Another great article, Aislinn, and one that again shows your behind-the-scenes diligence – your 11/4 email, which should have been responded to within 10 days. Worcester’s School Committee can’t sit on executive-session minutes for two years. Massachusetts law requires minutes to be maintained, reviewed, and released once secrecy is no longer justified. Ignoring public requests only deepens concerns. When a third of the Committee has immediate family employed by the district, clear documentation of recusals isn’t optional; it’s the only way to maintain trust. Penalties can go beyond an order to release the minutes, could even (though I’m reading only rarely in egregious cases) result in nullification of some actions taken during the sessions. Here’s a complaint form you could file with the AG under the MA Open Meeting Law.https://www.mass.gov/doc/oml-complaint-form-2025/download?
This is the most recent/best report (that I'm aware of, at least) that looks at barriers to "braiding" head start funds with other sources of public pre-k funding. Especially in a time of deep funding cuts, It's frustrating when the money basically exists for a better model, yet the bureacracy of it all prevents us from using the money to it's full potential, as you point out. Anyway, hope you find this useful. If you like, I can put you in touch with the lead author - https://tcf.org/content/report/early-childhood-programs-that-blend-and-braid-funding-to-achieve-diversity/
Another great article, Aislinn, and one that again shows your behind-the-scenes diligence – your 11/4 email, which should have been responded to within 10 days. Worcester’s School Committee can’t sit on executive-session minutes for two years. Massachusetts law requires minutes to be maintained, reviewed, and released once secrecy is no longer justified. Ignoring public requests only deepens concerns. When a third of the Committee has immediate family employed by the district, clear documentation of recusals isn’t optional; it’s the only way to maintain trust. Penalties can go beyond an order to release the minutes, could even (though I’m reading only rarely in egregious cases) result in nullification of some actions taken during the sessions. Here’s a complaint form you could file with the AG under the MA Open Meeting Law.https://www.mass.gov/doc/oml-complaint-form-2025/download?
This is the most recent/best report (that I'm aware of, at least) that looks at barriers to "braiding" head start funds with other sources of public pre-k funding. Especially in a time of deep funding cuts, It's frustrating when the money basically exists for a better model, yet the bureacracy of it all prevents us from using the money to it's full potential, as you point out. Anyway, hope you find this useful. If you like, I can put you in touch with the lead author - https://tcf.org/content/report/early-childhood-programs-that-blend-and-braid-funding-to-achieve-diversity/
Thank you for sharing that!