Wu Plans to Double Down on Boston Public Schools During Second Term

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is making Boston Public Schools (BPS) her priority during her second term in the mayor's seat.

“Every term should be the education term,” Wu told the Boston Globe. Wu aims to restore “confidence” in families and make BPS the “first choice” for residents.

Wu, however, faces an uphill battle to turn around a school district that has been experiencing enrollment and student test-score declines. According to the Globe, data show persistent achievement gaps, with MCAS scores below state averages, particularly for Black and Hispanic/Latino students, English learners, and students with disabilities, despite funding and some operational gains.

“We have to get back to the basics here,” said Mary Tamer, a former Boston School Committee member who leads the education policy and advocacy organization MassPotential, in a statement shared with the Globe. “Because we can talk about programs. We can talk about innovations, but if kids can't read, what else is there?”

Wu's critics contend that outcomes must be the priority for BPS. They call for clear, data-driven targets on metrics such as test scores, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and postsecondary enrollment.

Wu, however, has some successes to her credit from her first term as mayor. Improvements include higher on-time bus rates, more air-conditioned buildings, district-produced meals, and new bilingual programs. In addition, more than 1,200 BPS high schoolers are taking early college courses, compared with 179 in 2022. The district has added pre-K seats, taught thousands of kids to swim and bike, and enrolled record numbers of students in summer school.

Wu and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper Skipper have defended the progress that  BPS has made over the past four years. They've also identified some of their next steps, including a series of school closures they say will help “right-size” district facilities amid declining enrollment.

Paul Reville, a former state education secretary under Governor Deval Patrick, commented to the Globe that despite the achievements, BPS must be “held to account for clarifying the goals” and “accountable for progress” in Wu's second term.