Introduction to Pilot Schools

The Pilot School model originated in Boston. There, they are a network of 20 innovative schools within the Boston Public Schools (BPS) that are achieving strong results across every indicator of student engagement and performance. Two Pilot Schools also have dual Horace Mann charter school status. Pilot Schools demonstrate higher performance compared to the district averages at all grade levels, including higher college-going rates, higher results on the statewide standardized assessment (MCAS), and higher attendance rates. Pilot Schools serve a student population that is generally representative of BPS. They do not select students based on prior academic achievement, and they receive a similar per pupil allocation to all BPS schools. First opened in 1995, Pilot Schools are the result of a unique partnership of the mayor, school committee, superintendent, and teachers union, and were created to serve as laboratories of innovation and research, and as development sites for effective urban public schools. Now a reform strategy over ten years old, Pilot Schools represent a powerful collaborative approach to partnerships between teachers unions and school districts. As a result of their strong performance over time, the Pilot model is now in the process of being replicated in other cities, including Los Angeles.