Memo to the next superintendent of schools in Boston: Mayor Marty Walsh is not satisfied with the state of the public schools where 30 percent of students don’t graduate in five years, and you must do better.
Walsh, in his first state of the city address Tuesday, said he will communicate that message to whomever gets the top job running the school system. The final list of candidates for the superintendent job is expected to be forwarded to Walsh next month.
“The Boston Public Schools can do much better for our kids,” Walsh said. “We have to do better. We will do better. “
The mayor announced plans to create the Boston School Building Authority, which will help secure funding for construction projects and bring the school system’s aging infrastructure up to 21st century standards. He will also craft a 10-year facilities plan that will identify the needs of each neighborhood, he said.
Among other initiatives on Walsh’s education agenda:
- A collaborative plan with the teachers’ union to extend the school day by 40 minutes for students through 8th grade;
- Expansion of full day pre-kindergarten, with the goal of reaching all of the city’s 4-year-olds;
- A focus on college- and career-ready standards in high schools;
- A partnership between SAP, a software company, and Charlestown High School and Bunker Hill Community College to train more students for IT jobs and to help them complete school with post-secondary credentials; and
- A free child savings account program through the mayor’s Office of Financial Empowerment