10 Boys clubs in Boston schools provide extra support for Black and Latino male students

BOSTON - A group of Boston Public Schools is taking an innovative new approach to closing the achievement gap with programs specifically geared to Black and Latino boys. The schools have created "10 Boys" clubs, comprised of ten boys of color who performed in the "needs improvement" category on the MCAS exams last year, in an effort to help them move to the "proficient" or "advanced" levels on the state tests. The program is designed to provide the boys with additional support to support their academic, social, and emotional growth into successful young men of color.

The "10 Boys" initiative is now underway in every elementary, middle and high school in Triad A - a group of 44 schools in the neighborhoods of Back Bay, Charlestown, Chinatown, East Boston, Fenway/Kenmore, North End, South Boston, and the South End, which represents about one-third of all Boston Public Schools.

Dr. Ingrid Carney, the Deputy Superintendent who oversees the triad, created the program earlier this year in response to research about boys - particularly Black and Latino boys - consistently performing at lower levels than girls. Dr. Carney challenged all principals in the triad to provide intensive, ongoing support and programming for a group of 10 male students of color in order to boost their attendance and achievement, and reduce the likelihood of dropping out of school. She hopes that the initiative will result in higher academic performance for the cohort of boys in each school and provide lessons for improving performance among all students.

"We hope to have models to share across the district as we work to help all kids reach proficiency," said Dr. Carney. "It's exciting to hear the principals talk about the impact that this initiative is already having on their young men. We are seeing more focus and engagement in class, better attendance, and fewer discipline referrals. These young men will help lead the next group, and so on and so on. We are expecting great results."

Schools have tailored each 10 Boys program to the needs and interests of their students, but each program contains some common elements as well:

• A cohort of 10 African-American or Latino males, all performing at "needs improvement" (level 2) on the MCAS;
• Regular meetings with the group of boys to create a sense of purpose and community, often before or after school;
• Proactive efforts to engage the boys' families in their personal and academic success, such as weekly telephone calls or school visits to update families on their student's progress;
• Tutoring and other "safety net" supports and intervention services for boys at greatest risk of truancy, drop-out, or failure;
• A "student learning contract" to be signed by the principals, teachers, each boy and his parent or guardian, affirming the rights and responsibilities involved in participating in "10 Boys," as well as learning and behavior goals for each student;
• Ongoing monitoring and reporting of the boys' attendance, grades, homework, tests, and parent involvement, including personalized success plans to address particular gaps and challenges.

The boys are receiving support not only from their families and educators, but also from a national celebrity. The Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist Common recently recorded a short video message to the boys participating in the program, congratulating them on their hard work and encouraging them to perform well on the MCAS exams. Every school in Triad A received a copy of the DVD message to play for the students in the 10 Boys initiative, as well as copies of Common's children's book The Mirror and Me.

Other activities include:

• Some schools have named their 10 Boys clubs, to foster a sense of pride in membership - such as the "Ten Kings," "Morning Star Success Club," "Reading Raptors," or "LIVE Brothers" (Loyal, Intelligent, Victorious, Everlasting).
• Schools have invited guest speakers to meet with the boys, including successful African-American and Latino men from the community.
• At one elementary school, the gym teacher works closely with the ten boys once a week on health and fitness, teamwork, anger management, and social skills.
• Principals are providing incentives - such as pizza parties, savings bonds, Duck Tours, Red Sox and Celtics games - to reward the participating boys for behavior improvement or academic gains.
• The boys often discuss assigned books and articles about the unique experience of being a black male in America, and maintain writing journals of their own.
• Schools have added a community service component to the program, engaging the boys in school and neighborhood clean-up efforts or other activities to develop leadership and community involvement.

While the short-term goal of the program is for students to perform at higher levels on the MCAS exam, those results will not be known until the fall. Even before then, however, principals and teachers have noted positive impact of the initiative, citing higher attendance, improved behavior, and better academic performance among the boys.