Publications

Based on in-depth interviews with graduates from three Boston Public Schools with well-established performance-based assessment systems, this paper analyzes graduates’ preparation for future academic, professional, and personal endeavors. Overall, despite a few challenge areas, graduates who were interviewed say the study schools’ performance assessment systems contributed to their success in college and in the world of work.

This literature and field review offers a comprehensive understanding of previous efforts at scaling up the use of performance assessments across districts and states. Through systematic description and comparison of seven large-scale initiatives, the report identifies the strengths and vulnerabilities in each initiative. The review concludes with implications and recommendations that will support the success of using performance assessments in district and state accountability systems.

This report is based on a study of the academic experience of Boston English Learners (ELs) after 2002, when the Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) was replaced with Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) in response to the passing of Question 2. The research team documented the impact of the policy change on the academic experience of ELs using existing local statistics, public records and staff accounts obtained through interviews, calling for local policy makers to make a solid commitment to teacher training that focuses on evidence-based instructional practices and positive outcomes.

This report utilizes Boston Public Schools’ student assignment process data combined with CCE’s longitudinal student level database to answer questions about school choice by Boston families. The research whether or not families disproportionately choose one school type (BPS Pilot schools and other BPS schools) and what happens when families do not receive their first choices through the BPS choice system of student assignment.

During the summer of 2006, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and union officials announced that the Pico Union area of East Los Angeles would soon be home to the Belmont Zone of Choice (BZC). The BZC encompasses the Belmont High School attendance area and will include up to 10 Belmont Pilot Schools, each with a targeted enrollment of 400 students. The small schools will be open to all Pico Union students and represent the demographics of the local district. This groundbreaking agreement, formalized in February 2007, will create a network of high-caliber, theme-based public schools for families to select from based on
students’ interests.

The story of how community members and educational leaders in the Belmont area of Los Angeles were able to reach agreement to create the Belmont Pilot School Network is filled with lessons for those working for educational equality and reform across the United States.

The Pilot Schools Experiential Education Demonstration (PSEED) project was intended to deepen and embed high-quality experiential education within each participating school’s academic programs. This report summarizes the three years of work in the seven Pilot schools, all of whom had diverse goals and implementation plans.

This study examines Boston’s closely watched Pilot high schools over a four-year period (2001-2005) to discover who is attending Pilot high schools and how subgroups of the Boston student population are faring in Pilot high schools.