fb-pixel Skip to main content

The Great Divide

Race, class, and opportunity in our schools

Possibility meets pragmatism as new Boston superintendent gears up for race to meet state deadlines

Experts say newly named BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper will need to tread carefully in her early days, striking a balance between possibility and pragmatism as she charges ahead with quick initial steps, while also insisting on a realistic view of what it takes to change.
State education leaders and Mayor Wu came to terms on a BPS improvement plan. Here are the key takeaways

School Committee names Mary Skipper Boston’s next superintendent

Mary Skipper, who worked in Boston for decades before Somerville, will return to the 49,000-student district at a critical time in its history.
The next leader of Boston Public Schools already faces an uphill battle

Mass. education officials, Mayor Wu hammer out last-minute deal that averts BPS state takeover and ‘underperforming’ label

The agreement between the city and state comes after weeks of negotiations and political brinksmanship that, at times, played out before the public.

School bathroom closures statewide drive rising tensions, pushback

Driven by efforts to curtail teen vaping, and prevent outbreaks of vandalism sparked by copycat trends on social media, the widespread crackdowns on bathroom access have left students in some schools with little access.

Legislation aims to improve diversity among Mass. educators

The Educator Diversity Act would establish alternative certifications for aspiring teachers, an educator diversity data dashboard, and require districts to appoint diversity officers or teams to “ensure compliance with all provisions.”

Massachusetts education commissioner will recommend declaring Boston schools underperforming

The move would allow Riley to gain sole authority to approve a district-improvement plan and the ability to appoint a monitor to oversee its implementation and progress.

Boston parents ask federal appeals court to overturn exam school admission decision and let their children attend

A group of white and Asian parents in Boston is seeking to have at least five students admitted to the city’s exam schools after they failed to secure seats under the temporary admission policy last year.

With free lunch cutoff looming, advocates seek 1-year extension

With BPS in crisis, pressure mounts for Wu to become the ‘education mayor’

Boston Public Schools administrator says she was pushed out for raising concerns over how English learners are taught

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

On June 21, a panel charged with finding the next superintendent of Boston Public Schools announced two finalists for the job. This section highlights the Great Divide's coverage leading up to the final decision.

‘This has to be a vision we build together’: Newly named Boston superintendent calls on greater community support to improve BPS
On Thursday, incoming BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper she said she wants the Boston district to be a place where families trust what district officials say they will do.

Homegrown finalist Mary Skipper feels a call to lead in BPS: ‘I need to not be a bystander’

Mary Skipper has seen the superintendent job in Boston open up before, but this time felt different, and struck her as a calling she could not ignore.
Mary Skipper touts record driving outcomes in interviews as Boston superintendent finalist

Tommy Welch has successfully run a mini-district inside BPS. Can he do the same citywide?

Tommy Welch has run his 7,000-student region, which encompasses East Boston, the North End, and Charlestown, like a mini-district by building relationships through frequent visits.
Tommy Welch says he’s ready to ‘hit the ground running’ and lead Boston Public Schools

PAST COVERAGE

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius announces departure

Cassellius’ future had been the topic of widespread speculation since former mayor Martin Walsh departed for the Biden administration a year ago.
A timeline of key events in Superintendent Cassellius’s time at BPS

Big challenges confront Boston schools amid leadership shakeup: ‘We don’t want things to move backwards’

Big questions remain about whether momentum will stall or if a new leader will shift priorities.
Boston has had a turnstile of superintendents. Why can’t BPS hold onto them?

11 key things Boston families want in the next schools superintendent

In four recent Zoom sessions held by the search committee, students and parents shared a wide range of characteristics they believe are crucial.
In new podcast series, former and current Boston school superintendents reflect on the role — and what the district needs in its next leader

Visit our archive of all stories from The Great Divide team

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Randolph teacher receives ‘Oscars of teaching’ award for her dedication to young English language learners
Taylor Thai, who teaches kindergarten and first-grade English language learners at Margaret L. Donovan Elementary School, received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award in a surprise ceremony on Wednesday.

Globe Magazine

New ethnic studies requirements mean more lessons on race in Boston classrooms
Will these classes help students? We looked to established programs in Holyoke and San Francisco to find out.

After mastering English, bilingual students ace tests, including the MCAS

Among all Massachusetts students who took the MCAS exam as 10th-graders in 2019, former English learners had a higher passing rate on the English Language Arts portion of the test than any other group of students.

With control of Boston Public Schools on the line, Wu’s counterproposal advocates for a stronger state partnership

“The City of Boston, the Boston Public Schools, and [state education department] agree to work together in a targeted, strengthened partnership to immediately address systemic barriers to educational opportunity,” said Mayor Michelle Wu’s counterproposal, obtained by the Globe.
State’s proposal to reform Boston Public Schools would impose demands on Wu

Boston may need interim superintendent after all, School Committee members say

Officials with Boston Public Schools have had conversations about hiring an interim superintendent, in case there is a gap between when Brenda Cassellius leaves and when the new hire can start.

Boston officials negotiating agreement with state on schools, superintendent tells School Committee

The review described “entrenched dysfunction” including chronically late buses, aging facilities, the segregation of students of color with disabilities from their peers, and English learner programs that don’t comply with federal law.

State education commissioner says he’ll give city time on a plan for Boston Public Schools

The discussion came one day after the release of the state’s latest report on Boston schools, which tracked the district’s progress since 2020 in addressing a series of critical shortcomings.

State releases blistering review of Boston Public Schools: ‘BPS needs immediate improvement’

Four major operational areas emerge in the report as key areas of concern: transportation, facilities, data reporting, and school safety protocols.
School takeovers by the state haven’t worked, Globe analysis shows

Boston secures measures to crack down on school bus driver absences in new union contract deal

As part of an effort to ensure all of Boston’s school buses are on the road daily, drivers will no longer be able to take off time — without advanced warning or permission — under a new contract between their union and the school system’s transportation vendor.

COVID School Reports

Mass. reports 1,804 new coronavirus cases among public school students and 350 among staff

More school coverage

Possibility meets pragmatism as new Boston superintendent gears up for race to meet state deadlines

Experts say newly named BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper will need to tread carefully in her early days, striking a balance between possibility and pragmatism as she charges ahead with quick initial steps, while also insisting on a realistic view of what it takes to change.

‘This has to be a vision we build together’: Newly named Boston superintendent calls on greater community support to improve BPS

On Thursday, incoming BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper she said she wants the Boston district to be a place where families trust what district officials say they will do.

School Committee names Mary Skipper Boston’s next superintendent

Mary Skipper, who worked in Boston for decades before Somerville, will return to the 49,000-student district at a critical time in its history.

Boston chooses a new school superintendent Wednesday night, but the next leader already faces uphill battle

The city has committed the district and its new leader to quickly devise comprehensive plans for changing everything from how it educates special education students and English learners to making the buses run on time.

NAACP urges Boston School Committee to restart superintendent search

A search committee had hoped to present a more diverse slate of finalists, but two would be-finalists, a Latina and a Black woman, withdrew prior to the announcement.

Featured Stories

A year of grit and despair

For one class of immigrant students, the pandemic threatens to upend their educational dreams

To understand the remarkable forces and obstacles newcomers to America have to contend with, a Globe team closely tracked one class at Boston International Newcomers Academy — BINcA for short — for most of a year.
Leer en español: Un año de lucha y desesperación: la pandemia amenaza con poner fin a los sueños de una clase de estudiantes inmigrantesYvonne Abraham: Students’ dreams made impossible by the pandemic
New to English and technology: One student's remarkable journey
Fredy left Guatemala for Boston in 2019. He was just beginning to learn English at Boston International Newcomers Academy when the pandemic shuttered schools. (Shelby Lum/Globe Staff)
As schools went remote, many students stopped attending
When classrooms went virtual, nationwide as many as 1 and 4 English learners have left their classes. (Shelby Lum/Globe Staff)

Sign up for The Great Divide newsletter

Stay abreast of the most pressing issues plaguing our public education system and their possible solutions. Sign up for our free newsletter with updates on our investigative findings, links to stories, and other relevant information.
June 29: Boston chooses a new school superintendent tonight, but the next leader already faces uphill battleJune 22: Two local educators named finalists in Boston superintendent searchJune 15: From his early days in education, Mass. commissioner sought to level playing field

Make sure your voice is heard

Students, we want to hear from you. Please subscribe to a student-only text line to share your story ideas and tips with our team, and receive occasional news alerts from our team. To join, text the word HELLO to 1-833-335-2777.

Upcoming and past events

The Great Divide has been hosting an ongoing series of virtual events, with an emphasis on student voices, during the pandemic. Watch some of our past events:
The State of Race: EducationAll in this together? How to minimize harm in reopening schoolsGlobeDocs presents: 'My voice matters': Brighton Debate en Español teamThe Digital Divide: Education, Race and Virtual LearningGreat Divide Town Hall: What will it take for you to feel safe when schools reopen?

About The Great Divide

The Great Divide is a two-year reporting effort dedicated to investigating race, class, and inequality in Boston-area schools. It is jointly funded by the Globe and the Barr Foundation, a Boston-based foundation that has prioritized student success in high school and beyond. The Globe maintains editorial control and independence over the project.
IDEAS | Linda K. Wertheimer

Teaching about racism is urgent — but tricky

Many K-12 educators now want to go deeper on the subject of race. Are they equipped to do it well?
Tips for teaching about racism
This special series features student essays, poems and artwork on living and learning during a pandemic.

It was hard enough being a low-income university student. Then COVID hit

Last fall, Jasmine, a sophomore at a public four-year university in Massachusetts, received an e-mail from one of her professors telling her she was failing her class. This essay is an edited version of Jasmine’s belated response to her professor.

Listen to high school junior Maceo Wright’s spoken word poem, ‘Damn Pandemic’

I swear sometimes it’s like they want to build the world without us. We fought for our equality but still there ain’t no balance. How we supposed to fight back when they holding all the power?

• My name is Mariella Murillo, and I am struggling

• A teenager’s lament

• The lockers, once full of ideas with all the books stuffed inside them, are now just full of memories

Academics and Learning

BPS may have overstated graduation rate for five of last seven years

The findings reflect a growing problem across the country as many school districts are increasingly under pressure to raise their graduation rates.
After Globe probe, BPS member asks for new audit of city graduation rates

MCAS scores plummet during the pandemic
Massachusetts reactivated the MCAS this year after canceling them in spring 2020 amid the pandemic and the abrupt shutting of schools.

Families of at-risk children struggle to balance safety and education this fall, with remote learning options strictly limited, little known and slow to access
Weeks into the new school year, an unknown number of families across the city and state continue to struggle with a keenly painful dilemma: how to balance their children’s health and their education.

Equity and Access

More low-income students gain access to Boston’s exam schools after admission policy changes

The introduction of the bonus points has been widely embraced by civil rights advocates and many parents who contend that it helps level the playing field for applicants who don’t have the financial means for test prep and who tend not perform as well on standardized tests.

Most of Boston’s schools lack fully functioning libraries. The superintendent vowed to change that — but will her successor?
In Boston, after years of decline in library access, a school library with regular hours, dedicated staff, and an up-to-date collection has become an extra bonus amenity, found at exam schools and campuses with robust parent fund-raising efforts — and hardly anywhere else.

Rafaela Polanco is the first Boston School Committee member who doesn’t speak fluent English. Here’s how she’s filling communication gaps for countless families
“I thought advocating for my child’s school would make me vulnerable,” Rafaela Polanco said. “But then I did it. And nothing happened to me ... so I kept going.”

Race and Diversity

For many advocates, restoring Boston’s elected School Committee is about expanding voting rights in communities of color

Voters across Boston will be able to weigh in on a nonbinding referendum on Tuesday about whether the city should return to an elected School Committee.
City Council pushes ahead with plan for change to elected School Committee

Boston’s teacher diversity has barely budged in 10 years. District leaders hope the next decade will look different
Across Boston Public Schools, 85 percent of public school students are children of color, but only 40 percent of the district’s 4,570 teachers and guidance counselors are Black, Hispanic, or Asian American.

More students of color are attending Cape Cod schools. But the vast majority of teachers are white
Across Cape Cod, school districts have failed to recruit and retain enough teachers of color to keep pace with a changing population.

Money and Facilities

Wu to launch a new era of school construction, pledging $2 billion to revamp city’s school facilities

The facilities dashboard will give each school building an overall rating so that parents can figure out how their children’s school stacks up against others in the city and why some school projects are being prioritized over others.

New Boston city budget includes $788 million for school capital projects over five years — but will it be enough?

The new capital plan envisions launching a half-dozen more projects, potentially pushing BPS into a full-on building boom if it can sustain momentum as it changes superintendents and grapples with a dramatic decline in enrollment.

East Boston school wins $100,000 prize for steady improvement
Otis beat out two other finalists for the prize, which is named after a former Boston superintendent and is given out by EdVestors, a Boston education nonprofit.

Finalist for a Pulitzer Prize

The Valedictorians Project

The city’s top students from 2005 to 2007 set out to change the world. But then life happened. Explore their stories here.