Mass. DESE lifts extra oversight after Brockton Public Schools meets MOU goals, district says

The Brockton School Committee heard on April 1 that the memorandum of understanding between Brockton Public Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has concluded after the district met the terms, the superintendent said.

“DESE’s acknowledgement of progress covers areas like reducing separate placements, improved support of our multilingual learners, reimagined financial practices, and our offerings in the career and technical education space,” the superintendent said, describing a multi-year agreement that originally followed a 2020 district review.

Why it matters: the MOU was a formal partnership created after DESE’s district review; it contained 15 provisions spanning access and equity for English learners and students with disabilities, safety and security, and fiscal practices. The superintendent said DESE revised the MOU in February 2024 by adding provisions and continued to check progress annually.

What concluded: the superintendent told the committee that DESE expressed satisfaction with the district’s progress and allowed the district to “exit” the MOU, while noting that routine DESE supports remain for specific schools or programs that continue to need intervention. The district also submitted a letter of assurance committing to sustain the work.

Background: under the MOU DESE had scheduled regular check‑ins with district leadership. The superintendent framed the conclusion as recognition of sustained improvement and credited school staff and leaders across the district.

Next steps: the superintendent said she will ask district communications to issue a summary of progress and that the district will continue to work with DESE on targeted supports where needed.

Speakers quoted in this article include the superintendent (identified at the meeting by role).