06/25/2026
Last night’s vote on MassCore was disappointing.
Our Superintendent, our Principal, and our Director of Guidance all supported and fully endorsed adopting MassCore as part of our graduation requirements because they believe it better prepares students for college, the workforce, military service, and other post-secondary opportunities. Their recommendation reflected careful consideration of what is in the best interests of our students.
Unfortunately, a majority of the School Committee chose not to support their recommendation.
Questions about implementation costs were raised, even though the Superintendent stated the district was prepared to move forward with the budget we have just approved. At the last night’s meeting, a certain School Committee members said they would run an AP course with one student, and another member stated they would endorse end-of-year testing—both of which would add costs—while opposing MassCore, which is currently expected to add no cost and was endorsed by our own educators.
Reasonable people can disagree, and I respect that each member has the right to vote their conscience. However, I was disappointed that much of the discussion focused on issues that were not actually before the Committee. Concerns about testing were also discussed, despite the fact that the vote was simply whether to adopt MassCore as part of our graduation requirements—not to change assessment policies.
I also found it disappointing that portions of the discussion became personal rather than remaining focused on the merits of the proposal and what is best for our students. Our community deserves thoughtful, respectful deliberation centered on educational policy and student opportunity.
MassCore does not require every student to attend college. It provides a strong academic foundation while keeping doors open for whatever path a student chooses after graduation.
I remain committed to advocating for rigorous academic opportunities, financial literacy, transparency, and policies that help ALL Peabody students succeed.
Going forward, I will continue working with families, educators, and community members to push for the best possible outcomes for our students, and I encourage everyone who shares that commitment to stay engaged as we take the next steps.
Start listening at 50 minute mark.
For agenda information and public participation, please visit www.p...
