The Massachusetts secretary of education gave updates this week on the agency’s commissioner search, as well as Holyoke’s exit from receivership and how the state is handling pressure from the Trump administration.
Dr. Patrick Tutwiler says he is “pleased” to accept a recommendation for the state’s next Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner: CEO of Chicago Public Schools Pedro Martinez.
The outgoing head of CPS was put forward by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education last week – recommended by Tutwiler himself, who is also currently serving as interim commissioner.
“I am formally pleased to accept the board’s recommendation of Mr. Martinez,” he said during the BESE’s regular meeting Tuesday, April 29. “The next step in this process involves negotiations of a formal contract and determining a state date,”
Tutwiler took on the role in March, following the departure of the last interim commissioner, Dr. Russell Johnston. Martinez, previously a superintendent in Nevada and Texas, earned praise from most all of the board during their recommendation vote. Several members cited his history of closing achievement gaps and focusing on learners experiencing poverty as well as multilingual students.
Reports say he'll likely finish the school year in Chicago. He appeared to be departing anyway after a disagreement with the city’s mayor ended with him being fired without cause.
Updates on state responses to federal actions
There was also an update Tuesday on the state’s response to the Trump administration – including a federal move to cancel millions in COVID relief funding for schools in March.
“Districts had already obligated the money for a variety of pandemic related-items and expected to have another year in which to finish those projects,” Tutwiler said. “Massachusetts Attorney General [Andrea] Campbell has joined more than a dozen other states in suing the administration to restore state access to these funds, which, in Massachusetts, totaled $106 million and impacted 20 districts.”
Among the hardest hit districts was Springfield, which was expecting $47 million in reimbursements for numerous projects – many of which were practically finished.
In early April, SPS officials announced they had been reassured by the state to keep filing for the funds. Tuesday’s meeting affirmed the Commonwealth is stepping in.
“The state has made the commitment, at this time, so the 20 districts who still have spending - the state has been paying those claims, we just haven't been able to draw the revenue back,” explained Bill Bell, DESE’s chief financial officer. “We're trying to fulfill the commitment to the school districts who had school improvement projects tied to COVID relief.”
The education secretary also mentioned AG Campbell is taking part in another lawsuit involving 20 states suing the Trump administration over threatening to withhold education funding over DEI initiatives.
At the same time, he noted DESE is working with the AG regarding federal actions affecting the state’s refugee and immigrant populations.
“Federal actions around immigration are also a concern for many of our school communities, in some cases, resulting in extended absences for students,” the education secretary said. “We are working with the Attorney General's office and the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants to keep districts updated on policy changes that can impact immigrant status.”
Assurances and protests in Holyoke
Tutwiler also touched on a trip he took to Holyoke the day before. At a school committee meeting Monday, Tutwiler said the school district was on track to exit receivership as planned on July 1 – 10 years after chronic underperformance led to state control.
A turnaround plan calling for numerous reforms and changes was created as a result. A decade later, he says some of its provisions will be sticking around to “sustain the district’s progress,” part of what the state calls “exit assurances.”
“The issuance of the exit assurances is another key milestone in Holyoke’s transition out of receivership, as they will allow local leaders and stakeholders to plan for the future with more certainty,” Tutwiler told the rest of the board Tuesday. “With the support that will be provided by the exit assurances, I am purely confident that they will be well-prepared to resume full governance of the district on July 1, as planned”
Among the provisions sticking around a while longer were turnaround plan items dealing with collective bargaining.
According to members of the Holyoke Teachers Association, it means policies limiting what the union can bargain over, like the length of the school day and year, will continue along with a professional compensation system and evaluation system the union considers “some of the worst aspects of state receivership.”
The HTA, as well as the Massachusetts Teachers Association, immediately criticized the assurances Monday night. Days later, the announcement led to protests, with Holyoke teachers staging walk-ins Thursday morning.
When asked about the HTA’s response, DESE spokesperson Jacqueline Reis tells WAMC the assurances announced Monday were “we developed in consultation with local stakeholders, including the teachers' union.”
A statement from Reis reads in-part:
“These measures are needed to provide stability and ensure that Holyoke Public Schools are set up for success when they exit receivership, such as preserving early literacy programming, robust communication with families, and educator compensation and professional development."
