City Council Wants Your Story for School Hearings

Editor's note: The following is a letter sent out by .

I am writing to invite you to be a part of a series of upcoming hearings to be held by the City Council’s Education Committee. Beginning on Tuesday, May 22nd, I will chair hearings on three related topics: the current student assignment lottery, what makes a quality school, and student transportation. I want to make sure that your voice is heard on each of these important issues.  

If you are interested in testifying at one of the hearings, please email me or call (617) 635-3115. The schedule for the hearings will be:

Student Assignment: Tuesday, May 22, 4:00 PM
School Quality: Wednesday, May 23, 4:00 PM
Student Transportation: Thursday, May 24, 6:00 PM

These hearings are the product of work begun two years ago by the Council's Education Committee. We started by breaking down data provided by BPS detailing how students are currently assigned to schools in Boston. Behind that data are the stories of parents who struggle to navigate a complex system to find quality schools for their children.  

In order to hear more from those families, I began sitting down with groups of parents in every neighborhood in Boston to learn about their experiences with the current student assignment lottery and what they believe makes a quality school. I will continue to hold these meetings throughout the coming year, so please contact me if you wish to host one. I also want to convene discussions in a broader public forum, which has resulted in the upcoming hearings.

I am confident that we can build consensus across the city to make our Boston Public Schools work for every child and every family. I hope you will share your perspective at our hearings.

Thank you.  

All the best,

John R. Connolly
Boston City Councilor At-Large