Reconnecting Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Lessons Learned and an Agenda for Renewal

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

Paying for College

The Rising Cost of Higher Education

At the same time that a college education has become the ticket to the middle class, college has become less affordable. The situation in New England is worse than it is nationally. Even though incomes are higher in the region, families are likely spending a higher share of their income to pay for college. In

The Changing Face of Massachusetts

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

Reaching Capacity

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

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

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Sector

An Economic Profile

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.

Massachusetts Charter Schools and Their Feeder Districts

A Demographic Analysis

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

MASS.commuting

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

Examining State Intervention Capacity

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

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.

The Graying of Massachusetts

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

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

The Pursuit of Happiness

A Survey on the Quality of Life in Massachusetts

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

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