It's graduation time .. for parents!

High school graduations are in full swing around the city, but students aren't the only graduates in the Boston Public Schools this year. The district recently honored its very first class of graduates from Parent University. School Committee Chair Rev. Gregory G. Groover, Sr., Vice-Chair Marchelle Raynor, Superintendent Johnson, City Councilor Ayanna Presley, several BPS principals, and other special guests gathered at the Reggie Lewis Center last week for a special ceremony honoring the 86 parents who completed the full program. Parent University, developed by the Office of Family & Student Engagement and launched last October, consists of a series of three day-long learning sessions throughout the year designed to support parents and empower them to become leaders and advocates for student learning and school improvement.

Valedictorians Luncheon celebrates top students from each BPS high school

Last week Mayor Menino and Boston Public Schools honored 36 valedictorians from every Boston public high school at the 12th annual Valedictorians Luncheon at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The students and their invited guests enjoyed a three-course lunch, and each valedictorian took home a backpack and gift card courtesy of Reebok.

Several news outlets covered the event, including WBZ-TV, the Boston Herald, and Fox 25. This coming Sunday, the Boston Globe is set to run its annual valedictorians feature, showcasing the top students from all public schools in the city.

Clinton, Alliance for a Healthier Generation praise BPS schools for healthy practices

Former President Bill Clinton and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation recognized seven Boston Public Schools for transforming themselves into healthier places for students and staff. The Boston schools were among 179 from across the country honored at an awards ceremony in New York City.

The seven BPS winners are as follows:
* Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School – Silver Award
* Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School – Bronze Award
* Nathan Hale Elementary School – Bronze Award
* Media Communications Technology High School – Bronze Award
* Mission Hill School – Bronze Award
* New Mission High School – Bronze Award
* Josiah Quincy Elementary School – Bronze Award

To earn this award, the schools created healthy eating and physical activity programs that met or exceeded stringent standards set by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, which provides free support and technical assistance to more than 9,000 schools nationwide to help them reverse the national trend in childhood obesity. Schools were eligible for Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum National Recognition Awards based on their level of achievement.

For example, moving students out of classrooms and into neighborhood parks helped the Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School win the Alliance’s “Silver Award.” Science and math teachers identified green spaces within walking distance of the school, transforming urban forests, farms and gardens into learning opportunities.

Alfreda Harris Recognized by Basketball Hall of Fame

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined School Committee Chairperson Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover, Sr. and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Carol R. Johnson in congratulating long-serving school committee member Alfreda Harris on being honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Harris, along with Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert and Hall of Fame Coach Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University were named winners of the 2010 Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award. The award is presented to individuals who have honored the game of basketball by virtue of their personal growth and life-long accomplishments.

"As the longest-serving member of the appointed Boston School Committee, Mrs. Harris has been my personal guide," said Mayor Menino. "I trust Alfreda Harris: her good sense, her judgment, her straight talk, her values. In everything she does, I know that her top priority is and always has been in the best interest of kids. There are many who claim to make a difference; Alfreda Harris is among the few who actually do. She is the real deal."

Harris founded the SAT Preparation Program serving high school students in Boston while also founding and coordinating girls’ basketball leagues and Amateur Athletic Union teams for the city. Harris also founded the Owen Wells Fitness Center and the Reebok Educational Athletic Partnership that provides students with community programs in social development, computer skills and tutoring. Beyond serving on the Boston School Committee, Harris also serves as a Board member for the Shelburne Community Council, Boston Neighborhood Basketball League and the Police Athletic League.

The criteria for award winners include embracing the core values of the game, hard-work, striving to improve the community and making a commitment to others. Beyond the game, award winners must reflect the values of Mannie Jackson’s life-long mission to overcome obstacles and challenge the status quo, while taking responsibility for his or her actions and seeking the highest standard of excellence.

Principals and headmasters get jump start on school year at leadership conference

Principals and headmasters from all 135 BPS school programs are attending an intensive two-day leadership conference this week at Simmons College. The focus is on advancing three key goals of our Acceleration Agenda: MCAS proficiency for all, closing achievement and access gaps, and graduating students prepared for college and career success.

The theme of this year's conference is "Building Schools of Excellence: Meeting the Needs of All Students." On Wednesday, our school leaders heard from Kati Haycock, the president of the Education Trust. Haycock is the former executive vice president of the Children's Defense Fund, and has spent years advocating for the kinds of educational improvements that are underway right now in Boston. She told our principals and headmasters that the United States still has a long way to go towards closing the achievement gaps that still separate students of different ethnic backgrounds. Despite successful trends in elementary education around the country, Haycock pointed to other data that shows the gaps are wider than ever in U.S. high schools. Her challenge to BPS was a call to intervene early for all children, so our educators can ensure that every child in Boston has access to great teachers and a promising future.
On Thursday, Derrick Ashong spoke about his own personal journey to achieve success in the United States. Ashong is a native of Ghana, West Africa, and came to the U.S. with his family during a period of profound government upheaval at home. He is the founder of Take Back the Mic, a youth-centered cultural movement that encourages young people to take leadership in art, society, business and politics.
The Leadership Conference is designed to help our principals and headmasters learn from each other and have access to nationally-renowned education experts. In a series of break-out classes, our school leaders learned about creating high-quality programs for English Language Learners; building stronger, student-focused teacher teams using data analysis as a guide; closing achievement gaps; helping teachers become leaders and mentors for their colleagues; engaging families in school communities; and fostering school atmospheres that discourage bullying and make students feel more confident.

Deb Socia recognized for technology leadership

The Capital Region Society for Technology in Education (CRSTE) named Principal Debra Socia of the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester a recipient of its first ever “Leadership and Vision” award. The award recognizes leaders in the field of education who have started programs that promote the effective infusion of technology into instruction that reflects the skills, knowledge and experience that are essential for success in the 21st century global economy. After serving as the principal of the Frederick for seven years, Ms. Socia will next year serve as a “principal on assignment” coordinating and expanding Technology Goes Home, a city-wide technology training program serving inner-city families through the Boston Public Schools.

Here is a roundup of some recent press coverage of Deb Socia and the Frederick Middle School:

Intel produced a case study on the Frederick's eLearning initiative.

Ms. Socia has co-authored articles on technology, including “Moving Beyond One Size Fits All With Digital Citizenship,” for the Publius Project at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society. She has also been quoted in a New York Times story about cyberbullying and a Wall Street Journal story on laptops in the classroom.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation produced a video showcasing a unique mental health program for Somali students at the Frederick.

Two BPS teachers travel to Malaysia to present at international conference on Chinese explorer Zheng He

Two Boston Public Schools teachers are traveling to Melaka, Malaysia to present at an international conference on the Chinese explorer Zheng He. Alicia Carroll and Lucy Montgomery will speak about their children's book, Malindi's Journey: An African Giraffe Encounters China. Malindi's Journey tells the story of the giraffe's journey from Malindi (Swahili coast) to China, to be presented to the Yong-Le Emperor by Zheng He. Following the conference, Ms. Carroll and Ms. Montgomery will travel to Singapore and Nanjing, visiting cultural and historical sites and learning more about Zheng He. Their three-week trip is funded by a Fund for Teachers grant, and you can read more about it on their blog.

Two BPS schools designated International Baccalaureate (IB) world schools

Two Boston schools have been designated International Baccalaureate (IB) world schools. Muriel S. Snowden International School at Copley and the Josiah Quincy Upper School located in Chinatown will serve as IB sites starting immediately. The world-renowned non-profit organization is known for high standards and pedagogical leadership. Students at both schools will spend their junior and senior years studying college-level material in six, two-year long courses. Students will also work on substantive research papers, integrative thinking, and achieving goals they set to become people of creativity, action and service. The BPS Acceleration Agenda, unveiled in November 2009, sets a goal of having 100% of BPS students take at least one college-level course (Advanced Placement, Honors, International Baccalaureate and/or dual enrollment) during high school. Read more in the press release.

The addition of Snowden and Quincy brings to 13 the total number of IB programs in Massachusetts. A July 2 New York Times story discusses the rise in popularity of the IB program in U.S. schools.

Mayor, Superintendent host healthy BBQ to launch Summer Food Program

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson joined hundreds of students for a special barbecue lunch on July 13 at the Mildred Avenue K-8 School to kick off a summer of healthy eating and launch the Summer Food Service Program. This event was the first in a series of healthy barbecues that BPS and BCYF will host this summer at locations throughout the city to highlight the importance of healthy eating and the benefits of fresh, local foods.

Chef Kirk Conrad and his student “sous-chefs” from the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness Youth Advisory Board prepared healthy side dishes to be served at the barbecue using local produce from Czajkowski Farms in Hadley, MA. On the menu were corn-on-the cob, cold green bean salad, and fresh blueberries.

Dr. Johnson also stopped by the Boston Public Health Commission's booth and signed the "Soda-Free Summer Pledge," a promise not to drink soda for the entire summer.

The summer meals program provides free daily meals for children ages 18 and under at approximately 148 sites and programs across the city and runs through September 3. For information and serving times, please call the Project Bread Hotline at 1-800-645-8333.

Boston teachers volunteer in the Dominican Republic this summer

Teachers at the Young Women's Summer Leadership Program

This summer nine Boston Public Schools teachers are spending four weeks in the Dominican Republic teaching English, health, reading, math and leadership skills to young girls through the Mariposa Foundation's Young Women's Summer Leadership Program. The BPS teachers come from several different schools, including the Blackstone Elementary, Ohrenberger K-8, Frederick Pilot Middle, Harbor Middle, Boston Latin Academy, and Boston Adult Technical Academy (BATA). The group also includes one retired teacher from Madison Park High School. They are among 22 educators -- some from other parts of the U.S. and others local volunteers from Cabarete, DR -- who are participating in the program this summer.

Teachers help students measure the perimeter of their desks.

In addition to teaching, BPS teachers help to create individual education plans and personal profiles of each girl so that their progress can be tracked throughout their adolescence. Working together with a group of parents and leaders from the Cabarete Community, the teachers are part of an experiential education program that teaches young girls leadership qualities and marketable skills - setting them off on the right path to become active leaders for social change in their communities. Follow the program's progress on the teachers' blog.

Founded in 2009, the Mariposa DR Foundation is a US 501c3, community-run organization that provides sustainable and creative solutions to end extreme poverty, especially empowering girls and women to achieve their full potential. The organization serves Dominican and Haitian children and families, providing them with the tools they need to become active community leaders for social change.

BPS in the News: Dorchester Reporter story on Haitian children who came to BPS after the earthquake

This week's issue of the Dorchester Reporter has an article about students who came to the Boston Public Schools after the earthquake in Haiti earlier this year. Since January, BPS has enrolled 159 Haitian students. The article highlights the district's SIFE program for Students with Interrupted Formal Education and features interviews with students and with SIFE teacher Evelyn Prophete, who was a 2010 Boston Educator of the Year.

Photo: Tara Merrigan, Dorchester Reporter

Tobin K-8 principal appears on 'CityLine'

Over the weekend, Tobin K-8 principal Cheryl Watson-Harris was a guest on WCVB-TV's "CityLine" program. Host Karen-Holmes Ward invited her to participate in a discussion about the importance of community partnerships in a child's education.

Watson-Harris is a great example of a school leader who has brought non-profits, community groups and individuals into her school to help all students succeed. For years, she has spread the message that children from low-income families tend to lose an average of three months' literacy and two months' math skills during summer break. Put another way, it takes some children three months or more of schoolwork in the fall just to get back to where they were when they left their classrooms in June. Like many of our school leaders and teachers, Watson-Harris has worked tirelessly to help students enroll in productive summer programs.

The topic of the CityLine program was the "Opportunity Agenda," a groundbreaking partnership between some of Boston's leading philanthropic and nonprofit organizations. Together, these partners have pledged more than $27 million to help Boston's children succeed. The donations will be used to help nonprofits expand and coordinate their work inside and outside our classrooms -- to make sure that all of our students have the support they need to excel. The Opportunity Agenda has aligned many of its goals with the BPS Acceleration Agenda, which calls for increasing student standards and performance across all levels within the next four years.

INDIA New England names Edwards Middle School assistant principal 2010 Woman of the Year

INDIA New England magazine has named Amrita Sahni, an assistant principal at the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, as its 2010 Woman of the Year. Many of her colleagues from the Edwards submitted nominations on Ms. Sahni's behalf and attended the awards ceremony last month at the Westin Waltham-Boston hotel in Waltham. Read the article describing Ms. Sahni's accomplishments, including her work on the Edwards School's Extended Learning Time (ELT) initiative or watch the video about the awards ceremony.

INDIA New England's Woman of the Year 2010 from Timeless Lens on Vimeo.

Red Sox Scholars Class of 2010 inducted at Fenway

The Boston Red Sox introduced the Red Sox Scholars Class of 2010 in an on-field ceremony with Red Sox players at Fenway Park prior to the Sunday, June 13th Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies game. The 25 new Red Sox Scholars, who will enter sixth grade in the fall, are all academically talented, financially challenged middle school students in the Boston Public Schools and join seven previous classes of Scholars. There are now 200 Red Sox Scholars supported by the Red Sox Foundation, the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, including 18 Scholars in the first class of Red Sox Scholars selected in 2003, who are graduating from high school, and who will be attending college in the fall.

Stamford Public Stamford Public Schools Student and Staff Achievements June 2009

The Stamford Public Schools Mathlete Project completed its 7th
year celebrating math
achievement and encouraging students to enroll in the most advanced math classes possible
through competitions at the local, regional, and state levels.

Elementary Mathlete Honors
At the elementary level, the third biennial Stamford Elementary School Math Challenge (aka
SEiSMiC Math Challenge) was held at Government Center in April. The event, which included
individual and team written contests, engaged students in grades 4 and 5 in friendly
competition.

- Tanzim Khan of Stark Elementary School received the "SEISMiC Math district top grade 4
mathlete" award.

- Brian Niguidula of Northeast Elementary School tied for "SEiSMIC Math district top
grade 5 mathlete".

- Rutvik Manohar of Toquam Magnet Elementary School tied for "SEiSMiC Math district
top grade-5 mathlete".

Middle School Mathlete Honors
Twenty-five students from four district middle schools participated in the Southwest
Connecticut chapter MATHCOUNTS competition in February at Fairfield University. Six
students advanced to state-level by scoring among the top quartile.

- Casey Zhu of Scofield Magnet Middle School (grade 6) qualified to compete at state-level
MATHCOUNTS by scoring among the individual top quartile in chapter-level competition and he
qualified to compete in the lightning-fast "Countdown Round" at chapter level, by scoring
among the top 10%.

- Jonathan Xu of Scofield Magnet Middle School (grade 7) was the only Stamford student
to rank among the top quartile in state MATHCOUNTS competition; he qualified to compete at
state-level by scoring among the individual top quartile in chapter-level competition and he
qualified to compete in the "Countdown Round" at chapter-level by scoring among the top
10%.

- Sana Suhail of Scofield Magnet Middle School (grade 7) qualified to compete at state-
level MATHCOUNTS by helping Scofield rank among the top quartile of 24 teams participating
at chapter level.

- Christian Sye of Rippowam Middle School (grade 8) qualified to compete at state-level
MATHCOUNTS by scoring among the top quartile in chapter-level competition and he qualified
to compete in the "Countdown Round" at chapter level by scoring among the top 10%; he also
won the title "Stamford Top Mathlete" at the annual Stamford Middle School Math Competition
in January at AITE.

- Cameron Yick of Scofield Magnet Middle School (grade 8) qualified to compete at state-
level MATHCOUNTS by scoring among the individual top quartile in chapter-level competition;
he also qualified to compete in the "Countdown Round" at chapter level, by scoring among the
top 10%.

- Ben Paz of Scofield Magnet Middle School (grade 8) qualified to compete at state-level
MATHCOUNTS by helping Scofield rank among the top quartile of 24 teams participating at the
chapter level. Ben and teammates Sana Suhail, Jonathan Xu, and Cameron Yick ranked
#6 among 24 teams competing at the state event.

High School Mathlete Honors
Eighteen high school students represented the Stamford district at the Fairfield County Math
League contests which were held last fall and winter.

- Haritha Desu of the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering (grade 9)
participated in the American Mathematics Competitions at Fairfield University last fall and took
a leadership role in helping to organize district mathlete events for grades 4-8.

- Diane Yang of Stamford High School (grade 9) achieved "American Mathematics Contest
national Honor Roll" status for her results on the annual AMC-12 contest at Fairfield University
last fall. Diane also scored among the top quartile in six contests organized by the Fairfield
County Math League.

- Astha Patni of Westhill High School (grade 9) participated in the Fairfield County Math
League and contributed to the success of the district grade 4-8 mathlete program by serving
as proctor at the Mathlete Preseason Warmup.

- David Katz of Westhill High School (grade 10) earned the district's top score among
sophomores who competed in the Fairfield County Math League; he participated in the AMC-12
contest at Fairfield University. He took a leadership role in helping to organize district mathlete
events for grades 4-8.

- Ragini Phansalkar of Stamford High School (grade 11) scored among the top quartile in
six contests organized by the Fairfield County Math League; she also contributed to the
success of the district grade 4-8 mathlete program by serving as proctor at the Mathlete
Midseason Boost.

- Ben Barnett of Westhill High School (grade 12) scored among the top quartile in six
contests organized by the Fairfield County Math League and he was the district's top-scoring
league mathlete.

Carol Henderson is the District Mathlete Volunteer Coordinator. Faculty advisors include
Peter Kinahan, Susan Paley, Tom Sartor, Michael Capriotti, Chandan Sarkar, Joanie
Messanelli, John Cleri, and Elizabeth Edelheit.

Does Your Child Have a Written Expression Disability? Dysgraphia Symptoms and Public School Solutions

While dyslexia, reading struggles, and language-based learning disabilities have been points of focus for public schools, many experts are now shining light on written expression issues. With a rising number of students struggling with conveying their thoughts, feelings, or ideas in writing, public school leaders are striving to create programs to support written expression disabilities.

Labeled dysgraphia, a written expression disability is essentially a cognitive struggle that inhibits an otherwise intelligent child from explicating ideas in a written form. To find out if your child is coping with an undiagnosed written expression disability, learn more about the symptoms, as well as how your child's public school can offer support.

The Symptoms of Dysgraphia

Often referred to as the "sibling" of dyslexia, dysgraphia can be identified from a variety of symptoms. As the National Institute for Neurological Disorders reveals, "Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterized by writing disabilities... (causing) a person's writing to be distorted or incorrect."

Expanding on this definition, Audiblox, a cognitive educational company, reports that the most common signs of dysgraphia typically include:

• Illegible writing and consistently poor handwriting
• Inconsistent use of letters
• Mixture of upper and lower case letters
• Mixture of print and cursive letters
• Irregular and inconsistent letter sizes
• Irregular and inconsistent letter shapes
• Incorrect spelling
• Reading words incorrectly (i.e. saying "boy" instead of "child")
• Unfinished words and sentences
• General struggle to communicate through writing

Dysgraphic students often display frustrations when attempting to write thoughts and ideas in an organized manner. This is most obviously observed by a student's hate for writing. However, experts have found that students with dysgraphia rarely have any other academic, cognitive, or social problems. Furthermore, researchers have still not found the cause or catalyst for dysgraphia.

Coping with Dysgraphia

Unfortunately, as the cause of dysgraphia is still unknown, the "cure" for this disorder has also not yet been discovered. As experts continue to study students with symptoms of dysgraphia, new and innovative treatment methods are continually being created. Further reports from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders reveals that modern treatment methods include:

• Treatment for motor disorders (as this may help improve students' handwriting and writing control abilities)
• Treatment for impaired memory
• Treatment for other neurological problems

How Can Public Schools Help?

While each public school is certainly limited by its own budgetary constraints, every public school in the United States is legally required to support all eligible students with special needs. While dysgraphia is not yet accepted as an official disability in all public schools, children who may be struggling with written expression disabilities are still legally eligible for help. Oftentimes, if a parent intercedes for special needs support for their child, a dysgraphic student can be accommodated with services such as:

• Additional tutoring assistance
• One on one teacher support
• Additional writing seminars and course guidance
• Extended deadlines on writing assignments
• Adjusted assignments and special accommodations

Some studies are currently investigating the benefits of typing instead of handwriting, and therefore, some schools may permit dysgraphic students to use computers for some (or all) of their assignments. Furthermore, some students may even be permitted to use a laptop in the classroom, as many leaders believe that the support of a computer helps students with written expression struggles overcome some of their most frustrating challenges.

Resources:

Learning Abled Kids, "Dysgraphia: Dyslexia and Writing," available at

http://www.learningabledkids.com/learning_disability_LD/dysgraphia.htm

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Dysgraphia," available at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dysgraphia/dysgraphia.htm

Audiblox, available at http://www.audiblox2000.com/

Do Public Schools Perform Better without a Principal?

A new trend in public education is sweeping the country: the introduction of teacher-led schools that put teachers in the driver's seat of both the classroom and the daily operations of the schools at large. Teacher-led schools have begun operating in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Denver, Boston and Milwaukee. Recently, a new teacher-led school was introduced in Detroit as well, according to an article in Detroit Free Press.

Bye-Bye Bureaucracy

The concept of teacher-led schools started with the idea that teachers were better equipped to meet the needs of students than administrators ever could be. Teachers work with children and curriculum every day, but in traditional campuses, still need to get modifications and new programs approved by principals and school supervisors before they can put them in action. By eliminating school administration, teachers put themselves in the position of adjusting curriculum and adding programs to meet the specific needs of the students in their schools.

Many of the teacher-run schools starting today have been located in low-income neighborhoods, where students already have many socioeconomic hurdles to overcome. For example, teacher-governed schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin consist of a high number of low-income Latino students, and one school in the area boasts a 100% Native American population. Another serves gay and lesbian students who were bullied in mainstream schools, according to a report at The Free Library.

Advantages of Teacher-Run Schools

One school in Denver, Colorado, Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, has seen many advantages to switching to a teacher-governed model. According to a report on CNN, the teachers at this school can easily rearrange lessons so that they make more sense to students. Traditional schools require that teachers get administrative approval to make such changes.

Kim Ursetta, a teacher at Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, told CNN, "Studies show when you take accomplished teachers and allow them to have a leadership role, that's when they see the most success. Scores just soar. That's how we're focused here." Ursetta's school is located in a mostly low-income, largely Hispanic neighborhood. It is still too soon to see whether this new public education model will see the desired results in terms of student performance and graduation rates.

Detroit Children First

DCF is an organization made up of mostly area teachers that have been asking for a teacher-led school for many years. This fall, the organization will get its wish, with Barbara Jordan Elementary. The school will initially open for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, with a middle school operating next door. Eventually, the school will integrate into a single campus.

According to Crain's Detroit Business, an executive administrator will be named to handle enrollment and budgetary issues, in conjunction with the school's teachers. The school will also name a building administrator to handle duties with which teachers are not as familiar. The school will offer an extended day, longer school year and enrichment activities in elective areas like art and music.

EdVision: A Growing Vision

EdVisions was created by money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a federal charter schools technical assistance grant, according to The Free Library report. The Midwest organization established teacher-governed schools in low-income communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Minnesota allows teachers to organize as either a worker cooperative or a non-profit, while Wisconsin law requires that teacher-governed schools become chartered by the district.

Both types of schools are primarily run by staff teachers, although the sources of income and district input varies, based on the state. All of the schools in the EdVisions network serve primarily low-income or minority students, and they have touted a range of success since their inception.

Ted Kolderie, senior associate with the St. Paul-based think-tank Education/Evolving, told The Free Library, "From what we know so far it does appear that, where teachers work in collegial groups, their attitudes and behaviors differ remarkably from those we see in conventional school settings." Initial data seems to indicate that teachers in these schools have a greater stake in seeing the schools succeed than teachers in traditional school settings.

Mixed Reviews

Despite the enthusiastic response to the schools, data supporting success continues to be mixed. According to The Free Library Report, success in the Milwaukee and Minnesota schools has been varied. Some of the schools are showing better literacy and math achievement rates, while others continue to lag behind the state averages. The schools are still too new to assess graduation rates, so data regarding the effectiveness of these types of schools is still in the works.

It will take time to determine whether teacher-led schools have the positive impact for which everyone is hoping. In the meantime, parents and teachers alike are supporting this new model in hopes the flexibility and hands-on administrative policies will be just what students need for academic success.

Resources:

Walsh-Sarnecki, Peggy, "Detroit Public Schools Try Something New: A School Run by Teachers," Detroit Free Press, July 8, 2010. Available at http://www.freep.com/article/20100708/NEWS01/7080367/Detroit-Public-Schools-tries-something-new-A-school-run-by-teachers

Public School vs Private School

As a parent, you’re always looking out for your children, trying to make the best decisions for them and their futures. When it comes to schooling, parents often have to work out whether to send their children to private school or keep them in public school. Hopefully this article will help you decide which school is best for your family. We’ll first talk generally about some of the different factors that impact decisions regarding public and private schools. Then we’ll go over some national statistics regarding public and private schools. Finally we’ll leave you with a conclusion that should help you decide what is best for you.

Factors affecting Private versus Public school decisions

Public schools are schools that are provided by state and federal funding. Ninety percent of the children today in America attend public school. Private schools include both parochial schools and non-parochial schools. According to a special report published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2002, in 1999–2000, approximately 27,000 private schools accounted for 24 percent of all schools in the US and 12 percent of all full-time-equivalent teachers. Clearly, there are many more public schools that provide education to American students than their private counterparts.

Usually when considering private versus public school, parents will have one or more factors that concern them. When looking at public or private schools, the following factors come into play:

• Academic reputation and college preparation
• School size and Class size
• Safety reputation
• Special programs
• Costs
• Religious and Moral instruction
• Location
• Ideology

Academic reputation plays a big role when considering private versus public schools. School systems vary greatly in their academic reputation. For as many wonderful public schools that exist, there are also those that perform under the bar. Unfortunately for most families, children must go to the public school that their home is zoned in. Usually there is a perceived or statistically supported issue with a public school’s academic record that flags a parent’s concern and willingness to move their child into a private school.

Private schools usually have a more rigorous academic reputation. But within the public school system, Charter Schools and Magnet schools both blur the distinction between public and private schools. Related to the academic reputation is the focus of the school on college preparation. Within the public school system, the percent of children that go on to college differs depending on the location of the school. You can’t lump all the schools together. However, you can look at the school’s overall focus and whether it is on college preparation or not (and whether that is your shared focus).

School Size and Class Size can be correlated to a school’s ability to execute on its academic goals. Basically, when a school gets too big, it can become burdensome to administer. Students and programs may fall into the cracks. But a school that is too small may not have enough money to support specialized programs. Class size is another factor that parents will look into when considering private or public school. How many children will the classroom teacher be responsible? What is the overall student to teacher ratio? Usually, the smaller the class size, the more attention each individual student will receive.

Safety at school and the general school environment is another factor that parents use to decide whether or not to keep their children in public school or move them into private school. Many public schools have perfectly safe environments, yet in some school districts, children may be safer in private schools. Some of this may have to do with the fact that private schools may pick and choose who they enroll, therefore keeping their classroom milieu safer.

Special programs impact parents in two different ways when considering private versus public schooling. Because public schools have a responsibility to teach all students, public schools often have in place special programs for children with special needs (whether it is academically or mentally). Private schools, while they may have special programs for gifted students, will rarely have programs for children with special needs unless that is what the private school specializes in. There are also other kinds of special programs, for example, ones that specialize in the arts. Military, boarding, and single-sex programs are usually only found in a private setting.

Cost is another important factor that impacts the private school versus public school decision. Simply put, private schools charge tuition whereas public schools are offered free of charge. For many parents, this is the hardest factor with which to come to terms.

A factor that plays a large role in parents deciding whether to send their children to public or private school is whether or not they want religious and or moral instruction to play a part of their children’s academic setting. Overall, religious and moral instruction does not play a part of public schooling.

Location is as important a factor as any other when considering whether to enroll your children in a public school or a private school. For public schools, you are either within the zoning district of the public school you want or not. If you are, then you don’t need to worry about anything. If you aren’t, you’ll need to consider whether relocating your family is desirable and feasible in order to get your children enrolled in your public school of choice. For private schools, you’ll need to consider if the location is feasible for your family. Public schools provide transportation to and back from schools. Private schools may or may not.

Finally, for many families, a final factor that impacts their decision making process is their ideology regarding private schools or public schools, classism, elitism, etc. Parents are not usually on the fence about this factor. They either believe that going to private school is okay or they believe that going to a public school is better in the theoretical sense.

Private and Public School Statistics

Now that we understand some of the main factors that families consider when deciding whether to enroll their children in private or public school, let’s look at the facts. Here are statistics on both private and public schools in America:

• Academic Programs
  Public schools offer a general program, designed for all. This usually includes math, English, reading, writing, science, history and physical education. In addition, many public schools offer programs in music and art too. What students learn is decided by the state. In most states, learning is measured through standardized tests. The content and minimum achievement criteria in each course offered in public high schools are put forward by the state and each student must achieve this minimum criterion before receiving credit. The charter school movement is also picking up momentum in many states; these schools are public, but offer specialized programs and smaller classes. There are not that many charter schools in the United States. According to the Center for Education Reform, there are approximately 3,400 public charter schools in America as of 2005. Charter schools are often closed if their students do not show academic progress. According to a report by educationnext.org, there were 3,100 magnet schools in America as of 2001/2002.
  Private schools have the flexibility to create specialized programs for students. For example, private schools may use art or science in all classes, or take children on outdoor trips. They can create their own curriculum and assessment systems, although many choose to use standardized tests. Many parents are drawn to the alternative curriculums that private schools have to offer.
  Private school students generally perform higher than their public school counterparts on standardized achievement tests. As with earlier results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), private school students performed higher than public school students on the NAEP: 2000 tests. Their average scores were above those of public school students on the 4th-grade reading test and on the 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade science and mathematics proficiency tests.
  Private high schools typically have more demanding graduation requirements than do public high schools. Compared with public schools, private schools required more coursework (in 4-year high school programs) in 1999–2000 in social studies, mathematics, science, foreign language, and computer science. For example private schools required on average 3.1 years of mathematics, while public schools required 2.7 years. The figures for foreign language study also differed: 1.5 years at private schools but 0.5 years at public schools. In addition, about 40 percent of private schools required some form of community service for high school graduation, four times the rate for public schools (10 percent).
  Private school students are more likely than public school students to complete a bachelor’s or advanced degree by their mid-20s. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, "Fourth Follow-up" (NELS: 1988/2000) show that students who had attended private school in 8th grade were twice as likely as those who had attended public school to have completed a bachelor’s or higher degree by their mid-20s (52 versus 26 percent) and far less likely to not complete a post-secondary education.
• School Financial Support System
  Public schools depend on government funds (local, state, and federal) and occasionally on funds from corporations and organizations.
  Private schools depend mainly on tuition fees and funds coming from non-public sources such as religious organizations, endowments, grants and charitable donations. Private schools can participate in federal breakfast and lunch programs, but they usually don’t need to.
• School Size
  Public schools are, on average, at least twice the size of private schools, according to US Department of Education Data. School size usually correlates to the population density of the local area. The average private school had 193 students in 1999–2000. The average public school had 535 students in the same area. Another way to look at this is to see that 80percent of private schools have less than 300 students enrolled while only 29percent of public schools have less than 300 students enrolled.
  While smaller school size may be correlated to a more controlled academic setting, the flip side is that there is strength in numbers. Small schools, have some disadvantages as well such as providing a narrower set of programs and services. The smallest high schools may not be able to offer advanced courses because they have too few students, a shortage of qualified teachers, or both.
  Larger schools can often be set up to support specific groups within their student population (such as those requiring English as a Second Language targeted help). Overall, research is debatable over whether a smaller school size is correlated with a better academic setting.
• Class Size
  Average class size in public schools is larger than private schools. Many states recognize the value of small classes and have provided funding to keep class sizes small in grades K-3. As students become older, class size tends to get bigger in public schools, especially in large school districts and urban schools. On average, private schools have smaller average class sizes and lower student/teacher ratios than public schools. The average class size reported by teachers was larger in public schools than in private. Teachers in Catholic schools had an average of 23 students in their classes. For public schools, teachers have an average of 24 students per class.
  Another aspect besides the actual class size is the student/teacher ratio. This is different from the actual classroom head count because a school may have extra teachers that help set up programs or help with special coursework. Private schools average 13 students per teacher, compared with an average of 16 students per teacher in public schools. Another way to look at this is to see how many schools have a student/teacher ratio less than 10. Thirty-six percent of private schools have a student/teacher ratio lower than 10 to 1.
  Only 10 percent of public schools have student/teacher ratios lower than 10 to 1.If you feel your child would learn better in a smaller setting, then you’ll need to look towards private school. If, however, you child works well in larger groups, public school may be the way to go.
• Quality of teachers
  Teachers in public schools are state certified, which means that they have gone through the training required by the state including student teaching and coursework. They are required to hold college degrees and to be licensed by the state.
  Public schools cannot terminate the terms of their teachers abruptly. After completing a probationary period, teachers are granted tenure by law. They cannot be dismissed without first going through a twelve-month rehabilitation period. This too, can only be done after a public hearing in which charges of incompetence or misconduct must be proven.
  On the other hand, private school teachers may not be required to have certification, and often have subject area expertise and a degree in the subject they teach. Private schools have their own personnel requirements. Private schools can terminate the terms of their teachers abruptly. Schools are free to deal with personnel matters.
• Level of Education
  Most schools—61 percent of private and 71 percent of public—were elementary. Ten percent of private schools and 25 percent of public schools were secondary. Finally, a higher proportion of private schools (30 percent) combined education levels (usually grades K–12 or 1–12), compared with only 4 percent of public schools. Usually public schools are broken out due to their size.
  If having your child around kids that are much older or younger bothers you, you may have an easier time finding a public school that meets your needs than a private school.
• Special needs
  Another aspect that needs attention is regarding children with special needs. Special education laws make it mandatory for public schools to educate and meet the special needs of these children. Therefore, most of the public schools have special programs and teachers for these students. Public school systems often will have specialized schools to support children with multiple special needs.
  Private schools on the other hand, have no such obligation; most private schools do not have special education programs or teachers. However, there are private schools that cater specially to special needs.
  If your child has a special need, you’ll need to research your options to determine whether public or private school best suits your child at this time.
• Obligations
  Public schools are obligated by law to educate all children, so to enroll in a public school you simply register your child by filling out the necessary forms. Public schools must accept any resident student who applies for admission, regardless of sex, race, religious affiliation, economic status or physical or mental handicap. Public schools must also meet state graduation requirements, which vary state by state. Public schools can kick children out if their behavior is too disruptive; but the public school system will usually have in place an alterative school that the child will attend until they are no longer under the care of the public (18 years of age).
  Private schools are not obligated by any laws regarding admission. Therefore, private school admission is competitive. Also, private schools are not required to provide educational programs for children with special needs. Private schools are also under no obligation to keep a student enrolled. If a child’s behavior disrupts the school’s milieu, they can be kicked out. Another scenario to keep in mind is that if a child’s academic progress is not acceptable, they may be kicked out as well. Graduation requirements for private schools are decided by each school and are not subject to any state requirements. Many private schools do choose to align themselves with private school associations which will mandate graduation requirements.
• School admissions
  In public schools, all students are admitted. In private schools, students must apply and then are invited to enroll.
• Cost
  Cost is another important factor that helps in deciding the type of school parents want to send their children to. State Constitutions prohibits public schools from charging residents any form of tuition or other fees for materials, supplies, textbooks or transportation.
  On the other hand, private schools do not receive tax revenues but are funded through tuition, donations and private grants. Therefore, private schools cost more than the public schools. According to National Association of Independent Schools, the median tuition fee for private day schools in the United States is close to $12,000 for grades 1 to 3, $13,000 for grades 6 to 8 and $15,000 for grades 9 to 12. The median tuition fee for boarding schools is $12,000 for grades 1 to 3, $27,000 for grades 6 to 9, and $28,000 for grades 9 to 12. Fees in parochial schools are a little less. Another study found that parochial schools cost $4,200 a year while other private schools charge $8,500 per student.
  One thing to consider however, is the location of public schools. That is, better funded public schools are usually found where the average housing costs are higher than in neighboring zip codes. That said, although public school is free, you may find yourself paying more out of pocket to live in a specific school zone.
• Support services
  Public schools are required to provide academic and health-related services under Federal and state laws. More schools provide extended-day programs. Free and reduced-price meals must be provided to all qualified low-income students.
  Private schools are permitted, but not required, to participate in the federal lunch and breakfast programs.
• Religious affiliation
  Not all but many private schools are religiously affiliated. Public schools are not religiously affiliated. In a study of private schools in 1999-2000, seventy-nine percent of all private schools were found to have a religious affiliation. Thirty percent were affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church and 49 percent with other religious groups. The remaining 22 percent were nonsectarian. Although Catholic schools accounted for 30 percent of the total number of private schools, they enrolled 48 percent of all private school students. Public schools do not have a religious affiliation.
• Location
  Most private schools were located primarily in central cities (42 percent) and the urban fringe or large towns (40 percent). Only 18 percent of private schools were found in rural areas. In contrast, 24 percent of all public schools were in central city locations, 45 percent in the urban fringe or large towns, and 31 percent in rural areas.
• Demographic characteristics of students
  Student populations vary on race/ethnicity, and limited-English proficiency status.

  In 1999–2000, 77 percent of all private school students were White, compared with 63 percent of all public school students. The private school sector as a whole had lower proportions of Black and Hispanic students than the public school sector as a whole.

  Public schools were more likely than private schools to have any minority students in 1999–2000, as well as to have high concentrations of minority students (more than 30 percent). Although many private schools had a racially diverse student body, about 14 percent had no minority students, compared with only 4 percent of public schools.

  Private schools are less likely than public schools to enroll students who are eligible for the National School Lunch Program. The eligibility rate for the National School Lunch Program is a reasonable proxy for the incidence of school poverty in public schools but a less reliable measure in private schools. Approximately 25 percent of private school respondents in 1999–2000 did not know whether any of their students were eligible. Virtually all public schools (99 percent) had students eligible for subsidized lunches, about twice the percentage for private schools (49 percent). Among schools participating in the subsidized lunch program, 42 percent of students at public schools and 10 percent at private schools, on average, were eligible.
• Governance
  Public schools are governed by local, state, and federal laws including specifics about funding, program development and curriculum. Public schools are required to operate for a minimum of 180 days as per the compulsory attendance law. In addition, public school teachers must be employed for at least 16 days beyond the school term.
  Private schools are not subject to as many state and federal regulations as public schools. They are not subject to the limitations of state education budgets and have more freedom in designing curriculum and instruction. Private schools are required to operate for a minimum of 170 days as per compulsory attendance law. There is no regulation on employing a private school teacher beyond the school term.
• Teacher’s Impact and Perception
  For most teaching practices—selecting teaching techniques, evaluating and grading students, disciplining students, choosing course content and skills to teach, and selecting textbooks and materials—private school teachers were more likely than public school teachers to report having a lot of influence on school policymaking.
  In four areas of school policy linked closely with teaching—establishing curriculum, setting student performance standards, setting discipline policy, and evaluating teachers—the sector differences were substantial. For example, 68 percent of private school teachers said they had a lot of influence on establishing curriculum, compared with 44 percent of public school teachers. In addition, private school teachers were more likely than public school teachers to say that they had a lot of influence on setting student performance standards (63 versus 38 percent) and on student discipline policy (48 versus 30 percent).

Conclusion

In conclusion, you will find that there is no overall right or wrong answer regarding whether private or public school education is best for children today. The best thing to do when making this decision is to consider the factors and weigh which ones are important to you. Many people are so polarized around the option of having a religious affiliation that this may be the only thing important to you. For others, the costs of private school rule it out outright for them.

In addition to working out what is important to you, you’ll need to arm yourself with real numbers and information regarding the public and private schools that you are considering for your children. Go to the schools and get numbers. Finally, start early. Most private schools begin their open house and enrollment processes the year before the school year. Don’t wait until summer to consider where to place your child.

Resources

Much of the statistics in this article was found in reports by the NCES Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS: 1999–2000), the National Assessment of Educational Progress High School Transcript Study of 1998 (NAEP: 1998), the NAEP: 2000 student achievement tests, and the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, "Fourth Follow-up" (NELS: 1988/2000).

Public School vs Home School

In recent years, home-schooled children seem to be “winning.” They have conquered national spelling bees, obtained generous scholarships to elite universities, and have even been crowned beauty queens. If home-schooled kids are enjoying such success, it is understandable why any parent would ask, “Is regular or home school best for my child?”

Like many questions about your child’s education, this particular one does not have an easy answer. It is important to consider many factors before deciding whether your child should stay at home to learn or should be sent to a regular public school.

Home environment vs. School environment

For many advocates of either home schooling or public school education, the environment offered by either situation is the determining factor as to whether a child should be home-schooled or sent to a regular public school.

The calm, safe environment of home school

Proponents of home schooling believe that children thrive better in a safe, comfortable environment with which they are familiar. Ironically, so do advocates of public schooling.

However, home-schoolers believe the home is the safest, most secure environment in which a child can learn. At home, a child does not have to deal with peer pressure or with fitting-in with the popular cliques. A child can just “be.” This gives the child the opportunity to focus on the lessons being taught and on the educational expectations required of him or her.

Home-schooled students do not have to worry whether they are wearing the right clothes, the right shoes, or are shopping at the right stores or playing the right video games. Since there are (usually) no other children around, home-schooled children learn in a relatively calm, peaceful environment, and – most importantly – they usually have the opportunity to work at their own pace and in their own style. For some, that spells the difference between success and failure.

The critical social component of regular school

Regular public school classrooms are not, by nature, relatively calm environments, especially at the elementary school level. However, that does not mean a student cannot thrive in such an environment. In fact, supporters of regular public schooling argue that the chaos of the classroom is actually what children need to succeed.

Humans are social creatures. That is the belief of many regular public school proponents. Children should interact and to work with one another in order to build real, vital skills needed in the real world. For example, the advocates of regular public schooling believe that learning the reading process can certainly happen effectively at home. After all, they say, most kids do learn to read at home. However, the goal of public education is not to teach students simply how to read, solve math problems, or to solve scientific equations. If that was the case, home schooling would be the best option for everyone.

The mission of regular public schools, the supporters argue, is to teach kids those skills – and then how to use and apply them through meaningful, necessary interactions with their peers and teachers. That, in essence, is the focus of many regular public schools: relationships. Those relationships can only truly be formed in regular schools. Students can only truly learn how to problem-solve with their peers if they are in a regular public school. Students can only learn how to handle and overcome peer pressure if they are faced with it in a regular school.

Of course, this attitude held by many supporters of regular public school may suggest that actual “book” learning is not as important as learning how to deal with others, but only you can decide which is more important to your child. Both environments clearly offer opportunities for children to learn, but only you can choose which kind of learning is most vital to you and your family.

Along with the environment in which they learn, students (and their families) also have to consider what they are going to learn. Home schooling and regular public schooling have different philosophies about these elements as well.

Home curriculum vs. School curriculum

How children learn is a major factor in determining whether your child should stay at home or should go to school. Home-schooled children tend to learn through an individual experience, and maybe that is best for your child. Regular public schooled children learn through relationships, and that may be what your child needs. Clearly, this is one major difference between the two philosophies. Another vital component, though, is what they learn, and like before, there are significant differences between the two camps.

For the most part, children learn the same basic skills, whether they are home-schooled or taught at a regular public school. They all learn to read, write, and solve basic math problems. Both sides can agree that is a good foundation. However, it is beyond this common foundation that home school and regular school differ. With this in mind, you must evaluate where you want your children’s education focus to be.

Customizing your child’s education with home school

Parents who home-school their children generally get to decide by themselves the focus of their child’s education. The curriculum at can be developed on the passions of the parents, or for what the child has a natural curiosity. In general, that is why most home-schooled children receive some type of religious instruction at home. The parents believe the teaching of religion or spirituality should be incorporated into education, and that is why many choose to teach their children at home.

This does not mean you can teach your kids at home only if you are going to teach them religious-based lessons. Home-schooled curriculum can take the shape of whatever the parent most wants to teach his or her child.

Exposing your child to a plethora of ideas and concepts

Regular public school is different, of course. Public schools, for the most part, base their curriculums on state standards, and the lessons are geared so the students can reach and surpass those standards. There is usually not a lot of time to cover material in-depth, but students are exposed to a broad range of ideas and concepts.

There-in stems the major difference between the curriculums: home curriculum usually takes fewer ideas to a deeper level, while school curriculum usually takes more ideas and tries to connect them with one another, hoping to show the students the big picture. Again, only you can decide which is the best approach for your child.

Conclusion

Home-schooling and regular public schooling each has advantages and disadvantages. One may offer a more controlled environment for your child, while the other may expose him or her to a world of ideas you could not possibly imagine. You may find it difficult to choose between the two. Making the right choice depends upon how your child learns, and what you would like him or her to learn. Keeping the best interest of your child in mind makes the decision clearer.

References

“Public Schools vs. Home School,” available at www.allaboutparenting.org

CBN News, “Socialization: Homeschooling vs. Schools”, available at www.cbn.com

The Office for Student Affairs

Graduating students attending the Commencement Eve Celebration 2010

The mission of the Office for Student Affairs is to enrich the student experience at the Harvard School of Public Health through a wide range of educational, cultural, and social programming. The staff advises student groups on a variety of issues including goal setting and event planning.

The OSA plans both new student orientation in August and HSPH commencement in May.

The office works to support students who are experiencing difficulties and to ensure the general well being of the student body. The OSA handles residence life issues, the housing application process, and is involved with student life programming at the Henry Lee Shattuck International House. The OSA assists students with disabilities, works closely with officers of the student government, administers the MBTA discount pass program, assigns lockers and serves as an information source for students.

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BPS in the News

Many news outlets, including the Globe, Herald, and WCVB-TV, covered the ceremony officially renaming BPS's Health Careers Academy as the Edward M. Kennedy Academy of Health Careers.

Both the Globe and the Herald wrote about the first ArtScience Innovation prize awarded this week to Boston high school students who have spent the past year working on innovative ideas and inventions. A team from the John D. O'Bryant won the contest and an opportunity to travel to France to further develop their project.

Boston Arts Academy headmaster Linda Nathan, Charlestown High School Arabic language teacher Steven Berbeco, and BPS literacy coach Elizabeth MacDonald are featured in a recent Boston Globe Magazine article about reinvigorating education for students of all ages.