SWAMPSCOTT— The School Committee voted to adopt the Student Opportunity Act Plan for the district at their latest meeting Thursday night. The vote passed unanimously 4-0, with member John Giantis departing from the meeting before the vote was taken.
The plan, submitted to the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, has a goal of improving academic performance and reducing chronic absenteeism among students of multiple demographics, including students with disabilities, students who speak English as a second language, and students who come from low-income families.
Swampscott Director of Teaching and Learning Dr. Jean Bacon led a presentation along with Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Martha Raymond and Middle School Assistant Principal Emily Zotto in which they shared data gathered on both a local and state-wide scope.
“One of the most significant gaps that we noticed in academic performance was for our students with disabilities at the middle school,” Bacon said. “In 2023, only 10 percent of our students with disabilities met our expectations on the ELA and Math MCAS.”
Bacon emphasized that based on data gathered, middle school students tend to struggle more than any other level.
The presentation contained evidence-based strategies that they recommended to the Committee. To improve academic performance for middle school students with disabilities, they recommended the adoption and implementation of high-quality instruction materials as well as the expansion of the existing co-teaching model.
The two strategies presented to decrease chronic absenteeism included training all educators on developing effective family partnerships, and developing multi-tiered systems of support for academics as well as social, emotional, and behavioral skills.
The strategy for absenteeism at the elementary level was simply the impending opening of the town’s new elementary school.
While the more specific timeline has not yet been determined, the proposed plan is three years in length, and is expected to deliver positive results each year. Bacon revealed that an aspect of putting the strategies together involved soliciting input from the Swampscott community, including families, educators and town leadership.
$163,409 has been granted by the state to help fund the program. Committee member Amy O’Connor made the point that this funding does not adequately supplement the district budget administered by the town.
“I think it really speaks more to the work that we have to do with the town, in terms of them understanding that we’re getting $163,000 more from the state,” O’Connor said. “This is very specifically to meet a specific need. It’s not just $163,000.”
She contrasted these funds with funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act during the Covid-19 pandemic, in that the $163,000 can only be used for the Opportunity Act Plan.
Zotto said that the immediate next step in the plan is to train all teachers and administrators in implementing the plan’s strategies.
