In the quest for quality schools for all Boston students, the EAC killed a lot of trees and presented a lot of data in numerous scenarios. The most important piece of "data," that was never presented by the EAC, is the MCAS test scores of BPS students by neighborhood.  I still would like to see that, and now I would like to see the MCAS test scores of BPS students by neighborhood who are attending the charter schools that Mayor Menino and his appointed Boston School Committee have allowed to saturate the East Zone!  Students are the data, where high scoring students are assigned will determine a schools “quality!”

I echo JShore's sentiments. Let's see the data disaggregated by neighborhood. After analyzing this data we can than put in community supports that will help the kids from struggling communities. It's time we focus on turning around neighborhoods, not just "schools". The schools will improve when the real needs of our most vulnerable kids are properly dealt with.

Imagine that, children going to school or having a choice to attend school in their own neighborhood. Pure Genius!

Interesting since EAC requested full analysis of 4 models - I know at the Nov 13 meeting Carleton withdrew the modified 6 zone, but I never heard EAC say they did not want it at all, just wanted "apples to apples" comparison. It should also be interesting to see if BPS does the analysis with all the requirements EAC requested: At their October 27, 2012 meeting the EAC stated that they need more data on the impact of the proposed models on Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners and that analysis of these groups should be built into the model revisions, including capacity data. The EAC also asked for data on an AWC analysis, and how it would work with various models as well as more information regarding the Middle School Feeder proposal. Not supplied to date! The EAC requested an analysis from BPS similar to the analysis that Mr. Shi presented to the Committee during the October 27, 2012 meeting, which should include: •Equitable access to quality •Diversity - socio economic diversity and race/cultural diversity •Proximity to home •Choice and predictability •Transportation savings •Racial diversity impact - both with current models and in accountability reporting in future •Backwards assessment of impact on current neighborhoods as well as race, culture, and socioeconomic impacts. •Analysis on students with disabilities and English Language Learners

I'm not sure why the BPS thinks it's OK to short-circuit and undermine the EAC process by issuing separate pronouncements while the EAC has yet to issue a recommendation. They have made a number of announcements during the process, issuing statements that seemed to be final on some key issues, outside the EAC. That's not supportive of the EAC process.

I agree with the SchoolParent and ProudIrvingMom: BPS is attempting to short-circuit the process by going public with models, not to mention publicizing their own spin on things, before the EAC has even had a chance to look at the proposals. I wish the Globe would stop behaving as the BPS newsletter.  We need you to do some real journalism on this!  

Deja Vu!  It ain't going to happen.

How do you correct 20 years of destroying neighborhoods?

I was going to Northeastern all those many years ago when the bussing thing started, in a not so optimum area, police on the corners, angry citizens, etc.  I was a student, fresh out of the military, not much money.  The government was going to solve THE PROBLEM.  After I finished school, I left the Northeast.

Recently I returned, most everyone has settled down, no more cops on the corner.  But I read that a lot of people are still very unhappy with this bussing issue.  What?  The government did not solve THE PROBLEM?

Most of my life, I have been fairly conservative, but after reading the Boston Globe, I have become a TRUE liberal.  A real one, not like many of the folks who comment here.  What would a true liberal like me do?  Well, it is obvious that bussing has not worked, those kids still go back to those crummy neighborhoods which influence them negatively.  The neighborhoods are obviously THE PROBLEM.

Government to the rescue.  It is time the gov passed some new laws.  WE need to relocate people, wealthier people need to be relocated to those less fortunate areas and vice versa.  Really wealthy people would not be allowed to opt out via private schools, oh no, none of that gaming the system.  WE cannot just redistribute the wealth, WE need to redistribute people if this country is going to function the way US liberals envision it.

Honestly? It is the same old story, just now, the players have learned to bandy statistics and maps back and forth.  It is like watching a game of 3 card Monty.  Think I will go back to being mostly conservative, it is saner.

After dissection of these plans on the Boston Choice website. I see holes a plenty in these proposals. Even in their interpretation of Quality many nhood children are left without a quality option. Yet some nhoods offer all quality choices. Even with their metrics over 50 percent of Boston students are attending Tier 3 or 4 schools changing the assignment process only shuffles the deck it does not change the cards. 

I don't get it. How are poor black students going to learn how to read unless they sit next to poor white students from Charlestown?