The Boston Public Schools Superintendent Search

The Boston Public Schools (BPS) superintendent search is underway, and we now know the members of the search committee. The question is if the committee will be able to attract an “All Star” educational leader to run the troubled district.

BPS is in a state of crisis, like many public school districts nationwide. Inequity, poor outcomes, and teacher turnover are challenges BPS is facing. Other concerns include trauma, mental health, limited English proficiency, and special education. I reviewed several Boston Globe articles about the BPS superintendent search, and one reader’s comment stood out:

Why would anyone want this job? The [BPS] superintendent’s office door should have a sign on it that reads “abandon hope, all ye who enter here.”

That seems to be the sentiment of many – that BPS is hopeless. It is underfunded and low quality, and families with means will eventually flee for the private schools or public ones in Newton / Wellesley. The racism and equity gaps will inevitably worsen.

By the way, this superintendent search isn’t going to be easy. There is a greater demand than supply for superintendents nationwide, with many vacancies.

But it really that simple, that the Boston Public Schools cannot be fixed? That the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is going to take over and put BPS in receivership? That we should despair? It’s hard to say, but I believe there still is hope.

My opinion is that the new superintendent can and must figure out a way to return to neighborhood Boston schools rather than busing. But these must be high quality, refurbished neighborhood schools. The elephant in the living room, of course, is the racial segregation in Boston. The resources in Dorchester and Mattapan are different than those in Jamaica Plain.

An elected school committee could dramatically improve the situation in BPS, and give more power to the superintendent. In addition, an elected school committee could empower the teachers – to give them the resources they need to succeed.

A co-Superintendent could also be appointed, ideally a public health practitioner or medical doctor who would serve as the “Chief Health Officer” of BPS. This would be for COVID issues, but also mental health, nutrition and physical activity, asthma, etc.

Whoever is appointed as BPS superintendent, he or she she must be given the resources to build a great team. But will this happen? Only if the parents and other stakeholders organize and speak out. I wrote a short petition calling for a “metamorphosis” for Boston Schools and hope others will support that, as well as put forward their own ideas.

What are the next steps from the superintendent search committee? There are listening sessions via Zoom starting this week – the first on Wednesday evening. The district posted a Request for Proposals to hire a search firm to help with the hiring process. I hope the firm members will understand the importance of educational equity.

The new BPS superintendent will not have a magic wand to improve school outcomes. The district and the politics are complex. Parental and teacher involvement, and communication is key. A culture of belonging and psychological safety must be created. There are no miracles or quick fixes, as much as we want immediate change. Most important is that we be confident that we can get the job done in our attempts to improve BPS. And we must be ready to work together, for years, even decades. There is a long history of people attempting education reform, and they only succeed when they are truly committed to the task.

The members of the search committee include the following individuals:

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