IN THE Feb. 7 front-page article “Rise of the charter schools,’’ the landscape of education in Boston is presented as two camps: charter schools and their public school opponents. As teachers, we are eager to move beyond divisive conversation toward action that will benefit teachers and students citywide.
We know that all high-performing schools, no matter if they are district or charter schools, are using innovative strategies to close the achievement gap.
Other districts across the country, including New York City, Denver, and Baltimore, are developing compacts that will guide the joint efforts of district and charter school teachers and leaders in improving student achievement. We would like to see a similar compact here. If Boston’s charter and public schools are going to succeed at meeting the needs of all our students, we must reframe this conversation and refocus our energy to provide a high-quality education for every student.
Talmadge Nardi
Somerville
Sean Brooks
Boston
Nardi, a teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim, and Brooks, a Boston Public Schools teacher, are Teach Plus policy fellows.
