“Don’t Just Give. Solve.” The Boston Foundation Embraces Innovation and Constant Learning in Pursuit of Educational Equity

In the spring of 2008, many people in Massachusetts who cared about public education – especially those who believed that a high-quality education was the key to bridging inequities in society – were feeling hopeful. After years of effort, there were encouraging signs of progress in improving educational outcomes for students who had historically struggled. Nowhere was this a more urgent priority than in places like Boston, where three-quarters of the students in public schools were black or Hispanic and more than 70 percent were economically disadvantaged. This report focuses on the work of the Boston Foundation has accomplished in terms of embracing innovation and constant learning in pursuit of educational equity.