[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6055912,"mediaKeyId","3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357","parentId",3313536,"title","Lawrence educators return from Dominican Republic immersion, plan culturally responsive classroom changes","audioSeconds",607,"startMs",7656000,"endMs",8263000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357&start=7656&end=8263","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357/thumbnail_7656000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6055912/Massachusetts/Lawrence-educators-return-from-Dominican-Republic-immersion-plan-culturally-responsive-classroom-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055912-0197b858d89a19d94c385bce1720ccce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174471&Signature=l4N3klJWIL~RiA-KMfJxuey7EkI756ReW-YsEZ6NdYQ2c3zRIYWSKOzMxYuVEGwwA0lqGVhGUC3Dr~EBqjfqbNFgyv3Q7dN3-LjpCxERBEUwl0QuIq36LemePyIt6BaIAweAc~YQiOeppcjXaSmTnhoytf9aGkDQ0JDT0N~mE-YRsJnYvKVKxWvdXNkoHgEad4GCjBS8KTzR0Ig3qQsFp45OZp2ziRjxnr9~qOXQKIcZQYQ0f89kcJ0kSCH4OqL1wLXMImNdO8RQl7-YBd3IP4fVdOx1puQ-isSJ5P1ASQKFUjuL~do8Qk3ZxZzpdYh1JDinB7dqglQ73rgL~ZKocA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lawrence Public Schools, MA","date","2025-05-12T20:46:07Z","article","Eleven Lawrence educators told the Lawrence Alliance for Education on May 14 about a spring immersion trip to the Dominican Republic and outlined plans to use their experience to reshape classroom practice and district coaching.

The educators said the program combined pre-trip preparation, school and community visits, curriculum study and time teaching in Dominican classrooms. The district organized the immersion to deepen teachers’ cultural knowledge and to inform strategies for multilingual learners and newcomer students.

Dr. Pena (on Zoom), who led the effort, said the team visited Santo Domingo, La Vega, Santiago and Puerto Plata and worked with schools and community organizations to examine curriculum, social-emotional supports and family‑engagement models. “We prepared. We talked to students. We met with families. We learned from them,” she said, describing the trip as structured around “funds of knowledge” and culturally responsive practice.

Teacher Brianna Johnson said the immersion changed her perspective on students’ lived experiences: “I no longer simply know my students as, like, Dominican. I've seen where they've come from. I've shared meals in their communities, and I've listened to the stories of people who come from those communities.” Leah Banks Bruno, an eighth‑grade math and special‑education teacher at Spark Academy, described steps her school will take: staff orientation on Dominican culture, stronger newcomer supports and family nights that reflect local community practices.

Floridilena Den, the district’s multilingual (ML) expert educator, outlined a three-stage coaching plan: build teacher awareness of biases and cultural context, deepen relationships and parent engagement (including home visits), and integrate culturally responsive references and student voice into curriculum planning. She said the district is designing brief cultural primers and a shared resource library for staff.

Board members praised the program and asked how the trip’s lessons will be scaled across the district. Educators described immediate school-level changes and a plan for district coaching to support broader adoption. The presenters said a district coaching rollout and teacher professional development sessions will follow this summer and into the next school year to help embed practices for multilingual and newcomer students.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LAE Board Meeting May 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Eleven Lawrence educators returned from a Dominican Republic immersion program and presented the trip’s findings and next steps to the board on May 14, recommending culturally responsive teaching, family engagement and district coaching to support multilingual learners.","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},6055916,"Board affirms CREST collaborative amendments for special education services",652,2782000,3434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357&start=2782&end=3434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357/thumbnail_2782000.jpg","/articles/6055916/Massachusetts/Board-affirms-CREST-collaborative-amendments-for-special-education-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055916-842da3d1a6a930866a479d8260766ccd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174471&Signature=E70FwiWLPoJQuJ-1pCtdl4blZ1zIQ-1UIvRevKHduXhIV-Myzq3UDCsfXWVmMnDO4IMrCbaC16jgMdfBYRsWj1z~5E~FxF-8p5tKrx4uWR-lqOeRxTrbZp62zSTedy9S3g0pu4no1O1~ZXhGuGtlm3YGKDKP4LCf4uHGtH~iV9RX0jAnXRNsJ~bYFWAm7kFDqjCRWQXQQdRAhUAxHFOzHb-hXeeTy4G0CaN6azTclho1A1c1zrSmSee~6CkznfN0xg4huxJvPXh9WgkIngXl6Mr5zXG8bBNDtYpKBAyxeJNr67ChMlLGd09tmF-8jApqJxFvJTvr6REwOV4p5MVpgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lawrence Alliance for Education voted on May 14 to approve amendments to the CREST Collaborative articles of agreement, affirming the district’s continued participation in the regional special education cooperative.

A district representative who serves as the school district’s representative to the CREST board told members that CREST serves students with specialized needs whom the district cannot serve in-district and that Lawrence is the largest participant with roughly 71 students currently enrolled through the collaborative.

The amendments were reviewed by district teams and recommended for approval; the presenter characterized the changes as intended to make services more accessible and feasible for member students and noted that the CREST board approves its policies annually and requests affirmation from member communities.

The board moved and seconded the measure and, after a roll call, the motion passed.

District staff answered questions from board members about age ranges served, costs per student and transportation and said service costs vary depending on services required and may range substantially; staff said tuition and transportation plus certain reimbursements are factors when estimating per-student costs.

Board members noted the collaborative’s role in providing specialized services Lawrence does not offer in-district and recorded their affirmation of the amended articles of agreement so CREST can implement the updated policies and continue serving member students.","The Lawrence Alliance for Education voted to approve amendments to the CREST Collaborative articles of agreement on May 14, affirming continued participation in the regional special education cooperative.",{"_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},6055921,"Lawrence Alliance for Education approves FY26 budget totaling $307,026,144",391,3453000,3844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357&start=3453&end=3844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357/thumbnail_3453000.jpg","/articles/6055921/Massachusetts/Lawrence-Alliance-for-Education-approves-FY26-budget-totaling-307026144","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055921-0ec21419508d0974bd6e16692b60d0db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174471&Signature=gwk7TYlLviHUHTIWR0rYFgC7I-AElMNzQZFq4GwVL18i30m9DwLBzv0S3pmPdMvxr~KWyq0EfmkfF4Rev8vpCgHEshChaOS4FGnzVdQfpw3f0VgG0I4Y-4z8ufNUYFshpyMeNHR395hXPCtaleQg-le8GFso2qp2ItZ~0-0-ssBHg3rAEgjftzMCRvc~Jtc40paYnLjgOwJjJcFTLlb~rUvv~Wrr6-BG0APXOgr5iKZNGhSb6ZC1kzEFH9u~KNoAQBgNLC6rxgZjP9AjGVRNe8fwX15xM9UgoxkRaDm0Eq2XEj0iOpUe3m7RGT4iP2QlfL6ZTbyKbPLaOwQ5LJMpuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lawrence Alliance for Education voted to approve version 2 of the district's fiscal year 2026 operating budget — $307,026,144 — at its May 14 meeting.

Finance director Jason Cabrera presented the budget package to the board and described the version-2 figure as a compromise between district priorities and the city's offer. The presentation explained how enrollment growth, charter tuition, state and federal receipts and grant funding were factored into the appropriation the board approved to send to the city council.

The budget matters because it sets staffing, programs and services for the coming school year; Cabrera told the board the proposal funds all current positions and includes investments in early childhood expansion, curricular enhancements, expanded multilingual staffing and facilities maintenance.

Cabrera said the district accounted for a large inflow of new students this year — roughly 586 new students after the October 1 count — and estimated average per-student operating costs around $24,000 when combining regular education, multilingual and special education costs. “If I incorporate all of those together, would it be fair that I say for each student that comes into the district, it'd be about $24,000?” a board member asked; Cabrera agreed with the rough calculation.

Grant funding was discussed at length. Cabrera said the district receives about $14–17 million in federal grants, with roughly $6 million of that covering salaries. He emphasized that federal grant cycles differ from the local budget cycle and cautioned that changes at the federal level would affect future grant cycles, not the current FY26 appropriation.

The presentation also flagged program changes: the multilingual (ML) department budget was slated to increase substantially, with staffing growing in the department from eight to 21 positions in Cabrera’s projection; the district is expanding visual and performing arts staffing and other targeted investments mentioned in the superintendent's priorities letter to the mayor.

Board members asked detailed questions about grants, the timing of federal reimbursements, how charter tuition affects the calculation, whether certain school-level administrative posts (assistant principals) were included, and how many positions the proposal funded. Cabrera and staff said budget details would be corrected where needed before the packet went to city council; the board passed the budget motion to forward the proposal.

The board’s approval sends version 2 to the city council for final appropriation; Cabrera said he and the superintendent planned to present the budget to council on May 20. Superintendent Ralph Guerrero described the proposal as aligned to district priorities and said the administration would continue to review staffing allocations and grant strategies to maximize supports for students.","The Lawrence Alliance for Education voted to approve version 2 of the FY26 operating budget — $307,026,144 — after a presentation by finance staff that emphasized enrollment growth, grant funding, and staffing priorities.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6055926,"Cafeteria workers urge Lawrence Alliance for Education to secure fair contract",178,1106000,1284000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357&start=1106&end=1284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3313536-fb5e79f2212092e39a4814106d46b357/thumbnail_1106000.jpg","/articles/6055926/Massachusetts/Cafeteria-workers-urge-Lawrence-Alliance-for-Education-to-secure-fair-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055926-0a283017e094f1bf251743804dc4e26d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174471&Signature=K1-fkyZGsGoNsh3M72rf86NdFydrvurjefB~Ww-U3lsq9Sf~ri8ldIVm7pCq6QR0FI7SuEofalWN46D4yr2pQZZpgXtY83bU2ZZKf8dZb1XIBTL4YWyKC18FPNZBNFdnDpRucyLoJ6kiuzLitjvBsBM4x-UG4-ekQQui2giyHXlkpl2AG1LVbFCz11hoIgv7oULQIX12lHtY7sxkGWTxjiRXfLsmZnzXPNwrw8Kxb~bmnYgLNnZZro5N~I3wgWQi5p41XVp0uXyJcauh-KE2JGYeTanQTzWsG9hA4026VvzV4GGzOzykTM0gKWZX3RFmYgQIrFEB-kATYUaCB2T-LQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of Lawrence school cafeteria workers and supporters told the Lawrence Alliance for Education at the May 14 meeting they want a fair contract and higher pay.

Their appeal arrived during the board's public participation period as several cafeteria staff, longtime district employees and an elected school committee member said cost-of-living increases have left hourly wages unchanged despite added duties and regulatory responsibilities.

The comments matter because bargaining between the district and cafeteria staff unions remains unresolved and workers said they are in mediation. If the district and unions cannot reach agreement, staff said the dispute could affect meal service and school operations.

Several speakers described long service and low pay. “My name is Yovana Trinidad, and I am a cafeteria worker specifically for the South Lawrence East School,” said Yovana Trinidad, who asked the board to “consider our needs and we could negotiate and have flexibility on both parts.” Bertilia Benitez told the board she is paid $18 an hour after many years in the district and said, “We need a salary that is fair for all of us.” Aureliz Pujol said she has worked in the district for 20 years and that cafeteria workers “do not get a fair contract” at $18.76 per hour. Carmen Diaz, who works at Lawrence High School, said cafeteria workers have “been discriminated as workers” since February 2022 and called for better salaries and benefits.

School committee member Myra Ortiz told the board she stood in solidarity with cafeteria workers and said parents and the school committee are listening. “I stand in solidarity on equity and payment for all of our workers,” Ortiz said, and asked the district leadership to “take that listening posture and see what the board has and the superintendent has with this specific budget.”

Speakers said bargaining has been slow and that the union and district were in mediation. “We have been trying to negotiate since last year,” said Anna Sanchez, a district employee, adding the group had hoped recent leadership changes would help reach an agreement.

The board did not respond to public comments during the meeting; the public-comment rules were restated at the start of the session. The speakers said written comments could be submitted to the district email address listed by the board.

Board members and district staff later discussed budget and staffing items on the agenda, but the public-comment segment was described by the chair as a listening period during which board members do not respond.

Going forward, cafeteria workers asked the superintendent and the board to prioritize collective bargaining and to consider the cost-of-living impacts on hourly staff while negotiations continue.","Multiple cafeteria workers and supporters addressed the Lawrence Alliance for Education during public comment on May 14, asking the board and superintendent to negotiate a fair contract and higher pay amid rising living costs and stalled bargaining.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawrence educators return from Dominican Republic immersion, plan culturally responsive classroom changes

Board affirms CREST collaborative amendments for special education services

Lawrence Alliance for Education approves FY26 budget totaling $307,026,144

Cafeteria workers urge Lawrence Alliance for Education to secure fair contract