All Students with High Needs Need Option for In-Person Learning Now!

BPS has spent the past 8 pandemic months not developing a plan for in-person services for students with high needs.  BEJA and SpEdPAC ask that you join us in compelling BPS to provide in-person services for students with high needs who cannot access remote learning and whose families chose in-person learning. The research shows that schools are not super spreaders and students can learn safely at school with safety protocols in place. Despite meeting with BPS leadership since March, there has not been progress in designing a comprehensive plan, therefore we need your assistance because the crisis is escalating for our most vulnerable students and families.

We encourage you to call Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Cassellius to share our demands for safe in-person learning for students with high needs.

1. Call Mayor Walsh and leave a message at 617-635-4500 or send him an email at Mayor@boston.gov. Please make sure they say they have logged your call.

2. Contact Superintendent Cassellius at Bcassellius@bostonpublicschools.org and 617-956-2378

3. Call and email your Boston School Committee members and City Council members. Their information is Here.

1. 1.  If you feel comfortable, please share your personal stories of why the need for in-person services is so important.

Email draft: 

Hi my name is YOUR NAME_. I am a Boston Public Schools PARENT/Education Surrogate/ EDUCATOR/STUDENT  and resident of _NEIGHBORHOOD____. I am very concerned about the lack of in-person services for students with high needs in the Boston Public Schools. Some students with high needs require in-person services whose families have chosen it as the best option for their overall health. These students have not received consistent in-person services since March. We need BPS leadership to develop a real plan for students with high needs to return to in person learning immediately! We cannot continue to violate the civil rights of our students with high needs. Students with high needs need to return to in-person learning now!

For every student with high needs across the district, we demand the following:

1. Prioritize all students with high needs.

2. High quality in-person instruction that reflects full implementation of a student’s IEP, 504 plan, supports for English Learners, trauma informed instruction, as well as any necessary support to prevent learning loss and regression.

3. Direct explicit instruction from certified special educators and general educators with data driven progress monitoring to determine if the students are meeting the grade level standards across content areas.

4. Clear and ongoing communication with families in their home language.

(IF APPLICABLE, ADD PERSONAL STORY, EXAMPLE OR NARRATIVE) Personal Story:

Phone draft: 

Hi my name is YOUR NAME_. I am a Boston Public Schools PARENT/Education Surrogate/ EDUCATOR/STUDENT  and resident of _NEIGHBORHOOD____. I am very concerned about the lack of in-person services for students with high needs in the Boston Public Schools. Some students with high needs require in-person services whose families have chosen it as the best option for their overall health. These students have not received consistent in-person services since March. We need BPS leadership to develop a real plan for students with high needs to return to in-person learning. This needs to happen now! We cannot continue to violate the civil rights of our students with high needs. Students with high needs need to return to in-person learning now!

Thank you.