BOSTON SCHOOLS

The Boston Public Schools (BPS) continues to improve, but like most things still have room for improvement. Over the past decade, BPS has been transformed from a failing school district to one of the most renowned urban school districts in the country. Over the past couple years many media outlets have heralded Boston as a model for urban school district reform. These publications included the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and U.S. News & World Report. In fact, in 2006, Boston won the Broad Price for Urban Education as the best city school district in the nation.

Since 1998, the City of Boston has constructed six new school buildings and will be home to 24 pilot schools in September 2009 with an anticipated four more being opened in the near future. Today, Boston offers 38 citywide high school options with 27 housing less then 400 students. U.S News & World Report recently ranked Boston Latin School #19 on the first list of America’s 100 Best High Schools with 8 other BPS schools receiving metals of silver and bronze.

This isn’t the only “first” that BPS has received! In 1635 Boston was home to the first public school (Boston Latin School) and would later open the first public elementary school in 1639 (Mather Elementary School). In 1647 Boston became place to the first public school district with the first public high school following in 1821 (English High School). It is because of these many “firsts” that Boston Public Schools are considered the birthplace of public education in this nation.

Striving to improve is the reason that BPS continues to push towards the advancement of education through technology. In 1996, there was one computer for every 63 students, today the ratio is one computer for every four students. In 1998, Boston became the first urban school district in the country to provide high speed internet access and wire all of its schools.

Boston Public Schools 2008-2009 Stats

Schools & Students

There are 143 Schools in the BPS

Projected SY09 Enrollment is 55,800

6

Early Learning Centers (K - Grade 1)

25,850

Students in Kindergarden - Grade 5

60

Elementary Schools (K-5)

11,340

Students in Grades 6 - 8

18

Elementary & Middle Schools (K-8)

18,610

Students in Grades 9 -12

16

Middle Schools (6-8)

1

Middle & High School (6-12)

Class Size

30

High Schools (9-12)

22

Kindergarden - Grade 2

3

"Exam" Schools (7-12)

25

Grade 3 - Grade 5

6

Special Education Schools (K-12)

28

Grade 6 - Grade 8

3

Alternative (at risk) Programs

31

Grade 9 - Grade 12

Student Demographics

SAT Results

39.00%

Black

BPS

Mass.

US

37.00%

Hispanic

Crit Read

438

507

497

13.00%

White

Math

457

520

510

9.00%

Asian

Writing

436

505

488

2.00%

Multi-Racial

<1%

Other

Mass Comprehensive Assessment System

Grade

Test

BPS

%Change*

State

%Change*

3

Read

74.00%

-4%

87.00%

-4%

3

Math

68.00%

1%

86.00%

2%

4

ELA

73.00%

-2%

87.00%

-3%

4

Math

77.00%

4%

87.00%

0%

5

ELA

80.00%

0%

91.00%

0%

5

Math

67.00%

0%

82.00%

0%

5

Science

63.00%

-6%

88.00%

0%

6

ELA

80.00%

-1%

91.00%

-1%

6

Math

61.00%

1%

82.00%

2%

7

ELA

82.00%

0%

92.00%

0%

7

Math

56.00%

0%

76.00%

0%

8

ELA

85.00%

0%

93.00%

0%

8

Math

60.00%

2%

76.00%

1%

8

Science

48.00%

2%

78.00%

1%

10

ELA

91.00%

4%

96.00%

1%

10

Math

84.00%

2%

91.00%

0%

*Comparison of students passed from 2007 & 2008