FYI from BSF, 1.31.20
Some things we have read through recently…
The Costs of Housing?
The changing demographics of our city is a muddy picture that requires more examination, particularly housing. New research indicates gentrification is connected to a decline in enrollment in district public schools.
“Gentrification” is a term with sociological or political purposes, depending on whom you ask or how it is employed.
Broadly, gentrification is a rapid decline of the non-white population alongside the rapid increase of median income and/or housing prices.
There are clear local examples: the South End gentrified from the 90s to the 2000s, and Jamaica Plain from 2000 on.
Parts of Roxbury may be next.
We pulled BPS enrollment for Roxbury schools (with some assumptions around 02121 and other edges) for PK-8.
From 2009 to 2020, PK-8 BPS Roxbury enrollment dropped by over 14%, including the closure of a school (Quincy E. Dickerman in 2008).
But there are charters and Catholic schools in Roxbury, and many (Mission Grammar, Dudley Street, Roxbury Prep) have seen their enrollment grow during this same time.
To get a real answer for what is going on with kids in Roxbury or any neighborhood, we would need to track individual students, not school enrollment. Even the BPS enrollment systems (the previous zone system and the current home base system) do not result in kids from Roxbury going to schools in Roxbury.
Without better data tracking and transparency across all school sectors, we can have an inkling, a signal - but we don’t truly know the nature and scale of these issues.
Let alone how to solve for them.
Notes in the Margin
Boston School Committee met Wednesday.
A lot happened at the state level this week...
It’s not often that quotes of school board members result in news, but Tuesday’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education sure did. The Board’s discussion of Boston, its impending audit, and the state’s potential options for response made headlines.
The state is proposing changes to teacher licensure (specifically, the Massachusetts Test for Educational Licensure, or “MTEL”), with a stated purpose of increasing teacher diversity.
On that topic, Latinos For Education released a report of data and surveys around attracting and retaining Latinx educators.
New school report cards are out. They are available by school and district. Following federal guidelines, these report cards are intended to give families more simple, clear information on school performance. Screenshot below - user friendly, and you can search by subgroup.
The lawsuit pursuing additional education funding, creating context and pressure for the new Student Opportunity Act, was quietly dropped. Expect higher ed, especially public higher ed, to feel the pressure next.
A lot of progress has been made in ensuring teachers actually use research-based curriculum and instruction in reading. Still a long way to go, even in Massachusetts. New report from National Council on Teacher Quality.
Community schools in New York got a second look. Initial analysis of a subset of these schools was not good, but a new study (with different sample and methodology) provides a more nuanced review.
Inclusive practices at Boston charters show gains for students with disabilities and English Language Learners.
A senior leader at BPS is on leave.
School Matters
Today is the last day for priority registration for BPS.
Boston School Finder on Telemundo. Spanish translation use of the site is way up this year, as well as other languages available.
It was Catholic Schools Week in Boston.
