5 ideas for generating better school district improvement plans

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City educators returned to school following the winter break pinching themselves. Just before the holidays, Gov. Baker signed the Student Opportunity Act (SOA), a landmark bill that promises to deliver $1.4 billion annually in new state aid. Districts now have until April 1 to file spending plans with the state detailing how they will

With education bill-signing, cheers and challenges

State now must maintain funding and ensure it’s well spent

AFTER YEARS OF false starts and Beacon Hill standoffs on a growing funding crisis that has seen school districts shed hundreds of teachers and pare back vital curriculum offerings to balance budgets, Gov. Charlie Baker signed landmark legislation on Tuesday committing the state to $1.5 billion in new aid to Massachusetts schools.  There was a

MassINC Insights, Part II

Gateways Episode 40

In this second installment of MassINC Insights, we hear from the journalists and thought leaders of MassINC about the education funding debate.As lawmakers on Beacon Hill approach agreement on a school finance package, MassINC members dig in to the history of Massachusetts school funding that’s led

A guide to help Gateway City schools capitalize on a major opportunity

The Gateway Cities Journal

This morning Gateway City leaders received hopeful news when the Joint Committee on Education unveiled a $1.5 billion plan to bring state aid in line with the resource needs of K-12 public school districts over a seven-year period. In the words of the State House News Service, Gateway Cities have been waiting 1,400 days for this announcement.

MassINC Research Provides Common Ground for Win-Win Chapter 70 Compromise

Uncovering the need for more focus and attention on local accountability

The dog days of summer are here. While parents, students, and a good number of teachers try to put school far out of mind, Massachusetts legislators are under the golden dome working through a once-in-a-generation education aid package. The sticking point seems to be “accountability”—some want schools to accept more supervision from the state in

Caradonio and the Lowell Citywide Family Council

Gateways Episode 24

The last installment in our local education accountability series begins with reflections from Ben and Juana on the journey. Then Jim Caradonio, former Superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools, visits MassINC to share lessons from his long career in public education.

In Holyoke, arts education takes front seat

Non-profit helps integrate creativity into the regular curriculum

SIX-YEAR-OLD JUAN patted an inflatable ball as he peered out of his blue-rimmed glasses. Which way to send the ball? What could he knock down? Juan was playing “human bowling” in Kat Lorenzi’s kindergarten class in Holyoke. The objective was to get the ball to bounce off a few of his classmates, and figure out

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