Would you support the district joining School Choice?

Leading up to the November 4 local election, the Newton Beacon asked candidates in competitive elections running for school committee:

Would you support the district joining School Choice, which would permit parents to send their children to public school in communities other than that in which they reside?

Mali Brodt, School Committee Candidate, Ward 6: No. I do not support school choice because my experience—and the experiences of many educators I’ve spoken with—show it often harms the district. Most students and families who opt for school choice are those already unsatisfied or struggling in their home schools, which can disrupt both the education and the culture of the school at large. School choice can create instability, divert resources, and detract from efforts to help all students thrive. Additionally, some may use school choice as a way to eliminate the opportunity for Newton teachers to enroll their children in NPS, which would undermine the dedicated educators who work tirelessly here. Our focus should be on strengthening Newton’s schools for every student here, ensuring equity, inclusion, and excellence for all.

Christine Fisher, School Committee Candidate, Ward 2: No. Newton’s first responsibility is to its own students. I would not support joining School Choice if it diverts resources, staff, or focus from our community. Our classrooms already face challenges with enrollment shifts, staffing shortages, and budget pressures. Adding outside students could stretch schools further. Instead, we should strengthen our neighborhood schools so every Newton child has access to excellent education close to home. That means investing in teachers, programs, and supports that keep Newton schools strong and ensure families continue to see them as the best choice for their children.

Victor Lee, School Committee Candidate, Ward 8: No Position. This is a complex topic that was only raised toward the end of the last school year that requires more discussion and reflection before I take a final position. Currently, I am hesitant about (but not immutably opposed to) School Choice and believe we need to focus first on serving the kids of Newton and reversing the root causes of significant numbers of Newton kids exiting the system (e.g., decline in academic rigor, instability from a strike and budget challenges). We also need to see if we can shore up the budget better with options like advocating for higher level of state SpEd reimbursement, pension liability timetable adjustments, and maybe a Proposition 2 1/2 override. If we can do that, then the monetary incentive of joining School Choice might change. We also need to understand better what the impacts of School Choice might be financially, particularly if students with more complex, costly-to-serve needs come into the system.

Jenna Lauter Miara, School Committee Candidate, Ward 5: No. While I am in favor of carefully examining every opportunity to bring new revenue into the district, I am currently not convinced that School Choice is an effective revenue tool or a good fit for NPS. I have learned from speaking with parents and educators in other districts that School Choice is a risky and frequently losing proposition because the students and families who participate often have high needs that require district resources well beyond the amount of funding received. For now, NPS needs to prioritize serving its current students well and is not in a position to risk additional burdens that outweigh the relatively modest funding attached to School Choice students. I am of course open to learning more and changing my position if warranted, and look forward to Dr. Nolin’s future presentation of the issue.

Jim Murphy, School Committee Candidate, Ward 8: Yes. By law, a district’s participation in school choice is assumed unless it opts-out by June 1 of each year. We currently opt-out, but I’d be willing to reconsider if shown that it makes good fiscal sense (reimbursement for school choice students is capped at $5000.00 per student) and if we track the number of students with careful consideration of our own school population projections. The latter point is crucial because, once we take students in, they have the right to stay until graduation, even if we later opt-out of the program. My response to the building closure question below will provide additional insight on my thinking, but here I’ll say that it’s important for Newton to tackle the issue of declining enrollment with an eye toward long-term solutions. That means being very, very careful if we decide to participate in school choice.

Arrianna Proia, School Committee Candidate, Ward 1: No. While I support expanding educational opportunities for students, I do not believe Newton should participate in School Choice. Our district must first focus on ensuring that all students within Newton have equitable access to high-quality education, adequate resources, and well-maintained facilities. Opening our schools to out-of-district students without first addressing enrollment pressures, building needs, and funding challenges could stretch resources even thinner and create inequities for Newton families. I believe we need to continue strengthening our schools so that every child in Newton can thrive.

Ben Schlesinger, School Committee Candidate, Ward 5: No. I agree with most of what Superintendent Nolin has said and done, but on this topic I felt she did not adequately make the case last year. From a financial standpoint, the revenue we would get – around $5,000 per student – seemed likely to be consumed by the cost of the program, especially given the unpredictability of the applicant pool. The upside was not big enough to make this worthwhile as a financial play. And there’s more than the financial side. NPS needs to restore trust with the community. We need to get back to having parents who are confident their students are getting the best public education in the state, and that confidence needs to be backed by data. Once we’ve restored that trust, we can revisit the benefits of opening our system to students from other communities.

Linda Swain, School Committee Candidate, Ward 2: No. I am open to exploring creative ways to raise revenue for NPS. However, currently I am not inclined to support joining School Choice for three reasons: 1. In speaking with families across the city, I’ve heard strong opposition to School Choice, and the voice of our community matters; 2. It runs counter to Newton’s vision of neighborhood schools; 3. Many families outside of Newton may choose to attend NPS for our special education program. I think we have more work to do to strengthen and enhance these efforts before considering School Choice.