For the past 12 months, MassINC has been focused on the potential the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers to further educational excellence in our Gateway Cities. This work builds on over a decade of MassINC research on education accountability, including the seminal report Incomplete Grade: Education Reform at 15.

Our efforts to promote informed debate on how Massachusetts implements ESSA began one year ago with an event at Clark University featuring Sen. Warren, a major figure in the development of the new federal law. During the summer, we convened a learning community with education leaders from across New England. In the Fall, we published research summarizing lessons from the learning community and commissioned a public opinion poll. Our 12-month journey concluded with a series of community forums hosted with local partners in every corner of the state.

In providing comments to Commissioner Chester on the state’s draft ESSA implementation plan, we reflected on all of this activity and summarized key thoughts on the future of education accountability in Massachusetts with a focus on the needs of our inclusive Gateway City school districts.