Leading Together

The Lawrence Community Partnerships Case Study

In 2012, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education moved to address the chronically low performance of the Lawrence Public Schools by placing the district in receivership. Jeff Riley, the leader appointed to transform the system, immediately set about extending the school day to offer students a wider array of learning opportunities. A central read more

Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities

Leading Together

The Five District Partnership Case Study

Ben Forman and Amy Dain

Leading Together: The Five District Partnership Case Study describes a collaborative venture developed by the Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere and Winthrop school districts in response to the challenge of student mobility. Every year, thousands of students move among the schools in these neighboring cities, creating major disruptions in learning, as documented by previous MassINC research. read more

Topic(s): Gateway Cities

Exploring the Potential for Pretrial Innovation in Massachusetts

Ben Forman and Alexander Jones

Many states involved in Justice Reinvestment—a data-driven approach to reduce incarceration and increase public safety—have taken aim at the practice of holding defendants on cash bail. These efforts are backed by research that shows many defendants held in jail awaiting trial do not pose a serious risk. Keeping low-risk defendants out of jail allows states read more

Topic(s): Criminal Justice, Research

Building Community-Wide Social and Emotional Support Systems in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Assessing Progress from the Perspective of Local Educators

Ben Forman, Sonia Bouvier and Christina Citino

Social and emotional support systems are a key pillar of the vision for education that Gateway City leaders developed collectively in 2013. These systems protect at-risk children who, without effective intervention, face difficulties that can result in enormous costs for entire cities. The universal learning experiences at the core of these systems are equally important. read more

Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities

Looking for Leadership

Public Opinion in Massachusetts on the Response to Global Warming

Ben Forman, Rich Parr and Steve Koczela

Massachusetts residents “strongly support” a wide range of policies to combat and prepare for global warming, including investing in renewable energy and public transit. This support stems from broad belief that the effects of global warming are either already underway, or have already begun, and will be damaging for Massachusetts – three-quarters think Massachusetts will read more

Topic(s): Environment, Public Opinion

Crime, Cost & Consequences

A Two Year Progress Report

Ben Forman and John Larivee

In 2013, MassINC issued Crime, Cost, and Consequences, a comprehensive look at the performance of the state’s criminal justice system. At the Second Annual Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Coalition Summit, we issued this update. These new figures show steady progress in some areas, while other problems identified in the 2013 report continue to present stubborn read more

Topic(s): Criminal Justice, Research

At the Apex

The 2030 Educational Attainment Forecast and Implications for Bay State Policy Makers

Mark Melnik, Lindsay Koshgarian, Dan Hodge, Hinlan Wong and Ryan Wallace

This analysis draws attention to the problem the Massachusetts economy will confront as the large and highly skilled Baby Boom generation ages out of the state’s workforce. To help inform policymakers at this critical juncture, the report examines the drivers of recent gains in educational attainment and projects skill levels in Massachusetts out to 2030. read more

Topic(s): Education

Going for Growth

Enhancing the Economic Impact of Public Transit in Gateway Cities with Comprehensive Service Planning

Ben Forman, Megan Aki, Mary Ebeling and Rich Parr

This new policy brief examines how best practices in transit planning can benefit Massachusetts’s Regional Transit Authorities. Massachusetts’s Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) have an opportunity to improve their existing service and make the case for more funding from the state by making the most of a new planning requirement from the legislature. That’s the key read more

Topic(s): Strong Communities, Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities

Ready for Reform?

Public Opinion on Criminal Justice in Massachusetts

Ben Forman, Rich Parr and Steve Koczela

This full report expands on the findings presented at MassINC’s Criminal Justice Summit with Gov. Patrick in February 2013. The research – a poll of Massachusetts residents and four focus groups, conducted by the non-partisan MassINC Polling Group – shows that Bay Staters want a criminal justice system that is effective at reducing crimes through read more

Topic(s): Criminal Justice, Public Opinion

Going for Growth

Promoting Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Ben Forman and Sandra Larson

This policy brief explores opportunities to leverage the energy immigrant-owned businesses bring to Gateway Cities as an economic development strategy. Immigrant-owned shops are already revitalizing downtowns in Gateway Cities across the state. These small storefront businesses could become launching pads to larger enterprises, providing an even greater contribution to local and regional economic development. But read more

Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Economic Development, Gateway Cities

|<< 5 6 7 8 9 >>|