The Board reviewed the agenda for today's meeting. 

The Board reviewed consent agenda items:

1. April 16th Board Meeting Minutes
2. Growth Committee Meeting Minutes
3. 26-27 Student Handbook Updates
4. Appointment of School Nurse Personnel per the Education Reform Act
5. KIPP Academy Boston Charter Renewal

Shifts to the student handbook were reviewed. The schedule for KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate will shift next year. The total minutes will stay the same, but the day will start earlier to maximize learning time and make it easier for students to participate in extracurricular activities after school. KIPP Massachusetts is also instituting a personal technology policy so that cell phones will not be allowed during the school day. Language was also added to the technology/internet and cyberbullying policies to include information about deepfakes. 

A member of the KIPP MA Team shared an overview of the KIPP Academy Boston Charter Renewal and process, including what edits will be made after the Board votes to approve the renewal today given end of year academic results have not been finalized. She also explained that members of the Board would be asked to participate in a focus group as part of the renewal process and that she'd provide more information once she received more information from DESE. 

Matt Fates moved to approve the consent agenda. Mike Kendall seconded. The motion passed unanimously. 

A member of the KIPP MA team shared an overview of the FY27 budget review process. The Finance and Facilities reviewed and shared support for the FY27 budget at their June meeting.

A member of the KIPP MA team shared budget highlights overall, including FY27 revenues and expenses, and main changes from the preliminary budget. He reviewed tuition increases, Title I decreases, Medicaid decreases, the addition of the Circuit Breaker grant, and the target for private grants next year. He also reviewed personnel and non-personnel expenses compare to the FY26 forecast. 

A member of the Board asked whether the state of MA plans to backfill Title I funds if the federal government does not come through. A member of the KIPP MA team shared he had not heard that so far. He had not heard yet if Title I funds will be fully cut, though it's within the realm of possibility. He shared we're being very conservative with expectations for funding, particularly with tuition. 

The KIPP MA team shared personnel increases and explained these are due to bonuses (fluency, longevity, retention and signing) not being accurately reflected in the preliminary budget, and an increase in confirmed salaries as we are more fully hired than we were when we last shared an update. 

A member of the Board asked how the team is feeling about health insurance projections for FY27. This year we have found significant savings in the health insurance line, but we're keeping the budget flat given spikes we've experienced in the past. Next year, if it continues to be over-budgeted, we can revisit the idea of reducing it. 

A member of the Board asked how leave bonuses have flowed through this year. A member of the KIPP MA team explained they are reflected in the budget as part of personnel. 

A member of the KIPP MA team shared an overview of the strategic planning process and timeline. KIPP's current strategic plan is set to expire this year, and as an organization is working to get on the same timeline as the KIPP Foundation with strategic planning given the Foundation is now setting so many of the region's goals and priorities as part of One KIPP. Because of this, KIPP MA will be between strategic plans for 26-27, and so is proposing a set of bridge year priorities as they prepare to kick off their formal strategic planning process in the fall. 

The KIPP MA's regional superintendent from the KIPP Foundation team joined the meeting to share an overview of the KIPP Foundation's 2030 plan and what it means specifically for KIPP Massachusetts and its 2030 goals.

She shared an overview of how the KIPP Foundation operates and supports individual regions and schools. She then shared One KIPP metrics and 2030 shared priorities. 

The Board reviewed KIPP MA's 2030 goals. The regional superintendent shared methodology for the goals. She shared that the goal is that by 2030 KIPP MA is above the 90th percentile for schools that are 80% or more socioeconomically disadvantaged. 

It was shared that KIPP MA is in the top 3 regions nationally for GPA, BA/BS enrollment, attrition, and estimated college completion. 

A member of the Board asked for historical perspective on goals relative to where KIPP MA has been. The KIPP MA team shared that KIPP MA has outperformed the state in pockets on 3rd-8th grade ELA and Math, but not consistently from year to year.

A member of the Board asked what the Foundation is doing to support KIPP MA in meeting these ambitious goals. The regional superintendent shared the connection to curriculum shifts in ELA and math, coaching in ELA, math and leadership (including professional development in content areas and in-person and virtual coaching), and responding to in-region data and progress. The Foundation is also working to support KIPP MA in developing aligned assessments that help better track progress.

A member of the Board asked if successful KIPP regions have seen growth and attainment numbers like the ones that have been set out for KIPP MA. The regional superintendent explained that we've not seen consistent growth and achievement across all metrics, but in some metrics. KIPP NYC has seen growth across almost all metrics. She acknowledged it is an ambitious set of goals because it is relative to benchmarks for the state. The goal is not just to make growth, but sustain growth. 

The Executive Director explained that the KIPP Foundation is narrowing regional focus and letting us know what is most important for us to prioritize. Regions have pushed for financial support and guidance from the Foundation to make it happen.

A member of the KIPP MA team explained what support from the KIPP Foundation has looked like from regional leaders down to the APs at schools. 

A member of the KIPP MA team noted the level of thought that has gone into this and that growth gets harder year over year. The regional superintendent noted this is the reason for the phased goals. The goal is to be able to look at regional growth and achievement and revisit year over year.

A member of the KIPP MA team walked the Board through its proposal for the region's 26-27 bridge year priorities to stamp what the region thinks is most important in the year between strategic plans.

The Board reviewed and had the chance to ask questions and share input.

A member of the Board noted that we need to make more clear that academics is the top priority. Another member of the Board shared that we should highlight our 26-27 priorities are in service of the 2030 KIPP Foundation goal of 75% or more of students being on track for positive college and career outcomes. 

A member of the Board noted that persistence and growth will have to be a major point of conversation for 2030 planning. 

A member shared that codifying a special education vision feels right for a bridge year. 

The Executive Director underscored the importance of MCAS-aligned interim assessments next year, as they will give us better insight into how students will ultimately perform on MCAS. 

Matt Fates moved to approve the 26-27 Bridge Year priorities. Kate Pinto seconded. The motion passed.

The Vice Chair shared reflections on what the Board can improve on moving forward. He named:

1. The need to improve KIPP MA's academic success

2. The need to continue to monitor financial progress and stability

3. The need to increase goal clarity and ensure the Board and KIPP MA team are aligned

4. The need to ensure the make-up of the Board better reflects KIPP's community and includes alumni, families, community members, etc.

He shared a few suggestions for how to make the Board more effective:

1. Committee Chairs provide short summaries of the work of each committee at Board meetings

2. The KIPP MA team focuses more on reporting the facts and not putting a positive "spin" on them

3. Board meetings are more interactive and less focused on reporting out 

The Executive Director shared end of year results with the Board and gave them the opportunity to review the FY26 Essential Questions dashboard.

The dashboard included end of year data on enrollment, attrition, applications, academic growth and achievement, match and persistence work for 8th grade in Boston and 12th grade in Lynn, staff recruitment and retention, development, finance, student removal rates, professional development, and student and family sense of belonging. 

She highlighted we are currently on track to be fully enrolled, to exceed our chronic absenteeism goals, and to meet our staff recruitment and retention goals. We currently have 18 openings that we feel confident we can fill them.

She noted we're off track with on our fundraising goal, our out of school suspension rate goals, and our attrition goal in Boston (it is significantly lower in Lynn). 

A member of the KIPP MA team reviewed end of year academic data. She shared beginning of year to end of year data for DIBELs and comparative data from 25-26. 

She shared the cycle of MCAS-aligned Interim Assessments that will be used next year to track and respond to academic progress. She noted this has been reviewed by the Teaching & Learning Committee.

A member of the Board asked if we had achievement data for students currently in middle school for when they were in elementary school. A member of the KIPP MA team noted we didn't used the DIBELs assessment before the last few years.

A member of the KIPP MA team asked how we should think about strong results in relation to areas we're not seeing sufficient progress in. A member of the KIPP MA team noted that iReady is considered a strong predictor of MCAS proficiency, though we can't confirm if this is the case given it's our first year with the assessment. 

A member of the Board noted that the KIPP MA team should feel positive about the end of year academic results. He noted he has concerns about a GPA goal given it could lead to grade inflation. A member of the Board said it is a helpful indicator along the way.

The Executive Director noted that our strong 2nd grade DIBELs hopefully translates into higher MCAS outcomes in 3rd grade next year. 

The Executive Director shared the revised KIPP Foundation goal of 73% of seniors choosing a BA/BS path, and that KIPP MA is ending the year at 72%. We are continuing to see more students choose a 2-year pathway. She also shared scholarships and accolades for the class of 2026. 

A member of the KIPP Foundation asked if we've seen more students choose schools with a high estimated college completion rate over the years. This year is a standout year with 35% of the Class of 2026 be matriculating to a college with an estimated college completion rate of 70%. A member of the Board suggest adding this to the progress monitoring dashboard for next year.

The KIPP MA team shared various regional updates. These included an update on a situation with the elevator at KIPP Academy Boston that could lead to legal action in the coming months, next steps for the DESE Rethinking Discipline cohort for KIPP Academy Boston and open meeting law reminders shared at a recent Board governance training attended by members of the KIPP MA Board and team.