Poll: Many BPS parents still in the dark on new Boston Public Schools facilities plans
Lower income households, people of color report hearing far less about plans to revamp BPS facilities.
Just half of Boston Public Schools parents say they know a great deal (17%) or a fair amount (33%) about plans to close and merge some BPS schools. Latino parents are least likely to be informed about the plans (see chart). There are also considerable socioeconomic differences in the data, with upper income parents and those with more education reporting far more knowledge on the topic.
BPS parents are split on the need to close some schools, with 45% in support and 48% opposed. Merging schools (63% support), renovations (92%) and modernization (90%) draw far more support. Less than half (40%) think their own child’s school would be affected, though 23% are unsure. Many parents see a need for work to be done. Just over half (58%) think their children’s schools are in either good or great condition, while 40% say they are either ok, poor, or terrible.
The survey was sponsored by The Shah Family Foundation and conducted by The MassINC Polling Group. It was the 9th in a series of BPS parent surveys going back to Summer 2021 and was released as the 50th anniversary of the landmark court decision approaches. Each wave of the survey series includes oversamples of Black, Latino, and Asian parents in Boston, offering unique and in-depth insight into Boston parent perceptions and experiences. The poll also looked at parents’ connections to the era of court-ordered busing.
About the poll: These results are based on the 9th wave of survey data looking at the views and experiences of parents of K-12 Boston Public Schools students from 2021 to 2024. For this wave, a total of 893 live telephone and online interviews were conducted in English and Spanish March 21 – April 15, 2024. Telephone respondents were reached by both landline and cell phone. Oversamples of Black, Latino, and Asian respondents were obtained to bring the total interview count up to at least 200 for Black and Latino parents, and at least 100 Asian parents. Results within race and ethnicity were weighted to population parameters for 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 poll was sponsored by The Shah Family Foundation.
About The MassINC Polling Group: 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.