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Meeting report · Board of Education
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Board of Education — March 24, 2026

The meeting featured a structured legal debate between union representatives and administration, characterized by pointed questioning regarding contractual violations and working conditions.

Date Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Duration 0.7h Speakers 12 Public comments 6 Decisions 1 Lively
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During the March 24 Board of Education meeting, the Board addressed a formal grievance filed by the Stamford Education Association (SEA) regarding the use of electronic gradebooks.

The SEA argues that the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by requiring teachers to enter math assessment data into a district-created spreadsheet. According to union representatives, this creates a 'dual entry' burden—where teachers must maintain their own professional gradebooks while also being forced to input the same data into a district tool, which they classify as an unauthorized transfer of data.

The Board voted unanimously to deny the grievance, siding with the administration's position that the electronic tool is a professional way to record grades rather than a violation of the contract.

However, the meeting highlighted a lack of clarity regarding teacher requirements. While the administration characterizes the tool as a 'recommendation' to help automate grading, the practical application has caused significant friction. As a result, the Board has tasked the administration with issuing a formal written opinion to clarify once and for all whether the use of this electronic gradebook is a requirement or an option for teachers.

Mar 24, 2026 0.7h long 12 speakers 6 public comments 1 decisions Lively
❝ Notable statements ↔ Drag to browse

“The problem is, if I decide to put it into my own grade book and calculate my grade... the district is taking a step further and saying, 'If you wanna have your own grade book, go ahead, but we're mandating that you put it on the spreadsheet as well,' and that is a clear violation of the MOA.”

— Speaker B (John Corcoran) · Arguing that while the tool is useful, requiring dual entry into both a personal book and a district spreadsheet violates the agreement against transferring data from mandated tests. ▶ 18:40

“We're strongly recommending [the electronic tool], however, there is an opportunity for them... to do some probably with some training from John on how to do it on paper... but they would lose the ability really to use it as a formative tool.”

— Speaker D (Amy Baldati) · Explaining the administration's stance that the tool is intended to support teachers by automating complex grading algorithms, though manual options exist. ▶ 11:28

“If you're denying the grievance, we're saying it was a transfer of data. So that means if we're denying it, unless I'm missing something, you're saying they can no longer use their book and come up with the grades on their own?”

— Speaker G (Union Representative) · Questioning the implications of the board's decision on teacher working conditions and the legality of the grading process. ▶ 40:26
This meeting — choose a section

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

The Stamford Education Association (SEA) filed a grievance alleging that the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by requiring teachers to enter math assessment data into a district-created electronic spreadsheet, which the union classifies as an unauthorized 'transfer of data.' The administration contends that using the electronic tool is a professional way to record grades and not a clerical data transfer.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

SEA Grievance Regarding Electronic Gradebook Data Transfer

The Stamford Education Association (SEA) alleges the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by mandating dual entry of math assessment data. This pits union concerns over contractual labor protections against administration goals for grading consistency and automation.
Board position: The Board denied the grievance, siding with the administration's interpretation that using an electronic tool is a professional method of recording grades rather than an illegal transfer of data.
medium concern

Split votes

Denial of the grievance submitted by the SEA regarding the electronic gradebook.
Approved (All in favor)

Community vs. board tension

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
6
Total speakers
4
Addressed
2
Partial
0
Not addressed
John Corcoran
▶ 00:18
Partial
Representing the Stamford Education Association (SEA), he argues that the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) regarding the transfer of data. He contends that while the electronic gradebook is a useful tool, forcing teachers to enter data into it after already recording it in a personal gradebook constitutes an unauthorized transfer of data. Key concern
The district is mandating the transfer of data from personal gradebooks into an electronic spreadsheet, which violates the existing MOA.
Board response
The Board denied the grievance, concluding that using an electronic gradebook to record grades is not a 'transfer of data' in the way the MOA intended, but rather a method of recording. They suggested the administration clarify the requirement in a written opinion.
The Board addressed the legal interpretation of the grievance by denying it, but they did not satisfy the union's demand for a clear directive that the practice is not a mandate, leading to further debate about whether teachers will face discipline.
Dr. Fernandez
▶ 05:58
Addressed
He clarifies the administration's position, stating that teachers are not being asked to transfer data from one record to another, but are instead being asked to use an electronic gradebook to fulfill their professional responsibility. He compares the electronic version to a traditional paper gradebook. Key concern
The administration contends that using an electronic gradebook is a standard professional duty of recording assessments, not an illegal transfer of data.
Board response
The Board listened to his distinction between clerical data transfer and professional grade recording, which informed their eventual decision to deny the grievance.
The Board's final decision aligned with the administration's logic that this is a matter of grade recording rather than a prohibited data transfer.
Amy Baldati
▶ 07:36
Addressed
She explains that the electronic gradebook was created to assist teachers with complex math domain calculations and ensure grading consistency across the district. She notes that while the tool is strongly recommended to save time and provide formative data, it is technically not a requirement. Key concern
The tool is intended to support teachers by automating complex calculations and ensuring equitable grading standards across different schools.
Board response
The Board accepted her explanation that the tool is intended as a support mechanism and that teachers can perform manual calculations if they choose.
The Board incorporated the understanding that the tool is a helpful resource rather than a clerical burden into their deliberation.
Andy
▶ 11:12
Addressed
He asks for clarification on whether the use of the electronic gradebook is truly optional or if it is being mandated. He also asks if any teachers have faced discipline for not using it. Key concern
Whether the electronic gradebook is a requirement or an option, and if there are disciplinary consequences for non-use.
Board response
The administration (Amy Baldati) responded that it is not a requirement and no teachers have been disciplined for not using it.
The speaker's direct questions regarding the optional nature of the tool were answered by the administration during the discussion.
Unidentified speaker
▶ 12:12
Addressed
He seeks clarification on whether the administration requires data from manual gradebooks to eventually be entered into the electronic system anyway. He also asks why the Board doesn't simply mandate the tool to solve the confusion. Key concern
Clarifying if manual data must eventually be digitized and questioning the logic of not simply mandating the tool to avoid the 'transfer' argument.
Board response
The administration clarified that manual data would not be recorded in the electronic book, and the union representative noted that mandating it would require new negotiations.
The administration and union representatives engaged with his questions to clarify the workflow and the potential for future mandates.
Jan
▶ 30:59
Partial
She emphasizes that the union's argument is strictly about the 'transfer of data' as defined by the MOA, not a rejection of the electronic tool's usefulness. She insists that if the district wants to change how grades are recorded, they must negotiate a change to the MOA. Key concern
Ensuring the distinction between the utility of the tool and the legal violation of the 'transfer of data' agreement is maintained.
Board response
The Board acknowledged the need for the administration to clarify the mandate and noted that any permanent change to the recording process would require negotiation.
While the Board denied the grievance (effectively siding against the union's specific legal claim), they acknowledged the union's point regarding the need for clear communication and potential future negotiations.

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Denial of the grievance submitted by the SEA.
The Committee of the Board voted to deny the grievance as submitted, concluding that the use of the electronic gradebook does not constitute an illegal transfer of data under the current MOA.
Approved (All in favor)

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summary of the decision
At the 3/24 Board of Ed meeting, the Board voted unanimously to deny a grievance from the Stamford Education Association (SEA). The dispute centers on whether requiring teachers to enter math data into a district spreadsheet... https://meetingwatch.org/ct/stamford/board-of-education/2026-03-24/ #MeetingWatch #StamfordCT
321/280 chars
ambiguity in administration policy
Is the district's electronic gradebook a recommendation or a mandate? After denying the SEA grievance on 3/24, the Board has ordered the administration to issue a written opinion to clarify if teachers are actually required to... https://meetingwatch.org/ct/stamford/board-of-education/2026-03-24/ #MeetingWatch #StamfordCT
323/280 chars
the core conflict of the labor dispute
During the 3/24 Board of Ed meeting, union reps argued that 'dual entry'—requiring teachers to use both personal gradebooks and a district spreadsheet—violates the current MOA. The Board sided with the administration, denying... https://meetingwatch.org/ct/stamford/board-of-education/2026-03-24/ #MeetingWatch #StamfordCT
322/280 chars

X thread

1
At the March 24 Board of Education meeting, a significant debate unfolded regarding teacher working conditions and contractual obligations. The Board voted to deny a formal grievance filed by the Stamford Education Association (SEA). 🧵 #MeetingWatch #StamfordCT
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2
The issue: The SEA alleges the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement by requiring teachers to enter math assessment data into a district-created electronic spreadsheet. The union calls this an unauthorized 'transfer of data.'
240/280
3
The Board sided with the administration, ruling that using the electronic tool is a professional method of recording grades rather than an illegal data transfer. However, the decision leaves a major question unanswered: Is this tool optional or mandatory?
255/280
4
To resolve the ambiguity, the Board has directed the administration to issue a written opinion clarifying whether using the electronic gradebook is a requirement for teachers or simply a recommendation. We will be watching for that response. https://meetingwatch.org/ct/stamford/board-of-education/2026-03-24/
265/280

Facebook — long form

During the March 24 Board of Education meeting, the Board addressed a formal grievance filed by the Stamford Education Association (SEA) regarding the use of electronic gradebooks. 

The SEA argues that the district is violating a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by requiring teachers to enter math assessment data into a district-created spreadsheet. According to union representatives, this creates a 'dual entry' burden—where teachers must maintain their own professional gradebooks while also being forced to input the same data into a district tool, which they classify as an unauthorized transfer of data.

The Board voted unanimously to deny the grievance, siding with the administration's position that the electronic tool is a professional way to record grades rather than a violation of the contract. 

However, the meeting highlighted a lack of clarity regarding teacher requirements. While the administration characterizes the tool as a 'recommendation' to help automate grading, the practical application has caused significant friction. As a result, the Board has tasked the administration with issuing a formal written opinion to clarify once and for all whether the use of this electronic gradebook is a requirement or an option for teachers. https://meetingwatch.org/ct/stamford/board-of-education/2026-03-24/ #MeetingWatch #StamfordCT

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Issue a written opinion and clarify whether the use of the electronic gradebook is a requirement or an option for teachers.
Assigned: Administration
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Report composed by gemma-4-26b, grok-4.3, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-01.