School candidates at NHS forum emphasize special education fixes, enrollment strategy and AI, cell‑phone policies

Northampton — At a student‑run forum at Northampton High School, mayoral and school committee candidates outlined competing approaches to a string of problems facing Northampton Public Schools, including a recent Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) finding about special education service delivery, a modest enrollment decline, questions about student assessment now that MCAS is no longer a graduation requirement, and the need for districtwide policies on artificial intelligence and phone use.

The forum, organized by NHS Student Union President Zahra Usman, opened with candidates giving one‑minute statements and then answering student‑prepared questions. Mayor Gina Louise Sherra, several incumbent and challenger school committee candidates and education advocates spoke about both near‑term fixes and longer‑term priorities.

Why it matters: Candidates framed the issues as urgent for families, educators and students. Several said problems identified by DESE — including missed IEP services and staffing shortfalls — are legal and moral obligations that the district must correct. Others warned that families are deciding whether to remain in the city based on available programming, and that district policy gaps (on AI and phones) create inconsistent classroom practice.

Most candidates recommended data collection and family engagement as first steps to stem enrollment losses. Anat Beisenfroind pointed to a 2021–2025 decline of roughly 83 students (about 3 percent) and said the district must “collect the data and who's leaving and why,” calling for exit interviews to understand choices. Multiple candidates proposed ‘‘marketable’’ program investments — such as dual Spanish‑English immersion, strengthened theater/technology/media programming, expanded arts and sports for middle school, and full‑week preschool — to retain and attract families.

On special education, candidates referenced a DESE investigation and a consultant report (the Case Collaborative review). One candidate said the district serves about 700 students with IEPs (about 25 percent of enrollment) and described staffing shortfalls — the transcript records a finding that the workforce was understaffed by seven to eight budgeted paraprofessional positions. Candidates said the district must rebuild trust with families, standardize curriculum and service delivery, and secure funding to hire and retain paraprofessionals, BCBAs and interventionists.

Candidates also urged stronger district accountability. Anat Beisenfroind described steps she has taken as a committee member: ensuring special‑education issues are on agendas, requesting the director of student services present implementation plans and highlighting corrective actions DESE mandated; another candidate noted the administration met an initial DESE deadline on Sept. 19 and is implementing a corrective plan.

On AI and academic integrity, speakers agreed the School Committee should prioritize policy development. Candidates said there is currently no unified district policy: teachers are adopting disparate, department‑level approaches at the high school. Several called for age‑appropriate, level‑specific policies developed with teacher and student input, sustained professional development for educators and alignment with state pilots (the transcript notes Massachusetts is piloting an AI semester course in 30 districts). Jillian Duclos said, “We need to recognize that for some students, it can be a powerful tool,” while others urged strict academic‑integrity safeguards and monitoring tools.

Regarding cell phones, candidates described an ad hoc working group drafting recommendations and noted state legislation — widely reported during the forum as likely to pass with gubernatorial support — may mandate a bell‑to‑bell ban. Candidates emphasized student input in policy design, funding and staffing implications (front‑office staffing, accommodations for students with medical or work needs) and suggested possible capital or one‑time funding requests if the state does not provide implementation funds. One candidate cited West Springfield's experience and a reported drop in fights after its implementation.

On assessment and the removal of MCAS as a graduation requirement, candidates framed the change as an opportunity to design a Massachusetts‑aligned but Northampton‑specific “portrait of a graduate.” Multiple speakers favored varied assessment methods — portfolios, coursework mapping to new DESE competency determination requirements, and educator‑led measures — and urged the committee to vote on updated local policies and submit those to DESE by the end of the calendar year.

Consolidation was a contested issue. Several candidates said any decision to close or consolidate elementary schools — frequently cited in conversation about Bridge Street School — must center students' educational needs, not presumed budget savings. Candidates noted the facilities/strategic planning consolidation work group (a volunteer body including parents and staff) is studying enrollment and building conditions; speakers emphasized transparency, community engagement and careful cost‑benefit analysis before any consolidation recommendation.

Several candidates stressed the need for staffing stability, curriculum alignment and sustained funding (including use of stabilization funds and state revenue advocacy) to support special education and district programs. Repeated themes included centering students and caregivers in policy development, rebuilding trust after the DESE findings, and prioritizing concrete investments that address families' stated reasons for leaving or choosing other schooling options.

The forum included frequent direct appeals to students: candidates asked students to tell the committee how AI affects learning and to participate in policy development. Student organizers said the event was designed to bring student voices into local policy conversations.

Looking ahead: Candidates and advocates said the next steps are clearer data on enrollment drivers, completion and public release of the strategic planning group's facilities analysis, implementation of DESE corrective actions, and districtwide policy proposals on AI and phones that include student and teacher input.

Sources: Remarks recorded at the student‑organized forum at Northampton High School. Candidates and officials who spoke are listed in the article's speaker roster.