Boston Public Schools set to open for new school year

MATTAPAN - Boston city and school officials announced that schools are ready for the new school year. On the day before schools open, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger and Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant joined with Boston Teachers Union President Richard Stutman to send the message that despite a tough budget year, Boston's public schools are prepared to welcome the city's 62,000 students. The announcement was made at the brand new Mildred Avenue Middle School, one of three new school buildings opening in the city this year.

There were many challenges facing the city and school department as a declining economy and cuts in state funding forced the system to make some reductions. But, the school department worked over the summer to fill open positions in schools and the city's commitment to maintaining core services, including education, allowed the schools to be prepared to welcome the students to a new school year.

Mayor Menino pointed to the new Mildred Avenue Middle School as an example of that commitment.

"This is a particularly exhilarating year for me," he said. "Tomorrow, we realize a pledge I made over four years ago to build new schools and expand educational opportunities in Boston. I am proud of the work that's been done to get these schools ready and glad that the city got it done for our students."

In addition to the three new schools, the district is continuing its work to restructure high schools to make them more accessible for students. Working with a $13.6 million grant from the Gates Foundation, the district will officially open the Dorchester Education Complex in the old Dorchester High School. The school will re-open as three small schools, each designed around a different theme.

The Gates grant is also being used this year to open the Boston International High School, which will serve older students entering school in the United States for the first time.

School Committee Chair Reilinger said that she was hopeful for the new schools.

"It has been a priority of the school committee to reform Boston's high schools and to make the necessary programmatic changes that would allow for those schools to accelerate their improvement," she said. "Thanks to the Gates Foundation, we have been able to provide the schools with the resources they need to help our students succeed."

Highlighting achievements from last year, Superintendent Payzant pointed to the district's success with supporting students in the Class of 2003 who needed to pass MCAS for the first time last year in order to graduate from high school.

"We made tremendous strides in getting more students over the MCAS bar than many out there though we could," he said. "The students in the Class of 2003 left high school last year with an education that will allow them to access opportunity after school."

Superintendent Payzant also re-committed the district to working with those students who did not graduate with their classmates this year. Students who failed the MCAS but passed the retests in May or July will be able to join with their classmates who met district requirements over the summer in a graduation ceremony planned for October.

Students in the Class of 2004 have also already accelerated their rate of improvement with 62% of that class meeting the MCAS requirement before the May retest. The Department of Education is expected to release the results of the 2003 exams in September.

Some other highlights for the school year include

• $1 Million for Math Coaches: To reach the goal of moving students from passing to proficiency on the math MCAS exams, BPS is dedicating $1 million in new Title 1 federal dollars for additional math coaches - nearly double the number now.
• English Language Learners/ Question II implementation: The voter approval of Question 2 has pushed the district to revamp the way English Language Learners are taught.
• Boston Teacher Residents/Boston Principal Fellows: These highly competitive programs are funded through a private grant to attract talented individuals teaching and leadership positions. This program will allow the district to prepare and certify teachers by placing candidates directly in classrooms in Boston.
• Conversion of four schools to Pilot status: Approved by School Committee and funded by the Boston foundation, four schools will transition to Pilot status during 03-04 school year: Early Learning Center North, the Lee Elementary School, Another Course to College and the Mason Elementary School.