Achievement Gap

December 28, 2010

New Report: Poor Education Can Prevent Entry to Military

We have long known that an inadequate education prevents far too many young people in this country from getting into college and attaining a job with decent pay.  A surprising new study finds it also blocks another critical pathway to […]
March 14, 2011

Boston Renaissance Inspires

MBAE Board Members and staff were treated to an inspiring tour of the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School recently that reminded me of why it is so critical to extend these unique educational opportunities to more students and their families. […]
March 18, 2011

Student Achievement is Key to Educator Evaluation

For the past seven months, a 40-member Task Force has been working to recommend a new teacher evaluation system to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).  MBAE’s executive director represented the business community in this effort but MBAE […]
October 12, 2011

Analysis of Teacher Policies in Springfield Public Schools

An analysis of Springfield Public Schools teacher policies and practices was conducted by the National Council on Teacher Quality for MBAE and Springfield Business Leaders for Education. The report found that improving the teacher evaluation system so that all teachers get feedback is critical, seniority rules are hurting new teacher recruitment, and the $127 million the district spends on compensation must be used more strategically.
February 14, 2012

Value of Evaluation: A Teacher’s Perspective

When Will started the school year in my ninth grade Math class at Chelsea High School he had significant gaps in his math skills. He is one of the 16 million children in our country growing up in poverty and, […]
March 1, 2012

Why Mentoring Youth is Good for Business and Education

By Rich Greif, Director of Marketing & Partnerships and Zeeba Khalili, School Partnership Associate, Mass Mentoring Partnership Massachusetts’ future depends on today’s youth developing the 21st century academic, professional, and interpersonal skills critical to success in our evolving economy. Yet […]
April 23, 2012

How A First Year Teacher Uses Data to Drive Instruction

This post is part of series by Teach for America corps members teaching in Massachusetts schools. In my first year of teaching, I have found nothing quite as influential to my practice as using data to drive instruction. Collecting student […]
July 2, 2012

Key Drivers of Successful School Turnarounds

(The Boston Globe recently featured a story about the struggles of turning around a failing school.  We are pleased to give Scott Given, the CEO of nonprofit school turnaround organization Unlocking Potential, an opportunity to highlight a successful effort.) It […]
October 2, 2012

Teacher Sets High Expectations For Students

This post is part of a series by Teach for America corps members teaching in Massachusetts schools. Throughout elementary and middle school, my dad often dropped me off in the carpool line.  And each morning, before he let me say […]
December 3, 2012

Youth Unemployment in Massachusetts Doubles

Education and access to employment opportunities during teen and young adult  years help young adults obtain the job readiness skills that they will need for long-term success. A report released today by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center and The Annie E. Casey […]
March 25, 2013

Technology Can Supercharge School Improvement

It has become a truism to say that schools are the only sector that citizens of 2013 could visit that would look like they did 150 years ago, when fewer students graduated from high school or college.  Yet today society […]
August 12, 2013

AP Opportunities Reveal Participation Gaps

Participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs has increased significantly over the past decade, but participation data indicates that not all qualified students are benefiting from AP programs.  Students can earn college credit if they score strongly […]
November 7, 2013

MBAE to Wage Campaign to Raise Student Achievement

Massachusetts has made dramatic gains in student achievement over the past twenty years through the systematic implementation of cutting edge reforms.  Today, our students lead the nation on national and international assessments. Although the state’s performance is impressive and envied […]
March 24, 2014

The New Opportunity to Lead

In the Constitution adopted in 1780 and in force today, the people of Massachusetts recognized that the “opportunities and advantages of education” were “necessary for the preservation of their rights had liberties,” and directed the representatives of the people to […]
August 20, 2015

Independence: A Recommendation for School Reform

As we celebrate Independence Day, many school districts are bringing on new leaders who have plans and ambitions for improving the education opportunities for students in their communities.  The Superintendent’s job is a tough one – demanding the skill of a diplomat, […]
November 12, 2015

Time to Move to PARCC

The Mass Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will make a major decision regarding standardized testing for the Commonwealth next Tuesday, November 17th. Massachusetts led standards-based education reform twenty years ago by establishing the highest set of education standards in the […]
May 20, 2016

Challenge Filling Jobs

In this issue:  MBAE Members in Action | News Worth Highlighting “In the first five years of the 2010 Challenge, we’ve learned that creating jobs is not the constraint; filling them is.  Massachusetts companies cannot fill current open job requisitions […]