MBAE’s core work – improving the quality of Massachusetts’ public schools by influencing state education policy – was driven by members of the business community convinced that the Commonwealth’s public schools needed substantial reform to produce the quality graduates capable of leading a 21st century democracy and economy. In 1988, Paul Reville, then Executive Director of the Alliance for Education in Worcester, and the late Jack Rennie, met with concerned employers from across the Commonwealth and established MBAE.

Building on the strength of the response from the business community – including statewide organizations such as Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation – and education leaders, MBAE forged ahead with a blueprint for education reform.

By 1991, MBAE had crafted a comprehensive school reform proposal entitled Every Child A Winner! This became the conceptual framework for the Commonwealth’s Education Reform Act of 1993, and MBAE became its strongest advocate. The legislation included the following three components: 1) standards for student learning and measures for accountability; 2) improvements to governance and management structures; and 3) increased financial resources tied to a new, progressive “foundation budget” formula for distributing those resources equitably.

To deliver on the promise of education reform, MBAE has been a vigilant partner in its implementation.

• MBAE has a long history of supporting accountability as an integral element of education reform in Massachusetts. Since the state curriculum frameworks and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests were developed, MBAE has defended the MCAS standard and graduation requirement from challenges both legal and political. We adhere to the pact that was made in 1993 – increased school funding in exchange for standards and accountability for reaching these. In 2006, MBAE supported the Board of Education’s decision to require demonstration of Proficiency – either by MCAS score or in combination with an Educational Proficiency Plan – for all students beginning with the class of 2009.
• MBAE has been involved in monitoring state education funding to ensure that the Act’s core elements are respected. Especially when Massachusetts experiences an economic downturn, it is critical that “foundation level funding” be upheld for all communities. MBAE evaluates all budget proposals to make sure that foundation level spending is protected. MBAE also advocates for the maintenance of other critical state programs, such as MCAS remediation funds, and increasing the capacity of the Department of Education to support under-performing school districts.
• In 2003, MBAE completed a plan calling for vigorous state intervention in school districts that have continuously under-performed despite significant additional funding. The Governor’s Task Force on State Intervention in Under-Performing Districts report drew liberally from the MBAE’s Intervening in Low Performing Districts: An Effective Strategy white paper, and then-Governor Romney pledged to fully implement those parts (approximately 85%) of the Task Force report that could be accomplished by regulation, Legislation was filed to act on the remaining recommendations, which have guided subsequent policies on intervention. Raising student achievement at under-performing schools continues to be a priority of MBAE.

As MBAE enters its third decade, we build on this proud history to articulate the ongoing concerns of employers about educating a 21st century workforce.