[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6282286,"mediaKeyId","2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295","parentId",2597100,"title","District budget presentation: foundation budget cited, enrollment growth noted and federal-grant vulnerability discussed","audioSeconds",108,"startMs",4312000,"endMs",4420000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295&start=4312&end=4420","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295/thumbnail_4312000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282286/Massachusetts/District-budget-presentation-foundation-budget-cited-enrollment-growth-noted-and-federal-grant-vulnerability-discussed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282286-610a4dab3c85669b725e6b02f9d424b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137112&Signature=GW5t5zEt3hitJYQmU8CIXWdMhntkpiWlNDATNHtz2jZgHKVS-agyzp8g4m1GTLWk8c9N88KWigCfBM7tueLB1t6hjLMG-eQ9wQzyLuM6Q0DbkRc0WK75p9cn1kZKOzJYjsM~r6YP5bp43181~pu8gAx3HPQvxAkegn8mBLPYPeFxZA42Jmsh2WYUoEuaFk27tM2mNco07I-T-joVlPTYOEaDO5yrqs5pnTENwwWX0bP6VbibY4pFTQxkYSPzq-prud3ATKl1hWBOqEnJEkK-EwjSnDRZZcmxL~uFwqSzrqSaEks2d9fza1nZC~XJNCAZ88P5ArVwbgtnbbIOc68VTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lawrence Public Schools, MA","date","2025-03-13T12:39:50Z","article","District finance staff presented a high-level summary of the proposed foundation budget, per-pupil spending and recent enrollment increases, and warned that federal grant reductions would pose contingency challenges.

Finance presenters told the School Committee the district\u000027s foundation budget figure is $333,000,930 as presented to the board and cited an average per-pupil spending figure of about $21,950. The district said the city contribution in the budget is about $16.3 million (an increase from the prior year) and that per-pupil funding rose by roughly $2,135. The presentation noted that the city\u000027s reported per-pupil number will be adjusted for items that do not follow students (chapter 74 vocational students, charter tuition), but that the headline per-pupil figure for children living in Lawrence was presented as part of the budget discussion.

Officials also said the district did not capture a recent enrollment increase in the budget. Presenters described student growth since Oct. 1 of roughly 300 additional students above the enrollment captured in the current budget; staff said the district is educating those students with the current-year funding levels, since the budget was built on the earlier enrollment count.

Finance presenters emphasized that a large share of grant funding is federal: the presentation cited roughly $17 million in grants overall with about $14.5 million coming from federal grants (Title I, Title II, Title III and related programs). Staff told the committee that potential federal reductions would affect services funded by those grants (Title I services, some special education supports, school nutrition and language-learner supports) and said contingency planning will continue.

Committee members said they expect a fuller, detailed budget packet in coming weeks; finance staff said the committee will receive detailed budget spreadsheets and proposed allocations in advance of future budget votes. No budget vote was taken during the meeting; the item was informational.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LAE Board Meeting March 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Officials presented the district\u000027s foundation budget figure and per-pupil spending, reported recent enrollment growth the budget did not capture, and flagged the potential impact of federal grant cuts on programs such as Title I and special education.","taxTitle","Lawrence Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",38530,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282291,"District outlines literacy strategy, expansion of science-of-reading training and adolescent literacy work",1280,1868000,3148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295&start=1868&end=3148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295/thumbnail_1868000.jpg","/articles/6282291/Massachusetts/District-outlines-literacy-strategy-expansion-of-science-of-reading-training-and-adolescent-literacy-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282291-72f431a2c2c6d4362ce1ace0d2f18915/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137112&Signature=i4S1DL1Ui-KVfVF3yHDpY25BxUcE62TEkNGzBd3Lf9STKztG28JBqJghjgvYprPqni5P4yrZdKfBshQ273mEgwcoJ8CR8WJFNZcwiCjADyl22MKAbjiMHfsepX52rn-zWmrpk6rOlsnlefPUhCrLfoc7Qeqe7V8PsRbTKP5C0fZhCNGW~L5IE2lOa7kMq7SAaLjPb-05WEZtBADCAf3MTaRFIUwjZA2YYtwTtI6xbE1UXtizCmRoKXddKSi~pVzU5YSXS4DPAQS-pIX~F12Jq36MsMtAhh6bdHaWMeqNUIbtxB0dQNRAu9dwyM4R9N9bMQ6tgqc5r7LtbHtzdcCzIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District literacy leaders presented a multi-year plan and midyear assessment data showing progress in early-grade reading and a planned expansion of professional development into adolescent literacy.

Doctor Jen Perry and Kara Metcalfe described the District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT), its five subcommittees (professional learning, communication, adolescent literacy, parent engagement and others), and a partnership visit supported by the Achievement Network and Schusterman Foundation focused on \"what is an LPS student's experience in literacy across pre-K through grade 12.\" The district said the visit reviewed six schools and provided recommendations on clarifying a district-wide instructional vision, strengthening teacher practice tied to curriculum, elevating multilingual and linguistically sustaining practices, and aligning external partnerships to district priorities.

District presenters said Lawrence has adopted high-quality instructional materials across roughly all classrooms and has been running multi-year professional learning on \"science of reading\" approaches. Training began with pre-K through grade 2 (2022-23), expanded to K-5 (2023-24) and will add grades 6 through 9 this year under an adolescent literacy initiative; the goal is to move schools toward internal sustainability of coaching while continuing multi-year professional learning and progress monitoring.

The district shared midyear assessment snapshots: DIBELS (a screening/benchmark tool) midyear scores showed 39% of students at or above benchmark districtwide (an increase from earlier years the presenters cited), and NWEA MAP winter data showed mixed but improving trends across grades and subgroups. Presenters emphasized the kindergarten-to-grade-1 growth trajectory and said cohort tracking remains challenging because early childhood feeder patterns vary by school.

Board members asked about accountability and sustainability: how the DLLT and curriculum & instruction (C&I) department will track whether coaching continues at the school level and how turnover will be handled. The presentation team said DLLT will monitor staff training and coaching, and C&I will set expectations around coaching models and consistency. On family engagement, the district said a parent-engagement subcommittee is building resources (a parent Google Drive, flyers and materials) and exploring the parent university and larger district meetings as venues for outreach; individual schools also run literacy nights and PTA presentations.

Presenters said the district will refine the district literacy plan this spring to ensure it reads as a K-12 plan rather than a K-5 plan, and will align next steps to the four priorities identified in the external visit.

The committee received the presentation and followed with questions from members; no formal action was recorded on this item.","District literacy leaders described multi-year professional learning, subcommittees and midyear assessment results showing gains in early-grade literacy; the presentation included plans to expand training to grades 6-9 and work on parent engagement and multilingual learner supports.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282296,"Lawrence School Committee adopts state-required competency determination to replace MCAS graduation test",1139,604000,1743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295&start=604&end=1743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2597100-1edad7669f773429af0d94c2c1415295/thumbnail_604000.jpg","/articles/6282296/Massachusetts/Lawrence-School-Committee-adopts-state-required-competency-determination-to-replace-MCAS-graduation-test","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282296-9b9b2f9b409dfc60a061f3cfe4ac7b96/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137112&Signature=e9EbPKn32J1t3FP5X0Uev6jtuT~iBvWJTmMnAkQYG7jn1vI9YM3od4andi6uvprZ~bJ5zeR3GcPFAwaAjVP3RFx8CUlzYP2LsX8auHEpAt4gJ2XCHXD9I3f6gbggzTJiKmIGvzhfHSZiCe0PmFETgGj6OCln6yOdCz5kpCNezsXKdN1ipxQVztYzHkyK5vbhIUO52dK~H~aB-VCnCfhevddP2NKDa0QI4tUWteXq65zTp5eBOH7QAjsGF~nPl62Qf4v3Y6lZ4dchrHCJYSDBnSA7uJgFnN8cjxqWeavuozZggQz9g1uD4XOMcJj-M~g1Tds0SGd7UF7HQ~Q96Qg4ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lawrence Public Schools Committee voted to adopt a competency determination policy replacing MCAS as the state\u000027s graduation test, with the district outlining how current students and alumni can qualify for diplomas under the new rules.

School leaders said the policy implements guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and does not change local diploma requirements but substitutes a competency determination for the MCAS portion of the former graduation standard.

Superintendent Carrero and district assessment staff told the committee that under the policy students must demonstrate competency by passing grade-level coursework: English (English 9 and English 10 or equivalent), Algebra 1 and Geometry (or equivalents), and a science course such as biology, chemistry, physics or technology/engineering. Lynn Gutierrez of the district assessment team described the policy as aligning coursework to the state academic standards previously measured by MCAS. Assistant Principal Christine Lum explained the team\u000027s approach for transfer students: the district reviews incoming transcripts and aligns prior courses (for many international transfers, those labeled math 1/math 2) to the Massachusetts algebra and geometry sequence when possible.

Committee discussion focused on two practical issues: outreach to alumni who previously received a certificate of attainment rather than a diploma, and how the district will communicate the change to families and students. Superintendent Carrero said the district will identify alumni who hold certificates of attainment dating back to when MCAS was first used as a requirement (the district referenced 2003) and invite them to have their records reevaluated; if they meet the competency criteria the district will issue a diploma, noting that the issued diploma would show the awarding date (for example, June 2025) rather than the original graduation year. The district said it will use its website, social media, English- and Spanish-language local newspapers and direct outreach through Lawrence High School and the adult learning center to notify eligible alumni.

Public comment during the meeting included requests for transparency and for retroactive consideration of students denied diplomas because of MCAS. Jonathan Guzman, who identified himself as vice chair of the school committee, urged clarity on how families can opt out of MCAS testing and asked for inclusive pathways for students with special needs or limited English proficiency.

The committee approved the competency determination policy by roll call vote. Board members recorded as voting yes included Maria Colliero, Dr. Doris Galaf, Edgar de Leon, Maria Mueller, Mayor Brian de Pena and Chair Patricia Mariano; the motion carried.

Looking ahead, district staff said they will finalize outreach and public information steps if the policy is adopted: publish details on the district website, distribute notices in English and Spanish, notify alumni through school networks and coordinate with the high school team that will re-evaluate transcripts.

Votes at a glance: The committee also approved the meeting minutes of Feb. 26; that vote recorded several yes votes and 1 abstention.

The committee moved on to other agenda items after the vote.","The Lawrence School Committee voted to adopt a competency determination policy that districts must implement after voter approval to remove MCAS as a statewide graduation requirement; the district will notify alumni who previously received certificates of attainment that they may be eligible for diplomas if they meet the new criteria.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District budget presentation: foundation budget cited, enrollment growth noted and federal-grant vulnerability discussed

District outlines literacy strategy, expansion of science-of-reading training and adolescent literacy work

Lawrence School Committee adopts state-required competency determination to replace MCAS graduation test