© Education Resource Strategies, Inc., 2013 © Education Resource Strategies, Inc., 2013

Update on BPS School

Autonomy Research May 7, 2014

Project goal

“The Autonomy Team is charged with creating a

recommended vision for autonomous schools in

Boston. It should seek to answer the following

questions:

Should all schools within BPS operate within

autonomous structures?

Is autonomy a necessary, but not sufficient, condition

for success?

How and under what conditions should autonomy be

granted?

Should autonomy be withdrawn based on certain

conditions?

In what areas should autonomy be granted

(governance, curriculum/assessment,

scheduling/calendar, staffing, budget, professional

development)?”

Superintendent John McDonough

October 1, 2013

1

Four types of autonomous schools in BPS

Created by agreement between the BPS and BTU in 1995

Operate based on Pilot Schools Manual, developed by Pilot school leaders

Negotiate working conditions with teachers, codified in school-specific Election to

Work Agreements (EWAs)

Created by the state legislature in 2010

Operate under individual Memoranda of Understanding with BPS, based on

Innovation Plans approved by the School Committee

Like Pilot schools, each Innovation school also has its own EWA

Created by the state legislature in 2010

Authorized by the state

Operate with autonomies similar to that of Commonwealth charter schools

Working conditions are further detailed in a MOU with the district

Created by the state legislature

Selected by the district for increased support after “Level 4” designation

Granted some of the budget, staffing, and time flexibility that Pilot & Innovation

schools have

Staff receive stipends for increased time

Retain significant flexibility from the terms of collective bargaining agreements

2

Pilot schools

Innovation

schools

Horace Mann

Charter schools

Turnaround

schools

Types of autonomies available to schools

3

Student selection, program and size

Determine how many and which students enroll Specify the student populations it will serve with special programs

Budget Discretion on allocating the entire budget

Budget using average or actual teacher salary

Buy back certain discretionary services from the district Purchase certain services or staff from outside partners

Staffing Convert staff positions to dollars

Change the number and types of staff it chooses Re-define or expand individual roles

Hiring Hire candidates of their choice

Define roles and responsibilities for staff positions Interview and hire candidates from inside or outside the district

Schedule and calendar

Alter the master schedule Lengthen the school day or year without incurring full costs

Curriculum and assessment

Decide which texts and supplies to buy Deviate from district-assigned curriculum and interim assessments

Professional development

Specify the amount of professional development and collaborative time teachers spend

Determine the use of available professional development time Opt into or out of district-provided professional development services

Compensation Vary base salary Increase teacher salary or stipends based on individual teacher responsibilities

Why focus on autonomy now?

More than 30% of BPS students now attend a school with significant

autonomies over key decisions

Though each school starts with a unique mix of student needs,

assessment data indicates that students at autonomous schools are

achieving at above-average levels

Autonomous school leaders have developed creative approaches to

staffing, curriculum and resource use that have been out of the reach

for leaders in traditional schools

Multiple structures for autonomy (Pilot, Innovation, Horace Mann,

Turnaround, Discovery) create a lack of transparency and consistency

Teachers excessed from autonomous schools land in traditional

schools; some schools opt out of district services with no

commensurate reduction in district budget; and more

4

Critical mass

Evidence of impact

Innovation

Many paths to

autonomy

Resolve systemic

tensions

Our approach

5

Data analysis

• Documentation of school autonomies

• Student demographics, choice, proficiency

• Teacher demographics and compensation

• Budgets and resource use

~100 BPS interviews and focus groups

• 40+ School leaders

• 30+ Central office leaders

• 15+ Teachers

• 5 others, including BTU and state officials

In-depth analysis of peer districts

• Baltimore

• Denver

• Los Angeles

Cross-functional work group

• 15 district leaders

• 17 school-based staff

• Monthly workshops

• Deep-dives on budget buybacks

and accountability

• Lawrence, MA

• New York City

Autonomous schools are no longer the exception in

Boston

6

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Receivership

In-District Transformation

Innovation

Turnaround

Horace Mann Charter

Pilot

6 7 9 10 11

18 19 19 20 20 21 23

33

36

40 41

11 11 13

32% of BPS

students will

attend an

autonomous

school next year

Source: http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/941

45 Types of autonomous schools

As charters expand, BPS’s student population

growth lags

7

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Compound annual

growth rate

1995-2006 2007-2012

Commonwealth Charter +14.9% +9.0%

Parochial -4.1% -4.7%

Private +1.7% +2.6%

METCO* +1.0% +0.2%

Boston Public Schools** -0.8% +0.3%

Overall -0.7% +0.6%

* METCO is a state-run program that enables low-income minority youth from Boston and Springfield to attend school in “racially isolated” suburbs

** Includes Horace Mann Charters

Source: DESE, ERS analysis

Student demographics and incoming proficiency, by

school type

8

Special Education ELL

School

level

School

Type

# of

Schools

% Incoming

Proficiency*

% free or

reduced lunch

% any

level

% Level

4**

% any

level

% Level

1-3***

ES/K-8

Traditional 53 64 78 19 9 33 19

Pilot 8 63 70 25 12 24 11

Innovation 4 62 75 20 11 26 15

HMC 2 n/a 85 13 4 26 16

Turnaround 6 57 85 18 9 38 22

MS/HS

Gr 6 Gr 9

Traditional 16 43 34 85 22 10 31 17

Pilot 10 23 53 85 18 7 18 8

Innovation 2 n/a 21 92 34 18 33 17

HMC 4 41 46 84 20 5 15 3

Turnaround 4 29 23 85 17 7 33 22

Exam 3 n/a n/a 53 2 0 1 0

* Proficiency data excludes 24 schools (18 ES/K-8 and 6 MS/HS) due to limited data (<10 data points).For ES/K-8, data represent DIBELS proficiency of

incoming Kindergartners. For MS/HS, data represent the unweighted average of Math and ELA results for Grades 6 and 9.

** Students served in substantially separate settings, according to MA DESE Special Education Levels of Need.

***Students with the most significant ELL needs, according to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/mepa/pld.html

KEY: 5+ points less needy than

Traditional schools

Within 5 points of Traditional schools

5+ points more needy than

Traditional schools

Next steps

Research team to review findings and implications with

BPS cabinet and teacher leaders

The Boston Foundation to host a forum on Tuesday,

June 3, with a discussion of the full report and its

implications

Any recommendations from this report will be presented

to School Committee for review and approval

9

Members of the Cross-Functional Working Group

Hervé Anoh, Headmaster of Lyon High School

Antonieta Bolomey, Asst. Superintendent for English

Language Learners

Michele Brooks, Asst. Supt for Family & Community

Engagement

Catherine Carney, Assistant Chief of Curriculum & Instruction

Ann Chan, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

Kamal Chavda, Chief Data & Accountability Officer

Linda Chen, Chief of Curriculum & Instruction

Jill Conrad, Sr. Advisor for Human Capital Strategy

Corbett Coutts, Principal of Rogers Middle School

Eileen de los Reyes, Deputy Superintendent for Academics

Melissa Dodd, Chief of Staff

Mary Driscoll, Principal of Edison K-8 School

Laura Dziorny, Deputy Chief of Staff

Ayla Gavins, Principal of Mission Hill K-8 School

Scott Givens, Chief Executive Officer of Unlocking Potential

Graciela Hopkins, Principal of Baldwin Early Learning Pilot

Academy

Peggy Kemp, Headmaster of Fenway High School

Don Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer

10

Beatriz McConnie-Zapater, Headmaster of Boston Day &

Evening Academy

John McDonough, Superintendent

Lynne Mooney-Teta, Headmaster of Boston Latin School

Eileen Nash, Deputy Superintendent of Individualized

Learning

Linda Nathan, Special Advisor to the Superintendent

Ligia Noriega, Headmaster of English High School

Sung-Joon (Sunny) Pai, Director of ELL & Alt Programs at

Charlestown High School

Kim Rice, Chief Operating Officer

Joe Shea, Deputy Superintendent of Operations

Mary Skipper, Assistant Superintendent for Network G (High

Schools)

Aaron Stone, Teacher Leader at Boston Day & Evening

Academy

Arthur Unobskey, Principal of Irving Middle School

Traci Walker-Griffith, Principal of Eliot K-8 Innovation School

Ann Walsh, Governing Board Chair at Lee Pilot Academy

Naia Wilson, Headmaster, New Mission High School

Ross Wilson, Assistant Superintendent, Human Capital

For reference: BPS Schools by Type, 2013-2014

Type Elementary K-8 Middle High

Traditional

Adams ES

Bates ES

Bradley ES

Channing ES

Chittick ES

Condon ES

Conley ES

Ellis ES

Everett ES

Grew ES

Guild ES

Hale ES

Harvard/Kent ES

Henderson ES

Hennigan ES

Holmes ES

Kennedy, P.J. ES

Kenny ES

Lee ES

Manning ES

Mather ES

Mendell ES

Mozart ES

O'Donnell ES

Otis ES

Perkins ES

Philbrick ES

Quincy ES

Russell ES

Sumner ES

Taylor ES

Tynan ES

Winship ES

Winthrop ES

Beethoven/Ohrenberger

School

Curley K-8 School

Edison K-8 School

Greenwood (Sarah) K-8

School

Hernández K-8 School

Higginson/Lewis K-8

School

Hurley K-8 School

Jackson/Mann K-8 School

Kilmer K-8 School

King K-8 School

Lyon K–8 School

McKay K-8 School

Mildred Ave K-8 School

Murphy K-8 School

Perry K-8 School

Roosevelt K-8 School

Tobin K-8 School

Umana Academy

Warren/Prescott K-8 School

Edwards MS

Irving MS

McCormack MS

Middle School

Academy

Rogers MS

Timilty MS

Boston Latin Academy (Exam , 7-12)

Boston Latin School (Exam , 7-12)

Boston International HS

Brighton HS

Charlestown HS

Community Academy

Community Academy of Science and Health

Dorchester Academy

East Boston HS

Excel HS

McKinley Schools (1-12)

O'Bryant School (Exam , 7-12)

Snowden International School at Copley

Urban Science Academy

West Roxbury Academy

Pilot Haley ES

Lee Academy

Mason ES

Boston Teachers Union School

Gardner Elementary

Lyndon K-8 School

Mission Hill School

Orchard Gardens K-8 School*

Young Achievers Science and Math K-8

Frederick MS

Harbor School*

Another Course to College

Boston Arts Academy

Boston Community Leadership Academy

Fenway HS

Greater Egleston Community HS

Lyon High School

New Mission HS

Quincy Upper School (6-12)

TechBoston Academy (6-12)

Horace Mann Dudley Street Neighborhood School

UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester

UP Academy

Charter School of

Boston

Boston Day & Evening Academy

Boston Green Academy

E.M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers

Innovation

Blackstone ES (former Turnaround)

Clap Innovation School

Trotter ES (former Turnaround)

Eliot K-8 School Madison Park Technical Vocational HS

Margarita Muñiz Academy

Turnaround

Dever ES

E.Greenwood Leadership Academy

Holland ES

Kennedy, J. F. ES

Mattahunt ES

Orchard Gardens K-8 School (also Pilot) Dearborn MS

Harbor School (also

Pilot)

Burke High School

English High School

*Counted as Turnaround for analysis

For reference: BPS Schools by Type, 2013-2014

12

Special Schools – not included Schools w/in Schools – included, but not separately

Traditional East Boston EE Center

Ellison/Parks EE School

Haynes EE Center

West Zone Early Learning Center

Carter Development Center

Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of

Hearing

Boston Adult Technical Academy

BPS Counseling & Intervention Center

Hayes School of Music

Re-Engagement Center

McKinley Complex:

McKinley Elementary School

McKinley Middle School

McKinley Preparatory High School

McKinley South End Academy

Newcomers Academy (w/in Boston International HS)

Beethoven ES & Ohrenberger MS are treated a single

K-8

Pilot Baldwin Early Learning Center

TOTAL 12 5