Somerville Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruben Carmona briefed the School Committee on three focus areas for the upcoming school year.

By The Times Staff

A presentation by Superintendent Dr. Ruben Carmona at the School Committee meeting on August 31 provided an update for Somerville Public Schools and highlighted three focus areas for this academic year.

Focus area #1 is that every student learns in every class, every day, explained Carmona. Through strong instruction, students experience meaningful, rigorous learning every day. Educators regularly use evidence of student learning to understand what is working, he explained. And the schools adjust instruction based on student needs to make more progress.

“When we walk into a classroom, what we want to see is that students are engaged and that they’re doing the talking, they’re doing the writing, they’re doing what they call the productive struggle,” said Carmona.

Focus area #2 is building a stronger culture of data. The superintendent says that data should be a tool for action. Teachers now will analyze data at the end of a literacy cycle to determine ways of improvement.

“Everyone has the intention of doing the work, but the work needs to be also measured through the actions that we already have throughout the system,” he said.

Focus area #3 is strengthening inclusive practices for students with disabilities. For all students to learn, teachers need the tools to support that effort.

“We made a significant investment around the work of inclusive practices,” said Carmona.

The slideshow continued with some information about preliminary data from the 2026 MCAS, which points to an upward trajectory. There has been improvement in math for students in grades 3-8, notably for students with disabilities and multilingual learners, according to SPS.

Carmona said the superintendent’s office has devised six instructional strategies moving forward. The first strategy continues professional development districtwide on inclusive practices. The second strategy repeats data cycles with all instructional leaders. The third strategy strengthens the use of X-Block. The fourth strategy leverages external partners to support instructional practices. The fifth strategy uses dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills (DIBELS) to identify students in need and accelerate student reading at the K3 grade level.

“Those are the five areas in which we are making sure that we are consistent, that we are predictable, and that we also have a strong presence from both the central office as well as our building leaders,” said Carmona.

Following the presentation, Vice Chair School Committee Member Leiran Biton said the first focus area resonated with him.

“I just think it’s so important…every student learns every class, every day, and just recognizing that, and emphasizing the importance of that priority area,” said Biton. “I think every one of our families knows how important it is when they send their children to school, like today, the first day of school, that we’re focused on their child.”