FYI from BSF, 11.13.20
Some things we have read through recently…
Services
It has been another week of uncertainty for Boston’s high-need students, their families, and their teachers and principals.
As has become a predictable pattern, this started last Friday afternoon with a letter from Superintendent Cassellius indicating that four schools with high-need students (the Carter School, the Horace Mann, the McKinley, and the Henderson) would be reopening. Even without an agreement with the Boston Teachers Union (BTU), it was still reported that the return could happen “within days.”
After a week of conversations, BPS asserted that the four schools would reopen Monday. There is no guarantee that teachers will be there, or even assignments for the students will be done.
If it seems like this issue - getting in-person services to high-need kids - is repetitive, it is. This past week is fairly representative of communication and planning by the city.
To demonstrate,we pulled together the timeline that led up to this week:
On August 21, the new phased-in BPS reopening plan is announced, including a start date of October 1st for some high need/high priority students (“HIPP”)
3 weeks before the start of the school-year, it is reported that schedules and assignments for HIPP students are not done or communicated
HIPP students returned to school on October 1
BPS shares that approximately 1,300 students are attending daily in-person (out of approximately 3,500)
On October 7 the citywide positivity rate increased above 4% which was the agreed-upon trigger to return to remote learning with the BTU.
Supt. Cassellius communicates on October 7 that “all students who have returned to BPS school buildings over the past week, or have been previously identified as high needs and are eligible to return to school buildings, will continue to have the option to learn in person and access instruction and support from their educators”
There is a press conference on October 7 with Mayor Walsh, Supt. Cassellius, and Roxann Harvey the chair of SPEDPAC, and Councilor Essaibi-George announcing the delay in reopening, but the preservation of in-person services for HIPP students.
The BTU communicates to their members that they are not required to return to school buildings for HIPP students as the city is in violation of the MOA
Supt. Cassellius communicates on October 8 that the Boston Public Health Commission has determined it is safe for HIPP students to continue in-person learning. HIPP families still have the option to return to in-person learning 4 days a week after October 13.
Principals are directed to communicate to their staff that failure to return to buildings for HIPP students is insubordination.
On October 8, the BTU seeks an injunction against the Mayor, Superintendent, and school committee to stop the resumption of in-person learning for any students (including HIPP) given the greater than 4% positivity rate agreed to in the MOA with the BTU.
On October 10, the BTU rallies for “safer schools”
On October 14, the BTU loses the injunction; and the judge states that the BPHC is the referee of determining when staff can be expected to return to buildings after the rate exceeds 4%.
HIPP students continue to attend school in-person for 2 days a week
Supt. Cassellius announces the suspension of all in-person learning on October 21 because the citywide positivity rate increases to 5.7%. The letter states that should the rate decline below 5% for 2 weeks HIPP students will be able to return.
October 21: exam school vote at School Committee; no plans were shared for continued support for HIPP students
On October 28 at a City Council Hearing, Supt. Cassellius announces that all students at the city’s day schools will be able to return to school on Thursday (October 30). BTU President Tang, responds that she is “taken aback” at this news. Supt. Cassellius is corrected by her Chief of Staff, who states the district is “operationally ready” for students to return.
On October 8th: If you made it through that whole timeline and you are not exhausted and confused, you may be asking this question: why was there so much time and effort expended to do so little?
Boston has spent almost three months for maybe 200 kids to come to school Monday; prior to the recent COVID-19 spike, New York City had been serving 300,000 children.
As is the case with reopening schools around the country, the issue became political. The problem - getting in-person services for kids who desperately need them - was not actually being addressed or solved; there was no public discussion of moving resources or creative solutions (alternative placements, moving buildings, etc.).
Instead, we saw a lot of statements. A lot of closed door meetings. Media stories. Lots of talk about equity and safety. The equivalent of “thoughts and prayers” for students who needed services. In a word, politics.
This sort of politics is rational - it serves the interests of many.
It just doesn’t serve the interests of the thousands of kids and families the city promised to help.
School Reopening MA, and Beyond
Also last Friday, Governor Baker’s announcement to adjust health metrics to encourage more in-person learning got the super coverage this week - here, here, here, here, and a lot more if you just google it.
There was a swift reaction, countered by an editorial from public health experts and visit by the Governor to a Carlisle elementary school (while also providing a pretty good caption contest for both sides of the reopening school debate).
Nothing has been reported since. Big trends, but little detail or transparency. Compare the slides above to what Worcester produced.
All of this happened across the backdrop of statewide and nationwide COVID-19 increases. The weekly state report showed an increase of around 100 school-based cases (BPS staff was the highest in MA this week). The NYT education newsletter features a long list of cities moving back to remote instruction, and the last week in October featured the biggest national increase in children diagnosed with COVID-19.
Bringing us back to the central tension in this debate - it doesn’t matter how safe schools are or are not. If community transmission rates are high, schools close. Well, not in Europe.
With so many schools struggling to provide in-person instruction, remote learning is back in the spotlight. The Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education released a database revealing wide variation in remote learning policies and practices. Remote learning, and other items, were addressed in the budget passed by the MA House this week.
Where are parents in all of this? We might have a better picture next week when MassInc releases another poll of Massachusetts families and their experiences with school right now. Release is on Thursday, 11/19, if you want to sign up.
Other Matters
The Biden Administration will bring changes in education policy, with a new Secretary of Education and immediate questions such as testing. The effects may not just be national, with Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Cassellius rumored to be potential appointees.
With a portion of MCAS tests scheduled to happen in January, some educators are suggesting an alternative for MA’s new civics standards.
METCO’s annual event is next month.
BPS now has funding to replace its water fountains.