Project Update: Presentation & Report on Findings for Teaching & Learning from September 15, 2026

This update & corresponding presentation by the Rennie Center covers the Teaching and Learning component of the Ed Model, focusing on staff and student experiences, the use of resources such as time, people, and money, and recommended ways for DPS to move forward.

At the September 15, 2026 Dedham School Committee meeting, the second and final report from the Rennie Center was presented as part of the work being done to redesign Dedham’s Educational Model, aligning the district’s educational vision, instructional practices, and facilities planning to prepare students for lifelong success in a rapidly changing global society. The Educational Model Redevelopment process was designed to ensure that future organizational and facility decisions directly advance Dedham’s long-term educational priorities.

The report presented on the 15th focused on the Teaching and Learning components of the Educational Model, establishing what experiences and opportunities Dedham hopes to provide students; the companion piece to the earlier Grade Configuration and School Facility Options report which will inform the Facilities Master Plan currently being developed for the Town of Dedham.

Key Findings: Dedham’s Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement

The Rennie Center's review of teaching and learning in Dedham found a district with meaningful strengths on which to build, as well as clear opportunities to improve coherence, access, and student outcomes. Encouragingly, the evidence does not point to a need for wholesale transformation: instead, Dedham's strongest path forward is to expand practices that are working, address areas where implementation varies across schools or student groups, and concentrate the district’s limited time and resources on a small number of long-term priorities.

The findings included present some of the primary takeaways from three sources of evidence: district and state quantitative data; qualitative data from school visits, classroom observations, focus groups, interviews, and document review; and feedback gathered through listening sessions, a visioning event, and a community survey with more than 760 responses.

Drawing on the key findings, the Rennie Center developed four Guiding Principles to identify options that offer a focused, feasible path toward sustained improvement: Build on what is already happening; Draw from familiar language and practices; Reorganize existing resources first; Prioritize coherence over quantity.

The Rennie Center used these principles to generate nine teaching and learning options, which can be grouped into three core strategies:

1) Strengthening student supports,

2) Redesigning staffing models,

3) Expanding meaningful learning experiences.

An 8-page executive summary provides a brief overview of each option, describing key features of the model and its application to Dedham. Additional details on all nine options can be found in the full report.

Each of the nine options is supported by evidence, builds on work already underway, and advances the district's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and Portrait of a Learner. The options are not mutually exclusive, but each would require sustained attention, resources, and implementation capacity. The Rennie Center’s primary recommendation for DPS is for the district to concentrate its efforts on two connected priorities: strengthening its academic multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and expanding career-connected exploration at Dedham High School. These recommendations reflect clear themes from our quantitative data collection, classroom observations, interviews, focus groups, and community engagement. They also build on work already underway in DPS, allowing the district to deepen and connect existing practices rather than introducing an extensive new set of initiatives. Other options can be phased in where they strengthen these priorities and where sufficient implementation capacity exists.

The Educational Model Redevelopment is intended to ensure that future decisions about Dedham’s schools are grounded in what matters most: providing students with strong educational opportunities and learning environments that support their success.

Next Steps & How Community Members Can Learn More

The School Committee will continue to review the findings, consider community perspectives, and work with district leadership and its partners as Dedham develops a long-term vision for its schools.

Upcoming Meeting: September 29, 2026 - School Committee will vote on 3 Grade/School Configuration options to move forward for further review and analysis within the Town Facilities Master Plan project.