Update on BPS School Autonomy Research May 7, 2014

© Education Resource Strategies, Inc., 2013 Project goal

“The Autonomy Team is charged with creating a recommended vision for autonomous schools in . 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 Should autonomy be withdrawn based on certain conditions?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 Pilot schools . 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 Innovation . Operate under individual Memoranda of Understanding with BPS, based on schools 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 Horace Mann . Authorized by the state Charter schools . 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 Turnaround . Selected by the district for increased support after “Level 4” designation schools . 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 Types of autonomies available to schools

Student selection,  Determine how many and which students enroll program and size  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  Alter the master schedule calendar  Lengthen the school day or year without incurring full costs Curriculum and  Decide which texts and supplies to buy assessment  Deviate from district-assigned curriculum and interim assessments Professional  Specify the amount of professional development and collaborative time teachers spend development  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

3 Why focus on autonomy now?

. More than 30% of BPS students now attend a school with significant Critical mass autonomies over key decisions

. Though each school starts with a unique mix of student needs, Evidence of impact assessment data indicates that students at autonomous schools are achieving at above-average levels

. Autonomous school leaders have developed creative approaches to Innovation staffing, curriculum and resource use that have been out of the reach for leaders in traditional schools

Many paths to . Multiple structures for autonomy (Pilot, Innovation, Horace Mann, autonomy Turnaround, Discovery) create a lack of transparency and consistency

. Teachers excessed from autonomous schools land in traditional Resolve systemic schools; some schools opt out of district services with no tensions commensurate reduction in district budget; and more

4 Our approach

Data analysis • Documentation of school autonomies • Student demographics, choice, proficiency • Teacher demographics and compensation • Budgets and resource use Cross-functional work group In-depth analysis of peer districts • 15 district leaders • Baltimore • Lawrence, MA • 17 school-based staff • Denver • New York City • Monthly workshops • Los Angeles • Deep-dives on budget buybacks and accountability ~100 BPS interviews and focus groups • 40+ School leaders • 30+ Central office leaders • 15+ Teachers • 5 others, including BTU and state officials

5 Autonomous schools are no longer the exception in Boston

Types of autonomous schools 45 Receivership 41 In-District Transformation 40 Innovation 36 Turnaround 33 Horace Mann Charter 32% of BPS Pilot 23 students will 21 18 19 19 20 20 attend an

13 autonomous 11 11 11 9 10 school next year

6 7

2001 2013 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2014

Source: http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/941 6 As charters expand, BPS’s student population growth lags

90,000 Compound annual growth rate 80,000 1995-2006 2007-2012 Commonwealth Charter +14.9% +9.0% 70,000 Parochial -4.1% -4.7% 60,000 Private +1.7% +2.6% METCO* +1.0% +0.2% 50,000 ** -0.8% +0.3% 40,000 Overall -0.7% +0.6%

30,000

20,000

10,000

0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

* 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 7 Student demographics and incoming proficiency, by school type

5+ points less 5+ points more Within 5 points of KEY: needy than needy than Traditional schools Traditional schools Traditional schools

Special Education ELL School School # of % Incoming % free or % any % Level % any % Level level Type Schools Proficiency* reduced lunch level 4** level 1-3*** Traditional 53 64 78 19 9 33 19 Pilot 8 63 70 25 12 24 11 ES/K-8 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 Gr 6 Gr 9 Traditional 16 43 34 85 22 10 31 17 Pilot 10 23 53 85 18 7 18 8 MS/HS 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 8 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 . Beatriz McConnie-Zapater, Headmaster of Boston Day & . Antonieta Bolomey, Asst. Superintendent for English Evening Academy Language Learners . John McDonough, Superintendent . Michele Brooks, Asst. Supt for Family & Community . Lynne Mooney-Teta, Headmaster of Engagement . Eileen Nash, Deputy Superintendent of Individualized . Catherine Carney, Assistant Chief of Curriculum & Instruction Learning . Ann Chan, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources . Linda Nathan, Special Advisor to the Superintendent . Kamal Chavda, Chief Data & Accountability Officer . Ligia Noriega, Headmaster of English High School . Linda Chen, Chief of Curriculum & Instruction . Sung-Joon (Sunny) Pai, Director of ELL & Alt Programs at . Jill Conrad, Sr. Advisor for Human Capital Strategy . Corbett Coutts, Principal of Rogers Middle School . Kim Rice, Chief Operating Officer . Eileen de los Reyes, Deputy Superintendent for Academics . Joe Shea, Deputy Superintendent of Operations . Melissa Dodd, Chief of Staff . Mary Skipper, Assistant Superintendent for Network G (High . Mary Driscoll, Principal of Edison K-8 School Schools) . Laura Dziorny, Deputy Chief of Staff . Aaron Stone, Teacher Leader at Boston Day & Evening Academy . Ayla Gavins, Principal of Mission Hill K-8 School . Arthur Unobskey, Principal of Irving Middle School . Scott Givens, Chief Executive Officer of Unlocking Potential . Traci Walker-Griffith, Principal of Eliot K-8 Innovation School . Graciela Hopkins, Principal of Baldwin Early Learning Pilot Academy . Ann Walsh, Governing Board Chair at Lee Pilot Academy . Peggy Kemp, Headmaster of Fenway High School . Naia Wilson, Headmaster, New Mission High School . Don Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer . Ross Wilson, Assistant Superintendent, Human Capital

10 For reference: BPS Schools by Type, 2013-2014

Type Elementary K-8 Middle High Traditional Adams ES Kenny ES Beethoven/Ohrenberger Lyon K–8 School Edwards MS (Exam , 7-12) Bates ES Lee ES School McKay K-8 School Irving MS Boston Latin School (Exam , 7-12) Bradley ES Manning ES Curley K-8 School Mildred Ave K-8 School McCormack MS Boston International HS Channing ES Mather ES Edison K-8 School Murphy K-8 School Middle School Brighton HS Chittick ES Mendell ES Greenwood (Sarah) K-8 Perry K-8 School Academy Charlestown HS Condon ES Mozart ES School Roosevelt K-8 School Rogers MS Community Academy Conley ES O'Donnell ES Hernández K-8 School Tobin K-8 School Timilty MS Community Academy of Science and Health Ellis ES Otis ES Higginson/Lewis K-8 Umana Academy Dorchester Academy Everett ES Perkins ES School Warren/Prescott K-8 School East Boston HS Grew ES Philbrick ES Hurley K-8 School Excel HS Guild ES Quincy ES Jackson/Mann K-8 School McKinley Schools (1-12) Hale ES Russell ES Kilmer K-8 School O'Bryant School (Exam , 7-12) Harvard/Kent ES Sumner ES King K-8 School Snowden International School at Copley Henderson ES Taylor ES Urban Science Academy Hennigan ES Tynan ES West Roxbury Academy Holmes ES Winship ES Kennedy, P.J. ES Winthrop ES Pilot Haley ES Boston Teachers Union School Frederick MS Another Course to College Lee Academy Gardner Elementary Harbor School* Boston Arts Academy Mason ES Lyndon K-8 School Boston Community Leadership Academy Mission Hill School Fenway HS Orchard Gardens K-8 School* Greater Egleston Community HS Young Achievers Science and Math K-8 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 Boston Day & Evening Academy Charter School of Boston Green Academy Boston E.M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers

Innovation Blackstone ES (former Turnaround) Eliot K-8 School Madison Park Technical Vocational HS Clap Innovation School Margarita Muñiz Academy Trotter ES (former Turnaround) Turnaround Dever ES Orchard Gardens K-8 School (also Pilot) Dearborn MS Burke High School E.Greenwood Leadership Academy Harbor School (also English High School Holland ES Pilot) Kennedy, J. F. ES *Counted as Turnaround for analysis Mattahunt ES For reference: BPS Schools by Type, 2013-2014

Special Schools – not included Schools w/in Schools – included, but not separately Traditional East Boston EE Center McKinley Complex: Ellison/Parks EE School McKinley Elementary School Haynes EE Center McKinley Middle School McKinley Preparatory High School West Zone Early Learning Center McKinley South End Academy Carter Development Center Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Newcomers Academy (w/in Boston International HS) Hearing Boston Adult Technical Academy Beethoven ES & Ohrenberger MS are treated a single BPS Counseling & Intervention Center K-8 Hayes School of Music Re-Engagement Center Pilot Baldwin Early Learning Center

TOTAL 12 5

12