Boston Sets Bold Goals

Posted by Bridget Marquis on July 07, 2010

The recently announced Boston Opportunity Agenda has set specific short term and ambitious goals to increase educational attainment in the city and is holding nonprofits accountable for meeting these goals.  The Agenda represents a new city-wide ambition and a major public-private partnership among the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, foundations and nonprofit organizations.  Paul Grogan, President and CEO of The Boston Foundation and chairman of CEOs for Cities is behind the partnership along with funding partners Catholic Charities, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and the United Way.

By 2014 the Agenda calls for raising the four-year high school graduation rate from the current 61 to 80 percent; increasing the rate of Boston Public School graduates who obtain an Associates degree or higher to 70 percent; quadrupling the percentage of eighth graders who take Algebra I at non-exam schools; and ensuring that 75 percent of preschoolers enter kindergarten with age-appropriate literacy skills, up from the current 54 percent.

It is impressive to see a city setting clear-cut and bold goals to be achieved in the next 48 months with a set of partners willing to take responsibility for their portion of the goal.  Achieving these goals would certainly put Boston on track to attain its $3.4 billion Talent Dividend.