Cooperatives are enterprises owned by the people who use their services, such as the workers or consumers. In East Boston, cooperatives work to ensure adequate housing and health care, work with dignity, and resistance to discrimination and wealth inequities. Democratic education is central to their operation, for residents in the community, the…

Universal prekindergarten (UPK) programs often expand through mixed-delivery systems by offering seats in public schools and community-based centers (CBOs). Although this approach aims to meet varied family needs, little is known about potential systematic differences between CBOs that apply to UPK programs and those that do not. We examined…

Informal science learning centers (ISLCs) like zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens are trusted community assets and perceived as critical sites for learning outside the classroom for multigenerational learners. Moreover, their role in engaging the public in critical topics, such as climate change is widely recognized. As extreme weather events…

There is growing evidence that out-of-school factors, such as physical and mental health, family support, and social and emotional development, significantly affect student learning (Berliner 2009). To address challenges related to poverty, schools are being charged with serving as a focal point in providing and coordinating support services for…

Currently available measures of PreK classroom quality inconsistently predict gains in children's outcomes. Extant measures may not capture the full range of instructional practices--including the degree to which children are exposed to rich content and cognitively demanding instruction--that are important for supporting the development of early…

Nearly all states with public prekindergarten programs use mixed-delivery systems, with classrooms in both public schools and community-based settings. However, experts have long raised concerns about systematic inequities by setting within these public systems. We used data from five large-scale such systems that have taken steps to improve…

During the spring of 2020, two months into the global COVID-19 pandemic, four leading CBOs in Boston--the YMCA of Greater Boston, Latinos For Education (LFE), Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), and The BASE--came together to discuss what they can do to help underserved children in the city experiencing education disruption. In response to the…

Opportunity Works is a national initiative to dramatically improve the life trajectories of low-income young people ages 16 to 24 who are not in school or working. This population, often called "opportunity youth," comprises a significant segment of America's potential workforce. Yet they are also the young men and women who face the…

In the fall of 2009, the Boston Foundation announced a new strategic framework, "Thriving People, Vibrant Places", to guide much of its work for the next five years. The framework had its roots in a larger strategic direction first taken by the Foundation's Board of Directors in 2001. At that time, the Board believed the Boston…

Supporting the postsecondary success of all students is essential for enhancing the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities, as well as building a healthy economy. The city of Boston has an extensive system of college access and success resources that help students pursue one route to postsecondary success--obtaining a college…

This interim progress report provides a look at Turnaround Arts schools in their first year, including: (1) a summary of the evaluation design and research questions; (2) a preliminary description of strategies used to introduce the arts in Turnaround Arts schools; and (3) a summary of school reform indicators and student achievement data at…

THE REPORT POINTS OUT THAT, IN GENERAL, CHRONIC PROBLEM PARENTS GREW UP IN ENVIRONMENTS OF EMOTIONAL IMPOVERISHMENT, INCONSISTENCY, CONFUSION, AND DISORDER, OFTEN WITH DEPRIVATION OF FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER. THESE PARENTS CATEGORIZE PEOPLE AS THOSE WHO GIVE AND THOSE WHO TAKE. THEY BLAME THEIR PROBLEMS ON EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES NOT UNDER THEIR…

THE OVERALL GOAL OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION WAS TO REALIZE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TRIED TO HAVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, FROM THE TOP EXECUTIVE TO THE SLUM TENANT DWELLER, REPRESENTED AT ALL MEETINGS. THIS NEW CITY-WIDE CIVIC AGENCY, ENTITLED ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY…

A coalition of Boston universities, health care providers, and community agencies established academic-community health centers that combine service, education, and research. The centers give nursing students opportunities to learn in a community-based primary-care model. (SK)

Briefly summarizes the history of the Boston Chinese and focuses on their present social and economic problems and the programs developing to deal with the problems. (JM)