Behaving Equitably
Quality Review: Sept 23rd, 2021 by Somaly Prak-Martins
Mission: The Milton Public School’s mission is to educate, challenge, and empower ALL students to be productive, caring and contributing members of society.
Vision: The district envisions a district with excellent instruction in every classroom, where learning experiences are aligned with students’ individual strengths and needs, and where attention to academic and social emotional growth are balanced so that every child achieves at high levels and develops a strong sense of self. We see a district of intellectual discourse and professional learning at all levels – students, faculty, and administration – in which there are structures and processes for continual reflection, innovation, and data driven decision-making. We know that such a district is achievable if: we facilitate instruction that instills a passion for learning, curiosity, and critical thinking skills; we are committed to cultural competency; we foster a positive approach to behavioral health of children; and we build strong partnerships with families and the community.
District Profile 2019-2020 School Year
In 2019-20 school-year, The Milton Public Schools served just over 4,400 students in four elementary schools: Collicot Elementary School, Cunningham Elementary School, Glover Elementary School, and Tucker Elementary School; one middle school - Pierce Middle School; and one high school - Milton High School. In addition, Milton offers a developmental preschool, before and after school programs and summer school programs. Relative to other suburban school districts in the Metro West and South Shore areas of Massachusetts, the Milton Public Schools is uniquely diverse, proudly serving students with the following demographics- 13.1% African-American; 7.5% Asian; 5% Hispanic; .1% Native American; 68.8% White; .1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; and 5.4 % Multi-Race (doe.mass.edu). In addition, approximately 12% of our students qualify for free and reduced priced lunch (FRL), 26.4% high needs, 16% students with disability (SWD), and 2.1 English language learners (ELL).
Although the majority of the district is performing above the state average on MCAS, why are some groups of students consistently not achieving at a high level?
The Quality Review
In the summer of 2020, the district self identified the existence of disciplinary and achievement disparities with our economically disadvantage, African American/Black and Students with Disability population compared to their peers. Diving deeper into the data, the district realized the need to obtain an impartial review from an outside credible source. In the summer of 2020, the district put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting outside consulting companies to bid on the work. Through this process Cambridge Education was selected to conduct a comprehensive review of the district. From January 2021 through July 2021, the district underwent a Quality Review Through the Lens of Equity (QREL) to better understand the factors that support and/or hinder equity in the district.
Understanding the importance of planning and implementing this urgent work with fidelity, the district built a Quality Review Steering Committee consisting of parents/guardians, educators (from the district), district leaders, students, and community partners. This committee is charged with synthesizing the report and steering the district towards becoming a more equitable district.
The overarching results were presented by Cambridge on July 21, 2021 at a school committee meeting. The final report was shared with the district on Friday September 10, 2021.
The district has shared this report with the staff. However, this is only the beginning of our efforts. The real work begins now. To fully engage in the effort of change, the district and steering committee has to fully identify and understand the "problem". We will be spending the next few months collectively identifying and understanding the "problem/s". Once we calibrate and collectively prioritize the work, we will share our theory/ies of action. The district has full intentions to prioritize equity work and incorporate the findings of the Quality Review in our strategic plan. Equity can and will be immersed in every single goal that the district sets.
We will continue to share our efforts to becoming a more equitable school district in this newsletter. In addition, the district is planning to have a Quality Review information session for the community in October. Stay tuned for more details.
The MIlton Public School District
The Town of Milton is a contemporary suburban community in eastern Massachusetts that prides itself on tree-lined streets, rich diversity, and acres of protected open space. Milton is unique in that it has the most privately and publicly conserved land within 20 miles of Boston, giving the town a bucolic atmosphere in close proximity to the cultural and business opportunities in the Greater Boston area. Milton residents have quick access to major highways such as Routes 128, Interstate 93 and Interstate 95. Residents can also access the Red Line into Boston via the Mattapan Trolley.
In 2019/2020 school-year, The Milton Public Schools served just over 4,400 students in four elementary schools: Collicot Elementary School, Cunningham Elementary School, Glover Elementary School, and Tucker Elementary School; one middle school- the Pierce Middle School; and one high school- Milton High School. In addition, Milton offers a developmental preschool, before and after school programs and summer school programs. Relative to other suburban school districts in the Metro West and South Shore areas of Massachusetts, the Milton Public Schools is uniquely diverse, proudly serving students with the following demographics- 13.1% African-American; 7.5% Asian; 5% Hispanic; .1% Native American; 68.8% White; .1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; and 5.4 % Multi-Race (doe.mass.edu). In addition, approximately 12% of our students qualify for free and reduced priced lunch (FRL), 26.4% high needs, 16% students with disability (SWD), and 2.1 English language learners (ELL).
Email: sprak-martins@miltonps.org
Website: www.miltonps.org
Location: 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA, USA
Phone: (617)696-4478