October 23, 2012
"Having Teach for America here enhances the school district in a number of ways," said Mayor Jon Mitchell, chairman ex officio of the School Committee.
Get to Know Clarence R. Edwards Middle School
Once targeted for closure, the Clarence R. Edwards Middle School is now one of the top five traditional public middle schools in Boston, and the only one serving students in a low income community. The school is one of the most ethnically diverse in the city, with 40% Latino, 25% African American, and 20% Asian American students. Ninety percent of students at the Edwards qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
In the late 1990s, students at the Edwards faced a violent and unstable school environment, and results reflected it. Starting in the mid-2000s, Jeff Riley (Baltimore Corps ’93) became principal and accelerated development of key foundations for success, including extended learning time, using interim assessments to inform instruction, and finding and empowering the best possible teachers, relying on a mix of new and established instructors to rebuild school culture. Progress has continued, and today the Edwards is the highest-performing traditional public school in Boston serving a student body that overwhelmingly faces the challenges of poverty.
Current principal Leo Flanagan (New York Corps ’90), director of instruction Amrita Sahni (Eastern North Carolina Corps ’99), and afterschool program director Stephanie Edmeade (Bay Area Corps ’94) are three of the Teach For America alumni on the Edwards team leading the school forward.
Region Timeline
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The first public school in America, Boston Latin School, and first public library in America, Boston Public Library, are founded.
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The first church built by free blacks in America, the African Meeting House, opens on Joy Street in Boston.
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William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator.
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At a previously scheduled Boston Garden concert, also broadcast on public television, musician James Brown encourages citizens to remain calm in the wake of the killing of Martin Luther King, Jr. As a result, Boston experiences far less violence than other cities during this trying time in our nation’s history.
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Federal judge Arthur Garrity orders the integration of Boston public schools by busing students to different neighborhoods. The ruling sparks boycotts by some white residents and violent demonstrations at many schools.
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The Massachusetts Education Reform Act passes, mandating several modern educational reforms over a seven year period. The reforms were based on Outcomes Based Education and made Massachusetts one of the first states in the country to introduce charter schools.
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The state enacted landmark legislation designed to turn around underperforming schools, promote innovation and choice, and eliminate achievement gaps that persist. Later that year, Massachusetts is awarded a $250 million federal Race To The Top grant to fuel reforms enabled by the legislation.
Overheard
My first classroom experiences shaped much of my thinking about how to be a part of positive change in education. Working hard, being efficient, and being positive and appreciative of others are all values that I first learned in my family, but then crystallized as important work values through my Teach For America experience.
Los Angeles Corps 1991
Press
June 6, 2012
"The award recognizes extraordinary second-year teachers in urban and rural public schools and each recipient receives a $5,000 prize..."
March 29, 2012
“I always knew that I wanted to be in education and teach,” says Roxbury native Titciana Barros. “But I had to get into a classroom...”
