Research & Insights / Higginson-Lewis K-8 School: A 2026 School on the Move Seminfinalist

Higginson-Lewis K-8 School: A 2026 School on the Move Seminfinalist

The Higginson-Lewis K-8 School in Roxbury serves 250 students, 96.7% of whom are classified as high needs. The school's improvement story demonstrates what is possible when a community commits to continuous improvement by strengthening school culture, supporting teachers in implementing high-quality instructional materials, and developing systems that meet the needs of every learner.

School leaders recognized that meaningful academic improvement could only occur at the Higginson-Lewis if students felt connected to and excited about attending school. In the 2021–22 school year, attendance challenges indicated that many students had not yet experienced school this way. A cornerstone of Higginson-Lewis's improvement efforts has been an intentional focus on culture, community, and belonging. Staff proactively focus on school values, establish clear expectations and routines, and create opportunities for joyful student experiences. Guided by a renewed emphasis on the arts, community building, and student voice, the school has worked to cultivate an environment where students can thrive both academically and personally. The school's Attendance Team developed systems to strengthen outreach and support across all attendance tiers, with a particular focus on family engagement. These efforts produced measurable results. Between 2022 and 2025, family survey participation increased by 176%, reflecting significantly stronger family engagement. During the same period, positive responses related to belonging increased by 23 percentage points.

Another key driver of improvement has been the school's focus on supporting teachers’ implementation of high-quality instructional materials. The Higginson-Lewis has prioritized teacher support through coaching cycles, collaborative planning time, and partnership with Region 4 support. Coaches model effective instructional practices, co-plan lessons, and serve as partners in improving instruction. Coaching has focused on maintaining grade-level rigor, preserving cognitive demand, addressing misconceptions, and meeting the needs of diverse learners. In 2022, only 31% of staff responded positively to the survey question, "Overall, how much do you learn about teaching from leaders?", By 2025, that figure had more than doubled to 77%.

Higginson-Lewis serves a diverse population of learners, many of whom require additional academic supports. School leaders faced the challenge of ensuring students received the interventions they needed while maintaining access to grade-level learning. To address this challenge, the school strengthened its Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) implementation, using data to identify needs, monitor progress, and provide targeted interventions. Student work, assessment results, and Tier 1 instructional data are regularly analyzed to evaluate instruction effectiveness and identify where additional support is needed. This systematic approach allows educators to respond quickly when students are not making sufficient progress, while keeping grade-level expectations at the center of instruction. As a result, Higginson-Lewis has seen significant growth among its learners with the highest needs.

The school's disciplined use of data, combined with strong instruction and a culture of belonging, provides a powerful example of how schools can improve outcomes for all students. These practices are both impactful and highly transferable across Boston Public Schools and other high needs educational settings.