Action Alert - Prevent Student Drop-Out, No Transportation Cuts for our High School Students!!

    As many of you already know, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is facing a $32 million budget gap for School Year 2010-2011. As a result, BPS Superintendent Carol Johnson has drafted a proposal for possible cuts to the BPS budget to compensate for the funding deficit. One of the proposed cuts is the elimination of MBTA passes for all BPS High School (HS) students.

    As many of you already know, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is facing a $32 million budget gap for School Year 2010-2011. As a result, BPS Superintendent Carol Johnson has drafted a proposal for possible cuts to the BPS budget to compensate for the funding deficit. One of the proposed cuts is the elimination of MBTA passes for all BPS High School (HS) students.

    This means all HS students in BPS will no longer receive T passes to commute to and from school, passing the financial burden for transportation to BPS parents. With the current state of the U.S. economy it is unrealistic to expect parents to find additional funds to pay for their children to commute to and from school.

    If parents and/or students are unable to pay, we fear the rate of student attendance may drastically be affected which could lead to a significant increase in student drop out rates.  Despite the recent improvements in the Drop-Out percentages, the rates are still high enough to be categorized as a crisis for BPS. Thus, eliminating transportation funding for high school students is not a risk the district can afford to take at this time.

    Please show your support by sending us a response!!!! Click here to see our Facebook invitation to the next BPS Budget Hearing on March 15th at Madison Park High School, 75 Malcolm X Blvd. from 6-8pm!!

    http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1404866121329#!/group.php?gid=97969830807

    BPON will submit a statement at the hearing opposing this cut.  Join other students, parents and community members who will have the opportunity to speak out about this issue during public comment. We hope to see you there!!!

     

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    Parent and Teacher Dialogues, Session I: Building Relationships and Breaking Barriers

    The first parent-teacher conversation took place last month with seven teachers and seven parents representing different schools and neighborhoods in the greater Boston area. Parents and teachers discussed ways to resolve the tension often found between them and work together to develop a better partnership.

     

    The first parent-teacher conversation took place last month with seven teachers and seven parents representing different schools and neighborhoods in the greater Boston area. Parents and teachers discussed ways to resolve the tension often found between them and work together to develop a better partnership.

     

    Teachers described parent involvement as a continuum with different levels of participation. At the most basic level, all parents care about their child's learning and achievement. Some parents are more involved and attend various school events. Other parents help their children reinforce what they've learned during school at home. However, more parents need to feel empowered to better advocate for themselves and their children. Both the teachers and parents agreed that empowered parents and effective teachers increases the odds for students' success.

    Children need to be advocated for at all levels (elementary, middle, and high school). Teachers and parents agreed that school climate is an important factor in establishing a progressive learning environment.  More efforts need to be made to help parents feel welcomed and valued at the schools.  Teachers and parents should have open communication regarding the progress of students so that parents can be aware of both the challenges and achievements of their children.

    The dialogue was a great reminder that both parents and teachers want what is best for the students. This was the first step in working together to improve the quality of education in Boston.  For a more detailed description of the dialogue, please go to the section "Our Issues" and click on "Student Achievement Gap-Updates"

     

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    BPON Parents Demand Reform on Special Education

    BPON would like to thank all of the parents who came to the School Committee meeting this past Wednesday to support the efforts to advocate for the issues affecting special needs students!

    BPON parents and members along with SPEDPAC, the Center for Law and Education, and Boston Center for Independent Living, helped revise and submit a set of recommendations to the superintendent, Dr. Johnson, and other members of the School Committee. Several BPON parents gave powerful and moving testimonies during the meeting. We appreciate all the parents who spoke and everyone else who came to participate!

    BPON would like to thank all of the parents who came to the School Committee meeting this past Wednesday to support the efforts to advocate for the issues affecting special needs students!

    BPON parents and members along with SPEDPAC, the Center for Law and Education, and Boston Center for Independent Living, helped revise and submit a set of recommendations to the superintendent, Dr. Johnson, and other members of the School Committee. Several BPON parents gave powerful and moving testimonies during the meeting. We appreciate all the parents who spoke and everyone else who came to participate!

    If you want to read the statement submitted to the School Committee go to "Our Issues" page and click on Special Education / Updates.

     

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    We Did It- Ed Reform Bill is now a reality!

    BPON would like to thank all our parent members and friends who actively participated in the actions that BPON organized to pass the Education Reform Act in Massachusetts.

     

    BPON would like to thank all our parent members and friends who actively participated in the actions that BPON organized to pass the Education Reform Act in Massachusetts.

     

    BPON was instrumental is getting this bill passed.  Our phone calls, visits to legislators and testimonies at public hearings were heard loud and clear by members of the legislature.  Boston will now benefit from the following changes:

    - Expansion of Horace Mann Charter Schools - The bill allows for up to 14 new Horace Mann schools to be established without union veto, with a minimum of four of these schools being reserved for Boston.  These are schools with lots of flexibility to hire the best teachers as well as implement the best programs for our children.  Because they are schools within the district, these charter schools don't take monetary resources away from the school district as other charters do. 

    - More flexibility to turn around schools - With this bill, the Boston superintendent  can assign the best teachers where they are most needed.

    BPON recognizes that any and all efforts of school reform will only be successful when we all work together FOR THE CHILDREN.  We also know that the work does not stop here.  We are now beginning a new journey to improve our schools and change old habits with innovation and expansion of what works.  But we have to stay focused.  If the students are not the center of the discussion, we will not stop the drop out rate and will never close the achievement gap.  Let's keep going!

     

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