Case Study: Boston Public Schools Achieves Greater Confidence in Rigorous Instruction with Goalbook

Boston Public Schools Partners with Goalbook to Realize Rigor for All Students

Boston Public Schools faced the challenge of implementing more rigorous, cognitively demanding instruction to prepare students for college and careers. A significant perception existed that such rigorous learning was too difficult and exclusive to high-achieving students, with only 28% of teachers initially feeling comfortable planning and delivering this type of instruction. The district partnered with the vendor Goalbook to address this challenge and utilize their Goalbook Pathways service, which combines online resources with professional development.

Goalbook implemented a solution that included professional development workshops and access to the Goalbook Pathways online tool. The workshops equipped teachers with strategies, grounded in frameworks like Universal Design for Learning and Webb's Depth of Knowledge, to design differentiated, rigorous lessons accessible to all students. The measurable impact was substantial, as teacher comfort levels with implementing cognitively demanding tasks surged from 28% to 92% after the training, demonstrating significant growth in their instructional capabilities.

Boston Public Schools

Deborah O.

Teacher