The Changing Face of Massachusetts

Andy Sum, Johan Uvin, Ishwar Khatiwada, Sheila Palma, Paulo Tobar, Frimpomaa Ampaw and Greg Leiserson

The Changing Face of Massachusetts is a joint project of MassINC and the Center for Labor Market Studies and was made possible by the generous support of a number of sponsors, including the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Verizon, Citizens Bank, Polaroid, and Bank of America’s Frank W. and Carl S. Adams Memorial Fund. The demographics read more

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

Reaching Capacity

A Blueprint for the State Role in Improving Low Performing Schools and Districts

Andrew Churchill, Jennifer Candon, Celine Coggins, Bridget Terry Long and Kathryn McDermott

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993 sparked an unprecedented era of reform activity in schools and districts that continues to this day. Over the past decade, the state has more than doubled its local aid to schools and districts, and held local entities accountable by creating standards and assessments on which the progress read more

Topic(s): Education, Strong Communities

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Sector

An Economic Profile

Rachel Deyette Werkema and Greg Leiserson

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Sector: An Economic Profile, made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Charitable Giving Program/Alice P. Chase Trust and The Boston Foundation, and in partnership with the University College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University. This new report shows that Massachusetts nonprofits contribute substantially to the Bay State economy. read more

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

MASS.commuting

MassINC

MASS.commuting was produced in partnership with the UMass Donahue Institute and generously sponsored by MassHousing. Our analysis of U.S. Census data reveals that the morning and evening commutes are rapidly worsening compared to the rest of the nation, a situation that erodes our qualify of life and economic health. Massachusetts commutes are getting worse faster read more

Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Transportation

Massachusetts Charter Schools and Their Feeder Districts

A Demographic Analysis

Adam Friedman

The Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy at MassINC today issued a report detailing the results of its recent study exploring the demographic profiles of charter schools in Massachusetts as compared to the districts from which they draw students. This analysis of student population data informs the ongoing debate on the funding, effectiveness, and read more

Topic(s): Education, Strong Communities, Research

Examining State Intervention Capacity

How Can the State Better Support Low Performing Schools & Districts?

Ben Forman

State accountability systems and the No Child Left Behind Act force policymakers and the public, alike, to recognize the large numbers of schools that are failing to educate all students to high standards. More schools and districts than ever are being identified as low performing, and the problem requires substantial, systemic action from the state. read more

Topic(s): Education, Strong Communities

The Graying of Massachusetts

Aging, the New Rules of Retirement, and the Changing Workforce

Andy Eschtruth, Natalia Jivan, Tatiana Mihailovschi-Muntean, Amy Chasse, Alicia Munnell, Kevin E. Cahill, Mauricio Soto, Kevin Meme, Steven A. Sass and Greg Wiles

Many Massachusetts workers will face a stark choice in the coming years: Retire later or retire with less money. Our findings show that powerful trends are converging at once to alter the retirement landscape: An aging population that has not saved enough must adjust to new Social Security rules that delay full benefits from the read more

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

The Pursuit of Happiness

A Survey on the Quality of Life in Massachusetts

Larry Hugick and Jenny Armeni

The Pursuit of Happiness: A Survey on the Quality of Life in Massachusetts highlights data from a 1,001-person statewide poll conducted for MassINC by Princeton Survey Research Associates (margin of error: + or – 3%). Respondents were asked more than 60 questions related to their own and the state’s quality of life, their views on read more

Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Economic Development, Public Opinion, Research

Pathways to Graduation

Supporting All Students to Mastery A Retrospective Look at the Class of 2003

Jennifer Candon, Celine Coggins and S. Paul Reville

The aspirations of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act are ambitious, but clear — to provide every student with an opportunity to learn and achieve mastery at a high standard of academic proficiency. Since the legislation’s passage, considerable time, effort, and resources have been dedicated to achieving this lofty goal, and substantial progress has been read more

Topic(s): Education, Strong Communities, New Skills for a New Economy

Improving Early Childhood Education

Framing the Options and Imperatives for State Action Policy Brief

Celine Coggins and S. Paul Reville

Across the nation, early childhood education and care has suffered from poorly organized service delivery systems, inadequate funding, and insufficient attention by the policymakers. The result is a complicated system plagued by competing interests that is in need of reform and alignment. The field’s capacity to meet the needs of children and families has been read more