An Elected School Committee is Not the Answer

The Boston City Council is considering a home rule petition that would change the School Committee from an appointed to an elected structure. The Research Bureau has supported an appointed School Committee for over 30 years and continues to do so.

Changing the School Committee’s governance structure will not resolve the challenges facing Boston Public Schools. The debate about governance structure is a distraction from the urgent work necessary to improve the district’s operational and academic performance.

The appointed system promotes mayoral accountability, fiscal responsibility, professional expertise, long-term strategic focus, and the prioritization of students’ educational needs rather than the needs of specific neighborhoods or political interests. The home rule petition would reinsert electoral politics directly into the district’s governance.

The City Council should reject the proposed home rule petition. Reverting to a form of governance that proved highly ineffective is not the answer. Instead of a change in the form of governance, the focus should be on enhancing the School Committee’s effectiveness (for example, by providing more rigorous financial oversight) and improving academic outcomes for all students.

To learn more about the governance of the School Committee, see the Research Bureau’s prior publications on the issue here.

Read the full Research Update here

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