- A thriving community of educators.
- Rigorous, engaging and inclusive instruction for every student.
- Improved outcomes for students regardless of background or educational need.
- Schools where students and staff feel a strong sense of belonging, safety, and support.
- Long-term fiscal sustainability.
The above is not an aspirational wish list but rather a set of actionable outcomes embedded in a draft theory of action document currently under consideration by the District’s 19-member Strategic Planning and Reorganization Steering Committee (the Committee).
The Committee, which has met five times since May 2025, has been working with consultant Joe Costello from DMGroup to lay the groundwork for identifying school reorganization scenarios, which are scheduled to be announced later this fall.
The draft was informed by a diagnostic needs assessment, presented to the School Committee at their September 4 business meeting. The assessment included a review of quantitative data unique to Acton-Boxborough that encompasses student enrollment, demographics, performance, and staffing trends and District spending, as well as qualitative data collected from educators and staff via focus groups and from over 1,100 community survey respondents to gauge perception of the District’s mission, vision, strengths, and challenges.
The needs assessment and theory-of-action documents are intended to ensure that forthcoming school reorganization scenarios align with the District’s and Acton and Boxborough communities’ goals, priorities, and values.
The draft proposes that the intended outcomes will be met by building out a more sustainable, efficient, flexible, system-wide (PK-12) educational approach, supporting educators in meeting the needs of diverse learners through ongoing professional development and collaboration, and investing in high quality instructional programs and materials. Potential implications for staffing and student groupings are also delineated.
The Strategic Planning and Reorganization Steering Committee next meets on October 7, and the School Committee has scheduled an update at their next business meeting on October 9.
More information on school reorganization and strategic planning is available on the A-B Forward: Shaping Our Future Together page on the District’s website.
Diane Baum is the School Committee beat reporter for the Acton Exchange. She served on the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee from 2015 to 2021.
Editor’s Note: The Acton Exchange is looking for a volunteer to attend and report on A-B Forward meetings. Please contact us at info@actonexchange.org if you are interested.