School Committee Debates Metrics for Measuring District Progress

Burlington's School Superintendent, Eric Conti, has presented his goals for the coming year to the School Committee. His plan centers on three main areas: learning, equity, and student well-being (known in district materials as "thriving").

Key learning initiatives include:

• A curriculum review for pre-K through 12th grade in literacy and math, which is currently in progress and will lead to new K-8 core curricula that more closely align with state standards, district goals, and the competencies outlined in the "Portrait of a Graduate" work the district has been doing.
• Evaluating elementary school schedules to maximize teaching and staff professional development time, which is a part of the collective bargaining agreement that was reached earlier this year between the district and the Burlington Education Association (the town's teacher union).
• Expanding career pathways and dual enrollment options at the high school. Currently there are two computer science career pathways and multiple opportunities for students to receive college credit for their high school work. "We've been doing this for a while now, and it's part of our regular program. All students can access these college credit courses," Conti said. When discussing receiving state money for an early college program, however, he expressed cognitive dissonance, as the state program requires early identification of a cohort of students who would be good candidates and Dr. Conti isn't comfortable with the unequal access to opportunity that creates.

On the equity front, the district is:

• Tracking staff diversity through annual hiring summaries.
• Adding an EL instructional coach at the high school.
• Working to increase female enrollment in computer science classes. "We're actively trying to get more girls into computer science," Conti notes. "It's not because we lack role models - many of our computer science teachers are talented women engineers."

To support student well-being ("thriving"), the district plans to:

• Conduct its third annual school climate survey.
• Implement the biannual youth risk behavior survey for middle and high schoolers.
• Launch a Community Care program for mental health support. "We've hired staff and will start seeing students very soon," Conti said about this collaborative program.

If you think this list looks less like measurable goals and more like general focus areas, you're not alone. Some School Committee members want more specific metrics and timelines to measure progress. Melissa Massardo suggested separating deliverables from measurable outcomes, while Jeremy Brooks emphasized setting milestones for longer-term projects; Chair Christine Monaco noted that the district is one year into this three-year plan.

Monaco, on the other hand, expressed concerns about the plan's scope. "This is huge. You can't do all of this," she cautioned. Conti acknowledged the plan's breadth but assured the committee that, while he oversees and is accountable for the work, the educators in the district are the ones implementing these initiatives.

Monaco also urged Conti to pay more attention to the district's performance in various publications' rankings, a topic that receives attention each year, particularly on social media, when the rankings come out. While many criticize the methodology of the rankings, others point to the reality that many parents look at those metrics when deciding where to move.

The committee also discussed ongoing challenges with school lunch programs, including meal quality and lunch period duration.

Conti agreed to refine the Planning for Success District plan based on the committee's feedback, particularly by adding more specific metrics and target focus areas. The School Committee unanimously approved the plan, with the understanding that Conti will provide more detailed progress updates throughout the year.