School Assignment in Boston Can Still Be Improved

As this process moves along I am slowly realizing that up coming deadlines don't mean that the last chance to make changes has passed by. Things can continue to be improved and refined.

At the most recent School committee meeting I was glad that the community is still pushing for quality and equity improvements. It was heartening that the school committee was asking questions on how to address these issues as well.

This morning I realized that I had some thoughts that I wanted to share. First in listening to the community activists and parents I was struck by how well they understood the various assignment models and the possible impacts of our communities. Many of these people have read a lot of data, attended most meetings, and care a LOT about improving the Boston Public schools. They come from different neighborhoods backgrounds and have different strengths. They often work together to understand complicated issues and brainstorm on how to improve BPS. It strikes me that if a quality task force is going to be created then you don't have to look much farther than these hard working activists.At the least some of this group should be included when the Quality Task force is put together. 

As one of the community members that submitted proposals for school assignment I would like to pass on my personal recommendations for school assignment. I favor Home based plan B with a more equitable basket of different tier schools. I am also against the walk zone. I don't think it serves the needs of equitable access to schools and I don't understand why it needs to be in place. I would be more open to Home based A if there were more quality interventions(with a more equitable basket of different tier schools). I live in the Fenway and I have a number of low performing schools in my basket of choices. If some of those schools offered a more rigorous curriculum then I would consider them as options. It really troubles me that turnaround schools often do not offer advanced work classes. It goes against a need for equity. All children should have the ability to be challenged in all schools. 

I am an eternal optimist and am hopeful that progress can happen.