Monday, May 2, 2016

No Bad Idea Left Behind In Boston

Hey here's an idea. If we just get rid of the underperforming and underfunded schools with all the poor black and Hispanic people, we won't have underfunded and underperforming schools anymore. Worked in Detroit, Washington DC and Chicago, right? So let's do the same for Boston!

A controversial city-ordered audit of Boston Public Schools suggested the district could save up to $85 million a year by closing 40 percent of its schools, according to newly released documents from the study.

The March 5, 2015, draft by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. is much more detailed than a shorter version released to the public in December. The longer draft contains elements that did not appear in the previously released version that probably will be unpopular among parents.

The city’s legal department released the longer draft and 18 other documents related to the audit this week in response to a public records request by a parents group.

The draft report repeatedly cites potential cost savings from consolidating 30 to 50 of the district’s approximately 125 schools. It estimates that such a move would save the district between $50 million and $85 million per year, as well as an initial one-time savings of $120 million to $200 million.

The version released in December says the district could save millions each year by closing underenrolled schools and laying off teachers. But it does not suggest a target number for closures, as the March 2015 draft does. The later version presents potential savings in terms of individual schools.

Surprise, right? Which provides major cover for the schools that were already closing in Boston's black neighborhoods to do so without too much complaint because of the alternative that might affect white neighborhoods.

Five schools is certainly better than 40.

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