Thursday June 01 2006
“How will this decision help students become better readers, writers, and thinkers and reach proficiency?”
Leaders in the Boston Public Schools are expected to ask this question as they proceed in their high school renewal work. Led by Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant, the systemic Boston change progress has been driven by the comprehensive reform plan Focus on Children. Efforts are coordinated by the High School Renewal and Small Schools Network, which supports school leaders in their quest to develop quality small learning environments.
“The primacy of school leaders” was a critical lesson learned in the first stages of the high school renewal efforts. Data was an essential element in preparing school leaders to change instruction and improve their practices. Building ownership and providing opportunities to deepen understanding proved to be key leadership development efforts.
Developing small, dynamic learning environments that promote student engagement, positive relationships among adults and students, and a love of learning is the goal of Boston’s Office of High School Renewal. The office has engaged a range of stakeholders, built partnerships with community organizations, and won funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others.
Leadership at the Top
Since 1995, Payzant has led the school district in dividing large high schools and developing portfolios of secondary school options.
Payzant stressed the importance of a clear vision in his leadership work in a recent interview with The Washington Post. "From the perspective of the teachers, each year brings a new set of goals, new programs, a new set of expectations. . . And they haven't even begun to understand last year's plan," said Payzant. "From day one here, you have to have a consistent plan and everyone on the same page."
Payzant has emphasized leadership in his tenure and putting school performance front and center. Innovative programs—and needed supports—have been put in place to restore building-level control to leaders at all levels. Engaging parents and the community has been essential in Payzant’s larger efforts.
Demonstrated Success
For the fifth year in a row, in April 2006 the Boston Public Schools was named a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, a $1 million prize given to urban school districts that have made the greatest increases in student achievement.
High school reform efforts are a large part of this success. One reason the district was chosen, according to the Broad Foundation, is because low-income, Hispanic, and African American students are performing at higher-than-expected proficiency levels in middle and high school reading and math compared to districts in Massachusetts with similar student populations.
For example, between 1998–2005, student scores on standardized testing for all racial groups have significantly increased. In 1998, only 15 percent of African Americans passed the standard math exam, while 62 percent passed in 2005. For Hispanics, the pass rate rose from 13 percent to 65 percent. Caucasians increased from 50 percent to 85 percent, and Asian students improved from 50 percent to 95 percent. Additionally, in 2003, 74 percent of all graduating students went on to higher education or post-secondary training. SAT scores have also increased by 45 points.
Ongoing Challenges
There are still challenges in Boston that a close examination of the data reveals. About one-fifth of Boston’s class of 2003 was unable, despite many attempts, to pass the state assessment tests, which are now required for graduation. The city’s dropout rate, while falling, also remains over 20 percent.
There is a clear achievement gap between the success of Caucasian and Asian students and African Americans and Hispanics. When named the 2005 Public Official of the Year, Payzant noted in an interview with Governing.com, “The debate about closing the achievement gap is as important and lively as ever.”
Payzant, who will retire in June 2006, leaves behind a district focused on relationships, curriculum, and instruction for students’ success in secondary education and beyond.
posted by AcrosticGuy @ 5:39 PM
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