The pilot schools program was designed in 1994 as a Boston Public Schools (BPS) district effort to counter the anticipated appeal of chartered schools in the city, established one year prior. It is responsible for creating new forms of schools and increasing the options available to students and teachers. It is charged explicitly with better serving at risk urban students.
Boston's mayor, the district's school committee (board), the district superintendent, and Boston Teachers Union came together to create the program. In those early days, the Boston Foundation and Boston Globe newspaper provided essential support and advocacy to the schools and to the merits of the pilot school effort generally.
Pilot schools are run by a governing board. These boards vary in size and composition, and may include the principal, teachers, students, parents, business partners, higher education partners, and active community members. In practice the board has full authority over policies, though power ultimately lies with the superintendent.
The district presently operates 23 pilot schools, serving approximately 15 percent of total enrollment. The schools, while overseen by the district’s Chief Academic Officer, take part in a city-wide network facilitated by the non-profit Center for Collaborative Education. The CCE provides schools with coordination support and assistance, including coaching services, professional development, advocacy, and research and evaluation.
Horace Mann chartered schools are another component of that city's innovation zone. Horace Mann schools are independent chartered schools, operated and managed by a board of trustees.
Horace Mann schools are identical to commonwealth chartered schools in terms of autonomy, but they do have some connections to the district. Their funding is provided in a lump-sum, set at the BPS average. Money flows to the school through the central office. The school may opt in to central office services, and they may be housed in BPS facilities at no additional cost. Teachers belong to the local union and are employed on the district's salary scale, but the schools are exempt from the bumping that takes place within the district.
In 2005 the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) and BPS negotiated an agreement under which the Boston Teachers Union would open a new, teacher-run pilot school. The Boston Teacher Union School opened its doors in 2009.
In Boston independence and flexibility for new schools are valued and protected as part of a district effort at innovation. Meanwhile the chartering mechanism has been popular, with chartered schools regularly operating at their cap in the city. The civic and political community in the city has been supportive of efforts at innovation, perhaps most notably the teacher union.
The pilot school relationship with the teachers union:
Recognizing the potential professional appeal of independent chartered schools in Massachusetts, which are not unionized, the BTU was instrumental in forging the pilot schools arrangement. The schools provide more choices for teachers, as well as for students.
Pilot schools have full authority to hire and release teachers. When a school hires, it may take any qualified teacher whether they are a member of the district union or not. The teacher then becomes part of the BTU. If he is a permanent teacher and does not meet the needs of the school—for any reason—he may then be excessed into the district pool. Pilots get the quick and responsive staffing power they need to shape their school, and teachers get job security. Partly for this reason, and more-so for their independent and alternative characters, pilot schools have shown to be overwhelmingly popular places to work.
Five key areas of autonomy:
Pilot schools have autonomy over five key areas: budgets, staffing, governance, curriculum and assessment, and the school calendar. Learn more here.
Reporting structure:
Pilot Schools have their own boards, with oversight by the superintendent's office.
Find the Boston Public Schools organizational chart here.
Website:
http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/20
Contacts:
Janet Palmer-Owens
Academic Superintendent for Pilot Schools, Boston Public Schools
jpalmerowens@boston.k12.ma.us
(617) 635-9664
*Image: Orchard Garden Pilot School, Boston
