As a Pilot School [we] get to define ourselves around a particular vision of education. [This] means that people [who] come here share certain values. So we tend to be a community of people that places a great deal of importance on things like equity, issues of equity as they play themselves out in race and diversity, people who have a strong ethos about voice and democracy.

   For example, the mission statement of the Young Achievers Science and Mathematics Pilot School notes the school’s diverse student body and commitment to social justice:

The Young Achievers Science and Mathematics Pilot School is dedicated to creating an exceptional teaching and learning environment in which science and math concepts, explored by new technologies, are central to teacher and student inquiry. Our school is governed by a democratic process that relies on active partnerships with families, students, community members and community institutions. We make a collective commitment to social justice through academic excellence for the diverse student body enrolled at our school from throughout the city of Boston. Our rigorous academic and social curriculum is designed to maximize each student's potential for critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, community involvement, and responsible leadership.

   Curriculum in Pilot Schools is both academically challenging and culturally relevant to students, and instruction is differentiated to address many learning styles.  Multiple assessments, including portfolios and exhibitions, allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in different ways, rather than through standardized assessments alone.  There are support structures in place at Pilot Schools, for example through advisories, so that all students are able to meet high expectations.
   Pilot Schools hire staff committed to equity, and are able to do so through their staffing autonomy. 

We want to make sure that our population of educators is diverse, and we can see that our teachers reflect our student body.  We think that’s really important, because if you want a diverse population of kids, you should also have a diverse population of educators [who] will motivate and be role models, and have at least some understanding of the child’s frame of reference and perspective as a learner.

– Pilot School principal

Once in the school, many Pilot School staff participate in professional development that addresses diversity and inclusion.  The purpose of such training is both content and process-oriented, and addresses how staff think about their students and interactions with students and their families.  Pilot Schools are also committed to the use of disaggregated student data in school decision-making, with the central goal of improving student achievement across all sub-groups.