Spencer-East Brookfield schools get scathing state report

Spencer-East Brookfield schools get scathing state report

By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

SPENCER — The Spencer East-Brookfield Regional School District has seen a decrease in student population, spends less per pupil than comparable districts, has low performance scores for students and does not evaluate teachers, according to a report from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The 61-page report details problems evaluators found during a site visit from June 10 to 12, during which they looked at records, spoke with district employees and parents, and sat in during classroom hours.

The report also contains information about the district's recent budget crisis, blaming the deficit on a "seriously flawed" financial plan created by the former superintendent. The report doesn't name him, but the superintendent at the time was Reza Namin, who resigned in February. The report says school committee members "allowed the budget to go forward in spite of warnings from staff and open conflict about its credibility."


From the report, it appears the then-chairman of the school committee was warned about the problem by an employee of the business office but did not tell the school committee, "for fear of reprisal by the superintendent against the employee." The chairman requested expenditure reports and was provided them each month but without a list of encumbrances. The report does not name the chairman, nor say when the warning was given.

Meanwhile, students were leaving the district, with enrollment dropping 7.7 percent from 2008 to 2012. And while voters were consistently funding the district at above the state-mandated net school spending amount, less than the average was being spent per pupil.

The district is at level 3, which is a status given "if they are among the lowest 20 percent of schools relative to other schools in the same grade span," according to the state's website. Because Knox Trail Junior High School is at level 3, the entire district is ranked at that level.

The evaluators found that the school system lacked consistent data on student performance, and while data teams were established, they met haphazardly and didn't always use the information collected "to improve instructional practices."

Part of the report focused on professional development, and found that while the district was participating in the Race to the Top grant program, the mandatory educator evaluation system was never put in place in 2012-13.

In fact, teachers ratified a new contract on April 20, 2013, but that agreement didn't include a clause allowing for the new evaluations. To prepare for the evaluations, the district bought iPads for evaluators to use with TeachPoint software, but the evaluations never happened.

The report concludes with 12 pages of recommendations. One is for school committee members so they can "better understand their role and responsibilities," including their part in creating the budget. Evaluators also said the committee should deal with frequent turnover of staff in the central office and try to mend its relationship with municipalities.

There are suggestions about developing curriculum, improving student achievement, increasing communication with parents and better using data.

The evaluating team also recommended that an agreement to allow teacher evaluations be "urgently" pursued, either through immediate negotiations or a memorandum of understanding.

School committee members said they will discuss the report at a future meeting, but the newly named chairman, Kevin Hayes, said the news is disappointing and he wants to wait to speak with state officials about the report at a meeting.

"We have little to be proud of. Short of a few glimmers of light, the report is devastating," Mr. Hayes said. "The committee will need to take a hard look at the way in which we do business and the product we are producing."

Mr. Hayes said that he plans to lead the committee in a direction that will be active in working with the superintendent and will meet their responsibilities to the district.