Mayoral Candidate Bill Walczak Releases Education Platform

BOSTON -- Thursday, June 20, 2013 -- Drawing on his award-winning career founding and directing Codman Square Health Center to improve the lives of thousands of Bostonians, mayoral candidate Bill Walczak today released his "Blueprint for Transforming Boston's Educational Systems."

Bill Walczak declared, "This election will give the next mayor the political support to transform dramatically Boston Public Schools and build a lifetime education system which enlists every sector of the city."

Walczak's "Blueprint" outlines changes that begin at birth and give Bostonians access to lifetime learning. It goes beyond the school improvement litmus test issues of this campaign - expanded charter schools and time in school - and specifically calls for:

* Creating and supporting autonomous schools with accountability as the best proven strategy to close the achievement gap.
* Focusing on school-based leaders as key players working with teachers and parents to effect change. * Creating a cross-sector Boston Learning Lab inspired by MIT's Media Lab to incubate and support innovation in education from birth across the city.

* Expanding access to K1, high quality early childhood education.
* Reorganize and downsize 26 Court Street, the district central office, to push much needed resources out to schools.
* Connecting health care and education to ensure that children arrive at school age ready and able to learn.

"This is the kind of bold thinking combined with a successful track record of management we need in City Hall to ensure Boston will continue as America's Innovation City," said Alyce Lee, former chief of staff for Mayor Thomas Menino.

Walczak, a founder of Codman Academy Charter Public School and the Edward Kennedy Health Careers Academy said, "Last week, as I had the honor of awarding diplomas to the Codman Academy Class of 2013, I thought about how far Boston has come since Linda and I moved to Dorchester in 1973 and just how much farther we have to go before every Boston child graduates ready for career, college and life."

Walczak, a resident of Savin Hill, is married to Linda Walczak, a retired Boston Public School reading teacher and his children Elizabeth and Matt are graduates of Boston Public Schools. "My experience as a husband, parent, charter school board president, health care executive and neighborhood leader has helped shape our Blueprint."

To read the full release, click here. For more information about community leader Bill Walczak, follow his Twitter & Facebook or visit billforboston.com.