BPS Curriculum Review Will Culminate in Program Redesign

When Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Chen, joined Burlington Public Schools a little more than a year ago, her first priority was to conduct a BPS curriculum review. Since then, nearly every aspect of the district's curriculum has been under scrutiny with the aim of improving access to appropriate educational opportunities for all students. And now, those reviews are coalescing into tangible plans that will impact the math and literacy programs going forward.

At the October 8 School Committee meeting, Dr. Chen laid out the plans for moving forward in both math and literacy programming. The process is multi-year and has involved engaging consultants for both math (Dr. Kateri Thunder) and literacy (Dr. Gail Lovette), developing the district's priorities and aligning them to the state educational requirements, while also soliciting feedback from district educators and accounting where possible for parent input.

For math, this means ensuring all students can complete Algebra I and geometry by the end of 10th grade and that Algebra I can be taken in middle school by those who are ready for it. The district also plans to ensure all students have sufficient options for four years of high school math, with options for students who finish course content early and those who need extra time to master the standards. Equity also shines through in the statement "Every course is for every learner": When this program is fully implemented, BHS shouldn't see the creation of separate math courses for English Learners or students with Individualized Education Programs, for example.

Chen says soon the district will be ready to start looking into K-8 core math curricula that meet the goals they've set.

The literacy curriculum adoption process has already begun, following an in-depth review of the curriculum including what works, what needs more attention, and what can be made more efficient. The Literacy Task Force is currently reviewing four different potential core curricula and will narrow the options down to two at a December 5 meeting. Then on December 11, Burlington Public Schools Literacy Night will showcase the two different options and the work that has gone into the redesign process thus far. And in January, the group will meet to review feedback from educators, parents, and other stakeholders and select the program to be used.

Dr. Chen ensured the School Committee that all district personnel will be trained on the new curricula and other aspects of programming and instruction as the implementation process moves forward.

Learn more about the curriculum review at the BPS website: Math | Literacy

Also at School Committee:

• The question of whether Pigs on Parade will be coming to the town's elementary schools has been postponed until the next School Committee meeting, when Sculpture Park Committee Chair, Barbara L'Heureux will come before the School Committee to answer questions.
• District mental health staff will be attending the 2024 Conference for Advancing School Mental Health this December.
• Student enrollment is down by around 10 students from this time last year. The average elementary class size is 17 students, and there are more high school students going to Shawsheen Tech than in the past.
• Superintendent Dr. Eric Conti presented on the District Success Plan, with several areas of focus, including:
  • Learning - the curriculum reviews mentioned above, computer science pathways (BHS has two), dual enrollment/early college options for high schoolers, and a re-evaluation of the elementary school schedule
  • Equity - ensuring representation in hiring and in classes such as computer science; this is also tied in with the above curriculum review
  • Thriving - The school climate survey will be running this year, as well as the youth risk behavior survey; the Community Cares initiative will also provide additional counseling supports to kids.
• Transportation stipends in the amount of $20,000 were approved for coordinating transportation for homeless students.

The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for October 22.