In this episode of Last Night at School Committee, Jill and Ross recap the highlights of last night’s BPS School Committee meeting. During this 4-hour meeting:

• The Superintendent provided a concerning update on student attendance


• A number of students provided spirited testimony about their voices not being heard in decision making


• The Committee voted to approve one-year of flexibilities for graduation requirements, promotion, grading and advanced work class admission
  


• The Superintendent and her team unveiled a preliminary FY 2022 budget to the School Committee. The presentation included a breakdown of the $1.3 billion of funding, the allocation of the funds and discussion about the sustainability of the investments the Superintendent and her team are recommending given the short term nature of the funding and continued declining enrollment. 

The approval of the FY2022 budget will take place in late March, and there are multiple opportunities to express your thoughts and opinions to the district and the School Committee. 

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

Do teachers have what they need to teach simultaneously with more than 7000 students with high needs returning to in-person learning today and tomorrow?

How many families have changed their preference from remote to in-person hybrid learning? 

What are the strategies to improve students' attendance? How will the system address their learning and social emotional needs?

The presented budget begins July 1st. What will summer look like for our students? What will school look like in the fall? Will hybrid and remote learning continue? For how long? What tools should be in place to support teaching students both in person and remote simultaneously? What measures will be necessary to return all students to in-person learning? 

Will each student and staff member be tested for Covid-19, utilizing the state’s testing program, at least once per week in their respective school? 

What is the plan for teacher vaccination?

What are the outcomes of the interim exam school’s admissions policy this year?

In the listening sessions that begin this week, will the Committee provide real numbers instead of the X’s used in her stated goals and guardrails? Will this year’s budget be aligned to these goals. 

Ways to Engage and Resources:

• Attend a Budget Hearing


• First hearing: February 11th, 5 p.m.


• Review your school’s proposed funding for FY22


• Reach out to your City Councilor and tell them what you think about the budget


• Attend a School Committee Community Meeting and push for “X’s” to be defined as well as clarification on alignment with existing stated goals, the superintendent's strategic plan and the superintendent's performance evaluation goals. 


• February 6th, 10 - 11:30 a.m.


• February 8th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.


• Email the School Committee and the Superintendent and encourage them to take advantage of the state’s Covid-19 pooled surveillance testing program. 


• Learn more about the state’s K-12 pooled testing program


• Review last night’s meeting presentation and materials:


• Request for Flexibilities on the Following BPS Policies due to COVID for SY 2020-2021


• Superintendent’s Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Preliminary Budget Recommendation PowerPoint


• BPS School Year Dashboard


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• Check out the Boston School’s Fund blog on the BPS budget

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