Eugenia Schraa Huh*
for School Committee
(*Still rhymes with algebra.)

HOW YOU CAN HELP

PLATFORM

The Problem With our Schools

The optics of equity keep winning over putting student learning first:

CPS teaches all kids at the same level, regardless of mastery. This is to avoid rigid “tracking,” which unfairly labels kids smart or not. But we need flexibility. Even the best teachers can’t differentiate in classes spanning 6+ grade levels.

Lumping kids together hurts those who are behind.
- All 8th graders are taking Algebra I, even though about half aren’t ready. Allowing kids to be demoralized and lost is far less equitable than working to meet them where they are.
And holding back advanced learners hurts all kids.
- It sends the harmful message that academics aren't worth pursuing with excellence.
- When CPS blocks advanced pathways, "in-the-know" families find ways to access advanced coursework (inside or outside the system) while other families are left out.

Our countless “equitable processes” are meaningless if they don’t improve outcomes:

Only ~25% of low-income students meet expectations in Math and English in grades 3-8. A scandal, that requires our full focus, not shiny new initiatives.

What we need from School Committee

Gather data. Evaluate outcomes. Then, cut what doesn’t work! Expand what does!

Every year, families show they want the Montessori and bilingual programs. Let’s have more.
Follow the research on public education and economic mobility.
- Teacher feedback: CPS teacher survey results show they want more feedback and coaching. It’s also one of a handful of data-backed educational practices. Let’s make this a major CPS focus.
- Great teachers: Economic research also shows the (unsurprising) power of great teachers. Let’s recruit and support great teachers — let’s listen to them and avoid burn out (much room for improvement here). And if support isn’t helping them to be as great as our students deserve, we must have the spine to let them go. Same for principals and administrators.

There’s no substitute for detail-oriented, boots-on-the-ground work.

It’s easy to say equity issues can be solved by some new program. But policy change is hard. I’m the only candidate with a track record of changing policy. My hard-won afterschool advocacy resulted in:

Raised afterschool teacher pay. With partners, I researched Cambridge rates and those of nearby cities; ours were lower. I shared this with a large list of parents and City leaders. Weeks later, pay went up.
170 new afterschool seats. I explained City reports plainly to my list, and we spoke out collectively.

If elected, I will continue to bring this level of attention and reporting to school issues.