The Boston Compact
Originally formed in 1982 at the urging of the business community, the Boston Compact joined Boston business leaders, the Mayor of Boston, the Boston Public Schools (BPS), and local higher education institutions in an effort to improve student achievement in the city’s public schools. The Compact developed a unique shared accountability agreement wherein contributions from each stakeholder were contingent upon each other. The corporate sector contributed summer jobs, internships, and priority hiring; the higher education community provided scholarships and preferred admissions; and Boston Public Schools was expected to produce increased test scores, higher classroom attendance, and a reduced drop out rate. Similar compacts followed in 1982, 1989, 1994, and 2000. Though, today, the compact is less visible in formal form, the spirit of the collaborative efforts and commitments serves as the impetus for current initiatives.
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