Boston Public Schools
Encyclopedia
Boston Public Schools is a school district
serving the city of Boston
, Massachusetts
, United States
.
The district is led by a Superintendent
, hired by the Boston School Committee, a seven-member school board appointed by the Mayor after approval by a nominating committee of specified stakeholders. The School Committee sets policy for the district and approves the district's annual operating budget. This governing body replaced a 13-member elected Committee after a public referendum vote in 1991. The Superintendent serves as a member of the Mayor's cabinet.
From October 1995 through June 2006, Dr. Thomas W. Payzant served as superintendent. A former undersecretary in the US Department of Education, Payzant was the first superintendent selected by the appointed School Committee. Upon Dr. Payzant's retirement, Chief Operating Officer Michael G. Contompasis, former headmaster of Boston Latin School
, became Interim Superintendent, and was appointed superintendent in October 2006. Dr. Manuel J. Rivera, superintendent of the Rochester
City School District, had agreed to become the next superintendent of the BPS, but instead accepted a post as deputy secretary for public education for New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
. In June 2007, the Boston School Committee voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Carol R. Johnson as the next Superintendent, beginning in August 2007. Dr. Johnson had served as Superintendent of the Memphis City Schools
since 2003.
The Mayor and Boston City Council have control over the overall appropriation for the Boston Public Schools, but the School Committee has control over how funding is allocated internally, and has control over policy.
, founded in 1635. The Mather School
opened in 1639 as the nation's first public elementary school, and English High School
, the second public high school in the country, opened in 1821.
In the mid-1970s, conflict raged in Boston's schools over forced busing of students. The state had enacted the Racial Imbalance Law in 1965, requiring school districts to design and implement plans to effect racial balancing in schools that were more than 50% "non-white". After years of consistent failure by the Boston School Committee to comply with the law, the U.S District Court ruled in 1974 that the schools were unconstitutionally segregated, and implemented as a remedy the busing of many students from their neighborhood schools to other schools across the city. The busing aroused fierce criticism among some residents — from 1974 there were a great many protests at schools, some of which turned violent, and in 1975 the Boston Police Department
stationed uniformed officers in South Boston High School, Charlestown High and other schools. The result was an exodus of the city's white middle and working-class residents which coincided with a continuous decline in the quality of education. In September 2006, the district was named the top city school system in the nation, winning the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize, sponsored by philanthropist Eli Broad
, includes $500,000 in college scholarships to graduates from the winning district. Each year since the prize program began in 2002, Boston has been one of five finalists, earning $125,000 in scholarships each year.
Since 1989, the city has broken the district into three zones for elementary- and middle-school students. High schoolers can choose any school throughout the city, since they can ride public transportation. Due to the geography of East Boston, for all grade levels each child in East Boston is guaranteed a seat at a school in East Boston.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
serving the city of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Leadership
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
, hired by the Boston School Committee, a seven-member school board appointed by the Mayor after approval by a nominating committee of specified stakeholders. The School Committee sets policy for the district and approves the district's annual operating budget. This governing body replaced a 13-member elected Committee after a public referendum vote in 1991. The Superintendent serves as a member of the Mayor's cabinet.
From October 1995 through June 2006, Dr. Thomas W. Payzant served as superintendent. A former undersecretary in the US Department of Education, Payzant was the first superintendent selected by the appointed School Committee. Upon Dr. Payzant's retirement, Chief Operating Officer Michael G. Contompasis, former headmaster of Boston Latin School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
, became Interim Superintendent, and was appointed superintendent in October 2006. Dr. Manuel J. Rivera, superintendent of the Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
City School District, had agreed to become the next superintendent of the BPS, but instead accepted a post as deputy secretary for public education for New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
. In June 2007, the Boston School Committee voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Carol R. Johnson as the next Superintendent, beginning in August 2007. Dr. Johnson had served as Superintendent of the Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools is the school district operating public schools in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. Its headquarters are in the Francis E. Coe Administration Building...
since 2003.
The Mayor and Boston City Council have control over the overall appropriation for the Boston Public Schools, but the School Committee has control over how funding is allocated internally, and has control over policy.
History
BPS is the oldest public school system in America, founded in 1647. It is also the home of the nation's first public school, Boston Latin SchoolBoston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
, founded in 1635. The Mather School
The Mather School
The Mather School is the oldest public elementary school in North America. It is located in the Dorchester region of Boston, Massachusetts and was named after Richard Mather...
opened in 1639 as the nation's first public elementary school, and English High School
English High School of Boston
The English High School of Boston, Massachusetts is the first public high school in America, founded in 1821. Originally called The English Classical School, it was renamed The English High School upon its first relocation in 1824. The current building is located in Jamaica Plain.-History:Since its...
, the second public high school in the country, opened in 1821.
In the mid-1970s, conflict raged in Boston's schools over forced busing of students. The state had enacted the Racial Imbalance Law in 1965, requiring school districts to design and implement plans to effect racial balancing in schools that were more than 50% "non-white". After years of consistent failure by the Boston School Committee to comply with the law, the U.S District Court ruled in 1974 that the schools were unconstitutionally segregated, and implemented as a remedy the busing of many students from their neighborhood schools to other schools across the city. The busing aroused fierce criticism among some residents — from 1974 there were a great many protests at schools, some of which turned violent, and in 1975 the Boston Police Department
Boston Police Department
The Boston Police Department , created in 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest police departments in the United States...
stationed uniformed officers in South Boston High School, Charlestown High and other schools. The result was an exodus of the city's white middle and working-class residents which coincided with a continuous decline in the quality of education. In September 2006, the district was named the top city school system in the nation, winning the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize, sponsored by philanthropist Eli Broad
Eli Broad
Eli Broad is an American businessman from Detroit, Michigan who resides in Los Angeles, California.-Life and career:An only child, Broad was born in the Bronx to Lithuanian Jewish immigrant parents. His father was a housepainter, his mother was a dressmaker. His family moved to Detroit when he...
, includes $500,000 in college scholarships to graduates from the winning district. Each year since the prize program began in 2002, Boston has been one of five finalists, earning $125,000 in scholarships each year.
Student assignment policy
Boston Public Schools (BPS) operates schools throughout the city of Boston. BPS assigns students based on preferences of the applicants and priorities of students in various zones.Since 1989, the city has broken the district into three zones for elementary- and middle-school students. High schoolers can choose any school throughout the city, since they can ride public transportation. Due to the geography of East Boston, for all grade levels each child in East Boston is guaranteed a seat at a school in East Boston.
External links
- Boston Public Schools
- Broad Prize for Urban Education
- LINC III Technology Plan
- Careers with BPS
- City of Boston
- Boston Teachers Union
- The James W. Fraser (collector) photograph collection, 1905-1976 (bulk 1974-1976) are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
- The Citywide Educational Coalition records, 1972-2001 are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.