hold up, let me stop you right there:

https://twitter.com/globevaznis/status/1767853894854443229

I’m sure that sometimes some of you think I am overreacting to the Boston Globe’s education coverage, but you probably couldn’t frame “how is this school funding reform working this year” WORSE than looking at Belmont, Harvard, and Westford.

Hey, #MAEdu advocates, can we have a word?

Please pull up a chair. You all are my people, and I think the world of you.

I'm concerned about what seems to be how FY25 budget season is being approached.

So I logged off last night to have dinner with my family and write about how the Globe was wrong about school finance (chapter MMXXIII), and it appears I missed some Discourse on Worcester Public Schools funding.
Y’all were busy!
And so, a thread: Let me first note that when I teach MA school finance (which is part of what I do for work, for those who might be new), I start in 1647, so there’s some history here.

.@jgoodeHN I think you're just repeating the framing that the city is giving you here, but I think we should clear up a misconception.

School transportation doesn't count towards net school spending in Massachusetts for ANY district. #MAEdu

heraldnews.com/story/news/edu… The reason for that is pretty straightforward: Chelsea is three square miles; Franklin County Regional Tech is 500 square miles. Both are Massachusetts school districts. As you might imagine, they spend WILDLY differing amounts on transportation.

finally watching last week's Joint Ways & Means hearing, and appreciate @Jo_Comerford's question on the balance of one time versus sustained funding #MAEdu she also did a lovely, polite refocus of her question; good chairing!

ok, good morning, I have a question (just getting to #MAEdu news from yesterday):

This MEEP claim that gaps have widened over the pandemic is based on...what exactly?

We don't yet have the last year's MCAS data. We don't yet have MA NAEP data. The report cites 2019 to 2021 third grade reading scores, and then percentage of low income 9th graders passing their classes compared to wealthier peers.

Right, this September Vineyard.
The high school is 43% low income.

https://twitter.com/catholicdems/status/1570272510935011330

Also, it’s demographically 23% Hispanic, FWIW.

It's mesmerizing to me that the coverage of this always appears to exist in a space apart from those "Boston: worst traffic in the country" and "Boston grapples with melting public transit" articles

https://twitter.com/GlobeVaznis/status/1569633876686868481

(Insert your choice of "those are the same" meme here)

A series of what will probably be unpopular statements about yesterday's #MAEdu Board vote on the MCAS, but gosh, I hate seeing bad info circulating: 1. This was supposed to happen years ago. The change in competency determination is tied to the new MCAS. What has been used for literally YEARS now was an interim step as we switched from one to the other. It was delayed by the pandemic.

The agenda for today's #MAEdu Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting is online here: doe.mass.edu/bese/docs/fy20… The livestream will show up over here: livestream.com/accounts/22459…

I know most of the attention is on the competency determination for tomorrow's #MAedu Board of Ed meeting; note a proposed shift in the state accountability system is also on the agenda: doe.mass.edu/bese/docs/fy20… (all those in favor of the Department being banned from using the word "lite" as if we're talking about cream cheese?)

OKAY IT IS THE DAY WE TAKE EVERY DOLLAR OFF BILL GATES WE CAN (in a non-seizing-the-means-of-production-way)

He’s doing a 50% match on @DonorsChoose today, so drop your projects below: Okay here’s one!

https://twitter.com/travtufts/status/1556978202370777088

And from that last: “By the time the shooting starts, the police intervention is going to be reactive. People will already be dead.”

I am reminded of a conversation I had about cameras in schools, where it was called to my attention that cameras are reactive. Cameras show you when something has ALREADY happened.
They don’t prevent anything.

Last beam for Doherty going up today! #WorcSchools

#Worcester City Council hears the #WorcSchools bottom line This means it is time for my annual reminder of MGL Ch. 71, sec. 34:

Going to create this thread for 9:30 start

Board of Ed agenda: doe.mass.edu/bese/docs/fy20…

livestream: livestream.com/accounts/22459… line to get in:

https://twitter.com/hashtagRoberto/status/1529085001219858434?s=20&t=W8X4bNVIWArwtAkOa1SA6w

I should note two things about these:
1. I honestly find them useful. They're not the be-all, end-all, but they're a perspective.
2. They have a particular framing of school districts that I think is useful in considering the Boston report.

https://twitter.com/TracyNovick/status/1529049402240905218

I've been a teacher, I'm a parent, I'm a member of a school committee.

I know that school districts are a product of their history, and that they swim in a ecosystem that is largely not of their own making.

it's disorienting reading the headlines this morning...#MAEdu I'm seeing words like "scathing" and "rips" and...it isn't.

Cute that the Globe editorial board was all ready with a piece, though.

Train reading Okay, so please note that I am not dismissing any of this impact on kids and teachers.

But we’re having a discussion about the state taking over the largest district in the state, and the first two complaints are:

.@MASchoolsK12 report on @BostonSchools is posted:

doe.mass.edu/accountability…

#MAEdu "As noted in the 2020 District Review Report, the BPS-DESE MOU, and now in this District Review FollowUp Report, the problems facing BPS are abundantly clear.

Reminder to my fellow #Worcester @MBTA_CR commuters:

The Heart ❤️ to Hub 🏙is back today!

Leaves Worcester 6:30 am; gets to South Station at 7:35!
Return is 4:55 pm; arrives 6:02.

Stops in Worcester, Framingham, and then Landsdown/Back Bay/South Station 🚂