Watertown Schools Restructure Special Ed Staffing, Standardize Grading for Fall

WATERTOWN -- May 18, 2026, Watertown School Committee hears improvement plans with major special education and grading overhauls for 2026-27. At a May 18 meeting at Lowell Elementary School, principals from Watertown Middle School and Watertown High School presented school improvement plans calling for restructured special education staffing, standardized grading practices, including a requirement that homework count toward grades, and overhauled IEP communication protocols. The middle school principal announced special educators will shift from supporting all four core content areas to focusing on math and ELA only, a change intended to ensure every IEP student has their caseload manager present in at least one class. High school principal Joel reported that the Doorman phone-management system had achieved over 90 percent weekly compliance following a refresh four weeks ago, with a full phone-lockdown version expected in September. Multiple residents cited the state Determination Matrix and the Athena K-12 report during public forum, alleging the district is out of legal compliance on IEPs and 504 plans; one speaker demanded a vote of no confidence in the Director of Student Services. Committee Chair Lisa Kapoja said a first-year implementation plan for the district's special education improvement strategy will be presented at the June 22 School Committee meeting.