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Mayor Menino Announces “Step UP” Initiative
9/28/2006 - Released by Mayor's Office
For more information contact Press Office
Mayor Menino Announces “Step UP” Initiative Unprecedented University Collaboration with BPS Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced today the formation of a new collaboration among five of Boston’s largest universities to aid 10 Boston Public Schools (BPS). Mayor Menino asked Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University and Tufts University to work together and take the lead in specific schools and they have committed to this initiative. “Our local colleges and universities have been strong partners with the Boston Public Schools for many years,” Mayor Menino said. “This initiative will take that partnership one step further by directing key resources of some of Boston’s top universities to support select schools. I want Boston students to have the best education possible and these universities are offering significant resources and expertise to help our children reach their full potential.” The university collaboration, “Step UP (University Partnership),” will help students and their families by delivering coordinated learning support services in six areas – •professional development for teachers; •curriculum and instructional support during and after school; •school readiness and student support, including tutoring, materials and technical assistance; •family engagement and out of school time, providing an extended day, full-service model of mentoring, tutoring, and community resources, as well as summer programs and job opportunities; •student wellness—nutrition, dental and general health screenings and a food service program; •and assessment and evaluation -- based on the specific needs of each school selected. By working together in a coordinated fashion, the five university partners will leverage their collective experience in outreach to public education in a variety of forms to provide complementary services in the six areas. The goal of the five university collaboration is to reduce the achievement gap by supporting schools with expertise and resources so that all students can reach their full potential. “We are very pleased to accept Mayor Menino’s challenge to work with the Boston Public Schools to provide targeted assistance to selected schools in the district,” said Robert A. Brown, president of Boston University, speaking on behalf of all the university partners. “Our universities are dedicated to improving the quality of education for all members of the community, and we look forward to drawing on our expertise and experience to meet specific needs identified by the schools themselves. There is a sense of partnership and enthusiasm among the five universities and the City of Boston as we work together to ensure that Boston remains a great place to live and work.” This collaboration demonstrates the universities’ commitment to work with the City of Boston to improve the Boston Public Schools. A strong public school system is crucial to Boston and the region’s social and economic future. The universities are committed to this initiative for the next five years at a total figure of no less than $5 million in direct services to the schools, plus in-kind contributions and additional support estimated at another $5 million. Boston Public Schools will hire a full-time program director to coordinate the planning and programming between the colleges and the schools. The city and the universities, with outside experts, will develop an evaluation mechanism to gauge the initiative’s success. “We know that collaboration with community partners is a key component to the success of every school, and certainly here in Boston, we have a valuable resource in the colleges and universities,” said Michael Contompasis, Interim Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. “We are delighted that these five universities have committed to expanding the programs and services they provide to students and schools in need of additional support. With their help, and the help of other institutions, our schools will succeed in closing the achievement gap and ensuring every child performs at the highest levels.” The next steps will be determining which public schools will benefit most from participating in this initiative. Soon after, BPS and the colleges anticipate bringing their principals and staff together with college faculty and staff to develop individual school plans that will spell out the mix of programs and services that they need. A rigorous review and evaluation process will be put in place from the start so that the programs’ progress and successes can be tracked. ###

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