Copyright The Boston Herald
Mayor Michelle Wu is set to update the city in a first-ever “State of the Schools” address on Tuesday — laying out “ambitious goals” for Boston Public Schools. The State of the Schools address is scheduled take place at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Chinatown, kicking off at 7 p.m. “Under the leadership of Superintendent Mary Skipper, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is setting ambitious goals that prioritize providing high-quality support for every student so they’re able to meet high academic expectations,” the City said in an announcement. “During a time when public education is under attack, Mayor Wu will celebrate Boston’s educators and lay out a shared agenda to make BPS the first choice for Boston families.” The speech comes amid numerous contentious issues in BPS: from a controversial facilities plan laying out closures and mergers to drop 17 schools by 2030; to the continued lag in MCAS scores, chronic absenteeism and academic achievement following the pandemic; to the ongoing debate over switching to an elected school committee. The mayor’s office announced the speech weeks after the release of 2025 MCAS and state accountability data for the district. Though BPS saw some academic, absenteeism and other gains from previous years, School Committee members noted continued “sobering” challenges. City officials did not state what issues will be addressed during Tuesday’s speech.
