Weston School Committee approves $1.76 million warrant, hears AP and guidance reviews

WESTON — April 11, 2022 — Weston School Committee tackles AP score drop, guidance gaps, and per-pupil spending myths. At the April 11 meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Kimo Carter attributed a drop in AP passing rates — from a historical 84-88 percent range to 75 percent in 2021 — to a 2018 shift toward more inclusive AP enrollment, with three courses, AP U.S. History, AP Psychology, and AB Calculus, accounting for the steepest declines among students taking classes as academic stretches. Director of Student Services Martha Bakke and Head of Guidance Marla Shea presented a district-wide self-study finding that 79 percent of high school students rated counseling experiences positively, while only 47 percent of parents said the same about their children's experiences — a gap the committee flagged as a priority for an incoming external review team. Assistant Superintendent of Finance Sherry Matthews reported a $2.2 million available balance against a $43.8 million budget as of March 31, and presented data showing Weston's school-controlled per-pupil cost of roughly $19,334 is comparable to peer districts, with a higher all-in PPE figure driven by town-controlled employee benefit chargebacks totaling nearly $4,000 per pupil. The committee unanimously approved a consent agenda including a $1,761,471.23 warrant and two Weston Foundation for Education grants totaling $9,795.