BPS parents concerned about safety at school
Poll also finds uneasiness about bus service, heavy use of substitute teachers
This article was originally published in CommonWealth Magazine.
THE PANDEMIC has put the spotlight on the classroom, with national and statewide test figures showing that students have lost ground in academic subjects. As schools prepare for the new year, a new survey finds Boston Public School parents also have other concerns, including the emotional well-being and physical safety of their children and the day-to-day basics like getting kids to school on time and having teachers to teach them.
In all, 44 percent say they are “very concerned” about their child’s physical safety, while another 25 percent are “somewhat concerned.” Parents express similar levels of concern about their kids’ emotional well-being (42 percent very concerned, 29 percent somewhat). Black and Asian parents are particularly concerned. Half or more of each are concerned about both emotional health and physical safety.
Issues of physical safety within BPS schools have grabbed headlines due to several recent serious incidents. But, as Boston state Sen. Nick Collins recently noted, the day-to-day concerns go well beyond these stories. “As we know, young people can’t advance their learning goals and achievement if you can’t feel safe at school. And if you can’t feel safe in school, what’s the point?” asked Collins. “These concerns are not based on hyperbole. My office receives complaints weekly from families concerned about their children’s safety, largely incidents that don’t make the papers.”
Logistical challenges are also causing upheaval for families. Just 31 percent of parents whose children ride the bus to school say the buses were “always on time” the week before the poll was taken, while 24 percent report half or fewer were on time. Black and Latino parents are much more likely to report their kids ride the bus, meaning they are more impacted by this issue. Keeping classrooms fully staffed has been another challenge, with 39 percent of parents saying their children have had substitute teachers at least a few times a month. One-in-ten parents reported their kids had substitute teachers every day.
BPS parents concerned about safety at school
Poll also finds uneasiness about bus service, heavy use of substitute teachers
STEVE KOCZELA and RICH PARR Dec 28, 2022
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THE PANDEMIC has put the spotlight on the classroom, with national and statewide test figures showing that students have lost ground in academic subjects. As schools prepare for the new year, a new survey finds Boston Public School parents also have other concerns, including the emotional well-being and physical safety of their children and the day-to-day basics like getting kids to school on time and having teachers to teach them.
In all, 44 percent say they are “very concerned” about their child’s physical safety, while another 25 percent are “somewhat concerned.” Parents express similar levels of concern about their kids’ emotional well-being (42 percent very concerned, 29 percent somewhat). Black and Asian parents are particularly concerned. Half or more of each are concerned about both emotional health and physical safety.
Issues of physical safety within BPS schools have grabbed headlines due to several recent serious incidents. But, as Boston state Sen. Nick Collins recently noted, the day-to-day concerns go well beyond these stories. “As we know, young people can’t advance their learning goals and achievement if you can’t feel safe at school. And if you can’t feel safe in school, what’s the point?” asked Collins. “These concerns are not based on hyperbole. My office receives complaints weekly from families concerned about their children’s safety, largely incidents that don’t make the papers.”
Logistical challenges are also causing upheaval for families. Just 31 percent of parents whose children ride the bus to school say the buses were “always on time” the week before the poll was taken, while 24 percent report half or fewer were on time. Black and Latino parents are much more likely to report their kids ride the bus, meaning they are more impacted by this issue. Keeping classrooms fully staffed has been another challenge, with 39 percent of parents saying their children have had substitute teachers at least a few times a month. One-in-ten parents reported their kids had substitute teachers every day.
Academics are also a concern for parents, with only half (51 percent) saying they think their schools are doing enough for students who have fallen behind. While most parents (58 percent) say their children are on track academically, 24 percent say they have fallen behind. A third (33 percent) of parents with a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) say their child has fallen behind. Among parents who think their kids are behind, 57 percent think the schools should be doing more to help students catch up.
Despite all of this, overall satisfaction with BPS remains fairly high, with 32 percent of parents saying they are very satisfied with BPS and 47 percent somewhat satisfied. This is largely in line with previous waves of the survey going back to November 2021. The new figures are according to the latest wave of our series of polls of BPS parents for The Shah Foundation going back to 2021. Earlier waves found modest declines in some measures.
High satisfaction is not unique to Boston. In general, local schools are seen as doing pretty well, no matter where or when the poll is taken. These satisfaction figures often exist alongside very significant and well documented challenges. In Boston, the city narrowly averted receivership, with Mayor Michelle Wu committing to significant improvements. These are not new issues: problems with BPS go back a long way, and deep into prior administrations.
But the persistent overall satisfaction can sap momentum for change. If it seems that parents are largely satisfied, there will be less public pressure on the system to address problems that, by the city and state’s own admission, need to be addressed. Political leaders are less likely to take on longstanding and seemingly intractable issues until they are forced to.
On the bright side, if the opportunity presents itself, parents appear ready to engage. Overwhelmingly, parents say they want to be involved: 82 percent report wanting to be “very engaged” with their children’s education. But only 46 percent say that BPS enables them to be that engaged. Just 28 percent strongly agree their feedback is valued by BPS, and 34 percent strongly agree BPS makes it easy to share concerns.
If BPS were to engage more with parents and dig for specific feedback, they may find that parents hold more complex views than the overall satisfaction numbers suggest. Communications are a strong point for BPS in this survey: 50 percdent of parents strongly agree that communications they receive from the district are clear and easy to understand. Using those communications to address parent concerns and share plans for improvement would be a good starting point.