Poll: Just 55% of K-8 parents in BPS satisfied with high school options; 36% of high school parents seeking alternatives
Many district parents also express concerns over insufficient extracurricular offerings
A new poll of Boston Public Schools (BPS) parents finds many are skeptical of the district’s high school offerings for their children. Just 55% of those with children in grades K-8 say they are satisfied with the high school options available within BPS. Black parents (46%) and white (45%) parents are especially unlikely to say they are satisfied with BPS’s offerings, while 67% of Latino and Asian parents are satisfied. Among parents of current high school students, 36% said they considered finding a new school for their child during the past school year.
When asked on an open-ended basis what matters in choosing a high school, education quality and safety rose to the top of parent priorities.
These are some of the key findings of the latest wave of the BPS parents survey series conducted by The MassINC Polling Group and sponsored by the Shah Family Foundation. The survey is the 7th wave in a series that began in summer 2021 and includes 841 parents. Each wave of the series includes oversamples of Black, Latino, and AAPI parents of K-12 students in the BPS system.
The poll also found just 52% of parents say their child’s school offers enough extracurriculars like art and music, and 45% say there are enough afterschool sports. Even among parents of high schoolers, where sports are more common, just 53% say there are enough. Extracurriculars are closely linked to overall school experience and ratings. Among parents who give BPS an A overall, 63% say there are enough extracurriculars, while just 42% of those offering a D or F say the same. Parents who are satisfied with their high school options are also much more likely to say there are enough extracurriculars where their child is now.
High school parents would also like to see more advanced placement (AP) offerings. Just 58% said their child’s schools offered enough AP classes. White parents were more likely to report enough AP classes (73%), while parents of color (53%) were more likely to either say there were none at all, not enough, or that they were uncertain as to the offerings. There were also gaps by educational level in terms of satisfaction with AP courses. Parents with more education are more likely to say their children's schools have enough AP classes and are less likely to be unsure as to the offerings (see chart).
The poll also asked about BPS commitments to transform the lives of children and to partner with the community, families, and students. Fewer parents now say BPS is living up to its commitments “very well” compared to past waves, reflecting a steady decline on both measures going back to summer 2021. (see chart). Parents are also now less likely to say BPS makes them feel welcome or that BPS enables them to be “very engaged” with their child’s education than in any past wave.
Despite these declines, overall, satisfaction with BPS remains at levels similar to past waves, with 35% of parents saying they are “very satisfied” and another 39% saying “somewhat satisfied”. Similarly, 69% offer an A or B when asked to grade their child’s school and 51% offer BPS as a whole an A or B. Both figures are close to past waves of the survey.
About the poll: These results are based on 7 waves of survey data going back to 2021 looking at the views and experiences of parents of K-12 Boston Public Schools students. Live telephone and online interviews for this wave were conducted in English and Spanish July 17 – August 3, 2023. Telephone respondents were reached by both landline and cell phone. Oversamples of Black, Latino, and AAPI respondents were obtained to bring the total interview count up to at least 200 for Black and Latino parents, and at least 100 AAPI parents. Results within race and ethnicity were weighted to age, gender, and education level for each group. Groups were then combined and weighted to the population parameters for public school parents in the city as a whole. The first two waves were sponsored by Populace, and subsequent waves by The Shah Family Foundation.
About The MassINC Polling Group: The MassINC Polling Group is a nonpartisan public opinion research firm serving public, private, and social-sector clients. MPG elevates the public's voice with cutting edge methods and rigorous analysis. Based in Boston, MPG serves a nationwide client base.