Print |

Pilot Schools

Gardner girl

The Boston Public Schools' pilot schools are the result of a unique partnership launched in 1994 among Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Boston School Committee, Superintendent, and the Boston Teachers Union (BTU). The pilot schools were explicitly created to be models of educational innovation and to serve as research and development sites for effective urban public schools.

Pilot schools are part of the school district but have autonomy over budget, staffing, governance, curriculum/assessment, and the school calendar to provide increased flexibility to organize schools and staffing to meet the needs of students and families.

The Center for Collaborative Education, a non-profit education organization, provides the pilot schools with coordination support and assistance, including coaching services, professional development, advocacy, and research and evaluation.

Boston is now home to 21 pilot schools, two Horace Mann Charter Schools, and one Commonwealth pilot school. Together, these schools serve nearly 9,000 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The current collective bargaining agreement with the BTU allows for the creation of additional pilot schools.

For more information, contact the Pilot Schools office.