Council of Great City Schools

The Boston School Committee (BSC) is a proud member of the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS), a coalition of 75 of the nation’s largest urban public school systems dedicated to the improvement of education for children in the inner cities. BSC Vice Chair Michael O'Neill served as a member of the Council's Executive Committee from 2014 - 2021.

A powerful force in urban education policy and advocacy, the Council has published a number of valuable reports providing guidance to the Boston Public Schools to improve education outcomes and reduce achievement gaps:

Review of the Safety Program of the Boston Public Schools (redacted) - Fall 2022 (Presented to School Committee Jan. 2023)

Review of the Student Transportation Program of the Boston Public Schools - Fall 2022 (Presented to School Committee Jan. 2023)

Building a Unified System of Service Delivery: Inclusive Education that Improves Outcomes for Students with and without Disabilities - November 2022

Improving Special Education in the Boston Public Schools - Spring 2009

Review of Food and Nutrition Services Department of the Boston Public Schools - April 2014

Review of Boston Public Schools Academic Direction - May 2014

Mirrors or Windows? How Well Do Large City Public Schools Overcome the Effects of Poverty and Other Barriers? - June 2021

In 2014, the Boston Public Schools proudly signed on to the Males of Color Pledge by America's Great City Schools, a pact among urban school districts to improve the educational outcomes of Males of Color by implementing a set of evidence-based strategies that range from early childhood through graduation.  The Pledge outlines 11 areas that impact the outcomes of Males of Color which taken together has the potential to transform how schools educate Males of Color from different racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.  Over sixty large city superintendents and school boards have signed onto the Pledge and have committed to implementing long-term initiatives in their respective districts to improve the lives of Males of Color.  

Learn more about the Council of Great City Schools.