Planning for College

A Consumer Approach to the Higher Education Marketplace

C. Anthony Broh
The place of college in the lives of current and future generations of American families has fun­damentally changed. Once the privilege of a few, college is now a virtual prerequisite for joining and remaining in the ranks of the middle class. This economic reality means more students con­tinue their education beyond high school each year. read more
Topic(s): Education, Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities

Going for Growth

Promoting Residential Reinvestment in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Benjamin Forman
Promoting Residential Reinvestment in Massachusetts Gateway Cities, the second brief in a series exploring evidence-based policy innovations to spur reinvestment and renewal in the state’s key regional cities. This paper examines state housing spending over the last 15 years and finds that programs designed primarily to increase affordability in strong markets have not been able read more
Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Economic Development, Gateway Cities

Building for the Future

Foundations for a Springfield Comprehensive Growth Strategy

Ben Forman, John Schneider, Ed Lambert and Jason Silva
Springfield has enormous assets, but like other midsize cities throughout the Northeast and Midwest, it struggles to get past decades of disinvestment brought on by manufacturing decline and residential disinvestment. To rebuild and reposition for the knowledge economy, communities like Springfield need long-term strategies – plans that address challenges and leverage opportunities by channeling resources read more
Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Economic Development, Gateway Cities

Incomplete Grade

Massachusetts Education Reform at 15

tomdownes and jeffzabel
In a world defined by rapid change and increasing global competition, education must be a top priority for Massachusetts and the nation. Fifteen years ago, Massachusetts made a bold commitment to raise the educational standards of all children in Massachusetts with the passage of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA). Since then, the state read more
Topic(s): Education, Strong Communities, Elections

Capital Gains

Avoiding Harm to the State Budget

E. Cameron (Cam) Huff
Governor Deval Patrick recently took dramatic action to repair a $1.4 billion deficit in the state budget, a hole that is roughly the size of the state’s annual spending on higher education. The plan to fill the gap includes $1 billion in spending cuts and the layoff of 1,000 employees. The need to act has read more
Topic(s): Government Accountability

Great Expectations

A survey of young adults in Massachusetts

Dawn Crossland Sumners, Stacy DiAngelo and Larry Hugick
This project was made possible by the generous support of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts with MassHousing and State Street Foundation. This groundbreaking survey represents the first of its kind for our state-and we believe the first nationally. The choices of young adults about where to live and work are critical to our state’s read more
Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Economic Development, Public Opinion

Point of Reckoning

Two Decades of State Budget Trends

E. Cameron (Cam) Huff
The Massachusetts state budget has reached a point of reckoning. First and foremost, a stubborn structural imbalance threatens the state’s ability to manage or grow current programs and services. Spending increases are outpacing revenue growth, with health care voraciously consuming a more generous slice of the fiscal pie. This imbalance is exacerbated by volatility in read more
Topic(s): Government Accountability

Mass Jobs

Meeting the Challenges of a Shifting Economy

Andy Sum, Ishwar Khatiwada, Sheila Palma, Paulo Tobar and Jacqui Motroni
The Massachusetts economy is the envy of many other states. It consistently ranks among the top in measures of New Economy success. We rank near the top of the nation in our level of labor productivity and have outpaced the nation in recent years in the rate of growth (11.5% versus 10.6%). We have the read more
Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Economic Development

Reconnecting Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Lessons Learned and an Agenda for Renewal

Ben Forman, Eric McLean Shinaman, John Schneider, Mark Muro, Ed Lambert, Rebecca Sohmer, Greg Leiserson and David Warren
Massachusetts has enjoyed one of the most successful economic transitions to a knowledge-based economy anywhere in the world over the last two decades. Statewide trends describe a solid economic turnaround, built on strong institutions, soaring educational attainment and the emergence of knowledge-based industries with high-paying jobs. Yet these broader trends obscure stark geographical variations within read more
Topic(s): Strong Communities, Economic Development, Gateway Cities
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