Homework for the next school chief
IN THE next few months, the newly appointed Search Committee will interview candidates to fill Boston School Superintendent Thomas Payzant's large shoes. Dr. Payzant made some essential changes that should continue to improve schools in Boston, including hiring strong administrators, streamlining teacher hiring, which has attracted more qualified candidates, increasing emphasis on professional development, and breaking up struggling large high schools into energized small schools.
However, Boston faces critical unsolved problems that threaten the very possibility of equal educational opportunities for disadvantaged, immigrant, urban, and of-color students. These problems are not just our problems. They are the local results of the dual education system in this country. This is a national reality affecting every American city. The deepening isolation of large groups of urban students threatens to marginalize them completely from the American mainstream. As US schools become more class-segregated and race-segregated than ever, students of color are falling further behind, dropping out more, ending up in prison at higher rates, earning less and completing fewer years of college than we should find morally acceptable or economically justifiable.
Boston's new superintendent must understand these challenges and must be committed to taking a role in the public dialogue, which can lead to solutions.
With the necessity of choosing a new superintendent, we also have the opportunity to craft a new agenda, an agenda that counters the effects of a dual educational system, and in so doing helps create a less segregated city and provide equal opportunity for every student in the Boston Public Schools.
We therefore urge the Search Committee to seek candidates best suited to addressing these 10 pressing needs in the Boston Public Schools:
Figure out the true school drop-out pattern of Boston students and address the reasons that affected groups are leaving school.
Develop an action plan to confront and narrow the 'STEM' -- science, technology, engineering, and math -- gap. These vitally important growth fields are the most race- and gender-segregated ones in America, and Boston students need much more support in all of them.
Systematically examine whether the needs of second language learners are being met now that bilingual education is no longer state policy.
Reopen the exam schools to appropriate numbers of students of color.
Provide high quality vocational/technical education to more students and find ways to energize business and labor support for these programs.
Make a significant commitment to expand extracurricular offerings. Remind ourselves that children will develop as scholars only as they are given opportunities to develop as people. Face the crisis of the disappearance of school clubs, organizations, social and cultural activities, and athletic opportunities. The wider problem of urban schools empty at 2 o'clock while suburban schools hum with activity and boast of ''something for everyone" is an undocumented gap that leaves too many of our youth alienated from their schools and unproductive for many hours of the day -- and some on the street.
Create effective incentives for retention of young teachers and strong educators of all ages.
Reevaluate the use and effects of standardized testing, especially MCAS, looking carefully at negative effects such as the numbing impact of multiple failures, de-emphasis on teacher creativity in favor of scripted teaching, and substitution of ''test prep" for high level and elective courses.
Face up to the militarization of many of our high schools where JROTC has replaced academic and physical education choices and where opportunities for peaceful service are not equally promulgated or even always available.
Reinvigorate public participation in schools. Neither the appointed School Committee nor the neglected School Site Councils in most of our schools motivate, involve or empower parents or other citizens to roll up our sleeves and support the Boston Public Schools.
Judith K. Baker is a former Boston public school teacher. Felix D. Arroyo, at-large Boston city councilor, was a member of the Boston School Committee from 1992-1999. 
