School Autonomy and Its Implications for the Future of Boston’s Public Schools

1. School Autonomy and Its Implications for the Future of Boston’s Public Schools Accountability & Assistance Advisory Council June 12, 2014

2. School Autonomy and Its Implications for the Future of Boston’s Public Schools Our charge and approach Themes from Boston Themes from peer districts Implications and discussion

3. Our charge “The Autonomy Team is charged with creating a recommended vision for autonomous schools in Boston: • Should all schools within BPS operate within autonomous structures? • Is autonomy a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for success? • How and under what conditions should autonomy be granted? • Should autonomy be withdrawn based on certain conditions? • In what areas should autonomy be granted (governance, curriculum/assessment, scheduling/calendar, staffing, budget, professional development)?” Superintendent John McDonough October 1, 2013

4. Context: As charters expand, BPS’ student population growth lags Source: DESE, ERS analysis

5. BPS is at a turning point • Note: This analysis assumes current enrollment of Mildred K-8 & Henderson Elem will be attending autonomous schools next year • Source: http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/941

6. Our approach • Collaboration among Boston Public Schools, Education Resource Strategies and the Center for Collaborative Education • Test the relationship between increased autonomy and higher student achievement • Draw on experience within and beyond Boston • A study of autonomy – not autonomous schools

7. Our approach Cross-functional work group 100+ BPS interviews Findings and Recommendations Case studies of high-performing BPS schools Expert advisory group Documentation of school autonomies Student, teacher and budget data analysis Peer district analysis

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9. Themes from Boston The highest-performing schools, regardless of type, implement similar resource strategies… …but inequitable rules for use of resources makes this more difficult for traditional schools. The vision for success is shared; the vision for autonomy is unclear. At all levels, capacity to implement and support autonomous schools at scale varies.

10. High-performing schools* feature similar practices… AUTONOMOUS TRADITIONAL • Staff organize a professional development institute with curriculum developed and co-taught by the school’s teachers and tailored to meet their development needs. • A school leader re-assigns instructional staff in order to lower class size in 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. * ‘High-performing schools” are those where 2012 MCAS mean scale score and 2010-12 mean scale growth were both among the highest at the school’s grade level Source: Team interviews

11. …but implementing those practices is much more difficult (and therefore rarer) at Traditional schools AUTONOMOUS TRADITIONAL • District policies and Election-to-Work Agreement empower the school team to develop and implement tailored PD • Absent policy support or EWA, flexibility requires extraordinary principal capacity, creativity and a willingness to challenge the status quo * ‘High-performing schools” are those where 2012 MCAS mean scale score and 2010-12 mean scale growth were both among the highest at the school’s grade level Source: Team interviews

13. Traditional schools have less purchasing power Source: BPS, ERS analysis

14. We owe it to our students, parents and teachers to create successful schools for allstudents. – School Leader Ultimately we all want the same thing – to jointly raise children who are successful in life. – School Leader In Boston, we rise and fall together. – District leader

15. There seems to be a dissonance in the district. – School Leader We could use more clarity. – District Leader The gray areas create too many opportunities for discord. – District Leader

16. Peer districts invest in common approaches to support autonomy • Multiple measures (School Quality Review) • Used to identify and support struggling schools • Focus on improving professional practice • Culture of collaboration and support • Central office shift from monitoring/directing to providing cross-functional support • School networks organized by affinity, geography and/or grade level Autonomy with Accountability Investment in Human Capital School support Source: Center for Collaborative Education

17. Extend maximum flexibility to all school teams Of 40 flexibilities tested in the context of improving student learning, at least half of the system’s school leaders say they… • Have and want to keep (10) • Eliminate a position based on school needs • Screen general education teachers for fit and qualification • Assign teachers to leadership positions • Don’t have but want (25) • Define staff job descriptions • Exit staff based on philosophy, commitment or team contribution • Set allocations for counselors et al • Make the final decision on who to hire • Choose interim assessments • Hire/allocate instructional support staff • Allocate non-instructional positions Have but don’t want (0) • Don’t have and don’t want (5) • Set base compensation and benefits • Contract with food service vendors • Contract with transportation partners Bulleted items are a sub-set of flexibilities in the category. Have/want based on at least 50% of principals surveyed answering that they have and/or want the autonomy Source: Principal survey, ERS analysis

18. Accountability Autonomy doesn’t equate to success. It creates the conditions for success. – School Leader Flexibility Capacity

19. Recommendations • Operate as a “system of schools” • Extend maximum flexibility to all district schools • Decentralize non-core central services   • Incubate and oversee development of new school models at the Cabinet level • Support school leaders and their teams in making strategic resource decisions • Implement a clear and equitable accountability system for all schools • Prioritize Superintendent candidates with the capacity to unite people around this vision

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21. Similar populations, varying contexts • Approach to autonomy is affected by: • State policies • Beliefs of district leaders • Variation within each district Source: Center for Collaborative Education, district websites