Goals
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Indicator Measures
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How are we doing?
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4.1 Retaining the Region’s Competitive Edge in Education |
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4.1.1 Educational attainment rates in Boston and Metro Boston versus comparable regions |
Despite recent gains, almost 65% of Boston’s 3rd graders need additional resources and support to gain proficiency in reading |
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4.2 Higher Education and Advancement Opportunities
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4.2.1 Participation in public higher education institutions by race and ethnicity |
Enrollment in the Mass. public higher education system was 159,911 students in 2001 — only about the same level as in 1992. |
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4.2.2 Boston Public School students enrolled in college or skills training |
In 2001, more than 65% of BPS of 2000 was enrolled in college or in college and working, according to survey data
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4.3 Education for Economic Advancement |
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4.3.1 Adult education and English language slots versus length of time on waiting list |
In May 2002, 4,636 people in the state were waiting for Adult Basic Education and 14,467 for English classes — an increase over 2000. |
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4.4 School Readiness and Ready Schools |
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4.4.1 Enrollment in early accredited childhood education and full day kindergarten |
In 2001, more than 21,200 or nearly 63% of Boston’s children under 5 were served by accredited childcare and early education centers — significant progress from 1998. |
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4.4.2 Students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in Boston and the region |
In 2002/2003, more than 70% of BPS students qualified for free/reduced price lunch; high poverty rates continued despite the 90’s boom. |
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4.5 High Academic Achievement |
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4.5.1 Third graders reading at 3rd grade reading level by race, ethnicity and income |
Despite recent gains, almost 65% of Boston’s 3rd graders need additional resources and support to gain proficiency in reading |
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4.5.2 MCAS scores of 10th graders by race, ethnicity, income and geography |
As of December 2002, 12,000 Mass. seniors, or 1/5th of the class of 2003, had not passed MCAS. In Boston, 44% had not passed. |
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4.6 School Choice |
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4.6.1 Enrollment in Boston’s public, charter, private and parochial schools
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Choices for Boston schoolchildren in the public system are expanding with pilot and charter schools; demand exceeds supply. |
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4.7 Parental and Community Involvement |
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4.7.1 Parental involvement, Boston Public Schools |
Specific data not available at this time, but Boston created a new Family and Community Engagement Division in 2002. |
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4.7.2 Corporate involvement and partnership in the Boston Public Schools
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In 2002, Boston Partners in Education had 519 corporate volunteers. |
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4.8 High Quality Teaching |
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4.8.1 Ratio of students to teachers in the regular education program in Boston |
In 2002/2003, Boston’s elementary schools had an average of 22 students per class, down from 25 in 2000-2001 |
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4.8.2 Teachers who have advanced degrees in the subject they teach |
72% of Massachusetts’ teachers hold degrees in the subject they teach. Data for Boston are not available. |
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4.9 High Quality School Culture and Environment |
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4.9.1 Boston schools with up-to-date technology and libraries, gyms, labs and schoolyards |
From 1992-2001, Boston invested over $270 million to renovate schools, and has built three new Early Learning centers since 2000. |
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4.9.2 Ratio of students to guidance counselors |
In 2003, Boston had 94 guidance counselors, a ratio of 1 counselor to every 664 students, against the recommended ratio of 1:250 |
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4.9.3 Attendance, dropout and expulsion rates by level |
Boston's attendance rate rose to 92.2% in 2001 (last data year available); drop-out rates were reduced in 9th & 10th grades but not in the 11th & 12th |
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4.10 Out-of-School Opportunities |
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4.10.1 Children served by after-school programs versus children ages 5-18, by neighborhood |
Boston’s After School for All Partnership has helped to create 4,300 new spaces for children in after-school programs in Boston |
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4.11 Public Support for Education |
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4.11.1 Per student spending on early childhood education, K-12 and public higher education |
Budget cuts threaten recent gains made in K-12 education, and Boston’s competitive edge in education is at risk as the state decreases investment in higher education while other states invest aggressively. |
