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February 2, 2006

The Boston-Bay State Banner

From the Editor’s Desk:

Pilot schools are one road to success

There is a great disadvantage in being persistently negative about the quality of Boston Public Schools. First of all, a disproving attitude will obscure an understanding of the constructive programs. Secondly, a continually hostile assessment of the schools must be discouraging to the students who are required to go there.

One program of the Boston Public Schools which definitely works is the Pilot Schools. A recent survey by the Center for Collaborative Education has established the success of the program.

Currently, 19 Pilot Schools enroll 5,900 students, about 10 percent of the total student body. The 10th grade MCAS results were superior for Pilot School students. Proficiency in English was twice the rate for non-Pilot students. In math, 80 percent of Pilot students passed compared with only 59 percent for other students.

The Pilot Schools are open to everyone. They are not exam schools so their MCAS results were not compared with those of exam school students. Nonetheless, the results are encouraging. Superintendent Thomas Payzant is to be applauded for devising an important strategy to improve the quality of education for all of Boston’s public school students.