that. Is it an interim step where now, if, if we vote to approve this at our next meeting, will now be less than a school year away from an expiring contract and starting all over again, so it is important to get back to the table.

A

And yes, there were lessons learned from this, and there will be a somewhat new and refreshed negotiating team on the superintendent's behalf. As president Tang and her senior members of her team will be. You know, refreshing their team as well and will be able to step back and take a fresh step at this. But we have some critical issues that still need to be resolved that we were unable to resolve at this negotiating effort.

W

A

Issues that this committee believes firmly, we cannot continue to improve the district unless we reach resolution on these issues, and so you know we agreed on kind of the easy stuff right now, but this is it sets us up. This next set of discussions is going to be challenging and it will be great to take a different approach if we can Institute the interest based learning in interest based bargaining and with the fresh teams working on it.

A

But these are issues that this committee has decided is critical to our success to move the district forward, and these will be key issues that the next round of negotiations. Having said that, I am in complete agreement with the approach that has been put in front of us this evening.

A

As far as this two-year agreement and the agreements that we have around, which drove it of Justice around the nurses around the increase for the coverage on paraprofessionals, you know that are out as well, as you know, codifying the changes in the assign the assignment of teachers sedima and some of the changes in the paraprofessional pool. So I think this is reasonable and prudent. It does not diminish in any way the challenges we still have in front of us for the next round.

A

All the importance of the viewpoint that the committee has taken on several of these key issues that the district has represented so well and will continue to represent superintendent. So thank you for the work that you have done and to your entire team. Several members who were here that were there at 1 a.m. 2 a.m. 3 a.m.

A

with the lights going out and just as a school committee members, so they went out school committee meetings. We had the lights go out once and we had this go out at what was it 10 20 10 30? They went out in Department of Labor Relations mm-hmm, but we kept going so thank you, superintendent and for your whole team on this work, and the committee looks forward to taking action at this on our next meeting.

A

Thank you. Thank you.

A

We just have a very brief brief update now on the superintendent's school year, 2016-17 performance, evaluation process and so Dean Robinson, who leads this effort on the behalf of the committee, is just gonna. Give us a very, very brief update. Excuse me: oh.

C

A

B

A

Why don't we sell you already introduced a teen where I'm saying? Could you just give a very brief update on the evaluation process and then we'll go to the residency? Yes.

E

So, as the committee knows, we spent the month of August I, really appreciate dr. Chang in his leadership team and the staff underneath the leadership team for compiling all of the comprehensive artifacts and evidence so that, as you know, has been in the school committee meeting area and we've been taking the time. It does require time because it is comprehensive and it's he's done an excellent job with his team.

E

Having all that there are work representing what they've done this past year, but what I have been able to see that, in light of the schedules that we have had at school committee, members in the start of the school year and different responsibilities, I'd like to extend the time for you all to move forward in your evaluations. Writing your composite evaluations to the October 4th meeting so that you have time to go through the documents that are in the school committee meeting area and you know to write your thoughtful evaluations. I know.

E

Initially we had this September 13th, but now that the dates have been changed, we want to give you all plenty of time. I know Miss Robinson, isn't here tonight and in connecting with her. She has also agreed that that would help just with the scheduling, but also with the change of the school committee date. So October 4th will be when we shared the composite that you all have written in your evaluations and then October 25th will be the vote and.

N

So when do you want.

E

The week before, October 4th.

A

B

C

Me pull the calendar on September.

A

27Th, there's gonna be they're, gonna be late, so I would say the 22nd the.

E

22Nd September 22nd number.

A

22Nd Friday.

E

A

You could have your initial individual assessments, all of which are public documents I remind members if you could have those please Dean Robinson by Friday, September, 22nd, correct.

E

I was looking at our meeting schedule because that's when we're meeting in public.

A

Environments and to put it together in a composite matter and then have it back out to all of us in our packages in it ready for the October 5th meeting. Ok, does.

E

That work for our committee members just.

C

A point of what a process sent it to Dean Robinson yeah, miss Sullivan, okay,.

E

Okay and then I will I will meet with her and compile. Thank.

C

E

There any other questions great. Thank you.

N

Thank you for great.

A

And so then we will so all members will have their individual assessments, which again I remind everyone to end up being public documents and published at the end, along with the composite ones: MS Sullivan by Friday, September, 22nd and then Dean Robinson will present a compiled one along with the individual ones. At the meeting on Wednesday October 4th for discussion, and then we will actually vote on the final assessment at the meeting on Wednesday October 25th, correct.

D

A

Schedule that's agreeable to everybody. Okay, great thank.

D

E

A

Move on to our last presentation, which is a deadline for residency, verification for exam schools, this time, we'd like to invite assistant superinten. If the office of engagement, Monica, Roberts, an executive director welcome services, Robert have to LA to please step forward, but first superintendent Chang do have some opening remarks on this. Yes,.

B

It should be fairly short presentation.

B

Monica roberts and robbie Havdalah will discuss a proposal to change the deadline for residency, verification for non BPS students from the first Friday in November to the third Friday in November, and this ultimately will enable non BPS to institute eight the IES ie for their full duration of time that bps students are able to take the test. So they'll go over some of the details and we look forward for a vote in our next School Committee meeting.

O

Thank you, dr. Chang good evening, chairman O'neill and all the members of the School Committee. As dr. Chang said, we wanted to present a proposal to change the bps exam school residency verification process. This would apply only to non bps students, as existing students and the Boston Public Schools are not required to verify their residency to take the ISEE.

O

So currently the deadline for non bps students to verify their address falls before the first bps administration of the ISEE non bps. Students have no opportunity to take the BPS test if they do not first verify their residency. This is true, even though the bps offers a makeup exam to weeks after the initial administration, some non bps students up to take the ISEE with a national provider and are allowed to take the test, regardless of whether they have verified their residency.

O

The national provider, er B, does notify families that bps does have requirements around residency, but it's up to the family to follow through, and the information is not as easily available to ER beam all the time.

O

So if they have not verified letter C by the deadline, there is AE, scores are not accepted and they are ineligible to apply for exam school entrance.

O

This is the proposed change, we'd be looking to move from the first Friday in November, which is the day before the first administration of the test to the third Friday in November, which is the day before what we call the bps makeup test or the final day for which I see any student looking to enter and enter an exam school can take. The ISEE.

O

In terms of the timeline, it would remain the same with the exception that the verification process closes again. The dirty Saturday in November, instead of the first Saturday in November for this school year. That would look like November 17th would be the proposed day for closing the residency verification process, which is the day before November 18th the last day to take the ISEE.

O

In terms of the impact of this on students, there are a number of Boston families legitimately living and residing in Boston, who do not are unable to participate in the exam school process unable to apply because they do not verify residency by the first Saturday in November, and there is no recourse to take to verify after currently due to the policy and therefore to take the test up until the very Saturday November like bps students.

O

So this would in fact give non bps students the opportunity to verify all the way up until the day before the final date that they could take the exam and give them a great opportunity. We would combine this with greater outreach around communications from my office, we're also working with the national provider to also boost their efforts so that families are. We have the residency process. What we're finding that a lot of families realize that there is a residency process when they come to the first tes administration.

O

That's all I have I, don't know if you have any questions open.

A

Up to members for questions doctor ult, I.

T

Mean I'm gonna trust you on this, that you think this is good. I can't understand the purpose. Why would you want to expand for non bps students.

O

So these are all Boston residents who are looking and for entrance into Boston Public Schools.

O

The the best example I can give is you may sign up for the test and come on the day of administration so that first Saturday in November, and we will turn you away if you have not verified residency and you may ask, can I take the makeup test and the answer's.

D

O

So what we're finding is that families have been getting mixed information from the schools that they attend, or just very you know, word of mouth and so part of what we're hoping to do is just give families an equal opportunity to verify the residency and then take the exam up until the last day that we actually allow for families to take the exam, if they're allowed to take it up to the 18th. This will allow them to do so so.

A

I I do want to point out a couple. Excuse me for one second, RT RT, a dr. Hirata, a couple things that you didn't mentioned in your comments, so for students to apply to any other boston public school. They only have to show the residency by today right when they register at school. So if they're, if they're registering at Boston, Arts, Academy or any elementary school, it is only for the exam schools. Yes,.

O

A

We require them to prove have proof of residency at the time they take the exam before.

B

A

For non bps, because bps students we they have shown that once they're in bps they're showing that syringe, so we can't forget as much as we are all loyal to bps, and we want our bps students to gain your exam schools. We cannot forget that all of our schools are open to all residents of Austin, and so just as the parent who spoke to us earlier today, whose child goes to Kipp, she her child, has an equal right to get into the exam schools or one of our other I schools as a bps student.

A

Obviously we want to be loyal to those that have been loyal to us and we want to encourage more bps students attending the exam schools. But we can't forget that those that are residents have an equal right to attend our schools.

A

Having said that, as council of asabi George pointed out before you know, we also don't want people who are cheating who live in not in Boston and yet are trying to get in, in particular to our exam schools, but by the way they're doing it to some of our highly sought after Elementary School's and Boston Arts Academy- and you know, we can name some other high schools that we know that we have seen examples where people try to get into, because we have schools that students want to go to.

A

And if you live outside of Boston and you go to one of our schools, you are stealing from Boston residents plain and simple, because we are paying to educate you and you're taking seats away from our students and that's robbery. And so you know we need to figure out what the right mix is, and this committee has in the past put in place the policy- and this was a big discussion a few years ago to move to this.

A

Whereas not it used to be for the exam schools, you had to prove residency at acceptance. Yes,.

D

A

Recall and then we moved it predecessor committee moved it to the exam time, which was quite controversial at the time, but it's appropriate that this was in fact tighten up, who could be eligible for our exam schools, and so now this is a slight twist from you know the beginning in November, to you're trying to get to this makeup. It's just a day before the makeup death.

O

A

We're treading a fine line here right where my wife always says to me assume good intent. So for those who were truly residents of the city and now one who child may have attended a private or parochial or a charter school and now wants to apply for an exam school. We have to give them an honest right to do it, but we also want to be very, very strict in diligent in weeding out those who are trying to take advantage of us and taking away seats from our students.

A

So sorry, I got look I just wanted to clarify that issue and give a little bit of a history on this, because when I first started, I scratch my head too and saying why talk to you I think I I.

T

Would leave it as it is because I mean to me I mean the message that you're giving is that it it's a it's one of privilege to people that are not in bps, and we already know that we're concerned about the nut percent of VPS school and through the exam schools- and you know so that I'm again I'm not seeing the rationale. I'm gonna trust you on this. But I, don't know after that.

A

Oh, let's talk on tour so.

C

Just a quick question: do we keep any data on you know, for instance, families that register for the test, but don't sit for the test or register for the test, but don't submit residency data in time or presidency, very verification and time. So we understand like what the proportion is of this problem or is it more of an anecdotal one? So.

O

We currently we do keep data on who registers what does not attend? I, don't believe me, collect who's been turned away because of residency. It's one of the things that we were hoping to start selecting this year.

O

It was brought to my attention because this past year was my first time administering the test out of my office, and so we got a lot of calls both in our office, the superintendent's office, I think across the board, from families who had gone, and my staff, who are insight that they have kind of spoke to the number of families who came that they have and returned away. Okay,.

C

Yeah I mean I I, know, I've heard these stories before and I know that there are people that miss the test and I think you know in your mind's eye. You conjure up the idea of you know somebody that's maybe in a private or parochial school, that's paying money and you know, has essentially mobility options for the schools that they attend, and so you know, I I understand the feeling that you know this.

C

This is you know, perhaps giving more than we should as stewards of this system, but at the same time you know if those people were legitimate residents, they are taxpayers of the City of Boston and, quite frankly, you know taking wealth and privilege out of it. There are many students that are parts that are that are in our charters across the.

D

C

As well, that excuse me across the city as well that I would suspect, are not getting a consistent message from their home schools or from you know, whatever other parent groups, they might be in, be it you know a language barrier or a cultural barrier, or you know any other number of types of barriers. They can present themselves. So you know from my perspective, you know providing a little bit more time, particularly when somebody might register for the test and show up and be turned away and have absolutely no recourse.

C

You know giving somebody a lifeline here, so they can provoke, they can prove their legitimacy and have a second chance.

A

Any questions comments.

F

I can see that point of view, I guess for me. It's not I. Don't feel that it's an unfair process already, there's a date like in any application that you go to. If it's a summer camp, we're all parents, we know, there's deadlines, I, just don't see what adding two weeks.

F

I guess for me: I I struggle, because we already when we look at the exam schools and we look at who's going to the exam schools, and we we just saw the recent Boston Latin report and the number of Latino students and black and African American students has not increased over a significant amount of time. If you were to tell me that it's a strategy for recruiting more students of color, more ALL students than I, would say, okay, but it seems that it's more question of information-sharing versus an actual D. You know giving just.

F

It doesn't make sense to me how we're getting to actually have more bps students and more bps students that are students of color and again yellow students that are attending our exam schools. So it doesn't I just don't feel like it's already an unfair process. If there's a deadline, it's like any deadline in life. If I miss it I miss it.

A

Do you know I would send any comments. I.

D

E

That this could be an opportunity if the strategy is to really reach out to black and Latino families to increase. So maybe this is additional information for you all to take back to your teams and think about a strategic plan of how those weeks matter, I agree with the different opinions, but I, as you alluded to earlier, I, want to trust the teams that are getting most of the information, and so, if you put together even a stronger strategic goal of how can we outreach to families more?

E

You know engagements in your name. It's in your DNA, so I can trust that you all can get it done. I'm.

A

Laughing at that engagement soon, you might think. Oh man well.

N

We can always just start by eliminating the exam and just have makeup, are the choice system but that's a different stop subject.

A

Let's keep on topic: Jean Coleman.

N

I'm going to assume that this whole registration process does not disadvantage people who have darker students or immigrate issues that just residency right good. Thank you.

A

Thank You superintendent I think you want to make some comments. Yeah.

B

I want to maybe apologize for just not giving a little bit more context. We obviously had through exam schools in Boston Public Schools. There are grades 7 through 12. There are highly in demand. A lot of parents choose e schools, not just because of their reputation because it, but because they also provide six years of continuous, cohesive instruction for families the barrier for access to these three exam schools. For us shouldn't. We should not only consider barriers for Boston Public Schools.

B

We need to consider barriers for all students, all residents in the city of Boston, and we will collect this data but I know because of all of the phone calls that I get that.

B

Those who do not get information about this residency requirement are typically not parents who have access aren't paying for school grades, K through 6 they're, typically parents who are have their students in other programs in the city of Boston, where black and Latino and low-income, and so when I have received advocacy about inability to take the exam because they have not verified their residency before the makeup test. They're, typically from our schools in neighborhoods, are most marginalized, so I can attest to that.

B

So, let's just say you have a child who is attending a charter school in Mattapan and they want to. They want their child to take this find out that there's a residency requirement at the first exam right before the first exam they're turned away. During that first exam and they're told you can come back for the make up exam, but if you don't have a residency requirement, you actually can't come back and that's heartbreaking, and so we're saying you've got two weeks verify your.

B

If we pass this policy, if the School Committee makes a decision, then they can go and get their verification. We their residency verified by the Welcome, Center literally minutes and be able to go back and take the exam during the make up, which will be the third.

O

Third Saturday.

B

In November so.

A

What I have heard about antidotal II is.

F

A

You it's get it's getting late, I'm.

F

A

Italian time.

F

A

You is of school leaders who are not exactly wild about having some of their students, take exam schools and leave, and that happens within bps from some of our K to eight leaders. You hear about reluctantly. It also happens some charter, school leaders and so.

A

Children are privileged. You know, I'm gonna, be very blunt about this children of privilege with with highly engaged parents. Donwell know what the deadline is, and this is not an issue for them, but.

F

That's a different presentation than what we just I.

A

Agree with you completely, and so the feedback from the committee has been clear, of do some tracking on this, and if this is a strategy to help reach out more to charter school students who may be and not be encouraged by the charter school, why you should really consider the exam, but they hear of it. They go to take it.

A

Now, all sudden they're turned down because they didn't know there was a residency date, and now we're actually hurting the pool that we would be interested in encouraging that's a different message of which is trying to make it easier for folks.

A

C

Joe can I just ask perhaps sorry to interrupt, for you know a little bit more data that, along the lines of what I was asked for earlier. You know, perhaps before we take a vote on this I- think we're scheduled to take a vote next week.

C

If there's any sort of sending school or socio-economic data that is attached to the information that you have on the students that are register for the test, but don't take it that might help us. You know better understand where this gap is I, think that would be immensely helpful and.

A

Or try to look at you.

C

A

It if you could check from last year by folks on the team of where were these calls coming from you know what schools, where the students involved etc. That may be very helpful to this.

F

A

Roberts I want to just give you a chance to respond to the comments that you've heard from the moment.

O

I, do we do have information on race, not social economic, so we will pull that out by in terms of who's showing up, but not taking the test. I'll give us some sense in terms of particularly around our bps students, and we will collect data. We do have some anecdotal data. I just didn't want to present it as hard facts, because it's it's not actual hard data, but we'll bring that as well.

C

Do you have the sending school information? Is that part of the registration material? Yes, okay, I think that would be interesting as well. Excellent, great.

A

So if you could put to get that, put that together for us and send it back out, that'd be great nothing. Thank you very much.

A

A

Move on out of public comment and we poet miss Sullivan Thank.

G

You, mr. Neal, we have two speakers, miss Peggy, we Zinberg and mr. John Mudd.

Y

Good evening and welcome to a what's, hopefully going to be a great school year for everyone, having listened to the reports, I must say: I agree with several members of the committee and about that last report and needing more data to focus on our strategic goal, which is and should continue to be getting our bps kids access to the exam schools. I there's one other issue that I think you might explore, which is whether the makeup test is easier than the initial test. I I think that is true in some with some tests.

Y

I don't know if that's true with the ISEE but they're definitely different test questions so that people don't get the questions from kids who've taken the exam and then take it later. So I think that has to play into this as well, but on the bigger picture. I would hope that the chair and the committee could come up with a schedule for the year that you could publish, put up on your website as to when you'll be dealing with different issues that you know come up.

Y

I mean you certainly know the budget stuff in advance and when that's scheduled, but I think you've heard tonight that booming large our. When are we going to hear about the superintendent's plans for grade reconfiguration? When are we going to hear specifics about, builds bps I was listening tonight and was glad to hear the presentation on this sped issues from the sped director, but it wasn't until sped PAC raised the build Boston that we heard anything about build Boston and what came through at a lot of those community meetings and a lot of the data.

Y

That's out there on your website with build bps. Is that with this 21st century, build-out sped we're sped strands are placed and we're sped programs are placed, particularly which, with the very large segment of our student population, having sped.

Y

Diagnosis and designations that is going to or should be, guiding the build bps but I the to step back I do think that calendar would be helpful and to throw into the mix a reminder that we're still waiting for the equity analysis for the assignment plan and the RFP, and there needs to be reports on a regular basis on some of these. But certainly these should be on the agenda and we should know in advance, hopefully when the public can expect to hear on those issues.

Q

Quickly, I'm sorry, Cindy Nielsen is gone because I also want to compliment her and the staff on on including the data on the yell l sped students for the first time, I mean I, think we're getting. You know a much solid or foundation on which to develop our plans and progress for the future. So I appreciate that, but that is only just laying out the foundation and I think I am concerned.

Q

You know- and you would predict from my earlier testimony this evening- that in terms of the presentation they're really in my head, there wasn't really detailed or explicit discussion of how the achievement gaps between spared or regular students or between PLL sped and non yellow/red students were going to be reduced and I.

Q

Think I had expected that there by this time we would be coming to that that in every one of those presentations there would be some discussion in that way, and not just in the generalities of an impact statement which, frankly, wasn't even mentioned tonight. I would encourage you to also consider that, as you get presentations from departments like this, you also combine it with at least the material from the opportunity and achievement gap implementation plan so that when you have a sped presentation, you also have this sped up between the achievement cap implementation plan.

Q

So you couldn't bring them together. For example, this is a minor, well I, don't know whether it's minor, but there was an issue of over-representation in the implementation plan. It says. Yes, we will try to reduce black and Latino males for farofa SMED by 15%. It also says we will reduce. Our goal is to reduce ëall referrals to sped by 15% and I. Don't know where that came from I think there's a somehow a conflation of those two populations and it certainly I, don't remember coming out of the AL taskforce.

Q

I know it hasn't come out of the PLL speed subcommittee, which I've been privileged to be a part for many years. We don't want over representation, we don't want under representation. We want to get it right and to have a goal or we're gonna reduce something I, think arbitrarily or out of confusion. I think is wrong, so the bigger point is to try and consolidate the presentations, the opportunity and achievement gap materials.

Q

The narrative statements in in the opportunity and achievement gap, the impact statement here and to be able to look at that as a whole to see how are we really strategizing to reduce those gaps? Two seconds on the Union thing.

D

Q

I appreciate the comment that all the major issues are still on the table. I would just I think the chair would finally remember back in 2000 when we had Boston United for children. There was an effort to have public information about what is at stake in the union contracts and I. Don't think that effort has been made significantly since then, frankly, and I would encourage you, as you plan for the the next round for the next two years, to consider how you develop public understanding of what is at stake in union contracts.

Q

I know, staff assignment is crucial in you know, for example, Els bed, students. How do we get students? I know it is crucial in dual language programs. You know where you get teachers who I have been told teachers who have building rights. I'm. Sorry, you get the point. Thank you. Thank.

A

You mr. Mudd and I, was not on the committee 17 years ago. I, remember very well the effort that you talked about it and it was a greater citywide effort to make that happen right. So Reverend kuva was extremely involved than that. So soon,.

G

As that concludes our speakers for this evening, thank.

A

You miss Sullivan any new business for members dr. you.

D

T

You know people are gonna, kill me for saying anything new, but I do I think that they you assembler, has a point. I mean that we do need the listing of as we committed last year when we had the retreat of of the School Committee. We committed to basically receive an a listing of what we would be discussing at every meeting. We haven't got that so I was wondering whether we could have it this year for the whole okay, great. No, yes,.

A

I said: okay; okay, great all,.

N

A

Other questions so no business. Thank you. That concludes our business. For this evening. The next School Committee meeting will take place next Wednesday September 13th at 6 p.m. there's. Nothing further entertain. A motion to adjourn looks.

W

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