Letter to the Editor

On the Failure of BPS with Student GPAs

Dear Editor,

I share the discouragement felt by so many parents and families this week upon learning of Boston Public School’s error in calculating student GAs to determine student cligibility for our three exam schools.

I am also disappointed to learn that BPS appears to not have the ability to implement its new and complex exam school admission policy in an efficient, transparent way. We learned this week that notices of admission will not be sent out to families until May, at the earliest. For decades, exam school placements were delivered every year in mid-March.

This delay in exam school notices also means that every BPS middle and high school assignment is also put on hold. To leave thousands of BPS families in the dark, not knowing where their students will be attending school in the Fall, is simply unacceptable.

The confusion and distrust resulting from what seems like yet another serious blunder by BPS central office will be difficult to repair. Boston families, still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on their students’ education, as well as inflation and a tightening economy, depend on our public school system and elected officials to provide accurate, reliable, fair, and understandable policies and programs.

We need to do better.

I will be speaking to BPS leaders and administrators about what went wrong and why. I will share with you all what I learn, and I will remind Superintendent Skipper, Mayor Wu, and the Boston School Committee how crucial it is that we all, as City leaders, re-dedicate ourselves to putting all our Boston children and families first.

Sincerely.

Erin J. Murphy

At Large Boston City Councilor

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