School Committee approves curriculum opt-out policy; discusses state career and technical education, competency determination policies

The School Committee this week approved a Waltham Public Schools handbook update to include language allowing caregivers to opt students out of curriculum with reference to LGBTQ+ identities.

Committee member Edmund Tarallo voted against the update at the Oct. 22 meeting. He had called the policy “atrocious” at its second reading on Sept. 18.

The policy states that in compliance with state regulations, WPS encourages respect for the human and civil rights of everyone, and in compliance with district guidelines, caregivers and guardians can request information about curriculum accommodations from a building’s principal or the assistant superintendent.

The committee’s vote came after tabling action on it at its prior two meetings.

Committee member James Zanghi commented on the approved policy, mentioning harmful rhetoric towards the LGBTQ+ community across the country and calling on schools to continue supporting all students.

“It’s more important than ever to support inclusive curriculum and policies that support and affirm everyone,” Zanghi said. “This decision does not impact any student’s rights to be themselves, to talk about LGBTQ+ issues and to have student clubs like GSAs on the same conditions as other student extracurricular clubs.”

The committee unanimously approved a motion made by Zanghi, seconded by Tarallo, requesting future discussion about plans to make WPS a sanctuary district.

State career and technical education policies

The committee heard the first reading of two proposed updates to its career and technical education policies regarding high school CTE enrollment and exposure to CTE programs at the middle school level.

Michael Grace, Waltham High School CTE department director, explained that the proposed policy update aligns with state regulations requiring admissions policies for state-funded public high school CTE programs comply with state and federal laws as well as guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and U.S. Department of Education.

Grace said that if CTE programs are overenrolled, the school will use a blind lottery system for admission to both the WHS exploratory program and Chapter 74 vocational pathways. He said a blind lottery system will be used for wait list spots for each, too.

At the beginning of the meeting, Tricia Hurley, a WHS parent, shared her concerns about admitting students through a lottery not based on grades, conduct and attendance.

“In the real world jobs are not handed out by chance,” Hurley said. “Employers and colleges don’t pull names out of a hat. They look for people who show up, work hard and have proven they can handle responsibility. Why should we prepare our students any differently?”

Tarallo also spoke on the proposed policy, saying that a lottery shouldn’t prevent students from being involved in CTE programs.

“For it to just be pure luck I think is destroying some of the potential and the flow of our programs,” Tarallo said. “I’d like to see us grow our program to include more seats.”

Grace explained that in addition to blind lotteries, DESE guidance allows for weighted lotteries that would consider student interest, discipline and attendance for admission, but the criteria are difficult to accurately track.

Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa responded that blind lotteries give all interested students an equal chance at seats in programs with limited capacity.

“There’s some human error that occurs when you start to weigh things in different areas,” Mendonsa said. “You can’t guarantee spots for every single student regardless of if they’re excelling in all the areas or not.”

Additionally, Grace introduced a proposed policy expanding CTE pathway exploration to the middle school level in compliance with state requirements to expose younger students to future opportunities.

The district’s proposed Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy would use My Career and Academic Plan, a college and career planning initiative, to help middle school students explore high school CTE programs through tours, exploration field trips for eighth graders, community forums and communication with families. 

Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy requested Grace provide the committee with more information on the proposed lottery system before voting.

The committee unanimously voted to table both proposed CTE policies.

Additionally, the School Committee

• Heard the first reading of a proposal to update the WHS competency determination policy, a high school graduation requirement, to comply with DESE required revisions of district CD policies.

• Heard updates from Whittemore Elementary School, MacArthur Elementary School and Waltham Dual Language School improvement plans based on student learning goals, professional practice goals and student engagement or family and community engagement goals.

• Unanimously approved a transfer of $2,294,406 from the district’s salary and other cost accounts to cover funding reallocation in the district from the operating budget during the 2025 fiscal year.

• Heard monthly updates on finance and operations, curriculum and instruction, pupil services and family and community engagement from Chad Mazza, Sharon Conley, Kate Peretz and Raymond Porch, members of the district’s executive team.

• Received a donation to Northeast Elementary School of 1,000 gently used children’s books from nonprofits Read Your World and Catching Joy to host a free book fair for students.

• Recognized WHS librarian Reba Tierney for her recent election as president of the Massachusetts School Library Association.

• Unanimously approved a continuation to the WHS early college program provided by MetroWest College Planning Collaborative in collaboration with Framingham State University and MassBay Community College.

• Heard WHS updates from three students about Preliminary SATs, sports playoffs, homecoming pep rally and dance, as well as the theater department’s work on its musical “Anything Goes,” with shows set for Nov. 19 to Nov. 21.