Boston's turnaround strategy for underperforming schools involved 4 phases over 3 years and focused on 7 core elements: 1. Replacing school leaders and over 50% of teachers, securing additional funding, and extending the school day in phase 1. 2. Schools showed overall improvement in phase 2, exceeding growth and proficiency targets in math and English. Attendance also improved. 3. Phase 3 focused on high-quality teaching, progress monitoring, differentiated supports, and strategic use of time. 4. Partners provided data and academic supports while new systems focused on data-driven instructional cycles and progress reviews to achieve the goal of student and school success.

1. Boston’s Efforts to Turnaround Underperforming Schools:
Presentation to Turnaround Summit Participants
Frank Barnes, Chief Accountability Officer
October 15, 2011

2. 2
Our Turnaround Schools
1. Agassiz Elementary**
2. Blackstone Elementary
3. Burke High
4. Dearborn Middle
5. Dever Elementary
6. E. Greenwood Elementary
7. English High
8. Holland Elementary
9. Harbor Pilot Middle
10.Kennedy Elementary
11.Orchard Gardens Pilot K-8
12.Trotter Elementary
** - Closed at the end of the 2010-11 school year

3. 3
Our Students in Turnaround Schools
• 6,009 students
• 92% Black or Hispanic
• 86% Eligible for Free/Reduced
Price Meals
• 40% Limited English Proficient
• 22% Special Needs
• Nearly 2/3 live in Circle of
Promise

4. 4
Existing research and BPS’s past experiences
informed our school turnaround strategy
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• Reviewed several research studies on and related to
school turnaround
• Examined BPS practices in schools whose students
showed rapid academic improvement
• Analyzed a previous BPS initiative: “Superintendent’s
Schools, ” an attempt to intervene in schools at risk of
State intervention
Identified key lessons from this mix of research, initiatives, and
successful school achievements that informed our turnaround
strategy core components.

5. 5
Theory of Change: Seven Core Elements
1. Transformational school leaders
2. Effective classroom teachers
3. Culture of teamwork, high expectations, and
ownership for results
4. Focus on instruction – time, data use, tiered supports
5. Social & emotional support for students
6. Family engagement linked to student learning
7. Accountability

6. Four Phase Turnaround Plan
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7. Phase I: July 2009 – August 2010
• Changed Leadership: Replaced 5 of 11 school leaders
• Negotiated Flexibilities: Won agreements to increase school
flexibility with staffing, scheduling, and paying for excellence
• Changed Teaching Staff: Replaced more than 50% of teachers in
7 of 11 schools
• Secured Additional Funding: Awarded $22.5 million over three years
• Extended School Day: Added 90 hours of instruction & 100 additional
hours for professional development and teacher planning
• Established Partnerships: Initiated relationships with strategic
partners and continued partnerships with community based
organizations and other intermediaries
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8. Phase II: September 2010 – June 2011
• Overall Improvement: All schools met or surpassed some of their
student achievement targets, with 4 of 11 schools surpassing all of
their student achievement targets.
• Better Than Average Growth : All 11 schools met or exceeded their
student growth targets in math, with 5 of 11 schools achieved high
growth (above the 60th percentile).
• Progress Toward Proficiency: 9 of 11 schools increased the
percentage of students reaching proficiency in math. Another
9 of 11 schools increased the percentage of students reaching
proficiency in ELA.
• Reduction in Failure: 9 of 11 schools reduced their percentage of
students in warning/failing surpassing their annual targets in math.
Five of 11 schools reduced their percentage of students in warning/
failing in ELA, surpassing those annual targets.
• Improved Attendance: All 11 schools met or surpassed their student
attendance targets
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9. Phase III: Drilling Down on Instruction
• High Quality Teaching in
every classroom, for
every child, every day
• Progress Monitoring of
student growth multiple
times a year in
6-7 week intervals
• Differentiated Supports
during and after school
• Purposeful Use of time to
maximize the investment
and opportunity we have
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Use of Time

10. Strategic Collaboration:
Data & Academic Supports
• Achievement Network
• Boston Plan for Excellence/Boston Teacher Residency
• Citizen Schools**
• City Year
• Mass 2020
• Research for Better Teaching
• Teach Plus
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11. New Systems and Structures
• Instructional cycles
• Predictable and timely data collection
• Monthly data analysis and data sharing
• Data-informed planning and strategic responses
• Quarterly progress reviews
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12. Data for Action, Improvement, & Transparency
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13. Strategic Collaboration:
Attendance & Chronic Absenteeism
• Boston Public Schools: FCOCs , Family Engagement
Specialists, and Attendance Officers
• Boston Public Health Commission
• City of Boston – Circle of Promise and Mayor’s Office
• City Connects
• City Year
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14. 14
Goal: Student and School Success
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