Project Update - March 18, 2026: Community Introduction Meeting
Efforts underway to review and redevelop the Educational Model for the Dedham Public School were the featured focus on Wednesday evening at the March 18, 2026 School Committee meeting. Representatives from the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy shared an overview of the project, outlining the purpose, goals and next steps in reimagining Dedham’s educational model with a focus on guiding the district’s future growth and long-term sustainability.
The meeting included an overview of the project timeline, which exists in three big phases:
- Phase 1 is Data and Document Review, encompassing National and Local Research; Comprehensive Review of DPS Data; Classroom Visits for All 7 DPS Schools; and preliminary Student, Staff, and Family Focus Groups.
- Phase 2 is focused on Community Engagement, where the Dedham community is invited to share its voices and perspectives on what Dedham Public Schools should prioritize moving forward. That phase will culminate in a Community Visioning Event, held in conjunction with the town of Dedham’s Art Show in May.
- Phase 3 is about the report and next steps. The Rennie Center will publish everything found and heard during the first two phases in a public report and presentation: The report will include findings, recommendations, and options for DPS moving forward. This actionable educational model redesign plan will provide a roadmap for aligning the structures, staffing, and facilities with Dedham Public Schools’ mission and strategic goals.
Work on the Educational Model Review began in late January, and to date the Rennie Center has been focused on getting to know the ins and outs of Dedham’s current educational model—including how students and teachers are organized, how resources are allocated, what learning looks like, and what the outcomes are for students. As part of an extensive data and document review, the project team has compiled publicly available data on the district as a whole and individual schools to help understand trends in Dedham over the past 5, 10, or 20 years, specifically in a few areas: student enrollment, including the size and composition of the student population and rates of chronic absenteeism; staffing, such as the number of teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and specialist staff; student-to-teacher ratios and the proportion of experienced educators on staff; student achievement, such as MCAS data, AP participation and test scores, and SAT scores; and, finances, including per-pupil expenditures, capital expenditures, and spending in different categories.
The project team has also toured all school facilities; observing classrooms, common spaces, and transition spaces in use; sitting in on specialized programming for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students needing additional support. During these visits, they were also able to interview school leaders and hold focus groups with students and staff to learn more about what their day-to-day looks like and how they experience teaching and learning in Dedham.
Next Steps: Community Engagement
- March 18 Data Walk: Attendees at the meeting on Wednesday were invited to view preliminary data and share insights during a small group Data Walk exercise conducted during the meeting. A copy of the Data Walk charts and an open survey document that captures the Data Walk questions asked is available on the Educational Model Project webpage.
- Listening Sessions & Focus Groups– A series of community Listening Sessions and Focus Group discussions are planned throughout April. Listening Sessions are intended to be open-to-all, community-driven forums designed to hear attendees’ perspectives on a future educational model in Dedham. Additional dates and online forums will continue to be announced.
- April 1, 2026 : Focus Group Meeting with all PTO Leaders
- April 8, 2026 : Open Listening Session at SEPAC Resource Fair - 6:30p-8:00p (DMS)
- April 14, 2026: Open Listening Session at Mother Brook - 5:30p -6:30p
- April 27, 2026: Open Listening Session at Dedham Middle School (DMS) - 5:30p - 6:30p
- Community Survey - The Rennie Center will create a survey, accessible to all community members, to gather feedback on priorities for DPS. The survey, open to all community members, will be conducted in mid-April.
The work on developing an updated Educational Model for the District is being conducted under the guidance of an appointed Dedham School Committee subcommittee chaired by Chris Polito, along with Josh Langmead, and Anthony Rodriguez, and in close collaboration with the DPS Leadership team.
The Rennie Center is a local education-focused non-profit based in Boston, MA whose mission is to improve public education through well-informed decision-making that’s based on deep knowledge and evidence of effective policymaking and practice. They are a nonpartisan organization that works to advance and connect research, practice, and policy, to promote systems that champion student success.
View Slides Presented at March 18, 2026 Community Introduction Meeting
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