You don't have to accept medicore

What we said we'd do:

1. Bring algebra back to 8th grade (done)
Prior to 2017, most middle schools had two separate math tracks ("regular" math - which stopped before students got to Algebra - and "advanced" math which included Algebra). There were real, persistent demographic differences in which students were enrolled in which track - which is bad - but instead of figuring out why we're graduating any kids from elementary school who aren't ready for Algebra in middle school - the District simply removed the "advanced" track. (Now there are no demographic differences - problem solved!) They promised to bring it back when everyone was better prepared - and then did nothing to make this happen, for eight years. In the meantime, students who would have previously taken Algebra were told to busy themselves playing Sudoku - "because it's a math game." This is unacceptable - and starting this school year, Algebra will again be taught in middle school, at the explicit direction of the School Committee.

2. Remove a bad Superintendent (done)
In 2024, the School Committee requested that the Superintendent resign, and then terminated her contract. I voted for this because the Superintendent failed to hire high performing administrators, failed to fire categorically bad leaders, and presided over the implementation and/or continuation of policies that had support because they sounded progressive, but which failed to challenge large numbers of students, and often lead to classrooms rampant with disruption and distraction. All while insisting that we were, in fact, providing a world-class education. (We are not.) We've hired a great interim Superintendent who has been at the helm for the past year, and are in the process of interviewing for a permanent leader now.

What else we got done:

1. We decisively addressed our most challenged school.
Cambridge has a school choice system, that allows families to pick the program to which their kids go - versus automatic assignment to the school closest to your home. For years, one of our schools (the Kennedy Longfellow) has had the worst test scores, and has been the least frequently chosen (last school year, zero families ranked it as their first choice). As a result, the school ends up with open seats - and families who move to Cambridge mid-year (who tend to greater needs; e.g., our homeless families) get assigned there. The concentration of high needs students makes the school's job difficult, test scores drop further, and the cycle repeats itself (even fewer families choose the school; even more seats are left open). Superintendents and School Committees going back fifteen years have watched this get worse - and done nothing. This year, we voted to temporarily close the school, so that we could rehab the building, re-work the programming, and build a school that more of our families are more excited about.


2. We added additional seats to two of our most in-demand schools.
Parents consistently rank our Tobin Montessori program, our language immersion programs (Amigos and MLK) and our Baldwin program as their top choices - but all are oversubscribed. There's more demand than space. This year, we created additional seats at the Baldwin, and in the MLK immersion program. And in September, the Tobin will start in a much larger building that can accommodate expansion in the future.


3. We removed cell phones from our high school.
Beginning in September, 2025, high school students will no longer be allowed to use their phones during the school day. (They previously had access to them in between classes.) Our high school has some incredible classes - but also some culture problems, and cell phones weren't helping. Now, the focus should be more squarely on the content.


4. We required the establishment of an AI policy.

• What To Do Next

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