Appeal of Hopkinton School District

This case concerns the non-renewal of the contract of the respondent, Mary Beth Stevens, as principal of the Maple Street School in Hopkinton. The petitioner, Hopkinton School District (district), seeks review of the State Board of Education’s (board) decision finding that there was “bias and/or the appearance of bias” in the Hopkinton School Board’s (HSB) decision affirming the superintendent’s recommendation for non-renewal of Stevens’ contract. We vacate and remand.

The record supports the following facts. In 1996, Stevens began serving as the principal of the Maple Street School. During…