SHAPE THE CAMPAIGN

What you said about your top issues at CPS:

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Academics need improving:

• CPS needs to be oriented towards LEARNING. For all kids across the learning distribution. The achievement gap matters, the underambitious curriculum / dumbing down material matters. Why cant
  we be like Brookline or Belmont?

• Losing eighth grade algebra means we will not consider coming back to cps

• Every CPS graduate should be good to great on math and science given where Cambridge is located. It's shameful that we're graduating students with poor reading skills.

• Schools seem concerned with “meeting” grade level. Grade level is ridiculously low.

• I would like to see a focus on high math achievement for all - including an expectation that every 8th grader complete algebra 1. I have seen the math curriculum dumbed down.

• Reading levels should be a main focal point

• Math equity and justice around this since studies are demonstrating math literacy is more predictive of an academic success. I am shocked my now first grader would not have access to Algebra in 8th grade!! How is she supposed to get to calculus by 12th grade. Completely unacceptable. I want to know more about the race/ethnicity distribution of kids in AP/honors classes in High school. I’m nervous to find out that there will be few AA kids or Latinx kids in those classes, particularly math and science. I have more to say about his issue!! Thank you!!

 

Communication is inadequate / feedback mechanisms are missing:

• Communication on goals and changes feels very obtuse and hard to understand as a parent

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Lack of Feedback / ability to communicate with CPS

• It is difficult to find the place to discuss concerning issues like high academic expectations and lack of discipline.

• When my child went thru CPS (2003-2016) the admin seemed to function in a bubble, never open to learning from an incredibly rich local concentration of education experts. They were always circling their wagons, fearful of criticism. The school committee did nothing to push back and allowed for the squelching of individualism in the name of equity but really for centralizing power and simplifying management/control. It always seems that management folks do not include good educators.

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Afterschool needs to be part of the solution

• Top issue isn’t listed: integration with after school care

• Afterschool Availability

 

Special ed considerations​

• Kids with certain disabilities excluded from K. My daughter wasn’t allowed to enter K so missed lottery

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Additional concerns

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• Overall, we've been really happy with CPS. It would be nice if programs had spots for everyone — the lotteries are stressful — but it might be the best worst option currently.