Charter Committee Recommendations Spark Debate Over School Committee Authority
Proposed revisions to Plymouth town charter could impact control of school buildings and maintenance, raising concerns among committee members
PLYMOUTH, MA - September 23 - The Plymouth Charter Review Committee has proposed changes to the town charter that could affect the school committee's authority over school buildings and maintenance, sparking debate about the potential impact on school operations and governance.
The proposed changes, presented to the school committee on September 23, would remove language from the charter that currently gives the school committee "general charge and superintendence of all school buildings and grounds and furnish all school buildings with proper fixtures, furniture, and equipment."
Steve Bolotin, Vice Chair of the Charter Review Committee, explained the rationale behind the proposed change. "The goal is to allow flexibility to create whatever form the school committee and the town feel best," he said.
However, school committee members expressed concerns about the potential implications of removing this language from the charter.
"The current charter, I see no reason, and I find it to be a complete misrepresentation that the current charter doesn't allow for consolidation of services," said school committee member Ashley Shaw. "I think that we should just focus on letting town meeting know that the current charter, it is our belief, or especially we should check with our legal counsel, but that the current charter doesn't disallow."
Dr. James Sorensen, another committee member, echoed these concerns. "Our [School] Counsel agrees with what you said, that the school committee does not lose any of its authority with the change that you're recommending. However, Counsel goes on to say in many, many words that the potential now exists, that the school committee could lose authority by striking that section of the charter."
Bolotin emphasized that the proposed changes are not intended to force any immediate operational changes. "We are not making a recommendation as to any changes whatsoever in terms of operations," he said. "That is not our province, nor is it something we looked at."
The Charter Review Committee's recommendations will be presented to Town Meeting for approval. If approved, the changes would then require state approval, a process that could take up to two years.
Laurence Pizer, a member of the Charter Review Committee who opposed the change, urged the school committee to consider proposing an amendment at Town Meeting to retain the current language in the charter.
In other business, the school committee received an update on the implementation of a new state-mandated early literacy screening program for students in grades K-3.
Dr. Lisa White, the district's curriculum coordinator, explained that the screening aims to identify students at risk for reading difficulties and provide targeted interventions to support their literacy development.
"The purpose is to gather data on students to identify student reading proficiency levels and specifically students who are at risk for reading difficulties," Dr. White said.
The district is using the Renaissance Star Suite for screening, which includes computer-based assessments and one-on-one teacher-student evaluations.
Dr. White reported that the majority of Plymouth schools are meeting the 80% proficiency benchmark, though some schools face more challenges.
The school committee also ratified contracts for teachers, paraeducators, and educational secretaries for the 2025-2027 school years.
Superintendent Dr. Chris Campbell provided updates on several initiatives, including a potential MSBA-funded school building project, a new volunteer program model, and the district's participation in the "Go Gold" campaign for pediatric cancer awareness.