Jenny’s Education Plan

We have a collective responsibility to make all of our public schools safe and supportive environments where teachers and staff feel valued, and students can gain critical skills necessary to be successful in school and life. Marblehead, Swampscott, and Lynn all have good schools with hard-working, dedicated teachers and staff. But differences in education quality persist – across the 8th Essex district and the Commonwealth – especially for low-income students and students of color. 

The past two plus years have been hard on all of us, but they were particularly hard on students and parents. It is critical that as we emerge from the pandemic, we pay special attention to our children, who have had to endure a confusing, and sometimes traumatic, upending of daily life. Too many students are not working at grade level. They understandably fell behind during remote learning – and they have yet to catch up. Their ability to do so is complicated by a mental health crisis that is challenging families and schools. Now more than ever, we must take action to support the whole student – their social, emotional, AND academic well-being. 

Using existing federal dollars and new state funds, Massachusetts should create a focused effort to bridge the gaps and build the skills missed during COVID – a COVID Recovery for Kids that takes a holistic approach to supporting children and educators. Our city and town budgets have been pushed to their limits. They need help from state government, especially if we are to ensure that recovery takes place equitably in every community for every child. These funds could provide:

• Additional adjustment counselors in schools to meet individual student needs, including wrap-around services that provide targeted support. These counselors could create mental health programming for the wider school community, including educators and parents. 

• Professional development to help teachers build supportive relationships with students.

• Community-based and school-based activities that help our youngest learners learn social/emotional skills. This includes after-school programming. 

• Robust extracurricular options for high school students. Studies show older learners find their motivation and inspiration from extracurriculars, which in turn, inspire greater classroom engagement and achievement.

This year’s kindergarten class is the first to have gone without pre-K programming (for those who could afford it). Talk to a kindergarten teacher. They will explain the behavioral challenges and learning gaps they are valiantly managing right now. These real-time experiences underscore the need for quality, affordable early education and care in Massachusetts. Supporting children in their earliest years helps close the achievement gaps that emerge later; it saves special education dollars because students are less likely to need those services; and early education creates a solid foundation that builds right through high school graduation. 

As our State Representative, I will support The Common Start Coalition’s legislation that develops a five-year pathway to a universal system of early education and care, making it affordable for our lowest-income families and increasing pay for educators. We have known for a long time that inequality starts well before kindergarten. COVID has provided real-time proof.

We must address these issues head on, and we know it often comes down to resources. To that end, I fully support the proposed “Fair Share Amendment” to increase the tax on income over $1 million by 4%, with the resulting revenue devoted to education and transportation needs. In addition, the state is currently benefiting from soaring tax revenues, a portion of which should be set aside for education. 

In addition, let’s work together to:

• Assess our reliance on standardized tests. Research shows that standardized test scores are simply not a good way to measure a school’s performance. By relying on standardized tests, we only measure a small fraction of what we need to understand if our kids are learning and thriving, while unfairly dedicating an inordinate amount of classroom time “teaching to a test.” We need new ways of measuring school quality that more fairly and comprehensively gauge educational effectiveness. To do this, we must start by gathering input from our communities – including teachers, advocacy groups, parents, and community members whose primary language is not English – on what they believe constitutes a good school. And we need to include student voices in the discussion about school quality. If elected, I will seek to fund pilot programs that explore alternative assessment frameworks that incorporate multiple factors, such as surveys on school culture, test score growth, and the adequacy of a school’s facilities and curriculum, to more holistically measure school performance. And I will use my voice to call out this need.

• Support early college programs in our high schools. These programs allow high school students to take career-oriented college classes during the course of their school day – at no cost. They accrue credits that can save them time and money later, and they develop skills and habits that enable them to be successful once they enter college or a profession. Those not heading to a four-year degree program can also earn certifications that enable them to find well-paying jobs after graduation.  

• Continue the push for equity in our schools. In 2019, Massachusetts enacted the Student Opportunities Act, which updated the foundation budget formula and brought a much-needed infusion of resources and support to school districts across the Commonwealth. This law is essential to achieving educational equity, especially for low-income students, students with special needs, and English Language Learners. I fully support this law, and will work tirelessly to ensure that it is adequately funded. Moreover, with research showing the adverse effects of segregation in Massachusetts schools, I will support measures – such as this bill by our district’s Senator Crighton – that work to further school integration and create diverse school environments that are welcoming to all.