Dr. Johnson joins Mayor to congratulate House leaders on education reform bill

BOSTON - Mayor Thomas M. Menino this morning joined Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, Reverend Gregory G. Groover, Sr., Chairperson of the Boston School Committee, and other School Committee members to congratulate members of the House of Representatives on passing a comprehensive education reform bill. 

The bill, passed by the House in the early morning hours today, includes many of the provisions that Mayor Menino has long been advocating.  It provides the flexibility to create in-district charter schools, meaningful turnaround tools for underperforming schools, and the ability to innovate without the delay of lengthy arbitration.  The bill’s passage also puts the Commonwealth in a better position to compete for a potential $250 million in federal funding through the Race to the Top initiative.

“The bill the House passed early this morning is a major win for students in Boston and across the Commonwealth,” Mayor Menino said.  “This hasn’t been easy.  People ask me why I’ve been so fired up lately. I say, this is the most important thing we can do.  I made some candid phone calls and visits to many folks to remind them education reform is about kids.  The truth is: I am happy to turn up the pressure to turn around schools.”

At this morning’s press conference, the Mayor thanked Education Chair Marty Walz, also in attendance, Speaker DeLeo, Representatives St. Fleur and Moran, and the entire Boston delegation for their hard work to deliver a bill that provides real reforms.  Mayor Menino went on to thank the Race to the Top Coalition, a group of civic, business, and community leaders, with whom he joined earlier this week at the State House to push for reforms that put the Commonwealth in a better position to compete for the $250 million federal funding. Applications for the funding are due January 19.

The House’s bill will now go to conference committee with the Senate.

“I look forward to the bill moving swiftly through the conference committee.  We're eager to begin using the tools that it provides to accelerate achievement for every child who attends a Boston public school,” Superintendent Johnson said.

Dr. Johnson emphasized that the legislation will serve as the engine to enact rapid change in the district’s underperforming schools. Turning around low-performing schools and replicating success is a key component of the district’s Acceleration Agenda 2009-2014, which Dr. Johnson presented to the School Committee in November. This five-year strategic plan lays out the district’s priorities and direction for closing access and achievement gaps and graduating all students from high school prepared for college and career success. 

Highlighting transformative progress in education as a centerpiece for his new term during Monday’s Inaugural address, Mayor Menino has urged legislators to adopt a bill that will increase the charter school cap and also provide turnaround capacity for local districts in three areas: 1) The authority to create in-district charter schools; 2) The flexibility to assign teachers where they are needed most; and 3) The ability to bypass lengthy arbitration at persistently underperforming schools.

By adopting many of these measures, the education reform legislation would put the Commonwealth at the forefront of the national education reform movement. 

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to really transform education for the children of Boston and the entire state,” Mayor Menino concluded.  “Let’s continue to put our children first and make Massachusetts more competitive for $250 million in federal funds.  Real reform is within our grasps.  Let’s do it now because there is no time to waste.”

For more information on the education reform bill, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/edreform.

Photo: Dr. Johnson does an interview about the education reform bill with television station Univision following the press conference.