Data released by Boston Public Schools (BPS) show the district’s four-year graduation rate continues to climb to a record high. Of the students who entered high school in the 2007/2008 school year 64.4% graduated within four years. This 2011 data is an increase of 1.2 percentage points from 2010 and more than six percentage points since 2007. The data also show the district’s graduation rate is six percentage points higher as a result of credit recovery initiative. 

“This is positive news, and it shows that the quality of our schools is continuing to improve,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “We’re seeing more and more of our high schools outperform other districts across the state, indicating that our efforts are having a real impact.”

“For us, this annual release of data is about more than just numbers – we’re talking about young adults and their future,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “While we are certainly pleased to see the graduation rate climb to an all-time high we refuse to stop working on strategies that will help the students who did not cross the graduation stage. We’re proud that our credit recovery work is having a real impact.”

While BPS reports the graduation rate as calculated by state education officials, it uses a different formula to calculate the dropout rate. State data show the BPS dropout rate dropping from 6.8% to 6.4%. BPS calculates the dropout rate as rising from 5.7% to 6.0%.

According to the new numbers, ten Boston high schools have exceeded the district’s 2014 Acceleration Agenda goal of a graduation rate of at least 80%. One Boston High School, Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, has a graduation rate of 100%. Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, TechBoston Academy, John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science, New Mission High School, Boston Community Leadership Academy, Boston Arts Academy, Media/Technology High (now West Roxbury Academy), and Fenway High School all have graduations rates greater than 82%.

The district also saw a jump in the 5-year graduation rate. Of students who entered high school in 2006, 68.8% graduated in 5-years.

At the core of the Acceleration Agenda is a commitment to closing achievement gaps. The new data indicate a jump in the graduation rate for almost every ethnic group. Black students increased from 60.6% to 62.3%. White students increased from 74.4% to 76.6% and Hispanic students increased from 56.8% to 57.4%. Asian students saw a slight decrease from 81.6% to 80.4%.

Of the high school seniors who did not graduate last year, 17% remained in school. BPS has invested in initiatives to keep off-track students in school even if they did not meet all graduation requirements in their senior year. Last August, nearly 200 students took part in the city’s annual summer graduation. Most of the graduates had participated in credit recovery courses over the summer that made it possible for them to fulfill the graduation requirements.

BPS continues to focus on supporting students on the verge of dropping out through dropout prevention initiatives and partnerships, as well as credit recovery programs throughout the school district. BPS, in conjunction with the office of Mayor Menino, is also supporting students beyond high school graduation. In 2008, Mayor Menino launched Success Boston, an initiative aimed at dramatically increasing the number of BPS students completing college.

For more detailed and school level information visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/reports

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson have announced the team of community leaders who will assume the role of members of the city’s external advisory committee for improving school choice. The committee of 12 men and 11 women will work over the next year to help advise the school department as it engages the community on the topic of improving the city’s school assignment system. The committee will be co-chaired by Hardin Coleman, Dean of Education at Boston University. A second co-chair is still to be named.
 
“This is a top-notch team of people who will help advance this process over the next several months,” Mayor Menino said. “Our goal is to hear from a broad spectrum of the community with a variety of perspectives who will help us shape and move forward with a plan that works for the families of our city.”
 
In his annual State of the City address in January, Mayor Menino directed Superintendent Johnson to appoint a committee as a step toward adopting “a radically different student assignment plan -- one that puts a priority on children attending schools closer to their homes” within the year.
 
The external advisory committee will meet monthly in open meetings and will help advise BPS in community engagement strategies, identify data needs, and will provide feedback on possible school choice plans.
 
“We see this team of individuals as playing an important role in a transparent community engagement process,” said Dr. Johnson. “Our goal is for this to be an inclusive process that brings all voices to the table. This group will ensure we are analyzing this issue from every possible perspective.”
 
“This work is about the future generations of Bostonians who will grow and learn in our schools,” said Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover, Sr., Chairperson of the Boston School Committee. “We must come together and improve the choices parents have in our city so that Boston can continue to lead the way in urban public education.”
 
The Boston Opportunity Agenda, a partnership among the City of Boston, the Boston Public Schools and the city’s leading public charities, foundations and donors, is rallying behind Mayor Menino’s call to revamp the school assignment process in 2012. Boston Opportunity Agenda partners have committed $400,000 to support this work.

“Any effort to revamp something as complex as Boston’s student assignment system needs to be structured to ensure that parents and community members are engaged and vital players in the discussion,” said Kristin McSwain, Director of Boston Opportunity Agenda. “Investing resources now in the planning increases the likelihood that a plan will be crafted which ensures community voice and equitable solutions.”
 
Superintendent Johnson also announced today when the first set of community meetings on school choice will take place. The first meeting will be held on Saturday, March 10 followed by a round of small-group meetings later in the month. More meetings will be added throughout the spring, summer and fall before a final proposal is expected to be made to the School Committee in December. Times and locations will be posted at http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/choice. 

To view the list of committee members click here. 

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson announced the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative has been awarded a $4 million grant from The Wallace Foundation in New York to expand and sustain high-quality arts education in schools across the district. 

The Arts Expansion Initiative (AEI) is a multi-year (2009-2015) effort developed by a collaboration of local funders, the schools, arts organizations, the school district, the Mayor’s Office, and coordinated by EdVestors, a Boston-based school change organization that will manage the grant.  The new national grant adds to more than $4 million contributed by local funders, toward the $10 million goal to support the growth of arts programming in BPS.

At an event held at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, with representatives from the Wallace Foundation and local funders, Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson announced the Wallace grant and released new data showing dramatic growth in the number of students receiving arts instruction during the school day – an additional 14,000 BPS students with access to visual and performing arts instruction compared to three years ago.

“Expanding the arts in schools brings new energy to classrooms, increases engagement by students, and improves school choices for families,” said Mayor Menino. “The arts enrich our young people, our schools, and our neighborhoods.”

The Wallace grant announced today will build capacity in the school district to expand and sustain high-quality arts education for all BPS students through new approaches to arts instruction, curriculum, professional development, partnership coordination, and student and family engagement.  

The Wallace Foundation aims to improve education and enrichment for disadvantaged children. The Foundation develops and tests promising ideas on the ground, studies the results, researches related issues – and shares what’s learned broadly to help improve children’s lives.

Will Miller, president of the Wallace Foundation, noted, “Arts learning opportunities have been diminishing over the last three generations of school children.  The Wallace Foundation is looking forward to working with its partners in Boston who are testing new approaches to reverse this trend, and to learning with them about how to best strengthen arts learning in school districts.” 

Local foundations and philanthropists have supported the work significantly with over $4 million in funds through the BPS Arts Expansion Fund to grow direct arts instruction for students, with the goal of raising an additional $1.5 million to match the new national funding.

Local funders of the Arts Expansion Initiative are led by the Barr Foundation, the Boston Foundation, the Klarman Family Foundation, and the Linde Foundation, along with the Catherine and Paul Buttenweiser Foundation, Hunt Alternatives Fund, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation, and others.

“The vision and commitment around arts education from the Mayor and the Superintendent are tremendous, and are matched only by the steadfastness of local and national funders, dozens of local arts and cultural institutions, and individual school communities across the city,” said Laura Perille, executive director of EdVestors, which spearheads the initiative in partnership with BPS. “Thousands of Boston students benefit every day from this exciting collaboration.”

The BPS Arts Expansion Initiative was launched three years ago this month.

“Organizers and funders of the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative, including the Boston Foundation, came together with BPS to conduct research, set ambitious but achievable goals, and measure our progress,” said Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation and a member of the BPS Arts Advisory Board. “The results have been dramatic and important to the cultural lives of our schools and our children. ”

Today, nine out of 10 elementary and middle school students in Boston are receiving weekly arts education, up from 67% three years ago. The number of high school students accessing arts education has doubled over the past three school years. The Initiative has set a goal of reaching 100% of students in grades PreK-8 with weekly year-long arts instruction, while dramatically expanding high school arts learning opportunities.

The private philanthropic dollars add to increased public funding for additional classroom arts teachers, as part of a coordinated effort to expand arts education across the school system.  Since 2009, the annual amount spent on arts instruction by BPS has increased by $2 million annually. 

“In Boston, we have defined arts education as a part of a quality education for all students,” said Dr. Johnson.  “Our focus on expanding high-quality, equitably distributed arts learning opportunities for our young people is a key piece of our agenda to transform our schools. The BPS and its partners are making this a reality.”

About the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative

^{Launched in February 2009, the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative is a multi-year effort to expand arts education within BPS.  Focused on providing equity and access to quality arts learning experiences to every BPS student, the Initiative seeks to expand arts instruction, build the capacity of the system to support school-based arts programs, and to enhance partnerships between schools and arts and cultural groups and higher educational institutions.}

The BPS arts expansion effort is a key piece of Superintendent Carol Johnson’s Acceleration Agenda, a five-year strategic direction (2009-2014) that outlines goals and priorities for transforming the Boston Public Schools.

EdVestors, a local education nonprofit dedicated to driving change in urban schools through strategic philanthropic investment, serves as lead partner for the Initiative working in close collaboration with the donors and with the BPS.  For more details on the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative, go to www.edvestors.org or call 617-585-5740.

About the Wallace Foundation

The Wallace Foundation is an independent, national foundation dedicated to supporting and sharing effective ideas and practices that expand learning and enrichment opportunities for children. The Foundation maintains an online library of lessons at www.wallacefoundation.org about what it has learned, including knowledge from its current efforts aimed at: strengthening educational leadership to improve student achievement; helping disadvantaged students gain more time for learning through summer learning and an extended school day and year; enhancing out-of-school time opportunities; and building appreciation and demand for the arts.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson hosted U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Jamaica Plain. Secretary Duncan visited the school to learn more about the district’s Parent University program, which is seen as a model worth replicating in other school districts across the nation.

“We are honored Secretary Duncan came to Boston to learn how we are engaging parents in new and innovative ways,” said Mayor Menino. “Our schools can’t be successful without moms, dads, and grandparents taking an active role in the education of their child. Parent University is a smart way to get families involved in helping our students succeed.”

During the Secretary’s visit he saw a Parent University class in session and had the opportunity to talk with parents who have benefited from the initiative. Secretary Duncan also took part in a roundtable event where he heard directly from Parent University graduates, school leaders, and district administrators on the strategies that have led to the success of the program.

“We began Parent University as way to better engage our parents and families, but the result has been so much more,” said Dr. Johnson. “This program has resulted in better communication among our internal departments and has been a key strategy in our turnaround work at our underperforming schools.”

Started in 2010, Parent University is an initiative of the Office of Family and Student Engagement. Throughout the academic year BPS offers free courses, in a variety of languages, to parents and family members of BPS students. Classes range from math and science to learning how to apply for college financial aid and nutrition advice courses. The sessions are held on the campus of Northeastern University. The program is funded through federal funds known as Title I. 

Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson recognized the James J. Chittick Elementary School, located in Mattapan, for earning accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s highest mark of quality in early childhood education. The Chittick’s designation brings the total number of schools with NAEYC accreditation in Boston to 14.

“The administrators, teachers, staff, students, and families should be very proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. Johnson. “We know that NAEYC has very high standards and we are proud that so many of our schools serving the youngest students in our city have met or exceeded those expectations. This is a true testament to the hard work underway at the Chittick.”

Only 8% of all preschool and early childhood programs nationwide have earned this designation.

The Chittick joins 13 other BPS schools that have already earned NAEYC accreditation. The other accredited schools are the Orchard Gardens Pilot K-8 School (Roxbury), Baldwin Early Learning Center (Brighton), West Zone Early Learning Center (Jamaica Plain), Haynes Early Education Center (Roxbury), East Boston Early Education Center (East Boston), Winship School (Brighton), Warren Prescott K-8 (Charlestown), Mozart Elementary School (Roslindale), Mason Elementary (Roxbury), Haley Elementary (Roslindale), Lee Academy (Dorchester), Mission Hill K-8 (Roxbury), and Ellison/Parks Early Education Center (Mattapan). Twenty more schools in Boston are currently seeking accreditation.

“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Chittick School Principal Michelle Burnett-Herndon. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.” 

NAEYC accreditation, widely seen as the mark of quality in early childhood education, provides a powerful tool through which early childhood educators improve the quality of their programs by comparing their practices with national and professional standards. For more information, visit www.naeyc.org. 

According to a new report, the Boston Public Schools (BPS) engage a broad array of nearly 200 external organizations – including hospitals, universities, and local non-profits – to meet students’ academic and non-academic needs. The report also cites some unevenness in partnerships across schools and calls for greater district involvement to ensure equity and accountability.

The Full-service Schools Roundtable and district officials today jointly released “Schools at the Hub: Community Partnerships in the Boston Public Schools,” the first report of its kind, which presents the results of a survey administered to all schools at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. With 93% of schools responding, the report provides extensive baseline data about the types and extent of partnerships providing supports to students and families.

Nearly 200 people attended an event at the Children’s Museum, where officials presented the report’s findings and recommendations. Established in 2000, the Full-service Schools Roundtable (www.fssroundtable.org) is a citywide coalition working to advance the healthy development and academic success of Boston students through integrated school-community partnerships.
 
“In this impressive report, the Full-service Schools Roundtable paints a picture of what every school can aspire to offer its families – a comprehensive set of physical, emotional, social, and academic supports that ensure every child achieves excellence,” said Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools. “And, after all, what better place for all of these supports to come together than in schools – the true ‘hubs’ of our communities – where we are entrusted with the great responsibility of helping children learn and grow.”
 
The report includes an analysis of ten specific supports offered by Boston schools, including mentoring, tutoring, on-site mental health services, adult education, before- and after-school programs, school-based health clinics, and university partners, among others. The report indicates that, as of the Spring of 2010:
·      66 percent of all schools offered a range of five to seven of these supports;
·      15 percent offered more than seven supports;
·      17 percent had fewer than five supports;
·      no schools offered zero supports, and only one offered all ten.
 
Additional findings from “Schools at the Hub” include:
·      Middle schools lagged behind other school levels in the areas of mentoring, tutoring, prevention programming, after-school programs, and on-site mental health services.
·      Forty-seven percent of all schools and 60 percent of high schools reported having a university partner that provides student support services.
·      Less than a third of schools reported including community partners in their strategies to serve English language learners and/or students with disabilities.
 
The report also presents recommendations to address unmet student needs, particularly by launching a district-wide strategy for coordinating and aligning student support partnerships.
 
Dr. Johnson added that the report provides valuable information to support implementation of the Acceleration Agenda, the district’s five-year strategic plan. She also noted several initiatives launched since the survey was conducted nearly 18 months ago have helped narrow some of the gaps identified in the report. The BPS Office of Innovation, Partnerships, and Development, for example, was created specifically to improve coordination of partnership work.
 
“This report affirms that schools benefit from a wealth of partnership resources from at least 200 Boston institutions and community-based organizations,” said Matt LiPuma, Executive Director of the Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts, who chairs the Roundtable Steering Committee. “To have maximum positive impact on students, however, these partnerships must be strategic, aligned with student needs, integrated with school and district goals, equitably distributed, and coordinated effectively.”
 
Abby R. Weiss, former Executive Director of the Full-service Schools Roundtable, who co-authored the report with Anthony J. Siddall, presented an overview of findings and recommendations at the event. Ms. Weiss now manages the Child and Youth Readiness Cabinet at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education.
 
The event also included a panel discussion featuring: Marie St. Fleur, Chief of Advocacy and Strategic Investment for the City of Boston; Robert Kilkenny, Executive Director of the Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention; Arthur Unobskey, Principal of the Irving Middle School in Roslindale; Melissa Partridge, BPS Office of Innovation, Partnerships and Development; and Rahn Dorsey, Evaluation Manager for the Barr Foundation. 

Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson presented a preliminary budget recommendation to the Boston School Committee for the 2013 fiscal year (2012-2013 school year). The proposed budget totals $856.5 million and is balanced. While the city has experienced a significant decrease in federal and state education aid, Mayor Thomas M. Menino has committed to increasing the BPS budget by 3.1% in his target appropriation for schools.

The preliminary budget outlines multiple areas of investment and several cost-saving strategies to close a projected $28.2 million budget gap. It increases funds being sent directly to schools by $20 million – a combination of salary increases for teachers and staff, stronger support for students with emotional impairments, and extra resources for schools that otherwise would have experienced significant budget challenges next year.

“Each year we have the opportunity to take the precious resources allocated to us and direct them to be used in a way that benefits the children of our city,” said Dr. Johnson. “Mayor Menino has never waivered in his support for our schools and his commitment once again has allowed us to build a budget that reflects our priorities and allows us to expand excellence throughout the city.”

Superintendent Johnson directed her team to target key areas for investment that will continue to support the students BPS serves.

Among the investments outlined in the BPS budget:

• Expanding seven high performing schools
• Adding pre-kindergarten classrooms for the youngest learners (3 and 4 year olds)
• Increasing training and professional development for teachers
• Strengthening vocational opportunities by transforming Madison Park High School
• Focusing on student health by increasing the number of school nurses and expanding student access to school breakfast
• More than $3 million to support students with social/emotional impairments

Last year BPS implemented a new formula that determines the amount of funds distributed to each school in the district. Known as weighted student funding, each student is assigned a “weight” that is based on an individual child’s needs. Each weight has a dollar amount attached to it and follows the students wherever they chose to attend school in Boston.

“This is the second year we have presented a budget that is not only balanced but also allows us to invest in key areas,” said Chief Financial Officer John McDonough. “While other cities are forced to make drastic cuts to public education Boston is in a position that allows us to continue to put resources where they are most needed.”

BPS was presented with a more than $28 million budget gap due to the loss of $10 million in federal jobs program funds and a decrease in federal Title I allocations. Among the strategies used to close that gap BPS will delay some maintenance and building repairs and not fill some vacant central office positions.  

While some central office positions will not be filled, Superintendent Johnson intends to increase staffing levels in schools by more than 200 positions – a move that will help the district bring more streamlined services to students. School budgets were also increased by more than $20 million.

The school committee will hold budget hearings to hear from families regarding the BPS budget.

Tue. Feb. 28 6pm – Lila Frederick School, Dorchester

Mon. March 12 6pm – Edison K-8 School, Brighton

Wed. March 21 5pm – 26 Court Street, Boston

Additional budget details, including a ten-page summary and individual school budget spreadsheets, are available by clicking here.

Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson announced the Irving Middle School in Roslindale and the McCormack Middle School in Dorchester have been selected to participate in project funded by a highly competitive federal grant that will allow for a newly expanded school day at both schools. The grant will allow both schools to replicate the successes of schools like the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown – a nationally heralded model of the use of expanded learning time.

“These are two schools that families may not hear a lot about, but make no mistake they are schools on the move,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “Not too long ago people may have written off a school like the Edwards, but now it is a jewel in our city. I expect that in the near future we’ll see the same great results from the Irving and the McCormack.”

The grant, Investing in Innovation - known as i3 – is awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and will be managed by BPS and Mass 2020, the state affiliate of the National Center on Time & Learning.

“We know that simply expanding the school day won’t necessarily lead to better results,” said Dr. Johnson. “Having partners like Mass 2020 at our side as we recreate these school schedules and expand the academic and enrichment opportunities for these students will ensure that we are able to surpass all of our own expectations.”

Boston Public Schools i3 project, totaling nearly $3.5 million dollars, is funded 85% by federal funds of $2.9 million. The remaining 15% is made possible by private funders including the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, EdVestors, Clipper Ship Foundation, Inc., Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Jessie B. Cox CLT – Cox Family Fund, The Boston Foundation, and the Barr Foundation.

BPS and Mass 2020 will engage school leaders, teachers, and parents in building the new school schedule, which will go into effect next school year.

“The i3 grant is an exciting opportunity and a further signal of the U.S. Department of Education’s commitment to investing in innovations that are proving effective in schools,” said Chris Gabrieli, co-founder and chairman of Mass 2020/National Center on Time & Learning. “Across the country, over 1,000 schools are expanding learning time to close achievement and opportunity gaps for the students who need it most. Right here in Boston, the Edwards Middle School is a powerful example of what can happen when a school expands learning time in a thoughtful way.”

Eight Boston Public Schools (BPS) educators are being recognized for achieving National Board certification – the highest credential in the teaching profession. The teachers (list attached) are among 15 named from Massachusetts and more than 6,200 across the country to receive this honor. The Boston School Committee honored the eight teachers at its last meeting.

“We are so very proud of these educators and are truly fortunate to have them working here in Boston,” said Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover, Sr., Chair of the Boston School Committee. “They have achieved the gold standard and their students are the immediate beneficiaries.”

Teachers seeking National Board Certification go through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach. 

“There is nothing more important than having a quality teacher at the head of every single classroom in our schools,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “These teachers are leading the pack and I’m proud to call them my colleagues.”

Earning National Board Certification has been linked to improved outcomes for students. In a congressionally mandated report, the National Research Council (NRC) confirmed that National Board Certified Teachers advance student achievement and learning, stay in the classroom longer, support new and struggling teachers, and assume other school-based leadership roles.

68 BPS teachers have achieved National Board Certification to date, and the district encourages teachers to consider becoming candidates. The Massachusetts Department of Education partially subsidizes the registration fees for teachers.

For more information on National Board Certified Teachers, visit www.nbpts.org. 

Boston Public Schools National Board Certified Teachers Class of 2011:

Mr. Gregory Banks – Urban Science Academy, West Roxbury

Mr. Erik Berg – Philbrick Elementary School, Roslindale

Ms. Patricia Dervan – Brighton High School, Brighton

Ms. Caitlin Hollister – Murphy K-8, Dorchester

Mr. Matthew Kazlauskas – John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science, Roxbury

Ms. Ellen Latham – Mario Umana Academy, East Boston

Ms. Kristi Lucks – Boston Community Leadership Academy, Brighton

Mr. Noah Patel – Roosevelt K-8, Hyde Park

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Carol R. Johnson met with the eight BPS high school boys who recently traveled to Beijing China to play in a basketball tournament as a part of President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative. The eight students met with Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson at the Parkman House to share their experiences.

“It is clear to me these students experienced the trip of a lifetime,” said Mayor Menino. “I’m proud they represented Boston and the United States so well on this trip. These young men are smart, charismatic and were able to learn through this trip that the world is open to them.”

In addition to playing in the basketball tournament with some of their Chinese peers the students also had the opportunity to travel around Beijing and learn about the history and culture.

“This trip was amazing, I learned so much more than I expected,” said Kevin Bernardez, an 11th grader at Madison Park High School. “We walked on the the Great Wall of China in person and had the opportunity to volunteer at the Dandelion School, a school for migrant workers’ children. ”

The students spent a total of 10 days on their trip and returned home on December 18^th.

Tom McCarthy, a Boston Latin School alum and business owner working in Beijing brought the opportunity to the attention of city and school leaders late last year. The program was funded entirely by Americans Promoting Study Abroad (APSA), a non-profit organization founded by Americans living in China that provides study abroad programs focused on career development and language acquisition to deserving students across the United States who have demonstrated a commitment to succeed.

Several sponsors also helped supplement travel needs for the students, including Suffolk Construction’s Red and Blue Foundation, Brooks Brothers, and the Boston Celtics.

Superintendent Johnson last year expanded the district’s Global Education efforts, creating an office that is dedicated to making international travel possible for Boston students at little or no expense.