Statement of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees Relative to Plans to Expand In-Person Instruction
February 23, 2021
The Massachusetts Association of School Committees has been supportive of getting students back in class as soon as possible. Local school committees and superintendents have been working very hard to make this possible. We remain mindful that, while most parents are eager to see their children return to in-person instruction, there remain questions of immunization, overall school safety and budget that need to be resolved.
These decisions should remain in the hands of the people who are overseeing individual schools and school districts: school superintendents and school committees in consultation with parents and community members.
We are also concerned that students not be rushed back to in-person classes in order to expedite high-stakes testing and enforcing standards of accountability that would be based on learning acquired during a severely disrupted school year.
In the meantime, we hope to work with DESE and Commissioner Riley to provide a reasonable framework for getting students back to school in a way that is expeditious and inspires confidence that the decisions are made in the interests of safety of students and school personnel.
Glenn Koocher
Executive Director
MA Association of School Committees