Superintendent Johnson updates Boston families on the Education Reform Act

BOSTON – Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson sent a letter to all BPS families and staff this week updating them on a critical piece of education reform legislation that state representatives will be voting on in the coming weeks. The passage of the Education Reform Act is an important first step in giving Boston the flexibility it needs to transform “turnaround schools” – those schools identified by Dr. Johnson as requiring swift changes to improve their performance.

In her letter, Dr. Johnson noted that Boston is fortunate to have some of the best schools, engaged parents, dedicated teachers and school leaders, and talented students, but also recognized that too many of Boston schools are not yet delivering a world-class education to every student. These “turnaround schools” face many challenges, but in order to succeed, they must fundamentally change the way they are operating and will receive additional resources and targeted interventions specifically designed to meet each school’s unique needs.

“In order to transform these schools, we must be willing to take innovative new approaches to persistent challenges, and we must be fiercely committed to putting the needs of children first,” said Dr. Johnson. “The Education Reform bill is a first step, but in order to work for students, parents, and educators, the bill must include provisions that give school districts the tools to turn around our lowest performing schools, the opportunity to compete for increased federal investment, and the ability to match the right teachers with the right opportunities.”

In an accompanying fact sheet, “Putting Children First through Education Reform,” Dr. Johnson identified three key components that should be part of the bill in order to ensure that this legislation will give Boston the ability to rapidly transform its lowest performing schools and prepare all students to succeed now and in the future:

•    The education reform bill must eliminate the lengthy arbitration process for turnaround efforts in our lowest performing schools;

•    The education reform bill must allow for the unimpeded creation of Horace Mann schools (a type of in-district charter school); and

•    The education reform bill must increase the school district’s flexibility to assign staff members who are able to close the achievement gap in our persistently under-performing schools.

If signed into law, the Education Reform bill would also bring Massachusetts one step closer to more than $250 million in new funding over the next four years through President Obama’s Race To The Top competitive grant program, which will support select states in adopting major school reform initiatives. State applications are due on January 19, and to be competitive for funding, Massachusetts must demonstrate that it is willing to take bold, innovative measures to improve schools.

The legislature is scheduled to vote on the Education Reform bill in early January.

For more information on the Education Reform bill, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/edreform.