Take Me to the Pilot

In a move that surprise no one, the state Board of Education today voted to make the Academy School a pilot school.

The designation gives the school -- one of four to be given pilot status today -- some flexibility in day length, staffing, and other areas. The move is in response to the school's struggles in recent years. Local officials endorsed the change earlier this year, and the state gave the final go-ahead today.

Hopefully the pilot program, which has been successful in Boston, can be a success here. And if it is, hopefully the lessons learned can be used in the rest of the city's schools.