"Superintendents would gain broad new powers to make dramatic changes at the state’s worst schools, including the removal of ineffective teachers, under the education bill approved by the House early yesterday."
The bill, which must now be reconciled with a version approved by the Senate late last year, would also give Boston the right to open and control four charter schools without union approval.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino had aggressively sought that concession for months, making phone calls to key House leaders during their marathon session that ended early yesterday morning.
At a press conference outside his City Hall office yesterday morning, Menino said the bill was “made in heaven.’’
“This is a new era for all of us when it comes to public education,’’ Menino said, surrounded by city school leaders and legislators.
Other education leaders were more reserved in their response as they tried to unravel - and, in some cases, just to get a copy of - the flurry of last-minute