The majority of parents who live in Wellesley chose this town because of the reputation of the public school system. Wellesley has been known to have some of the best schools in the state of Massachusetts. We pay higher taxes because we want to invest in our children’s education and in our children’s future. 

Unfortunately, over the past ten years, the school system’s quality and academic rigor has been in a consistent decline. Wellesley High School was rated the #4 high school in the state in 2013, according to U.S. News & World Report’s yearly rankings but since then has declined to its current ranking of #26 in the state.

On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, U.S. News & World Report released a new report in which it ranked the best elementary and middle schools in Massachusetts. Wellesley Middle School is ranked #46 MA, a ranking well below peer schools such as Weston (#6), Needham (#8), Newton Centre (#14), Belmont (#16), Wayland (#22), & Dover-Sherborn (#41). None of Wellesley’s elementary schools cracked the top ten, and only one was included in the top twenty. The rankings are as follows: Fiske (#15), Hardy (#25), Sprague (#33), Schofield (#35), Hunnewell (#60), Bates (#99) and Upham (#129). The data for the rankings came from the 2018-19 academic year, so COVID was not a factor.

Wellesley Public Schools have also seen a decline in MCAS and proficiency scores compared to schools in peer districts.

We also have seen a drop in parent satisfaction from surveys conducted by other concerned parents groups, along with a decline on websites that rate parent satisfaction such as greatschools.com, which tracks the satisfaction of parents and students with their school system. Wellesley was once a 10/10 school and now it has fallen to 8/10.

Another important area to draw your attention to is academic investment versus results. Wellesley has one of the highest cost per students spending, yet our schools’ rankings are well below other peer schools that spend much less per student and have better academic and performance results.

In his 2014 meeting with the Wellesley Town Committee, David Lussier emphasized the importance of investing in STEM and technology programs in our schools. However, even though the taxpayers continue to increase spending on the schools, Wellesley is ranked #47 and is well below other peer STEM high school programs in Massachusetts such as Acton (#24), Concord (#29), Lexington (#44), Winchester (#34) and Dover (#35).  

The administration’s performance is simply unacceptable. Imagine running a company and going to the annual meeting with the highest payroll,  the lowest revenue and the largest decline in stock price in the industry. Think your shareholders would be pleased and reward you?  

As a consequence of this decline, a disturbing trend has arisen — a steady decline in enrollment. Frustrated parents are choosing to leave the Wellesley Public School system entirely.  While other schools in our area are seeing improvements in overall scores and ratings, Wellesley’s reputation continues to fall.

Wellesley Public school system is on a disturbing trajectory, and Wellesley Concerned Parents suggests that this needs to be addressed and changed. We are asking for your help to hold the school accountable for the decline.

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Wellesley Concerned Parents believes that our school system has a great foundation, but academics and rigor are drifting in the wrong direction. We are concerned that the curriculum being enforced by the school committee and by mandates in Massachusetts are having a profound negative effect on our children’s education. We understand there is a lot of good in our schools, and we have the utmost respect and appreciation for our teachers and school leaders. However, we also recognize that the academic rigor and curriculum are moving in the wrong direction.

Wellesley Concerned Parents wishes to work with the school committee and administration to elevate our children’s education so that they are prepared to succeed in college and beyond. 

We request that the Wellesley School Committee:

• Improve academic rigor through adjustments to curriculum that refocus on core education principles
• Work with concerned parents to build accountability measures to identify and improve areas of decline
• Re-emphasize the value of AP classes, the availability of which will inevitably decline due to “equity” policies)
• Encourage an environment of cooperation with the concerned parents to make appropriate changes
• Ensure improved transparency in curriculum, educational policies, and state mandates

Please sign the petition today!

If you are not sure about speaking out, please continue to read more about the academic decline of the Wellesley Public Schools