‘Ambitious agenda’: City and school officials announce vision for Boston public high schools

City and school leaders on Tuesday announced an “ambitious agenda” for Boston’s public high schools that includes improvements to several facilities and greater school programming.

The historic investments include rebuilding Madison Park Technical Vocational High School into a “nation-leading voc-tech campus,” constructing a state-of-the-art STEM campus for the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science at the West Roxbury Education Complex, offering early college to all students at Charlestown High School through a partnership with Bunker Hill Community College, and expanding the dual language Margarita Muñiz Academy in Jamaica Plain, Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a statement.

Wu and Skipper said the four principles of the high school vision are:

1) Academic rigor: All schools “will have coursework and programs that challenge students and provide the support they need to excel academically, including through expanding APs and STEM programs, dual language instruction, inclusive education, and rigorous vocational and technical education.”

2) Partnerships to support schools: High schools “will draw on the wealth of opportunities across Boston, leveraging partnerships with private industry, higher education, health care and arts and cultural institutions, athletic and community-based organizations to expand opportunities for students in the classroom and beyond. This includes alignment with employers around college and career pathways, career and technical education, and expansion of Community Hub Schools and integrated supports.”

3) College and career pathways for all: BPS “will give all high school students access to college-level coursework, building off the recent expansion of early college pathways in six high schools. Through early college and dual enrollment opportunities at Boston’s colleges and universities, students gain access to college-level courses while earning free credits towards a college degree.”

4) State-of-the-art facilities: Through an “unprecedented investment in facilities,” Wu and BPS will build and renovate high schools “with the scale and size to meet our students’ aspirations, continuing the shift toward 7-12 high schools, and allowing for expanded advanced and specialty coursework, academic supports, sports, arts, early college, student clubs, and other before- and after-school programming.”

Wu and Skipper made the announcement at the Malcolm X Boulevard campus in Roxbury, which currently houses both the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science.

“Boston has everything we need to offer our high school students an education that prepares them to achieve their dreams,” Wu said in a statement. “We are laying a foundation grounded in rigorous academics, partnerships with Boston’s world class institutions and employers, and state-of-the-art facilities that prepare our students for college and careers in every sector of our economy. We welcome the partnership of families and community groups, businesses, unions, colleges, hospitals, and proud BPS alumni in this shared vision for our students’ success.”

“Today’s announcement furthers our commitment to creating a quality high school education experience for our students and families,” Skipper said in a statement. “These four components of academic rigor, community hub strategy with connections to Boston’s world-class institutions, access to college and career pathways, and new facilities create innovative opportunities. The vision we have outlined with the Mayor will help students and families thrive for years to come.”

Officials plan to rebuild Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Roxbury, with a design process to begin this summer. The expansion will more than double the student population to 2,200 students in grades 7-12 (up from 1,000 currently), officials said.

Wu has proposed an initial $45 million in the FY24-28 Capital Plan for the school’s design, with additional funds for construction planned for next year. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2025, with a phased construction process to allow students to continue learning on-site.

Officials also announced the formation of a new Madison Park Steering Committee “to evaluate opportunities for new career and technical education programs that align with Boston’s growth sectors, strengthen existing CTE programs, and rebuild Madison Park’s career pathways and partnerships with Boston-area employers and labor unions.”

Officials plan to build a state-of-the-art STEM campus for the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science at the currently-vacant West Roxbury Education Complex. The renovated campus will include modern athletic facilities, including multi-use fields; tennis and basketball courts; a running track with spectator stands; and a swimming pool. The proposal will enable the O’Bryant to grow from around 1,600 students to 2,000 students, adding 400 seats at the STEM-focused exam school.

Wu has proposed an initial $18 million in the FY24-28 Capital Plan to begin demolition and school design, with additional funds for construction planned for next year to gut renovate the facility. Construction would begin in early 2025.

City and school officials have begun mapping out a transportation plan that will include dedicated shuttles from transit hubs across Boston, including the West Roxbury commuter rail station, to connect students with the campus. The West Roxbury commuter rail station is readily accessible to BPS students from South Station, Back Bay, Ruggles, or Forest Hills using their M7 Passes.

Officials also announced that Charlestown High School will become the district’s first open enrollment high school to offer early college and dual enrollment to every student through a greatly expanded partnership with its neighbor, Bunker Hill Community College.

Officials also announced that the dual language Margarita Muñiz Academy in Jamaica Plain will expand to include the 7th and 8th grades, reflecting the district’s commitment to dual language instruction and continuing the shift toward 7-12 high schools.

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