Mayor Michelle Wu highlighted a record graduation rate and announced plans for additional community hub schools and free weekend sports during her second State of the Schools address, while education advocates questioned whether her presentation adequately addressed Boston’s academic shortfalls.
Speaking Monday at UMass Boston, Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper emphasized progress across Boston Public Schools, which serves about 45,000 students. The mayor also outlined expanded access to vocational learning, youth employment and support outside regular classroom hours.
The upbeat assessment came alongside continuing concerns about achievement. WBUR reported that 29% of Boston students tested in grades three through eight reached state proficiency benchmarks in reading and math on spring MCAS assessments, versus 40% statewide. NBC Boston reported that district testing performance remained below its 2019 level, before pandemic disruptions.
Wu pointed to a different set of indicators: the district’s highest graduation rate to date last school year, historically low dropout levels and a double-digit decline in chronic absenteeism compared with 2022, according to the city’s account of her remarks. WBUR also reported the graduation and attendance gains.
The mayor emphasized Boston’s standing among comparable urban districts rather than statewide results. According to WBUR, Wu said the district had led its state-designated urban comparison group in third-grade reading for six consecutive years.
More support beyond the classroom
Five additional schools will receive community hub designations next fall, increasing the network to 25, WBUR reported. Hub schools link families with neighborhood resources, which can include food assistance and English instruction for parents. The incoming schools will provide care both before classes begin and after dismissal.
A separate initiative will make weekend school sports available without charge to students in grades six through 12 beginning next school year. WBUR reported that the program will also incorporate academic enrichment during practices and games. NBC Boston reported that expanded math clubs were among the announcements.
Wu also outlined an after-hours vocational initiative open to high school students throughout Boston. Based at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, it would give participants practical exposure to trades, according to WBUR.
The mayor highlighted additional Advanced Placement offerings, including business and personal finance and cybersecurity, and pledged 300 more youth jobs with local businesses than the prior year, WBUR reported.
Advocates seek clearer measures
Critics said the presentation needed more detail about academic gaps. Vernée Wilkinson of School Facts Boston sought clearer data showing where disparities were narrowing, NBC Boston reported. Mary Tamer, who founded Mass Potential, argued that the address did not sufficiently recognize academic problems or explain how the district would respond.
Skipper acknowledged those concerns more directly when speaking with reporters afterward. According to WBUR, she said district leaders were dissatisfied with current assessment results and wanted every student to reach proficiency.
Enrollment and the district’s physical footprint also remain challenges. WBUR reported that a decade of enrollment losses had led to multiple closures or mergers. NBC Boston noted that consolidation received little attention during the address.
What’s next: Wu said the district will release five-year benchmarks later this fall covering attendance, early reading, school safety and college readiness, according to WBUR. Those measures would provide another way to assess the progress highlighted in her speech.
