Meeting report · Board of Education
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Board of Education — April 14, 2026
While the board was unified, the public comments revealed significant underlying anxieties regarding accountability, transparency in special education, and the shifting landscape of school discipline.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
Special Education Support Model
Changes the administrative support structure and communication flow for IEP processes and student behavioral management. Affected: Special education students, their parents, and special education teachers.
other high impact
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Adjournment of the meeting
The meeting was adjourned following a motion and a second from the committee members.
Passed
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 00:00 Research Study: Implementation of Assistant Principals for Specialized Instruction (APSE)
A presentation regarding a research partnership with Wesleyan and Brown Universities studying how newly proposed APSE roles affect working conditions, burnout, and support for special education teachers.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 65:24 Restorative Practices Professional Development Update
Administrators received updates on recent and upcoming professional development regarding restorative practices, including training on 'circles' and upcoming sessions on restorative conferences and reentry meetings.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 68:31 Development of Restorative Practice Manuals
The district is researching and compiling resources to create formal manuals for both building administrators and families to ensure a common language and understanding of restorative practices.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 68:59 Clarification of Restorative Practices vs. Traditional Discipline
Board members and presenters discussed how restorative practices serve as a mindset shift and tier-one support that complements, rather than replaces, existing disciplinary consequences and handbooks.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Implementation of Assistant Principals for Specialized Instruction (APSE)
Stakeholders are concerned about the functional value of the role, specifically whether it alleviates bureaucratic burdens (IEP paperwork) or merely adds administrative layers, and whether it excludes parents from critical decision-making meetings.
Board position: The board supports the role, citing data that suggests APSE support correlates with higher teacher satisfaction and improved working conditions.
medium concern
02
Restorative Practices Rollout
Parents expressed concerns regarding the consistency of disciplinary consequences and the potential loss of parental control (the right to opt-out) as the district shifts toward a 'mindset' of restorative justice.
Board position: The administration maintains that restorative practices are a tier-one support that complements, rather than replaces, existing disciplinary handbooks and rules.
medium concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Continue data collection and interview APSEs individually to quantify hours spent with teachers to address board questions on effectiveness.
Assigned: Dr. Kari Cruz-Bueno
Develop building-based and family-facing manuals regarding restorative practices based on research and administrator feedback.
Assigned: Paola Ochoa · Due: Summer 2026
Conduct professional development for principals regarding restorative conferences and reentry meetings.
Assigned: District Administration · Due: May 2026
Complete the creation of restorative practice manuals for buildings and families.
Assigned: a speaker · Due: Over the summer
Conduct professional development for teachers regarding restorative practice rollout.
Assigned: Administrators · Due: End of school year/After PD completion
Notable statements
Teachers that agree that they have support with resources from their APSEs are 29 percentage points more likely to agree or strongly agree with being satisfied with their working conditions. — Dr. Kari Cruz-Bueno · Presenting quantitative findings from the research study. ▶ 17:30
The goal [of the APSE] was not to create, again, another position that kind of kept special education off to the side... The goal is really to have the building administrators... be the host of the meetings. — Megan Osiewicki · Clarifying the role of APSEs in relation to parent meetings and building leadership. ▶ 58:25
We're more formalizing what we have. — Unidentified speaker · Responding to a question about whether this initiative is a new direction or an evolution of existing practices. ▶ 69:18
It's not about being therapeutic. It's about community building. — Unidentified speaker · Clarifying that restorative practices are a tier-one support for school climate rather than a clinical or therapeutic intervention. ▶ 75:03
We don't throw our rule book out. We have our guidelines, we have our handbooks, we have whatever our disciplinary policies. — Unidentified speaker · Addressing concerns regarding the consistency of consequences and ensuring parents understand that restorative practices do not eliminate disciplinary accountability. ▶ 78:02
If we build community 80% of the time, we're going to see less concerns with student discipline... improvements in school climate... attendance... and teacher absenteeism. — Dana Basio · Explaining the proactive/preventative nature of restorative practices. ▶ 91:50
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
5
Total speakers
4
Addressed
1
Partial
0
Not addressed
Mr. George
Addressed
The speaker asked for clarification regarding the specific duties of the Assistant Principals for Specialized Instruction (APSEs). He specifically questioned if they assist with bureaucratic requirements like IEPs and reporting, noting that they are not directly involved in the IEP process itself.
Key concern
Clarity on the functional role and value-add of APSEs regarding administrative/bureaucratic burdens.
Board responseThe Director of Special Education explained that while they don't sit in every meeting, they support administrators, teachers, and families, and help with tasks like finalizing IEPs and supporting contentious cases.
The board staff directly answered the question about whether the role helps with the bureaucratic burden of IEPs and reporting.
Becky
Addressed
The speaker inquired about the cost of the research study and expressed concern that parents might feel disconnected if APSEs are not present at IEP meetings. She also requested more quantitative and qualitative data regarding IEP quality and improvements in teaching practices to judge the program's effectiveness.
Key concern
Program cost, parent communication/inclusion in IEP meetings, and the need for data-driven evidence of effectiveness.
Board responseStaff clarified the study was grant-funded at no cost to the district. Regarding parents, the Director explained the goal is to keep building administrators as the primary contact for families to ensure continuity, while APSEs work 'behind the scenes.' Regarding data, they noted the study is in an early implementation phase and welcomed more specific data collection.
The board staff addressed all three components: the cost of the study, the reasoning behind the APSE role in meetings, and the request for more robust effectiveness data.
Gabby
Partial
The speaker asked for a quantification of the hours APSEs spend working with teachers. She also requested insight into how much interaction these administrators have with students and parents.
Key concern
Quantifying the time investment and the scope of student/parent interaction for the APSE role.
Board responseThe researchers and Director noted that the question would be passed on for future study. The Director provided context on how APSE schedules are split between buildings and how their time is often consumed by emergencies or administrative units.
The board provided context on how their time is distributed and acknowledged the importance of the question, but they did not provide a specific quantitative number of hours, instead suggesting it as a focus for future data collection.
Becky
Addressed
The speaker asked if parents have the option to opt out of restorative practices for their children. She also expressed concern about maintaining consistent consequences for behavior while implementing this new model.
Key concern
Parental right to opt out of restorative practices and the assurance of consistent disciplinary consequences.
Board responseThe specialist explained that restorative practice is a mindset/tier-one support rather than a specific 'program' to opt out of, though formal conferencing involves voluntary participation. She also clarified that restorative practices layer onto existing disciplinary policies rather than replacing them.
The board staff clearly explained the distinction between the mindset/tier-one support and formal conferencing, and explicitly confirmed that the existing rule book/consequence system remains in place.
Antonia
Addressed
The speaker asked for success stories regarding the implementation of restorative practices. She specifically wanted to know if there has been a measurable decline in student behaviors as a result of these practices.
Key concern
Evidence of successful outcomes and behavioral improvement from restorative practices.
Board responseThe specialist provided examples from other districts, noting significant decreases in office disciplinary referrals in some cases, while acknowledging that implementation success often depends on administrator buy-in.
The presenter provided anecdotal and research-based evidence regarding behavioral outcomes and success stories in other districts.
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Report composed by
grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-01.