The Boston Opportunity Agenda - Tenth Annual Report Card - May 2022 - A Historic Partnership

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia

The Boston Opportunity Agenda Tenth Annual Report Card (May 2022) presents progress, challenges, and system indicators across Boston’s education pathway amid COVID-19 disruption, economic strain, social and racial injustice, and workforce shortages. It frames outcomes from early childhood through postsecondary attainment and highlights how disrupted or remote schooling affected literacy and math proficiency, while other measures reflect student resiliency. The report also explains data limitations for Catholic schools and reinforces a partnership-driven mission to pursue equity, address anti-racist policy, strengthen community, and achieve measurable impact.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time1 h 38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

A Strong Educational Foundation

On Track for High School Graduation

On Track for College, Career and Life

Postsecondary Attainment

Adult Learners

Birth to Eight Collaborative

Summer Learning Academies

Generation Success

Boston Opportunity Youth Collaborative

Success Boston

About Us

The Boston Opportunity Agenda Tenth Annual Report Card May 2022 A Historic Partnership Convening Partners and Investors Angell Foundation Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Schools Office Boston Charter Alliance Boston Children’s Hospital The Boston Foundation Boston Public Schools Bunker Hill Community College Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston City of Boston Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston EdVestors Nellie Mae Education Foundation New Profit Inc. Smith Family Foundation United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley University of Massachusetts Boston Table of Contents Introduction | 2 A Strong Educational Foundation | 4 On Track for High School Graduation | 8 High School Graduation | 10 On Track for College, Career and Life | 14 Postsecondary Attainment | 16 Adult Learners | 20 Birth to Eight Collaborative | 22 Summer Learning Academies | 25 Generation Success | 28 Boston Opportunity Youth Collaborative | 30 Success Boston | 33 About Us | 36 A Note about Catholic Schools in this Report Card Data availability issues prevented us from including indicators for Catholic schools in this issue of the report card. Once the data become available, we will create an addendum to this report card that contains results for Catholic school students. We remain committed to creating a just educational system by removing the systemic barriers that create unacceptable outcomes and lack of opportunity for historically oppressed and economically disadvantaged populations . 2 Introduction This past year has been one of ongoing challenges, marked change, cautious hope, and renewed strength. As we continue to navigate multiple crises—in COVID-19, economic suffering, social and racial injustice—children, families, schools, and communities are adjusting to aspects of what may be our new normal: resumed in-person schooling accompanied by sometimes severe teacher and staff shortages; an economy with labor market dislocations and rising prices; a renewed focus on racial justice in our institutions and systems; and a strengthened collective resolve to make our communities more just and equitable. Last fall, Boston voted in Mayor Michelle Wu, the first person of color and the first woman to be elected mayor in the city’s history. She succeeded another trail-blazing leader, Acting Mayor Kim Janey. The new administration brings with it a fresh sense of hope, optimism, and opportunity, which has the chance to grow even more with incoming new leadership at both Boston Public Schools and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The past year brought change to the Boston Opportunity Agenda as well. Its long-serving founding Executive Director Kristin McSwain joined Mayor Wu’s administration to lead the City of Boston’s new Office of Early Childhood. Kristin leaves this organization strong, vital, and impactful. Its renewed mission and values reflect our continuing work and purpose. We remain committed to creating a just educational system by removing the systemic barriers that create unacceptable outcomes and lack of opportunity for historically oppressed and economically disadvantaged populations. Over the last decade, our annual report card has been an important platform for tracking and reporting on successes and challenges at the system and student levels across Boston’s education pipeline. While the pandemic interrupted both this annual series and a number of the data indicators it incorporates, we are pleased to share with you this Tenth Annual Report Card. It is clear from the data that the many months of interrupted or remote schooling—along with the public health crisis, economic adversity, and racially motivated violence—have taken a toll. Students in Boston returned to school and our systems returned to work to close the learning gaps that have ensued. Some of these gaps are evident in the downward direction of several indicators in the report card, such as third-grade literacy a

FAQs

What central challenges shaped the 2022 report year?

The report highlights ongoing challenges including COVID-19 impacts, economic suffering, and social and racial injustice, alongside teacher and staff shortages and disruptions to schooling.

How is the report structured across the education pipeline?

It tracks and reports on successes and challenges from early childhood through high school graduation, postsecondary attainment, adult learners, and coordinated collaborative programs.

Why are Catholic school indicators not included in this issue?

Data availability issues prevented inclusion of Catholic school indicators for this report card; an addendum is planned once data become available.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia