Gateway City leaders gathered on Beacon Hill on Wednesday to testify in support of An Act to Establish a Community Schools Commission. At the moment, Massachusetts has just 32 Community Schools. Most are located in Boston, but Haverhill, Lowell, and Lynn have adopted the approach, and other Gateway City districts are interested in launching them. Legislators heard how a special commission would help them take the next step by identifying strategies to scale Community Schools statewide.
In October, our Journal reported on testimony that Gateway City leaders gave in support of An Act to Promote School-Centered Neighborhood Development (SNCD). Several legislators at last month’s hearing asked thoughtful questions about how the Community School strategy relates to SCND. At their best, Community Schools provide a strong platform for advancing the principles and practices of SCND, as described in the MassINC Policy Center’s 2024 playbook.
The defining feature of a highly-effective Community School is shared governance. Community Schools that engage residents and neighborhood leaders in collaborative, long-term efforts to provide children and families with a rich set of opportunities create deeper social connection, trust, and confidence in the place; over time, these schools draw all types of investment into their neighborhoods, making them better environments for everyone to live.
At this week’s hearing, the Community Schools bill was juxtaposed with proposed legislation to reform the practice of placing low-performing districts in state receivership. Educators and residents from districts where schools were put into receivership for extended periods of time spoke about feeling disenfranchised and disempowered. Surely this was not the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s intention, but the sentiment, coupled with state receivership’s poor track record, speaks to the need to find school improvement strategies that more intentionally build community capacity for self-governance, so residents can hold their school systems locally accountable for results. Previous MassINC Policy Center research documented how capacity to provide local accountability is highly underdeveloped in Massachusetts.
The topic of accountability continues to divide advocates for public education. Senator Jason Lewis, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, urged leaders to consider fresh ideas and build consensus on a new path. In this difficult time, education leaders in Massachusetts should be able to find unity in strategies that empower Gateway City residents to work together to respond to the needs of children and families in their neighborhood schools.