Arlington School Committee receives all-district quality plans, advances graduation policy

ARLINGTON — December 4, 2025 — Arlington schools show broad academic gains but warn fragile staffing model is at risk. The School Committee received quality plans from all ten district principals at its December 4 meeting, with elementary schools reporting 66 percent of students meeting or exceeding ELA standards — well above the state's 40 percent average — and 65 percent meeting math expectations against a 42 percent state average. Arlington High School Principal Matthew Janger reported AP participation has grown from 438 students four years ago to 741, with 93 percent of exams scoring a three or better, and daily attendance at 95.6 percent. Multiple principals, echoing Bishop Elementary Principal Eva Liner's warning that the system is "fragile," made the case for a level-services budget as the committee's budget subcommittee refines a long-range plan built around a blended salary growth rate of 4.25 percent. The committee also approved a housekeeping amendment to policy BEDL and advanced a first reading of the district's new competency determination policy — required before year's end — which replaces MCAS as a graduation standard with 10th-grade coursework requirements in ELA, math, science, and history, with a final vote expected December 18.