AMHERST — Public education in Amherst and Pelham, including the elementary schools and the Amherst-Pelham regional schools, will be undergoing a mandated Department of Elementary and Secondary Education district review next school year.
The Amherst School Committee was informed of the 2026-2027 school year review, to be done by DESE’s Office of District Reviews and Monitoring, in a memo from Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman prior to Tuesday’s meeting.
Herman told the committee that the review shouldn’t be viewed as indicating any problems across the district. “This is something that happens to almost every district,” Herman said.
While she couldn’t find any previous review of the district, whatever feedback comes will allow for growth by the highlighting of strengths and gaps, Herman said.
“I may not view it as punitive, because I think it will highlight for us whatever gaps and strengths we have, and we’ll be able to better fill those gaps and move forward,” Herman said.
In her memo, Herman wrote that, “I view this review not as punitive, but as an important opportunity for reflection, calibration and growth. Given the restructuring, fiscal realignment, and leadership redesign currently underway across the district, this process will allow us to examine whether our systems are coherent and sustainable, identify areas where instructional practice and student supports can be strengthened, evaluate our progress in closing opportunity gaps and ensure alignment with state standards.”
The state website notes the review is done under chapter 15, section 55A of the Massachusetts General Laws and that it “is designed to examine the systems, policies and practices that drive the day-to-day work of the district, as well as those factors that may help or hinder staff performance and, ultimately, student performance and outcomes. Analysis of these systems, policies, and practices includes a focus on the ways in which the district works to improve and promote equity for all students.”
The review team is led by the American Institutes for Research under DESE’s direction. This team will analyze district documents and data in advance of their visit, meet with district and school leadership, School Committee members, staff, students and families,
and conduct classroom and school observations. The onsite visits will come between October and April.
A member of Herman’s adminstrative team will serve as liaison and coordinate documentation, scheduling and communication with DESE.
Other school districts in the region have undergone similar reviews, including Northampton public schools in 2019, Smith Vocational & Agricultural School in 2013, Easthampton public schools, also in 2013, Holyoke public schools in 2015, and South Hadley public schools in 2023.
Even with Herman allaying any concerns, during public comment resident Stacey DuFour said the School Committee should be worried.
“That doesn’t happen in a vacuum, that’s because we’re failing,” DuFour said. “Make no mistake, this is a bad thing for us, it’s a bad reflection that they’re coming in to do this,”
The DESE website states that while state law allows for “a focus on districts demonstrating relatively lower levels of student achievement, either in absolute terms or compared to districts serving similar populations,” some districts with strong performance also are chosen. In addition, the Office of District Reviews and Monitoring is also allowed to prioritize districts that have never been reviewed or have not been reviewed in 10 or more years.