Watertown Public Schools — High-risk

The most significant development for Watertown families began in November 2025, when the state rated the district's special education program as "Needs Assistance" — earning 69% of possible points and being flagged for below-target graduation and MCAS performance for students with disabilities, 11 findings of non-compliance, and below-target inclusion in regular classrooms. In response, the district began convening a Special Education Strategy Development Committee and planning a multi-year improvement plan.

By January 2026, an independent Athena K-12 review dug deeper and confirmed significant gaps, identifying six major areas for improvement including inconsistent staffing and caseloads, uneven service delivery, and gaps in data collection and training. A 32-member Strategy Team went to work on a multi-year response, and in March 2026 Superintendent Galdston and Student Services Director Desmarais presented the resulting draft Special Education Strategy for Success to the School Committee.

Separately, in spring 2026 the district addressed community concerns about an immigration enforcement incident near Cunniff Elementary. The Superintendent reported that, since winter 2025, the district has had protocols in place covering staff training, critical incident teams, attendance outreach for families who may be hesitant to send children to school, and caregiver affidavits to ensure students are released only to safe, authorized adults.