Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
The Innovation School Subcommittee reviewed the timeline and processes to convert eight Springfield schools to innovation status, including planning-committee composition, a two‑thirds teacher approval requirement, eight separate public comment sessions and a five‑year term for approved plans.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
Parents told the Springfield Public Schools subcommittee that a Dec. 10 safety-driven change to ‘door-to-door’ bus pickups disrupted routines for students with IEPs; the district cited a risk assessment and the subcommittee agreed to investigate a van, retrain care-site staff and create parent app training.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
The committee approved a $28,859 DESE student health grant, larger earmarks for facilities and multilingual supports (transcript referenced ~$550,000 and $510,000 earmarks), adopted the FY27 budget calendar and created an executive director position for innovation schools; all motions passed by roll call with one member absent.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
District leaders reported rising AP completion, improved FAFSA submission rates, myCAP completion around 52%, and expanding Innovation Career Pathways at Central, Renaissance and Conservatory with industry partnerships (Project Lead the Way, Spark Photonics/Intel) and pilots in clean energy and building trades.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
Riley Hernandez, president of the Springfield Education Association, presented a petition asking the committee to negotiate a mutual agreement ensuring waivers in returning Empowerment Zone schools will be subject to collective bargaining in 2028; he said educators received insufficient answers about bargaining status and five-year prospectus locks.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
Multiple parents and special-education teachers told the school committee that recent transportation changes, chronic understaffing and inadequate facilities are creating safety risks for students with disabilities and for staff, and they called for contract compliance, training and increased paraprofessional pay.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
The Springfield Public Schools Budget & Finance Subcommittee on Jan. 28 voted to recommend three state grant expenditures totaling $1,088,859, approved a revised FY27 budget calendar with broader public distribution and an earlier April start time, and authorized posting for an Executive Director of Innovation Schools position.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
Members discussed setting an early‑spring retreat date, reserving every other Wednesday for subcommittee meetings, and adding two town‑hall sessions (fall and spring) to improve public access while noting legal limits on in‑meeting responses.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
Members voted to enter executive session under Massachusetts General Laws c.30A §21(a)(3) to discuss collective bargaining demands from the Springfield Education Association about transitioning employees at ZEP schools to locally controlled innovation schools; the motion passed on a roll call vote and the meeting was set to reconvene at 06:30.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Springfield Public Schools
New and returning Springfield School Committee members were sworn in at the committee's organizational meeting; members elected Latonya Monroe Naylor as vice chair and approved committee rules, subcommittee names and chairs, and an Innovation Schools special subcommittee. Attorneys briefed members on ethics and open-meeting obligations.