In Brockton, too many students are being pushed from grade to grade without mastering reading, writing, and math. That’s not education. That’s a cover-up.
State officials and local leadership would rather celebrate inflated graduation rates than tell parents the truth about how many children are actually meeting grade-level standards. Meanwhile, MCAS scores prove we’re falling behind—and no one in charge seems willing to admit it.
This isn’t just bad policy. It’s a moral failure. Every year we fail to act, another class of Brockton students is robbed of their future.
How We Got Here: Lowering the Bar, Hiding the Results
Brockton was once a model for urban schools nationwide. But over the past decade, the focus has shifted from excellence to excuses.
- Proven teaching methods were abandoned in favor of fads.
- Students have been promoted without mastering the basics.
- Performance data has been buried in jargon-filled reports that most parents can’t decode.
The damage is real. Research shows that Direct Instruction methods can raise reading achievement by 19 percentile points (Stockard, 2010; What Works Clearinghouse, 2010). Yet instead of embracing what works, Brockton leaders doubled down on policies that hide failure behind graduation statistics.
The Question: Are We Willing to Demand Better?
Imagine if every third grader in Brockton could read fluently. If every eighth grader could write a strong essay. If every high school graduate could pass basic algebra without panic.
That’s not a fantasy. It’s the reality in schools that set clear benchmarks, publish results openly, and stick to proven methods.
The question is simple: will we keep tolerating excuses, or will we demand a school system that tells the truth, teaches the basics, and measures real success?
The Fix: A Plan That Works
Here’s what evidence and common sense demand:
- Set & Enforce Real Literacy Benchmarks – No more social promotion. Students must meet grade-level standards before moving on.
- Post Test Scores Publicly – Parents and taxpayers deserve transparent reporting of performance, school by school, grade by grade.
- Back Teachers with Proven Tools – Support evidence-based methods rooted in the science of reading and math, not untested theories.
- Involve Parents at Every Stage – Provide quarterly progress reports in plain English, not bureaucratic jargon.
- Measure What Matters – Focus on literacy, numeracy, and readiness for college or work—not just inflated diplomas.
Transparency is powerful. RAND studies show that public accountability drives school improvement (RAND, 2002). When results are in the open, leaders have no choice but to act.
My Commitment to Brockton’s Families
When I’m elected to the School Committee, I will:
- Fight for full public reporting of student performance by grade and subject.
- End social promotion—students advance when they’re ready, not before.
- Push for evidence-based teaching rooted in the science of reading and math.
- Support teachers who put learning above politics by giving them the tools they need.
- Be accountable to parents—I will return your calls, answer your emails, and always tell you the truth about our schools.
The Bottom Line
Brockton is the City of Champions. Our classrooms should reflect that same winning standard. We don’t get there by lowering the bar or hiding the truth.
We get there by demanding excellence, accountability, and honesty—every single day.
References
Freopp. (2023). Restoring transparency and accountability in K-12 schools.
RAND Corporation. (2002). Making sense of test-based accountability in education.
Connor, C. M., et al. (2018). Using technology and assessment to personalize instruction: Preventing reading problems and supporting third grade reading comprehension. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 11(1), 63–93.
Elleman, A. M., et al. (2023). Reading intervention meta-analysis: Effects of multicomponent instruction on student achievement. Reading Research Quarterly.
Stockard, J. (2010). Promoting reading achievement and countering the “fourth-grade slump”: The impact of Direct Instruction. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 15(3), 218–240.
What Works Clearinghouse. (2010). Reading Mastery for Beginning Readers. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2010). Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters.
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