Facts and Figures

The Boston Public Schools at a Glance

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• Schools & Students
• History: First in the U.S.
• Staff
• Leadership
• School Committee
• The Six Essentials
• Special Education
• Bilingual Education
• Contacting the BPS
• Class Size
• School Choice
• Student Achievement
• School Uniforms
• Money Matters: Budget, Salaries, Per Pupil Costs

Schools & Students

Number of schools in the BPS: 145

Of these, 18 are pilot schools (1 early learning center, 3 elementary, 4 K-8, 2 middle, 8 high) amd 2 high schools are Horace Mann charter schools approved and funded by the BPS.

Enrollment: 57,000, including:

Student Demographics:

Free/reduced Meals:
71% of BPS students are eligible to receive free meals in school
(63% free, 8% are eligible for reduced-price meals)

Students Who Don't Attend the BPS¹:

Of the 77,000 (est.) school-age children living in Boston, 19,930 (or 26%) do not attend Boston Public Schools. They are 45% black, 40% white, 11% Hispanic and 3% Asian. Of these students:

History: First in the U.S.

• Boston Latin School: oldest public school, 1635
• Mather: oldest public elementary school, 1639
• BPS: oldest public school system, 1647
• English High: oldest public high school, 1821

Staff

The 2006-07 school budget (all funds) includes 9,133 staff positions (FTE), an increase of 45 positions from FY06. Here is a comparison of budgeted positions::

Staff Demographics

Qualifications of BPS Teachers:
91% are licensed
93% of core academic teachers (FTE) are identified as highly qualified

School Committee

The BPS is governed by a seven-member School Committee, appointed by the Mayor from among nominees recommended by a broad-based Nominating Committee. Members serve four-year terms. Current members appointed by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and term expiration dates are:

The appointed School Committee replaced a 13-member elected committee in January 1992, as the result of a 1991 referendum. In a 1996 referendum, voters chose to retain the appointed committee rather than return to the 13-member elected committee.

The Six Essentials

CONTACTING THE BPS

Boston Public Schools
26 Court St., Boston MA 02108-2505
www.bostonpublicschools.org
Main phone number. ............. 617-635-9000
Communications .................... 617-635-9265
  FAX ............................... 617-635-9568
  communications@boston.k12.ma.us
Superintendent ...................... 617-635-9050
  FAX ............................... 617-635-9059
School Committee ................. 617-635-9014
  FAX ............................... 617-635-9689

The Boston Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, and does not tolerate any form of discrimination, intimidation, threat, coercion, and/or harassment that insults the dignity of others by interfering with their freedom to learn or work.

Special Education

About 11,170 students with disabilities (20% of total) are enrolled in special education programs, including:

• 5,510 students with mild to moderate disabilities
• 4,970 students with more severe disabilities who attend special BPS schools
• 380 students with severe disabilities who attend private and residential schools
• 310 students, ages 3-4, in Early Childhood programs

In addition, about 430 students enrolled in non-BPS schools receive some special education services in BPS schools.

English Language Learning and Support

About 10,390 students (17% of total) are �English language learners� (ELL) or �limited English proficient� (LEP): English is not their first language, and they are not able to perform ordinary classwork in English. All receive English language support � some in formal programs and others in general education from highly qualified teachers of English. Approximate ELL enrollment by program, grades 1-12, is:

  *  Students whose first language is Spanish and whose first language is English learn together in both languages.

The five most common home languages of LEP students are:

BPS English language learners come from 47 different countries.

Class Size

Under the contract (9/1/03-8/31/06) between the BPS and the Boston Teachers Union, the maximum numbers of students per teacher in regular education classes are:

*    Many classes are smaller than this. The BPS�s FY06 ratio of all students to all teachers is 12.4 to 1. The Mass. ratio is 13.5 to 1.

School Choice

Elementary and middle schools are organized in three geographic zones. Students can apply to schools in their zone of residence and to schools outside their zone of residence that are in their �walk zone.� School assignments are based on choice, certain priorities, and availability of seats. All high schools are citywide. Fifty percent of a school�s seats are set aside for applicants with �walk zone�priority. Remaining seats are open to all applicants.

In 1999, the BPS eliminated race-based assignments, a policy that had been in place since 1974.

Student Achievement

Mass. Comprehensive Assessment System
(MCAS). On the 2006 statewide tests, the % of students who �passed� (performed at levels Needs Improvement, Proficient and Advanced) and % change from 2005 were:

MCAS Competency Determination (CD). As of June 2006, 82% of the 4,266 members of the BPS Class of 2006 and 76% of the 4,014 members of the Class of 2007 had passed MCAS in English language arts (ELA) and math.

SAT Results.    Average scores on the SAT Reasoning test for the Class of 2006 were:

Dropout Rates, Grades 9-12
% of students who dropped out in one year:
SY04: 8.4%    SY05: 8.4%

% of 9th graders who dropped out over five years:
1999/03: 21.1%    2000/04: 21.6%

Class of 2006 4-year graduation rate:

*Total = 4,759. Students who entered grade 9 in 2002 + transfers in � transfers out.
**SubTotal = 3,451. Excludes transfers in.

After high school. Nine months after graduation, 70% of the Class of 2005, or a family member, responded to a survey for the Boston Private Industry Council on education and employment. They reported:

• 41% are in school and not working
• 36% are in school and working
• 16% are working
• 1% are in the military
• 4% are jobless but looking for work
• 2% are jobless and not looking for work

Money Matters: Budget, Salaries, Per Pupil Costs

FY07 General Fund: $734,500,000

* Approved budget as of 3/22/06. Does not include supplemental appropriations approved after that date.

FY07 External Funds (est.): $136,180,474 Includes formula grants (e.g. No Child Left Behind), reimbursement grants (National School Lunch, Impact Aid), and competitive grants (e.g. National Science Foundation).

Range: $42,355 to $81,702
   Base salary; does not include career awards, degrees, or enrollment factors.

Published by the BPS Communications Office 3/14/07