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Framingham School Committee removes Harmony Grove’s International Baccalaureate designation
Summary
The Framingham School Committee voted unanimously Dec. 4 to remove the International Baccalaureate designation from Harmony Grove Elementary, a move administrators said will let the district better align curriculum with state priorities and focus on literacy without cutting staff.
The Framingham School Committee voted unanimously on Dec. 4 to approve the district’s recommendation to remove the International Baccalaureate (IB) designation for Harmony Grove Elementary School.
Judy Steyer, the committee member presenting the motion, said the district recommended the change to better align Harmony Grove with initiatives identified by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and to concentrate efforts on raising the school’s accountability ratings. "The motion I'm going to propose this evening is to approve the district's recommendation to remove the international baccalaureate designation for Harmony Grove Elementary School," Steyer said.
Superintendent Dr. Trembley/Tremblay told the committee the decision is administrative and not tied to personnel reductions. "This is not required. There's no staff lost," he said, adding the district intends to retain the valuable elements of the IB model and integrate them more broadly across schools.
Several members acknowledged the benefits of IB programming but supported the administration’s approach to preserve IB “tenets” without keeping the formal designation. David Gordon, who said he had experience with IB programs, cautioned the committee to consider long‑term pathways if the district later sought to reintroduce IB rigor at higher grade levels.
The Teaching and Learning Subcommittee had recommended removing the IB designation on Nov. 18, 2024. The committee’s vote was taken by roll call and recorded as unanimous.
What happens next: the district said it will continue using elements of the IB approach where they align with district goals while focusing targeted efforts on literacy and school improvement at Harmony Grove.
