FYI from BSF, 07.01.22
Thank You
As we close out another school-year, we never cease to be excited and humbled by your willingness to open, read, forward, respond, applaud, question, or correct information in this weekly email. Boston is a city of great educators and great ideas, and being a source that thousands of people turn to every week is a responsibility we are proud to have earned and take very seriously. Thank you.
Longtime readers know our analysis and volume can turn down a bit in the summer months, but you can still expect at least a weekly round-up of articles most Friday mornings.
Busy last week for the 2021-2022 school year…
New Skipper
After an initial, divided 4-3 tally, Boston School Committee coalesced to unanimously select Mary Skipper as the next Boston superintendent on Wednesday evening. Wednesday was also the last meeting for Dr. Cassellius (interview here). Skipper followed the late evening vote with a Thursday morning press conference at the school she founded, Tech Boston Academy. Skipper: “This has to be a vision we build together.”
With an uncertain start date (Drew Echelson will serve as acting superintendent for the next few months) and a teachers’ contract to settle, there are urgent internal matters from the start. There is also the state agreement to avert receivership, which will require improvements across major areas from special education to transportation. Full agreement, coverage, implications, Tuesday’s state Board meeting on the topic.
There are also opportunities to seize: approximately $270M in remaining federal stimulus funds, a $2B capital investment through the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, and critical literacy work and high school improvements ready for implementation.
That is a lot of homework, especially for summer.
Notes in the Margin
Initial research indicates the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools could improve student achievement and generate return on investment. Thread. Report.
An analysis of substantial, equity-driven building projects in LA Unified School District over 20 years was correlated with:
Increased attendance (and thereby increased math and ELA performance)
Increased home values (and thereby increased municipal revenue, returning $1.60 on each dollar spent)
The LAUSD investment was 10x what is proposed for Boston’s facilities work, not adjusted for inflation.
Two major public policies initiated during the pandemic, universal meals for students and scrapping selective admission public schools, ended yesterday. Two MA districts share the effects of the former; Lowell High School in San Francisco is the first example of the latter.
Other Matters
An independent report confirmed racist incidents and physical altercations at a football game between Georgetown and Roxbury Prep this fall. The report, by Foley Hoag, and initial statements by Georgetown and Roxbury Prep make it clear that this sort of behavior is not allowed at high school football games.
According to the Supreme Court, prayer would have been allowed.
Weekly reporting on school-reported COVID-19 cases ended last week. No word on if this will continue next year. Less than 5% of 0-5 year olds in Boston have initiated vaccination.