Boston School Committee unanimously approves superintendent's evaluation, authorizes contract talks

BOSTON -- July 9, 2025, Boston School Committee votes unanimously to extend Superintendent Mary Skipper's tenure through contract negotiations. The committee voted 7-0 at its July 9 special meeting to approve Skipper's 2024-2025 summative evaluation as proficient or above, then voted again 7-0 to authorize Chairperson Jeri Robinson to enter renewal negotiations, though Robinson noted any deal will return to the full committee before being finalized. Member Ivan Cadet Hernandez backed the vote while flagging that only 17 percent of Black and Latino third-through-eighth graders met ELA expectations on recent MCAS assessments. The committee also approved $934,230 in grants covering school health, behavioral health, and vision services, and deregistered a Dorchester land parcel at 315 Mount Vernon Street to unblock permitting for the 75,000-square-foot Martin Richard Boys and Girls Club Fieldhouse. Skipper disclosed that roughly $8 million in federal Title II, III, and IV funding is currently delayed, warning the district is already identifying internal offsets.