New Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius made front page news in the Boston Globe when told Boston Public Radio on Wednesday that she thought the admissions test for the city’s exam schools is expensive, and that she’s open to exploring alternatives.
“We could talk this over and see, are there other options in terms of the exam,” Cassellius said. “There might be something that, quite frankly, will save us money.”
While some took this as a major declaration of a policy change from a new superintendent, former Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville said that her comments were substantially not different from comments made by former interim BPS superintendent Laura Perille.
“Frankly, I think the Globe overplayed the story,” Reville said. “I don’t think it was that big a deal that she indicated that she’d be open to thinking about it.”
Cassellius’ comments do, however, open a discussion that has been circulating within Boston for a good amount of time: how to reform the exam schools admissions tests to make it fairer. Though the high cost of taking a test--$140 per exam--has been a prominent factor, others contend that the test’s content is catered towards students in private schools.
In October, a report from Harvard University’s Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston found that Black and Latino students are severely under represented in the city’s exam schools, and that despite scoring similar Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test scores as white and Asian students they still faced consistent barriers to entry.
Cassellius has stated that combating inequity in the school system is a top priority of hers, but some took Wednesday's comments as a sign that the new superintendent still doesn’t completely understand the problem.
“She is out of touch with the lived experience of countless students in our district. The problem, at the community level, is not the expense,” Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director for the Lawyers for Civil Rights, told the Globe. “It’s the complete lack of access and preparation. The test is not administered widely, and it does not even follow the curriculum taught by BPS. The test may be a financial burden, but it is a significant barrier to diversity and equity.”
Reville also feels that the issues with the admissions test also have more to do with the lack of preparation public schools students get to take the exam school test, but disagrees with Espinoza-Madrigal’s characterization of Cassellius. He says that in his conversations and observations of Cassellius, he’s found her to be excited to engage with the community citing her emphasis on building her team with BPS veterans rather than outside talent.
“She actually relied on the internal talent in the system, and I think she gets kudos for that,” Reville said. “I think she’s got a terrific energy. I think She’s got great interpersonal skills. I think She’s politically savvy and aware. I think she’s really committed to the job.”
For her part, Cassellius said in a statement on Thursday that she is very open to working with members of the community, and is committed to including the voices of parents, students, and activist groups in the decision making process of BPS.
“I have never shied away from complex conversations about equity and will continue having them with everyone who has a stake in the success of our students,” Cassellius said. “Addressing inequities in our system is necessary if we truly want to be nation-leading. I’ve said it will take ‘all hands on deck,’ which will also mean taking the long view, engaging in continued respectful dialogue and bringing all of our best thinking to the table.”
