Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dorchester 02 staff update alternative‑education policy, board questions parental‑involvement requirements
Summary
At a May 18 policy meeting, Miss Graham presented edits to make the alternative‑education policy apply to both the RISE program and an elementary alternative program; board members pressed for clarity on required parent involvement and whether families must sign participation agreements.
Miss Graham, the district staff presenter, told the board on May 18 that the alternative‑education policy has been edited so it applies to both the district’s RISE program and a new elementary alternative program. “We wanted to provide some updates to make it applicable to both programs,” she said, explaining that the changes move a paragraph to the top of the document and separate language for middle/high versus elementary programs.
The board’s chair asked whether the draft specifies an elementary requirement for parent involvement. Miss Graham said the policy text does not currently mandate a uniform parental‑involvement requirement and that principals would likely address expectations during individual student orientation. She described an orientation process that reviews program expectations with students and parents and said staff plan to include “an agreement from the student to parent.”
Other board members pressed practical questions about how that orientation would work and whether parents would be required to sign a contract. A presenter said the plan is to have individualized student plans and that parent involvement “might look different for another student,” depending on needs. The discussion ranged from concerns that some parents may be unable to attend to the need to tie participation to accountability when the alternative placement is used in lieu of expulsion.
Miss Graham and board members also discussed whether middle‑ and high‑school participants already sign agreements that include parent‑education or community‑service expectations and whether a districtwide practice should be documented. The board agreed to move the revised policy forward from committee for further processing.
The board did not take a formal recorded vote on the policy at the May 18 meeting; next procedural steps were not specified during the session.
