The Boston Pilot Schools Network Principles

• Pilot schools should have high expectations for each and every student, and the education students experience should reflect these expectations;

• The people closest to students should be the policy makers and the decision makers, including teachers, administrators, parents, and students themselves; this calls for democratic forms of school governance and facilitative leadership;

• Schools should be small and personalized, so that teachers and students know each other well;

• The school culture should promote innovation and risk-taking, and professional development should be an integral part of daily school life;

• Learning should be purposeful, authentic, challenging, and creative, and build students' capacity to take responsibility for their own learning;

• Authentic forms of assessment, such as portfolios and exhibitions, are key to improving learning and teaching;

• Families are critical partners in creating high performing Pilot schools;

• The people who are responsible for the learning and decision making should be held responsible for the impact of the school in the lives of learners and of the community.