Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
On October 13, 2026, the Boston City Council's Committee on Education, chaired by Councilor Julia Mejia, held a hearing on Docket 0276 concerning transparency, accountability, and service provisions for English learners in Boston Public Schools. The meeting included opening statements from councilors, testimony from BPS administration, a community panel of advocates, and public testimony from parents. Key topics included the need for a comprehensive district-wide plan for multilingual learners, expansion of bilingual education, budget allocations, and persistent achievement gaps, especially for English learners with disabilities.
I'm gaving us in for the record. My name is Julia Mejia at large city counselor, and I also happen to be the chair of Boston City Council's committee on education. It is also being live streamed at Boston.gov slash city dash council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and Files Channel 964. Written comments may be sent to the committee email at ccc.education at Boston.gov and will be made part of the record and available to all counselors. Public testimony will be taken at my discretion throughout this hearing. Individuals will be called in order in which they signed up and will have two minutes to testify. If you are interested in testifying in person, please add your name to the sign-up sheet near the entrance of the chamber. If you're looking to testify virtually, please email Central Staff Liaison, Ron.cobb at Boston.gov for the link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on Docket 0276, in order for a hearing on transparency and accountability and service provisions and spending for English learners. This matter was offered and sponsored by me, yours truly, Julia Mejia, Councilor Culpepper, and Counselor Santana, and was referred to my committee February 4th, 2026. Today I am joined by the best attendants in order of arrival, Councillor Flynn and Counselor at Large Murphy. And before we get started, I am going to ask my colleagues if I'm going to read mine first so that I can set the stage so that we all know why we're here today. My opening statements. Normally I don't do this, but I think it's important for me to lay down the groundwork here. So good afternoon, and thank you everyone for being here. To ground everyone in the context for today, I want to share that this hearing is to continue the conversation from the first hearing we had on this docket on March the 10th. As a response to the hearing in March, this body passed a resolution supporting developing a comprehensive plan for multilingual learners. Docket 1147. Following the passage of that resolution, there was still an appetite to continue the conversation on this docket about service provision and comprehensive district wide plan for our English language learners, including those with disabilities, as covered in this docket. We need to increase equitable access to multilingual education, and a comprehensive plan would mean every multilingual learner will have access to the same curricula, resources, and supports regardless of what school they're at. As someone who came to BPS without knowing English and who had a mother that did not speak English, I know firsthand the barriers and difficulties students and families whose first language is not English face.org from constituents who do not speak English. This lived experience has highlighted the need for a comprehensive plan. We acknowledge the work of BPS and the Multilingual Learners Alliance that they have done and plan to continue to do. And today we're bringing together all of those who are doing the work andor living the realities so that we can collaborate. The budget is also an important part of this plan. As the comprehensive plan is being developed, we need to make sure that the priorities, the action items, policies, programs, and staffing are more reflected in the budget. Any plans success relies on having the proper resources to faithfully carry it out. Our dollars need to go towards supporting our highest need uh students, and we look forward to working alongside you to do just that. And I'll just end before I send it over to my colleagues is that our vision was to have community panel alongside the administration because we need to start breaking down those barriers of communication and engagement. And in order for us to really build trust, my hope was to have a trust building exercise in which we can do just that. However, logistically, we wouldn't we weren't able to make it happen, but it is our hope that this is not just one hearing, that we'll be able to work in partnership in and inside this chamber and outside this chamber on a on a plan that meets the needs of our students, but is also centered and the parents that are leading this work alongside the administration. So that's an open invitation. I am willing to facilitate and bringing people together across their differences to get this right. All right. So with that said, I am gonna kick it over to my colleagues for opening remarks, and then we'll go to the panel. Councillor Flynn, you have the floor. Thank you, Councillor Mejia, for holding and sponsoring this important hearing today. I'd also like to thank counselors Culpepper, Council Santana, Council Rural, Council Murphy, so many other counselors for their work on this issue as well. At this time, Boston Public Schools has not publicly articulated a district wide operational plan to implement native language access for English language learners or English learners, English learners with disabilities. I'd like to acknowledge the tremendous work of John Mudd, who has been asking important questions in providing exceptional leadership, not for years but for decades. At a recent school committee meeting, he noted the five-year-long roadmap to address achievement gap for English language learners with disability with disabilities in English language learners as well, does not actually have any measurable goals in addressing MCAS results, expanding bilingual education or improving literacy. English language learners' services in BPS are essential to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed academically, socially. ELL programs help our students develop the language skills needed to fully participate in the classroom, build confidence in engage with their peers and teachers. Investing in these services support educational equality and ensures that all students, regardless of their language background or disability, can reach their full potential.