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Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE)

Board Documents — April 2024

Regular Meeting

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Wellesley High School
50 Rice Street
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481
Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Posted: 4/19/2024 4:30 p.m.

Statements from the Public*
Comments from the Chair
Comments from the Secretary
  • FAFSA
  • House Budget
Comments from the Acting Commissioner
  • Receiverships (Lawrence, Southbridge, Holyoke)
  • Felix Commonwealth Virtual School
  • Brockton
  • FAFSA
  • Perkins State Plan

Routine Business:

Approval of the Minutes of the March 26, 2024 Regular Meeting

Agenda Items:

  1. Welcome from Wellesley Public Schools

  2. Update on Commissioner Search — Discussion

  3. Update on the Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Discussion

  4. Update on DESE's Educational Vision
    1. Literacy Launch Discussion
    2. Early College Discussion

  5. Education Budget Update: House Ways and Means FY25 State Education Budget Recommendations Discussion

Other Items for Information:

  1. Report on Grants Approved by the Commissioner

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members

  • Ms. Katherine Craven, Chair, Brookline
  • Mr. Matt Hills, Vice-Chair, Newton
  • Dr. Ericka Fisher, Worcester
  • Ms. Ela Gardiner, Wellesley, Student Member
  • Ms. Farzana Mohamed, Newton
  • Mr. Michael Moriarty, Holyoke
  • Mr. Paymon Rouhanifard, Brookline
  • Ms. Dálida Rocha, Worcester
  • Ms. Mary Ann Stewart, Lexington
  • Dr. Patrick A. Tutwiler, Secretary of Education, Andover
  • Dr. Martin West, Newton

Russell D. Johnston, Acting Commissioner
Secretary to the Board

The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded. Here is the link: livestreamed and recorded

*The Board welcomes public comment on matters within its purview. Accordingly, the Board makes available a maximum 30-minute period at its regular meetings for persons in the audience to address the Board for no longer than 3 minutes. Written material of any length may be submitted. Preference will be given to persons who seek to address the Board on specific agenda items for the upcoming Board meeting. Agendas for upcoming Board meetings are generally posted 5 days prior to the meeting on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's website. Persons wishing to speak are strongly encouraged to submit their request before the day of the meeting; contact information is provided below. Preference will be given to those who submit requests by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the regular Tuesday meeting. If time permits, the Chair will allow members of the public who have not contacted the Department in advance to speak in the public comment period; those individuals must sign in prior to the start of the meeting. The Chair may limit the number of speakers due to time constraints and may increase or reduce the time allocated per speaker. While there is no requirement to submit comments in writing, a speaker who elects to do so should submit 15 copies of their comments prior to or at the meeting for distribution to Board members. Requests to address the Board, written comments, and other inquiries may be transmitted by mail, e-mail, fax, or telephone to: Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149, Phone: 781-338-3112, Fax: 781-338-3770, Email: BoardofEducation@mass.gov . Please make any requests for special accommodations or interpretation services at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.

Last Updated: April 29, 2024

 
Contact Us

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

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