The charter funding debate

Lots of the conflict is over short-term vs. long-term picture

IN THE HIGH-STAKES battle over charter school expansion, the impact of charters on school finances has come front and center. Supporters of Question 2, which would allow up to 12 new charter schools or expansion of 12 existing schools per year, argue that the funding formula for charter schools holds districts harmless when students move

Establishing Principles for Accountability

Perspectives from small-to-midsize urban districts and their allies

The Next Generation Accountability Learning Community (NGALC) is a group of roughly two dozen New England education leaders who have come together to look at the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) from the perspective of small-to-midsize urban districts. Members of the NGALC gathered twice this summer to hear from experts and exchange ideas on this

Exploring Foundational Questions For Next Generation Accountability

These reflections have been prepared by the staff of the Next Generation Accountability Learning Community (NGALC). The NGALC is a group of roughly two dozen New England educators interested in the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) from the perspective of small-to-midsize urban districts. In the pages that follow, we summarize foundational questions

NGALC Meeting #3 Recap  

Hearing the voice of urban school leaders

NGALC members gathered on September 20th for a third and final meeting. Unlike the other sessions, there were no expert presentations. This gathering focused on hearing from the members and hashing out their thinking on next generation accountability after three months of reflecting together on the opportunities and challenges ESSA presents. For the first two sessions,

NGALC Meeting 2 Recap

Measuring social-emotional skills, school climate, and CCR

Last Thursday, the NGALC convened to look at how next generation accountability frameworks integrate college and career readiness, school climate, and social-emotional skills. The group’s discussion pivoted on how accountability policies ensure that we don’t undercut nonacademic learning, while avoiding the unintended consequences that the introduction of high-stakes measures can produce. Our expert presenters explored

Entering the fray on education accountability

The Gateway Cities Journal

Recently MassINC convened education leaders from across New England for a dialogue on redesigning state accountability frameworks to comply with the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). We’ll be bringing this group together for several dialogues focused on how states should approach accountability with particular attention to Gateway Cities. The arguments are compelling: small-to-midsize

NGALC Meeting 1 Recap

Measuring Academic Achievement and Student Growth

On June 29th, MassINC hosted the first meeting of the Next Generation Accountability Learning Community for small to midsize urban districts. State and local education leaders from across New England gathered to discuss the opportunities presented by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Session one focused on measuring academic achievement and student growth. Ryan Reyna

Marilyn Flores and Kevin Zeno

This Week’s Gateway Cities Leaders

Cities are shaped by their citizens. From New Bedford to Pittsfield, passionate young leaders are spearheading innovative efforts to reinvent their communities for a new generation. The Gateway Cities Leaders series profiles their work and introduces their ideas, visions, and aspirations to the wider Gateway City world. Is there a young leader in your city

Harnessing the ‘Third Way’ to improve communities

The Gateway Cities Journal

When I was in graduate school studying urban planning in the early-2000s, there was a lot of talk about how cities need “good” schools, but surprisingly little discussion or study about how you build community to nurture a good school, and vice versa. Luckily, I had the opportunity to work for a professor engaged in

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