FYI from BSF, 02.18.22
"We'll all have to make changes together."
That was Mayor Wu, at last week’s press conference announcing Superintendent Cassellius’s departure, adding, "This is not about creating the expectation that any amazing individual is going to step in and save the world.” Boston School Committee then announced Tuesday an ambitious timeline to find an amazing individual to be superintendent, echoing Wu’s commitment to secure a permanent successor by the end of this school year.
With little time for BPS to reflect on the brief leadership of its outgoing leader, the takes are already pouring in about her successor. Someone who’s “in it for the long haul.” Someone local, either currently or knows Boston’s current educational landscape and complex history. Will current BPS initiatives, like libraries, continue? There are questions about the process itself - is it fair or produce the best result?
Urban superintendency is a big job, and more than a few people can be heard saying the current role is “impossible.”
So, what if we asked, even expected, our new leader of schools to do less, not more?
We have seen what happens when the school district is left on its own to solve too many problems like facilities, expanding early child education, and enrollment. Despite being launched in 2015, there is still no master facilities plan, universal preK in Boston does not exist, and significant drops in the student population wreak budget and program havoc at the school level.
The city has the opportunity to create an environment where its next superintendent can be focused and successful. This spring’s search and community process should result in less goals, not more; core skills and experiences, not a laundry list; a set of expectations for a new superintendent, and also for Boston School Committee, City Hall, families, students, and communities. This superintendent search is as much an opportunity for community and partnership, as it is for leadership.
This partnership may not require the Mayor or the state to take over the schools, but it does require the Mayor actively take on some of the big system challenges that have bogged down the last four BPS superintendents and left BPS families to deal with the consequences.
A partnership path would have the city leading essential infrastructure projects like developing a long-term facilities master plan that results in modernization of school buildings. Real community engagement and the development of school models families and students want and deserve. Convening all early education providers in the city 0-4 to adopt a common enrollment process and equipping every city-operated community center and library to enroll families in early learning.
Not only are these issues critical for the long-term viability of the city’s schools, but strong leadership from City Hall would also give space for the new superintendent to focus where his or her skills are most needed: school.
In spite of the evergreen and current problems of politics and operations in schools, teaching and learning cannot be lost in this search. An empowered, supported superintendent should be focused on improving student outcomes, ensuring the health and well-being of students, educators, and families, and restoring trust and belief in BPS as a provider of high-quality education opportunities for all students.
Big changes to a school system won't happen without good things happening in schools.
Reopening Boston, MA, and Beyond
In addition to the superintendent search, Boston School Committee also updated its COVID testing and tracking policies to align with the overwhelming majority of schools in the Commonwealth. The Committee, however, did not approve the proposed compromise with the Boston Teachers Union on the vaccine mandate; an appeals court ruling and a few BTU members’ own lawsuit forced a pause. Full meeting materials here.
School-reported COVID cases continued their plunge this week, down +91%over the past five weeks for staff and students in Boston and across Massachusetts.
The Commonwealth’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education also met this week. Putting aside questions around remote learning, Secretary Peyser asserted the value of keeping schools open during the Omicron surge. Months of meetings, big questions, and lots of takes to follow Commissioner Riley’s announcement to assess competency determinations and the state accountability system, in light of the past two years.
Another profile of high school students, entering the next phase of pandemic schooling.
Is the San Francisco school board recall a sign of things to come? Or, will it be filed later under myths of schools during the pandemic?
Boston isn’t the only city considering “soft landings” for next year. New York City is considering spending +$320M on empty seats.
Other Matters
Exam schools always find a way to pop up. Newly released data points to a race to the top for grades for admission, at least until the testing requirement returns next year.
More attention on early college.
A deep dive on ethnic studies, which will be a Boston high school graduation requirement in the future.