Brockton School Committee Votes to Fund Acceleration Academy With District Reserves

BROCKTON — March 17, 2026 — Brockton School Committee transfers $29,000 to revive a spring literacy program and approves a new attendance hire over one dissenting vote. The committee voted 6-0 Monday to move $29,000 from its net school spending carryover to fund the April Acceleration Academy — a grades 3-5 vacation-week literacy program at the George Elementary School that lost its state DESE grant this year — with Assistant Superintendent Karen Spaulding estimating it would serve roughly 100 students. In a 5-1 vote, members approved Superintendent Dr. Traci Tiliani's recommendation to hire Melissa Freeland as Supervisor of Attendance, with Vice Chair Pina opposed, saying the candidate's resume did not demonstrate the field enforcement experience required for "a role that requires a seasoned professional." Tiliani also presented enrollment data showing three Brockton elementary schools approaching 900 students each and declared the district "is losing on both ends" as overcrowded elementary buildings lose specialized instructional space while middle schools sit underutilized — framing a school reconfiguration process targeting the 2027-28 school year. The committee also voted unanimously to explore relocating its regular meetings to the city council chambers at City Hall, and approved memoranda of agreement with Teamsters Local 653 and BESPA following executive session.