HOLYOKE — With the school district set to emerge from 10 years of commonwealth control in two months, a pair of faculty unions are saying too many state strictures will be left in place that impede local oversight and learning.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says the supports — so-called “exit assurances” — will help aid the changeover.
“The exit assurances are meant to assure a smooth transition from receivership to local control. With the support provided by these assurances, I am confident that Holyoke will be well prepared to resume full governance of the district on July 1,” state Education Secretary and interim Commissioner of Education Patrick Tutwiler said in a meeting on Tuesday.
Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, criticized the plan, saying the state showed nothing but contempt for educators in Holyoke by effectively leaving all of the worst elements of receivership in place.
“Keeping restrictions on educators’ professional autonomy will surely motivate them to leave Holyoke and harm students who need stability and deserve highly skilled teachers,” Page said.
Nick Cream is a teacher at Dean Tech in Holyoke and a member of the Holyoke Teachers Association. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File)The Republican
The provisions announced are very likely going to undermine Holyoke’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified educators, Nicholas Cream, president of the Holyoke Teachers Association, said.
The announcement about the exit assurances is a major breach of trust and a setback in the unions efforts to have public schools returned to authentic local control, he said.
“To be crystal clear, the HTA does not support what the state is imposing, and educators in this city are feeling betrayed,” Cream said.
Holyoke has been under state receivership for almost a decade after its schools were deemed chronically underperforming in 2015.
It is slated to be the first district to exit state receivership since the measure became law in 2010. Lawrence and Southbridge public schools are also designated as chronically underperforming districts.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Read the full article here
