Reimagining School Funding Project
Boston Public Schools
Spring 2023
2
Let’s ReImagine School Funding
Together
The ReImagine School Funding Project is a BPS initiative that seeks to equitably reimagine school funding.
This 18+ month process is designed to bring student, family, community, and school leader voice to the center of the funding redesign process so we can rethink together how our funding policy can better serve BPS students and support BPS schools.
What is the ReImagine Project?
A successful reimagined funding policy will:�
3
Make explicit connections to other aspects of resource equity beyond the funding allocation that merit further review.
Be clearly articulated and well-understood across our constituents;
Provide more equitable support for each child to achieve and thrive with a focus on BPS students and families that have been historically marginalized;
GOAL
Redesign the funding policy to more equitably support each child to achieve and thrive with a focus on BPS students and families that have been historically marginalized.
Today’s Objectives
4
What can I expect for our time together today?
5
Community Engagement and Funding Design
Source: Silvia López Chavez: Joy 1150 Tremont Street, Roxbury
BPS Racial Equity Planning Tool
Equitable and inclusive community engagement is a key component of successful planning and decision making.
6
“
Key Lever: Meaningful Community Impact
7
Source: BPS Racial Equity Planning Tool: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_7gGRyqEVtY3OLqngvTdlw8J4MziJsZcoMLRE8hoTl4/edit
7
Feedback on the BPS REPT Spectrum of Engagement
Survey Responses from Steering Committee Members
Meeting Month
25%
50%
75%
100%
Over the past 6 months, Steering Committee Members have moved from feeling involved in this project to feeling more empowered in this project.
8
Boston Public Health Commission 2016-2019
Decisions made about policies, public benefits, and the distribution of resources will serve best if made in partnership with the people they affect.
9
“
RSF Centers Community
10
The Community Steering Committee will be empowered to recommend a school funding policy to the Superintendent, in alignment with the BPS Racial Equity Planning Tool.
�Working groups will conduct the thorough work of designing funding model options and impact assessments, conducting community engagement, and utilizing principal expertise to guide the implementation.
BPS Collaborators will be engaged at all levels and a sampling of who are representatives on working groups
11
Parents, Guardians & Family, Advocates & Advocacy Orgs
Jenny Marcelin
Jonathan Reovan
Suleika Soto
Roxi Harvey
Suzanne Lee
Dan French
Karim Elrazzaz
Lisa Gonsalves
Lisa Jeanne Graf
Jun Xie
School Leaders
Richard Chang
Danielle Costello
Traci Walker Griffith
Hai Son
Megan Welch
William Thomas
Lee Franty
Geoffrey Walker
Katie Grassa
Joanna Cruz
Emily Sproviero
Kristen Goncalves Redden
Andrew Bott
Sidney Brown
Walter Apperwhite
Rebecca Gadd
Clarke-Mason, Lauren
Superintendents
Tommy Welch
Ted Lombardi
Finance
Nathan Kuder
Steven Ramirez
Katie Kline
Atheena Arasoo
Jamie Racanelli
Keith Hellmold
Daniela Reyes Saade
Serena La Roque
Other Departments
Blair Dawkins
Robert Bardwell
Heidi Cahoon-McEwen
Chris Panarese
Julia Bott
Ethan d’Ablemont
Ignacio Chaparro
Faye Karp
Myriam Ortiz
Ahmed Noor
Allen Dowling
Rainelda Borrero
Noel Green
Ongoing Community Engagement Throughout Project
Quarterly Engagement with Mayor’s Office, BTU, School Committee
BPS Community
BPS Schools
BPS Administration
Students
2 BSAC Students
Timeline and Deliverables
Spring-Fall 2023
Phase 3 and 4:
Analyzing Options and Iterating Together
Fall 2023
Final Phase:
Recommendation goes to Superintendent and School Committee
Fall 2022
Phase 1:
Developing Priorities
Winter 2023
Phase 2:
Understanding the Student Experience
Steering Committee
Funding Policy WG
Principal WG
Engagement & Comms
Coalesce on initial group of priority populations and explore dominant culture
Articulate central tenets of funding policy based on student experience
Evaluate the application of tenets to new funding policy options
Provide initial quantitative analysis to help identify priority populations and schools for further exploration
Develop priority student profiles
Identify what it takes to serve priority populations well
Provide feedback on impact of funding policy options on students and schools
Translate tenets and principal feedback to a set of funding policy options
Iterate and adjust models based on collaborator feedback
Develop initial engagement plan
Collect community input from parents, students, and staff
Provide community feedback on the impact of the redesigned formula
12
13
Budget Processes and Authentic Community Engagement
Source: “Guiding Giants” by Taj Francis. Photo by Hannah Moore/Northeastern University
Funding Policy Components
14
Funding Allocations
Funding priorities
Calculation methodologies (The “formula”)
Funding Use Policy
Flexibilities to promote strategic resource use
Essentials to ensure necessary compliance support
Budgeting Process
Opportunity for School Community Engagement
District/School Collaboration
Areas of directional alignment:
Copies of these can be found in your folders
Quick Survey Check
Section 1
15
These tension points need to be explored further to fully Reimagine a funding policy
Tension Points are Emerging
16
17
Next Steps
Source: “Guiding Giants” by Taj Francis. Photo by Hannah Moore/Northeastern University
18
Project website:
bostonpublicschools.org/reimagineschoolfunding
Contact info
reimagineschoolfunding@bostonpublicschools.org
Steven Ramirez
sramirez@bostonpublicschools.org
Here’s to ReImagining Together!
Feedback on the BPS REPT Spectrum of Engagement
19