Note: This episode originally aired June 12, 2019.

In the final installment of our series about MassCore, Jill Shah interviews Orin Gutlerner about the challenges of scaling rigorous and engaging curriculum and teaching practices. They dissect a report called “The Opportunity Myth,” which attempts to answer the question of whether K-12 schools are fulfilling the fundamental promise that if students put in the effort and succeed with their work, they will be prepared for higher education. The short answer: It's not even close.

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Note: This episode originally aired May 29, 2019.

In part 2 of Understanding MassCore, Jill talks with Paul Reville, a key architect and advocate for MassCore, about topics that are key to understanding the intentions and context for this policy, such as: The role of globalization and the standards movement in the crafting of the MassCore policy; How and why the state viewed it through a lens of educational equity; Why it was a recommended—rather than required—framework for a high school diploma; And, the challenges of its adoption, particularly in BPS.

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Note: This episode originally aired May 15, 2019

In the spirit of enrichment and connectivity, we offer this three part series on the topic of MassCore. Part 1 looks at the context of graduation requirements in BPS High Schools. Stay tuned for parts two and three that will be released over the next two weeks.

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In this bonus episode, Jill and Ross touch upon two main themes significantly impacting the district: enrollment decline and graduation standards. We discuss how enrollment has dropped over the past half-decade and dive into those numbers. Ross and Jill then use analysis and insight from some of our first episodes in 2019 to touch on the key components of MassCore and why they matter for Boston Public Schools. 

Enrollment Losses, A Startling Decline:

Since the 2019–2020 school year, BPS has lost over 4,000 students, a 9.4% drop, making it one of the fastest shrinking large school districts in the country. Recent data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education suggests the trend may be even worse. At the same time, staffing in the district has grown by 12.7%, primarily driven by increases in non-teaching roles like administrators and paraprofessionals. This mismatch, fewer students, more staff, raises major questions about resource alignment and what the City and district are doing to stem the loss of students across BPS. 

A New Graduation Standard - MassCore in 2025

On the academic front, BPS is in a moment of transition following Massachusetts’ recent vote to remove MCAS as a graduation requirement. With local control now shaping graduation standards, BPS has chosen MassCore, a state-recommended framework aimed at aligning high school coursework with college readiness. Interestingly, this question links closely with a major study from the Boston Globe relating to how our district prepares our brightest students for the future. We are still awaiting data from this year about graduation rates and are keen to analyze how the similar standards for this past graduating class impacted rates. Adopted in 2021, MassCore includes requirements in math, English, history, foreign language, the arts, and more. However, implementation has been uneven: while MassCore completion rates have doubled in Boston, they still trail the state average by 30 percentage points. With no statewide graduation mandate in place, how BPS chooses to implement MassCore will significantly influence whether the district can deliver on its promise to offer our children a quality education. 

Looking Ahead!

Over the course of the next three weeks, we will be dropping our “Deep Dives” series about MassCore on our feed. These re-releases will build upon our discussion in this episode and expand into some other areas well! 

The first school committee meeting of the 2025-2026 school year will be on September 10th at 6pm. We will be watching, listening, and recording! Until then, we hope you enjoy the final days of summer.

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Last Night at School Committee – July 9, 2025

The only Boston School Committee meeting of the summer opened with a goodbye to a leaving member, included a summary of the Superintendent’s progress, and ended with more questions than answers. Here's what happened last night:

The meeting began with another goodbye to Committee Member Lima Barbosa who previously announced that she will be leaving the school committee for another professional opportunity. Chair Robinson commended her work on the committee and wished her well in the future. Of note, there is still no word on the process for filling her position.

The meeting included votes on various grants in the district as well as an ask from the district to ensure that the leased land permits for the Boys and Girls Martin Richard Foundation Field House Project were legally approved. The votes were approved unanimously. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, there were 10 public speakers that advocated on behalf of different issues. There was a wide range of comments last night, including more testimony about the closing of the Dever, achievement gaps for English Language Learners, support for bus monitors, exam school policy concerns, and significant issues at the Mel King Academy. 

There were also several speakers focused on the poor support offered to students and families in need. One parent spoke to the cumbersome process of school placement related to the student’s IEP, and another parent testified about the district’s failure to adequately assist her medically-disabled son. Much of this testimony was heartwrenching, illustrating some significant gaps in the BPS' support for students with unique needs. 

Over the past six months, we have been closely following how the federal government’s cuts could impact the district. Last night, Superintendent Skipper offered some insight into resource allocation for next year and beyond. Superintendent Skipper stated that, as of now, no positions will be cut in ‘25-’26 due to funding cuts from the Trump Administration. However, the Superintendent did note that certain title funding may be in jeopardy that could strip away professional development opportunities as well as English Language Learner programming. This will be an issue we continue to monitor. 

At the last meeting, the School Committee outlined their evaluation of Superintendent Mary Skipper, and they deemed that Superintendent Skipper was "proficient." During this meeting, committee members unanimously voted to approve their evaluation of the Superintendent, yet certain committee members questioned some aspects of the district’s progress in terms of quantifiable data. Member Cardet-Hernandez inquired about how data was used to inform committee members’ decisions, specifically in terms of graduation rate, enrollment numbers, and achievement gaps. In response, the Superintendent stated that she would provide members with “memos” when this data becomes available. 

Here at the Shah Foundation, we decided to conduct our own analysis of the committee members’ evaluations, and we found a few notable pieces of data. First, across 48 written pages and more than 9,000 words of evaluation on the four standards, there were fewer than 50 data points cited. Second, two of the members did not cite a single specific number in their evaluation of the superintendent's performance. Third, just two members used more than 10 specific data points. Clearly, quantifiable data is not a crucial aspect of the members’ evaluation process.

With respect to media coverage of the evaluation, the Boston Globe ran a headline stating that “BPS Superintendent Skipper receives high marks in latest evaluation.” However, this attention grabbing title fails to adequately dissect and uncover the truth behind the committee’s analysis. In the body of the article, the Globe notes that “progress remains uneven across schools” and much of the analysis from members echoes the same.

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Here's what happened last night:

Saying Goodbye:

Committee Member Lima Barbosa announced that next month’s meeting will be her last. Her departure will create an opening on the Committee, yet we did not hear about the process of filling her seat. Host Ross Wilson announced that he will look into potentially joining the committee in her stead.

Public Comment: Eid, Henderson, and Equity:

The Eid Coalition Group dominated public comment as multiple speakers urged the district to close schools on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The parents, students, and advocates highlighted the difficulty of having to choose whether they must miss a school day or an important holiday.

Additionally, parents from the Henderson Inclusion School gave a moving statement about how the school’s original inclusive mission has eroded, illustrating greater concerns raised over the past year about its decline.

Votes, Votes, Votes:

The School Committee ticked off a number of unanimous votes on various matters that had been previously brought up before the members. These included: authorization for student activity funds, superintendent approval authority over trust expenditures, Boston Green Academy’s charter renewal, Urban Achievers High School private school application, graduation requirements amendment for alternative education, and the competency determination for the Class of 2026. Notably, there was little inquiry from any School Committee members on graduation rates for this past year. We will be on the lookout for further information about this during future meetings.

Superintendent’s Report: Progress, But Few Details

Superintendent Mary Skipper opened her report with a thank you to this year’s retiring BPS staff. She then introduced a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Boston Police Department, which outlines limited circumstances under which schools will share information with law enforcement. The agreement maintains the district’s commitment to restorative justice and explicitly prohibits inquiries into students’ immigration status. The quarterly update on transformation schools noted “slow and steady” progress, particularly with more coaching and monitoring around grade-level curriculum as well as excitement and school culture improvements. The Superintendent also stated that there remains major issues with chronic absenteeism throughout these schools.

Superintendent Evaluation: “Proficient”

The Committee presented its annual evaluation of Superintendent Skipper, giving her an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5 and labeling her “proficient.” According to the report, she showed improvement in every category over the past year. However, the evaluation relied on a BPS-specific rubric, diverging from the state’s DESE model, raising questions about alignment and transparency. More critically, the Committee did not address major issues in its evaluation, including: the long-term facilities plan, ballooning White Stadium costs, declining enrollment, transportation controversy, and federal funding uncertainty.

Exam Schools: Bonus Points No More?

The night’s final report focused on the exam school admissions policy. While no changes were proposed, as the district made clear their presentation was just an analysis, data simulations hinted at a likely shift away from the controversial “bonus points” system, especially as exam school applicants have dropped by more than 1,000 students over the past five years.

Vice Chair O’Neill expressed concern about the unintended consequences of the current tier-based residency system, despite having supported the policy in the past. Two public speakers critiqued the district for their actions, stating that the information they presented was clear when they began the process of changing the admissions policy.

Looking Ahead

The School Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for July 9th, when it will formally vote on Superintendent Skipper’s evaluation.

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Last night’s Boston School Committee meeting began with an executive session, during which members received an update on a labor agreement between the district and the Administrative Guild, which represents the secretaries and clerks working in Boston Public Schools (BPS).

The public portion of the meeting opened with a hearing on the Massachusetts School Choice Plan for the 2025–2026 school year. However, with no public speakers present, the meeting moved swiftly to the Superintendent’s report.

Superintendent Mary Skipper began her report by acknowledging the recent tragic deaths of two BPS students. Chair Jeri Robinson and Superintendent Skipper expressed condolences to the affected families. Superintendent Skipper also referenced ongoing collaboration with TransDev, the city’s contracted school bus provider, to prevent future incidents. However, a Boston Globe article published this week revealed that the bus driver involved in one of the incidents had an expired certification. Notably, the Superintendent did not directly address this detail, and we will continue to monitor for follow-up.

Superintendent Skipper went on to highlight a new partnership between Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions. The agreement guarantees direct entry for the top-performing 50% of Madison Park graduates into pre-apprenticeship union training programs. This marks the largest such agreement in the state and provides a meaningful career pathway for BPS students into the trades.

The Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) presented next, reporting on a recent visit to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, where students advocated for a districtwide cell phone policy. The current policy (see page 20) has not been comprehensively updated in two decades. While individual schools have adopted varied approaches, the absence of a consistent, modern policy remains a pressing issue.

One of the evening’s most intense exchanges occurred during the vote on whether BPS should participate in the Massachusetts School Choice Program. Although Superintendent Skipper had previously cited capacity constraints, she reframed her opposition by warning that a pilot program could divert focus from core priorities such as inclusive education and early college pathways.

Member Brandon Cardet-Hernandez issued a detailed rebuttal. He argued that the district was prioritizing fear over innovation, and emphasized the potential for school choice to support Boston’s workforce—many of whom reside outside the city—and promote equity and integration. He also contested claims regarding financial burdens, noting that many are not grounded in evidence. Ultimately, the school committee, once again, voted to opt out of school choice. 

Later in the meeting, Boston Green Academy presented its charter renewal application. The district also provided an update on graduation requirements for students in alternative education settings. BPS reaffirmed its post-2021 graduation standards and highlighted alignment with other urban districts across the state. Superintendent Skipper added that the updated framework expands early college and career access for alternative education students.

The final presentation focused on the proposed Urban Achievers Private High School. Committee members and district leaders expressed strong support, praising the additional school choice it would offer to Boston families. The enthusiasm stood in contrast to the hesitance shown around broader school choice discussions earlier in the meeting.

During the meeting, Member Cardet-Hernandez raised a key concern about the impact of frozen or rescinded federal grants. Superintendent Skipper confirmed that many grants are currently stalled due to legal challenges, which is affecting the district’s budget planning.

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Last night’s meeting was a long one, lasting just over four hours. The main agenda item of the night was a recap of the new contract agreed to between the Boston Teachers’ Union (BTU) and the district. Before this recap, the Superintendent gave a lengthy update on happenings in the district, which included a note about a new transportation policy. While this was not an agenda item, the district did announce a new policy that may remove some students from routes who do not ride the bus for 10 days in a row. There were few questions about this policy and members further encouraged the district to increase the “on-time” rate of buses earlier in the year than seven months into the school year. 

District leaders then presented to the School Committee on the details within the newly agreed upon BTU contract. More specifically, the Superintendent and her team outlined updates to an increase in wages for paraprofessionals as well as a new model for serving students with disabilities. The district’s explanation of the revisions to the model for special education were convoluted, at best. 

Another area of concern that emerged from the district’s presentation was the financial implications of the new contract, with the Superintendent’s team stating they felt “uncomfortable” with the cost of the contract. The contract, as well as the supplemental appropriations necessary to fund the contract, passed the school committee vote unanimously. 

After a short public comment period and a few votes on small grants, the meeting moved on to a discussion of transformation schools. As mandated by the Systemic Improvement Plan (SIP), these quarterly updates provide a glimpse into the progress, or lack thereof, of the district’s most underperforming schools. While two principals from these schools shed some light on some positive news, the majority of the presentation touched on many of the same points we have been hearing, mainly, continued concerns about student achievement and chronic absenteeism. School Committee members asked pointed questions about potential alternatives to transformation schools and whether we are using the best data practices to monitor their growth. Due to the district moving out of the SIP, there was uncertainty about how this information will continue to be shared moving forward, but we will continue to keep an eye out for updates on them in the future. 

Finally, the meeting wrapped up with a discussion on the Massachusetts School Choice Plan for SY 2025-2026. In the past, and last night, the district has opposed having the district opt-in to school choice, which would allow students from other cities and towns to enroll in BPS. Member Cardet-Hernandez proposed to allow municipal employees, including teachers, who live outside of Boston, to enroll their kids in BPS. This potential pilot program received significant pushback from the Superintendent and her team and was shut down without any further conversation. 

The School Committee will next meet at 6pm on Wednesday, May 14th. We are looking forward to hearing more from our district’s leaders. 

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Last night’s meeting lasted three hours, and it centered on two main topics: Boston emerging from the State Improvement Plan (SIP) and the vote on the FY26 budget. The meeting began with Chair Robinson recapping major news from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) board meeting on Tuesday. In short, DESE announced that the SIP, which expires in June, would not be renewed by the state. While state officials praised the district’s improvements and work, it was clear that the results of the SIP were a mixed bag. Nevertheless, the state is now moving the district out of the SIP, and the Superintendent spent a large portion of her report highlighting the vast improvements including bus arrival times, increased test scores, and new career pathways for BPS students. However, School Committee and DESE board members had words of caution given the urgency of necessary improvements in BPS. The oversight will officially end on June 30th, but the School Committee did note that they will look to continue internal oversight. Clearly, though, there is much work to be done in the district given the results shown below and in a recent report by the Boston Policy Institute.

After a short public comment period that hit on major pain points from the community, the meeting moved on to the vote on the FY26 budget. While there was not much suspense as to whether the budget would pass or not, School Committee members did raise certain concerns about its scope and priorities. More specifically, members questioned, once again, how the budget fits into the district’s long-term plan, the presence of school accountability measures, and the needs in the district that still need to be addressed. Though one member voted no, the budget ultimately passed, with six yea votes.

The School Committee meeting ended with a presentation on an amendment to the code of conduct. In short, due to a change in state law, the district had to adjust their use of discipline, and they are moving more towards a system of “progressive discipline.” There will be a vote at the next School Committee meeting on the amendment. 

Finally, as mentioned during this week’s podcast, we will be tracking the questions and requests made by School Committee members during the meetings. As we have seen, oftentimes, inquiries about the state of affairs, data, and other relevant matters are asked, but questions are left unanswered. As part of each blog post, we will be monitoring these questions and whether they have been answered. Here are some from last night: 

The School Committee will next meet at 6pm on Wednesday, April 16th. We are looking forward to hearing from the Superintendent about the district’s new contract with teachers. 

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Last night’s meeting lasted around five hours, hitting on many important topics. Before the official meeting, the School Committee hosted its third and final budget hearing for the FY26 budget. The Superintendent and her team answered questions from School Committee members, including inquiries about the role of federal funding in the budget, how long-term goals are achieved in the budget, and the cuts made to community advancement programs. Questions were also asked about accelerating student performance, which was highlighted in a recent report published by the Boston Policy Institute.

Following the conclusion of the budget meeting, the regular School Committee meeting began. Chair Robinson announced that the district had reached a tentative agreement with the Boston Teachers Union following months of negotiation. While main details were not discussed, the Superintendent and her team said that they would provide an update at a future meeting. Following this, the meeting moved into public comment, where nearly every speaker was a community member representing schools on the proposed closure and merger list voicing their pleas to keep their school communities open.

After public comment and quick votes on grants and the renaming of the Sumner/Philbrick school, the School Committee voted on the Core Program Statement of Interest to the MSBA for Madison Park Vocational High School. Last month, during a City Council hearing, the Mayor’s team announced plans to seek MSBA funding for a new Madison Park facility, with the estimated cost rising to nearly $700 million—up from the originally earmarked $500 million. While there was not much further discussion after last meeting’s comprehensive discussion, School Committee members did question what alternative plans were in place if the district did not receive the money. Once again, the O’Bryant School was only tangentially mentioned and there was minimal discussion about what the future will hold for that community. In the end, the School Committee unanimously voted to approve the Statement of Interest.

Finally, the School Committee meeting ended with a vote on the aforementioned school closures and mergers. The public comment during the evening was filled with tangible emotion from community members, and it was clear that this carried over to School Committee members as well. Multiple School Committee members harped on the difficulty of these decisions and the necessity of making hard choices for the benefit of long term district health. The Superintendent and her team responded to questions about how educators will be supported during the transition as well as the assistance BPS is offering to families that will be forced to change schools. Moreover, the Superintendent stated that no child reassigned during this process would be forced to leave their current school again. However, due to the lack of a long-term facilities plan, there is no way to track this across the district; hence, it is unclear how this process will occur. Nevertheless, their answers seemed to satisfy the School Committee as the closure and merger plan passed by a vote of five to one. The shift in facilities will take place in June 2026. 

Next week, the School Committee will vote on the revised budget. The meeting will take place on March 26th at 6:30pm. Looking forward, the Superintendent noted that we will hear about the new contract with the BTU in April.

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