Considerations for Expanding Partnerships to Transform Schools and Districts

Abstract

Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the academic home of over 54,000 students spread across 125 schools. In its perennial attempt to improve the lowest performing of these schools, BPS participated in the University of Virginia’s Partnership for Leaders in Education (UVA PLE). This capstone examines the decision of whether or not to expand this partnership within BPS. I describe UVA PLE’s approach to school and district improvement and review the research on turnarounds from the education and business sectors that supports this approach. The first cohort of participating BPS schools showed early positive signs of improvement and support from district leaders even while facing leadership turnover, competing for attention with many other district initiatives, and navigating a highly complex system of school autonomy. I describe the decision to expand BPS’s partnership with UVA PLE to a second cohort of schools and the elements that contributed to this decision. I reflect on my own leadership and ways in which I could have better highlighted potential challenges to expanding the partnership. Finally, I conclude with recommendations for BPS and the sector as a whole, including the need for districts to narrow their focus on a set of achievable goals, assess the feasibility of new partnerships or initiatives by assessing the required time commitments, and align new initiatives with the decision-makers at the appropriate level.