Commissioner Recommends Receivership For Southbridge Schools

As many expected, Commissioner Mitchell Chester recommended that the State take over the Southbridge school system and place it in receivership.

The exact details of how that action will occur still require that several steps be played out. The first is a public hearing here in Southbridge on January 25^th followed by a vote of the Board of Directors of the DESE on January 26^th or February 23^rd.

Assuming the Board votes to support the Commissioner a Turnaround Plan will be worked out between the DESE,  the group or individual chosen as receiver and local stakeholders. Until this plan is issued all the details of the receivership remain speculative.

The Commissioner’s  press release follows:

DESE Commissioner: “No comment” On Southbridge School Committee Action

Mitchell Chester

Ken O'Brien

On December 28 the Southbridge School Committee held an emergency special meeting to discuss a letter from DESE Commissioner Mitchell Chester. In his letter the Commissioner advised that the committee suspend its search for a permanent Superintendent pending the Board of Education’s decision on receivership for the district.

After emerging from executive session, the committee voted five to zero to continue its search.

The following day I contacted the Commissioner’s office to determine if he had any response to that action 

Herding Cats

On December 15^th the Board of Directors of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education met in Malden. On their agenda was the issue of the continuing underperformance of the Southbridge school system.

The Worcester Telegram reported, “Deeply troubled about the state of Southbridge public schools, Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester said a recommendation to place the district in Level 5 receivership is not off the table.” 

The Boston Globe Editorial Board On The Holyoke Receivership

Holyoke schools have the best chance if the state takes over

ByThe Editorial Board   APRIL 06, 2015

Massachusetts Education Commissioner
 Mitchell Chester recommended the
 state take over Holyoke schools.

Chronically underperforming

school districts are often a hodgepodge of dysfunctional components. They require dramatic and decisive intervention in order to give their students a better shot at success. The Holyoke Public Schools have reached that crossroads. Late last month, State Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester recommended that the state take over the Holyoke schools and bring in outside help. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education should grant Chester’s request to put the district into receivership — a proven path to improving struggling schools. 

Southbridge Schools: What Next?

Ken O'Brien

The Worcester Telegram has described the recently issued report on the Southbridge school district as “scathing”.

Anybody who read the report on this site two days in advance of the Telegram article didn’t need to be told that.

What we did get from the Telegram article was a repetition of the views of Southbridge School Committee Chairman Scott Lazo. He summed up his comments by saying, “…we are ready to correct a five-year mess.”

His comments have been echoed in the past by former Chairman of the Committee, Jack Jovan.

As the report makes eminently clear, the problems go back to 2004 when the district was first declared underperforming. Trying to limit it to the last five years is grossly unrealistic.

DESE Head Mitchell Chester In Southbridge December 11

Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester will visit Southbridge this Friday, December 11. He will be accompanied by the author of the report on the site visit assessment of Southbridge schools.

Southbridge Middle/High School is one location Mr. Chester plans to visit.

His visit comes shortly before a planned presentation to the School Committee of the report on the assessment of Southbridge schools prepared following a site visit in October. That presentation will be made to the School Committee on December 15.