 |
Home | About | Programs | Get Involved | Search | Contact
Blog | Investigate | Publications | Press | Videos | Events |
Press › Op-Eds |
|
|
Archambault: One more bureaucracy Author(s): Josh Archambault — Press date: 2012-05-15 Category: Better Government Description: Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives released a bill proposing big changes to how we pay for health care. While it consolidates a few state agencies, the House bill creates a massive new agency, the Division of Health Care Cost and Quality. The Division is given broad regulatory powers that can reach into most aspects of health care. Since the Division’s management will decide where billions of dollars will be directed and how millions of lives are treated, do we trust their judgment? [read more...] GUEST OPINION: Try making heads or tails of Mass. health cost bill Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2012-05-09 Category: Better Government Description: Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives released a bill proposing big changes to how we pay for health care. While it consolidates a few state agencies, the House bill creates a massive new agency, the Division of Health Care Cost and Quality. The division is given broad regulatory powers that can reach into most aspects of health care. Since the Division’s management will decide where billions of dollars will be directed and how millions of lives are treated, do we trust their judgment? [read more...] Leaves of Memory Going Dark Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2012-05-02 Category: Education Description: But a year or so ago, our students started learning 60 percent less about the many great Massachusetts poets and literary figures. That’s because the commonwealth ditched its nation-leading English standards for inferior national standards that will have students reading far less poetry, particularly in high school. Now, via these national education standards, Massachusetts has exactly the same literary expectations as they do in low-performing states like Louisiana, West Virginia and Mississippi. Ironically, in 2007 Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville, who is responsible for us adopting national standards, wrote, “There is compelling evidence on the narrowing of the curriculum.” Hence, it’s hard to understand why he is now leading efforts to weaken our state’s academic goals. [read more...] Romney’s second shot at healthcare reform Author(s): Jim Stergios and Josh Archambault — Press date: 2012-04-03 Category: Better Government Description: Americans believe in second chances. The oral arguments before the Supreme Court last week were a rare opportunity to dispassionately re-examine the divisive healthcare debate of two years ago. What happens if, after the smoke clears, we get a second chance at healthcare reform? We’ve long known that healthcare will be a central theme in the 2012 presidential contest. The High Court’s deliberations and June decision only reinforce that reality for President Obama and Governor Romney. Unlike with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the constitutionality of Governor Romney’s Massachusetts law has never been seriously questioned. States, not the federal government, have police powers, allowing them to require purchases (car insurance, taxes and licensure) and to pass wide-ranging public health laws and public safety laws. The Bay State law enjoys broad popular support. In contrast, the case before the Supreme Court was brought by the majority of states. Regardless of what the Court decides, the PPACA will continue to polarize the country. President Obama may cite Romney’s Massachusetts reform as inspiring his efforts, but there are profound differences in the size, reach and financing of the two laws. Elected just six months after the law’s passage, Romney’s successor, Democratic Governor Deval Patrick, has obscured some of those differences by taking a big government approach to implementation. [read more...] A better path to health reform Author(s): Jim Stergios and Josh Archambault — Press date: 2012-03-29 Category: Better Government Description: This week all eyes are on nine Supreme Court justices as they hear oral arguments on the federal health care law. On trial is more than the Affordable Care Act — before the court is a debate about the roles of the federal and state governments. Will the court uphold federal expansion into historically state regulated and administered programs? Will the federal government have the power to direct individuals to purchase specific products? [read more...] The Way Forward Post-ObamaCare Author(s): Jim Stergios and Josh Archambault — Press date: 2012-03-27 Category: Better Government Description: The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the federal health care law President Obama pushed through Congress two years ago, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The court is expected to issue an opinion by the end of June. Not since the New Deal legislation of the 1930s has an issue of this magnitude regarding the size and reach of the federal government arrived before the court. If the act is struck down in its entirety or even in part, the next president will need to articulate a new health care vision for the country. The way forward should include the following four steps [read more...] Kevin Chavous Author(s): Kevin Chavous — Press date: 2012-03-14 Category: Education Description: A founding board member and senior advisor for the American Federation for Children (AFC). A prolific writer, Mr. Chavous has received strong reviews for his recent book, Voices of Determination. [read more...] Learning from Massachusetts’ health-care experiment Author(s): Jim Stergios and Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2012-03-13 Category: Better Government Description: Former Gov. Mitt Romney has taken considerable heat during the Republican primaries for the health-care legislation that passed while he was in office. Sadly, election-year politics have overshadowed the real lessons of Massachusetts’ experiment. The core question then-Gov. Romney was trying to answer was this: Should Massachusetts continue to pay hospitals more than $1 billion a year to care for the poor, or should it create a way for individuals to purchase their own insurance? [read more...] Patrick’s shell game with the budget Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2012-02-15 Category: Better Government Description: WITH HOUSE Speaker Robert DeLeo announcing his new no-tax pledge last week, we begin the age-old dance of state budget negotiations. Governor Deval Patrick has already announced his budget, which includes new taxes and a hefty year-to-year increase. So where does that leave us? A top-line read of recent annual budgets suggests that Patrick-era budgets have not increased at a rate dramatically higher than under other governors. In certain years, with the revenue constraints of the recession, the increases were small. Outwardly, the budgets seem distinct from the tenor of Patrick’s early first-term raft of multibillion-dollar proposals, such as free community college tuition and a significant rise in the gas tax. Where the governor has disappointed is in how we contained state budget spending. Coming into office, Governor Patrick heralded a new approach - the promise of long-term thinking and a repudiation of “quick fixes, gimmicks, and sound bites.’’ [read more...] U.S. history an innovative field worth teaching Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2012-02-07 Category: Education Description: Last month, the federal government declared lights out on the incandescent light bulb. Now we're supposed to convert over to compact florescent bulbs, or jars filled with fireflies. Thomas Edison's hot-filament-in-a-bulb technology lasted more than 130 years and would have kept going except for regulatory decree. Schoolchildren should know something about revolutionary breakthroughs like the original light bulb. But since 2009, when state officials canceled a plan to make passage of a U.S. history MCAS test a graduation requirement, our students haven't been learning much about history, or the legacy of scientific discovery that has made America unique. [read more...] History of invention neglected Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2012-02-01 Category: Education Description: Last month, the federal government declared lights out on the incandescent light bulb. Now we’re supposed to convert over to compact florescent bulbs, or jars filled with fireflies. Thomas Edison’s hot-filament-in-a-bulb technology lasted over 130 years and would have kept going except for regulatory decree. Schoolchildren should know something about revolutionary breakthroughs like the original light bulb. But since 2009, when state officials canceled a plan to make passage of a U.S. history MCAS test a graduation requirement, our students haven’t been learning much about history, or the legacy of scientific discovery that has made America unique. [read more...] Bus Stop Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2012-02-01 Category: Education Description: BACK IN OCTOBER, Mayor Menino and Boston parents were outraged when a school committee hearing revealed that 25 percent of school buses were delivering students late to school. A large number of our kids weren’t making it to class on time, not because they were goofing off, but because their school-provided system of transportation wasn’t getting them there. Most of the blame was placed on problems with a new GPS system on buses, but that obscures a more-fundamental issue: This city’s school-assignment system is so complex — involving a spider web of stops and routes spun all across town — that even Mario Andretti couldn’t get a bus to school on time. [read more...] Poftak: Freeze the unemployment tax Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2012-01-18 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: But one way or another, the money to pay for unemployment benefits will come from employers, it is just a matter of timing. If state leaders won’t address the underlying factors that make unemployment insurance so expensive in Massachusetts, they should at least increase the tax gradually during good times, rather than dropping a 31 percent haymaker on businesses already staggered by a deep, four-year economic downturn. [read more...] Good plan, now step back Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2012-01-13 Category: Better Government Description: well intended and for the most part worthy. Released last month by the state’s Economic Development Planning Council, “Choosing to Compete in the 21st Century” is welcome evidence that the governor understands that Massachusetts can only address the state’s persistent unemployment and generate revenues for public services by making the Bay State an attractive place to grow businesses. The plan, unfortunately, also suggests that the administration has not yet learned from mistakes of the very recent past. The new plan continues to call for government to manipulate the private economy with increased funding for favored industries and/or companies. The continued emphasis on picking winners and losers is a cause for worry, that the state is not creating policy on the basis of evidence — and it should especially worry taxpayers, who will foot the bill. [read more...] An education in virtual schooling Author(s): William Donovan — Press date: 2012-01-13 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts has been slow to embrace virtual schooling. Although more than 200 state schools offer online courses, the Massachusetts Virtual Academy (MVA) in Greenfield is the commonwealth's only online school. MVA planned to educate 1,500 students in grades K-12, but was capped at 500 students by the state Board of Education. The school is governed by the Greenfield school district even though its students are from across Massachusetts. State regulations require 25 percent of a virtual school's students to be from the district within which a school is located, though Greenfield received a waiver from the requirement. [read more...] Guest Opinion: New economic development plan almost gets it right Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2012-01-12 Category: Better Government Description: Gov. Deval Patrick’s new economic development plan is well intended and for the most part worthy. Released last month by the state’s Economic Development Planning Council, “Choosing to Compete in the 21st Century” is welcome evidence that the governor understands that Massachusetts can only address the state's persistent unemployment and generate revenues for public services by making the Bay State an attractive place to grow businesses. Elements of the plan are realistic and wise steps toward that goal. For example, the plan calls for government to execute on its core functions, such as upgrading infrastructure. It calls for government to remove barriers to hiring by cutting the tangle of regulation, streamline permitting, and make the corporate tax structure predictable and competitive. These pledges are important; the hard work is to get them done. The plan, unfortunately, also suggests that the administration has not yet learned from mistakes of the very recent past. The new plan continues to call for government to manipulate the private economy with increased funding for favored industries and/or companies. [read more...] Guest View: Virtual schools grow, offer needed options Author(s): William Donovan — Press date: 2011-12-29 Category: Education Description: From working to shopping and paying our bills, the Internet seems to have transformed nearly every aspect of modern life. Now it's changing the way we educate our children. Thirty states plus the District of Columbia have full-time online schools. And while those schools only educate about 200,000 students nationwide, that number is growing by about 25 percent each year. Florida opened one of the first online schools in 1997 and the Florida Virtual School is now the nation's largest. California alone has 16 virtual schools. [read more...] Why Hold a Grudge Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-12-20 Category: Education Description: February will be decision time for another round of Massachusetts charter-school applications. In 2012, the focus will be on "Gateway Cities" -- middle-sized cities outside the Boston area. As part of a successful bid to win federal grants, state leaders last year doubled the number of charter seats in low-performing school districts. But the additional seats are only available to "proven providers" that already operate successful charter schools. No entity fits the bill better than SABIS, an educational management company operating schools in Springfield and Holyoke. In Springfield, 30 percent more SABIS International Charter School students scored advanced or proficient on 2011 English MCAS tests than did students in the surrounding district. The difference was 31 percent in math. SABIS International has been recognized by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's best high schools. Another SABIS school, the Holyoke Community Charter School, outscored all that city's district schools in English and math for grades five through eight. Given this track record, you'd think the state would welcome pending applications for SABIS-managed schools in the Gateway Cities of Springfield and Lowell. But Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville's views about charter schools remain ambivalent at best, and he appears to nurse a particular grudge against SABIS. [read more...] Deck stacked against SABIS Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-12-19 Category: Education Description: February will be decision time for another round of Massachusetts charter school applications. In 2012, the focus will be on “Gateway Cities” — middle-sized cities outside the Boston area. As part of a successful bid to win federal grants, state leaders last year doubled the number of charter seats in low-performing school districts. But the additional seats are only available to “proven providers” that already operate successful charter schools. No entity fits the bill better than SABIS, an educational management company operating schools in Springfield and Holyoke Recognizing their desperate educational needs, the Patrick administration unveiled an education initiative that targets Gateway Cities. Come February, we’ll learn whether the needs of families in those cities outweigh Reville’s longstanding animus against charter schools in general and SABIS in particular. [read more...] Lawrence families need options to improve education Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-12-18 Category: Education Description: News that the commonwealth will take over Lawrence's failing school district would be comforting if there were evidence that state education officials — or anyone else, for that matter — know how to turn around failing schools. Unfortunately, that's not the case. If the goal is to improve academic performance, the data show that state leaders would be far more likely to succeed by giving Lawrence families more access to a portfolio of educational options with a track record of success. [read more...] Virtual schools are in session Author(s): William Donovan — Press date: 2011-12-14 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts has been slow to embrace virtual schooling. Although more than 200 state schools offer online courses, the Massachusetts Virtual Academy (MVA) in Greenfield is the commonwealth’s only online school. MVA planned to educate 1,500 students in grades K-12, but was capped at 500 students by the state Board of Education. The school is governed by the Greenfield school district even though its students are from across Massachusetts. State regulations require 25 percent of a virtual school’s students to be from the district within which a school is located, though Greenfield received a waiver from the requirement. [read more...] Let's Create Real Jobs, Not Statistics Author(s): John Friar — Press date: 2011-12-06 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: With an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent, the commonwealth’s superior performance relative to the rest of the country has been heralded. But a closer look at the numbers reveals a troubling picture for employment in Massachusetts. [read more...] Commission with a Mission Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-12-02 Category: Better Government Description: At the Tax Expenditure Commission’s first meeting, Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Stephen Brewer made a point of saying that the commission was not interested in increasing Massachusetts citizens’ tax burden. If the commission sticks to that and opts for a broad tax base with low rates and less special treatment for selected industries, they will be rewarded with additional revenues. And state taxpayers will enjoy an improved economy. [read more...] Gas tax isn’t a simple cure for Mass. transportation Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-11-25 Category: Better Government Description: Any tax increase proposal must be akin to a social contract - you taxpayers pay this, and we the government will give you value in return. Without refocusing the transportation agency on consumer-centered metrics, why would the public think that an increase in the gas tax will lead to service improvements? A two-way request for more tax dollars paired with specific performance benchmarks - e.g., reduced congestion, increased on-time performance, and fewer structurally deficient bridges - might get us to that elusive destination called compromise; a one-way offer to siphon more tax revenue into a black hole will land squarely in the breakdown lane. [read more...] MCAS Needs History Component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th grade score has barely budged since 1994. [read more...] Gass: MCAS needs history component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: With the Commonwealth's students missing out on studying the Civil War and its literary tradition, the time has come to restore our history to its rightful place in Massachusetts schools by reinstating the requirement that students pass a U.S. history MCAS test to graduate from high school. [read more...] MCAS needs history component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: The great southern novelist and historian Shelby Foote said that, "Any understanding of this nation has to be based... on an understanding of the Civil War. I believe that firmly. It defined us... It was the crossroads of our being..." Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th grade score has barely budged since 1994. [read more...] Gass: MCAS needs history component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: The great southern novelist and historian Shelby Foote said that, "Any understanding of this nation has to be based... on an understanding of the Civil War. I believe that firmly. It defined us... It was the crossroads of our being..." Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th grade score has barely budged since 1994. [read more...] MCAS needs history component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: The great southern novelist and historian Shelby Foote said that, "Any understanding of this nation has to be based... on an understanding of the Civil War. I believe that firmly. It defined us... It was the crossroads of our being..." Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th grade score has barely budged since 1994. Read more: Gass: MCAS needs history component - Dedham, Massachusetts - The Dedham Transcript [read more...] MCAS Needs History Component Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-21 Category: Education Description: The great southern novelist and historian Shelby Foote said that, "Any understanding of this nation has to be based... on an understanding of the Civil War. I believe that firmly. It defined us... It was the crossroads of our being..." Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th grade score has barely budged since 1994. [read more...] Preserving U.S. history in classroom Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-11-20 Category: Education Description: Unfortunately, this year's 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War is a sad reminder of the sorry state of history education in Massachusetts and across the nation. U.S. history and civics scores on the 2010 "nation's report card" were abysmal; the average 12th-grade score has barely budged since 1994. With the commonwealth's students missing out on studying the Civil War and its literary tradition, the time has come to restore our history to its rightful place in Massachusetts schools by reinstating the requirement that students pass a U.S. history MCAS test to graduate from high school. [read more...] Flamang and Williams: High grades for charter schools Author(s): Andrew Flamang and Joe Williams — Press date: 2011-11-08 Category: Education Description: At least once a year, opponents gather to make their case against charter public schools at a State House hearing, but their arguments repeatedly gain little traction. One reason is because even though the relevant issues change over time, the anti-charter arguments are the same as they were more than a decade ago. Another is the undeniable success that Massachusetts charters consistently demonstrate. This year, data on charter public schools' head-turning performance is becoming available in the aftermath of opponents' latest gathering. Compared to the school districts they come from, between 11 and 13 percent more charter students scored "proficient" or "advanced" on English, math and science MCAS exams. Fifteen charter public schools ranked first in the entire commonwealth on at least one exam. [read more...] Same weak argument by charter-school foes Author(s): Andrew Flamang and Joe Williams — Press date: 2011-11-07 Category: Education Description: At least once a year, opponents gather to make their case against charter-public schools at a Statehouse hearing, but their arguments repeatedly gain little traction. One reason is that even though the relevant issues change over time, the anti-charter arguments are the same as they were more than a decade ago. Another is the undeniable success that Massachusetts charters consistently demonstrate. This year, data on charter public schools' head-turning performance is becoming available in the aftermath of opponents' latest gathering. Compared to the school districts they come from, between 11 percent and 13 percent more charter students scored "proficient" or "advanced" on English, math and science MCAS exams. [read more...] Jobs numbers not as rosy as they seem Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-11-04 Category: Better Government Description: On its face, recent news that the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent is encouraging, especially when compared with the 9.1 percent national rate. But upon closer inspection, the state picture is anything but rosy. Even though unemployment ticked down by one-tenth of a point in September, the overall number of jobs also went down by 2,300. Some of that is due to a reduction in government jobs, but it also suggests that more Massachusetts residents have stopped looking for work. Overall, the commonwealth now has about 100,000 fewer jobs than it did before the last recession. [read more...] Have-nots in the jobs recovery Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-11-03 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: On its face, recent news the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent is encouraging, especially when compared to the 9.1 percent national rate. But upon closer inspection, the state picture looks anything but rosy. Even though unemployment ticked down by one-tenth of a point in September, the overall number of jobs also went down by 2,300. Some of that is due to a reduction in the amount of government jobs, but the fact the rate went down despite a reduction in the overall number of jobs is a discouraging sign that suggests more Massachusetts residents have given up looking for work. Overall, the commonwealth now has about 100,000 fewer jobs than it did before the last recession. [read more...] Charter schools have proved their value Author(s): ANDREW FLAMANG and JOE WILLIAMS — Press date: 2011-10-26 Category: Education Description: At least once a year, opponents gather to make their case against charter public schools at a Statehouse hearing, but their arguments repeatedly gain little traction. One reason is that even though the relevant issues change over time, the anti-charter arguments are the same as they were more than a decade ago. Another is the undeniable success that Massachusetts charters consistently demonstrate. This year, data on charter public schools' head-turning performance is becoming available in the aftermath of opponents' latest gathering. In New Bedford, Global Learning Charter Public School scored in the top quartile statewide based on the percentage of students who scored "advanced" or "proficient" on the 2011 MCAS 10th-grade math test. Twenty-one percent more of the school's low-income students scored "advanced" or "proficient" in English than their low-income district counterparts; the gap is 8 percent in math. [read more...] METCO merits increased funding Author(s): Jamie Gass and Susan Eaton — Press date: 2011-10-17 Category: Education Description: METCO's funding should be increased and the program expanded to other cities. In addition to its promising academic record, it is also a sound investment for state taxpayers. Despite compelling evidence that reducing the concentration of poverty and racial isolation benefits students, METCO is the only state-funded program that achieves those goals in the Boston and Springfield areas. [read more...] Eaton and Gass: METCO merits increased funding Author(s): Susan Eaton and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-10-17 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts' 2010 education reform law is titled, "An Act Relative to the Achievement Gap." If closing race- and poverty-based achievement gaps is indeed a priority, a recent report suggests the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) should be one of the programs to get additional resources. Founded in 1966 by African-American parents and white suburban educators, METCO is one of only eight voluntary inter-district school desegregation programs in the nation. It sends more than 3,000 students from Boston and Springfield to schools in 37 suburban districts. More than three-quarters of the students are African-American or Latino. Half come from low-income families and one-quarter have special needs. [read more...] Steve Jobs: People Come First Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-10-14 Category: Education Description: One of the reasons Steve Jobs made Apple so special was that he understood that it wasn’t just a technology company. “[T]echnology alone is not enough,” he said. “It’s technology married with liberal arts … with the humanities, that … makes our heart sing.” Jobs also had a clear vision for public education. “I’m a very big believer in equal opportunity as opposed to equal outcome,” he said in a 1995 Smithsonian Institution interview. “Equal opportunity to me more than anything else means a great education.” No one did more to put computers in schools, but just as technology alone wasn’t enough to make Apple better than the rest, Jobs understood that only people could bring much-needed change to education. He knew that children need “a person who incites … and feeds your curiosity … machines cannot do that in the same way people can.” [read more...] METCO is a program worth supporting Author(s): Jamie Gass and Susan Eaton — Press date: 2011-10-06 Category: Education Description: METCO's funding should be increased and the program expanded to other cities. In addition to its promising academic record, it is also a sound investment for state taxpayers. Despite compelling evidence that reducing the concentration of poverty and racial isolation benefits students, METCO is the only state-funded program that achieves those goals in the Boston and Springfield areas. [read more...] Mass. should explore proven approaches to dropout prevention Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-10-01 Category: Education Description: A Statehouse hearing last week rightly highlighted Massachusetts’ inability to address high dropout rates, especially in poorer and large urban public school districts. Most of the proposals missed the mark, recommending new funding, new positions, and new programs. The commonwealth would be wiser to draw lessons from programs successful in addressing dropouts — and there are several important ones. [read more...] Addressing the state’s drop-out rates Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-09-28 Category: Education Description: A State House hearing this week rightly highlighted Massachusetts’ inability to address high dropout rates, especially in poorer and large urban public school districts. Most of the proposals missed the mark, recommending new funding, new positions, and new programs. The commonwealth would be wiser to draw lessons from programs successful in addressing dropouts — and there are several important ones. [read more...] Delaying the implementation of Obamacare makes sense Author(s): Josh Archambault and Eric Dahlberg — Press date: 2011-09-13 Category: Better Government Description: The federal health reform law that President Obama signed in March 2010 puts extensive new responsibilities onto the shoulders of the 50 states. The law requires each to make significant changes to its Medicaid program and undertake far-reaching reforms of its commercial health insurance market. In addition, each state must decide whether to set up a new marketplace for health insurance — an exchange — or allow the federal government to set up a “federal fallback exchange.” All these responsibilities must be met within just a few years. Even under ideal circumstances, this timeline would be daunting. In the real world, it may be unworkable. Even in Massachusetts, one of two states that already has an exchange, unresolved questions about implementation of the federal law continue to mount. [read more...] Dismantling No Child Left Behind Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-09-07 Category: Education Description: The controversial education reform policy known as No Child Left Behind was action item number one for a George W. Bush when he first got to the White House. He pushed for -and won- hard reform across the board for students. To do it, yearly tests measured student progress and identified so-called "failing schools" under-performing students and teachers. [read more...] History should be a part of MCAS requirement Author(s): Charles Chieppo & Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-09-05 Category: Education Description: With Labor Day upon us, it's unfortunate that current state policy makers are ignoring the words of the education reform law and Madison's wisdom that has endured for well over two centuries. Today, history is a shrinking part of the curriculum in Massachusetts schools because the commonwealth has indefinitely postponed making passage of an MCAS U.S. history test a high school graduation requirement. [read more...] High-school students should learn Mass. Labor history Author(s): Charles Chieppo Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-09-04 Category: Education Description: With Labor Day tomorrow, it’s unfortunate that current state policy makers ignore the words of the education-reform law and Madison’s wisdom that has endured for well over two centuries. Today, history is a shrinking part of the curriculum in Massachusetts schools because the commonwealth has indefinitely postponed making a U.S. history test a high-school graduation requirement under the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. [read more...] U.S. history takes back seat in Bay State classrooms Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-09-03 Category: Education Description: With Labor Day upon us, it's unfortunate that current state policy makers are ignoring the words of the education-reform law and Madison's wisdom that has endured for well over two centuries. Today, history is a shrinking part of the curriculum in Massachusetts schools because the commonwealth has indefinitely postponed making passage of an MCAS U.S. history test a high school graduation requirement. [read more...] Health care cannot be one size fits all Author(s): Josh Archambault and Dan Winslow — Press date: 2011-09-02 Category: Better Government Description: Are ACOs designed to care for grandparents also good for their grandkids? [read more...] Ignoring our rich labor history Author(s): Jamie Gass and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-08-31 Category: Education Description: With Labor Day upon us, it’s unfortunate that current state policy makers are ignoring the words of the education reform law and Madison’s wisdom that has endured for well over two centuries. Today, history is a shrinking part of the curriculum in Massachusetts schools because the commonwealth has indefinitely postponed making passage of an MCAS U.S. history test a high school graduation requirement. [read more...] ACT Study and Achievement Gaps Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-08-20 Category: Education Description: "Jim, thanks so much for joining me this morning. Massachusetts has had some success in recent years in terms of closing the achievement gap and in a report by the national assessment of educational progress. Students there became the first to take top honors in all four a.c.t. Categories. Data showing scores for African-Americans and hispanics on both zpourth eighth fourth and eighth grade. What makes our states stand out is basically in 1993 we start order the reform path with the reform that wasn't just a silver bullet. I think the edge indication world generally has silver bullet-itis. They try one thing and go to the next thing. It is a policy area. It is an area of great importance to the country that's ridden with faddism. They love to have fads. Massachusetts took the path to the following. We have to make sure we measure students' performance and measure teachers in terms of what they know. Are they capable of actually teaching strong content? we said the set the highest academic standards in the country and they were comparable to standards in finland and singapore. 200 that stand out internationally. We put into place charter schools and we put into pla also additional money to make sure we get the teachers up over the bar. And make sure that we can perform well. That's very different from most places across the country. Frankly, which is interesting, craig, in response to a report like the a.c.t. Report, which is important. [read more...] Federal ed agenda dumbed down Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-08-10 Category: Education Description: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan doesn’t seem to understand that you can’t follow only the laws you like. He says NCLB forces “districts into one-size-fits-all solutions that just don’t work.” In some cases that’s true, but though the secretary has the power to unilaterally grant waivers from NCLB, he cannot tie the waivers to conditions that haven’t been sanctioned by Congress. Nor does the president have the power to lift legal prohibitions on the U.S. Department of Education developing and supporting national standards and testing. [read more...] State Needs to Bolster Business Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-08-10 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Today, Massachusetts is doing better than many other states as the nation struggles to emerge from the Great Recession. But the longer-term trend paints a more troubling picture. From 1990 to 2007, the number of jobs increased by about one-quarter nationally. But Massachusetts had the same number of jobs in 2007 — about 3.2 million — as in 1990. Had we grown like the rest of the country did, we would currently have around 4 million jobs. The tax and fee revenue from those additional jobs would go a long way toward eliminating chronic state budget deficits. As the budget grows faster than revenue over time, we ask individuals and businesses to pay more in taxes and fees. If an additional 800,000 people were working in Massachusetts, it would translate into millions in annual income tax revenue and increased annual corporate tax receipts. [read more...] Job Trends in Massachusetts Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-08-10 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Steve talks with Chris Lovett about job creation trends in Massachusetts, and Boston city politics. [read more...] Long-term business trend is troubling Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-08-07 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Today, Massachusetts is doing better than many other states as the nation struggles to emerge from the Great Recession. But the longer-term trend paints a more troubling picture. From 1990 to 2007, the number of jobs increased by about one-quarter nationally. But Massachusetts had the same number of jobs in 2007 — about 3.2 million — as in 1990. Had we grown like the rest of the country, we would currently have nearly 4 million jobs. [read more...] Startup companies are key to Mass. job growth Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-08-06 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Today, Massachusetts is doing better than many other states as the nation struggles to emerge from the Great Recession. But the longer-term trend paints a more troubling picture. From 1990 to 2007, the number of jobs increased by about one-quarter nationally. But Massachusetts had the same number of jobs in 2007 — about 3.2 million — as in 1990. Had we grown like the rest of the country, we would currently have nearly 4 million jobs [read more...] Academics vs. workforce training Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-07-31 Category: Education Description: The federal Race to the Top grant competition was designed to distribute $4.35 billion based on states' ability to replicate practices shown to boost student performance. But instead of providing an incentive to follow Massachusetts' lead, a condition for receipt of the money was adoption of national education standards that reflect the education trade groups' failed workforce development model. [read more...] Guest View: Education as work force development falls short Author(s): Charles Chieppo Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-07-28 Category: Education Description: It's sadly ironic that Race to the Top, which was supposedly designed to replicate academic success, is the vehicle being used to resurrect the failed education as work force development model. In the battle between students' interests and those of education's institutional players, score one for the players. [read more...] State government hands out $42M in raises Author(s): Mike Beaudet — Press date: 2011-07-28 Category: Better Government Description: The recently-passed Massachusetts state budget cut deeply to make up for a nearly $2 billion deficit, but that hasn’t stopped nearly 17,000 state workers from getting raises this year, a FOX Undercover analysis of state payroll records shows. “For the state government, I think logic does not apply,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute, a conservative think tank. “So here in a recession, with hundreds of thousands of people out of work, this kind of across-the-board pay raises is just the order of the day.” “When you look at all these raises, thousands of raises, it would seem that the economic downturn is over in Massachusetts?” asked FOX Undercover reporter Mike Beaudet. “It would seem so,” Stergios replied. [read more...] Pioneer Institute has no ‘dark motives’ Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-07-25 Category: Education Description: Letter to the editor: Bill Schechter’s recent As I See It, “Keep MCAS out of history class” (Telegram & Gazette, July 14), largely continues the T&G’s role as an outstanding forum for fair and wide-ranging debate about important education issues. Mr. Schechter made a thoughtful and well-written case for his anti-testing point of view until he got to attributing dark motives to those with a different view. Mr. Schechter’s claim that Pioneer Institute has “an underlying agenda and motive” to control the content taught in the United States history courses is baseless. Tellingly, he tries to buttress his argument by quoting from an op-ed written by people not associated with Pioneer. I found out about Robert Holland and Dan Soifer’s column the same way Mr. Schechter probably did — by logging on to telegram.com on July 5. In point of fact, Pioneer has done several recent events about MCAS and U.S. history. Among the speakers were Brown University professor Gordon Wood, a nationally recognized U.S. history scholar few would ever claim is an ideologue; renowned educational standards expert E.D. Hirsch; former Clinton education aide Andrew Rotherham and none other than Mr. Schechter himself. Several of our events have been co-sponsored by Democrats for Education Reform. Articulating one’s opinion to the public is needed to shape good public policy. But I hope Mr. Schechter didn’t use such disingenuous methods when teaching history to Lincoln-Sudbury’s students. [read more...] Municipal Outsourcing: Do's and Don'ts Author(s): Josh Archambault and Steve Lisauskas — Press date: 2011-07-25 Category: Better Government Description: Many local-government officials want to explore outsourcing services, but don't know where to begin. A recent Pioneer Institute paper, "A Practitioner's Guide to Outsourcing: An Opportunity to Improve Cost and Service Quality?", seeks to provide answers and help local-government officials avoid possible pitfalls. [read more...] Learning from Massachusetts's Mistake Author(s): Jim Stergios and Lindsey Burke — Press date: 2011-07-25 Category: Education Description: Academic performance is the bottom line. Improvement such as was achieved in Massachusetts is rare in a U.S. public education landscape littered with failure. Even so, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Indiana and Minnesota are among the states that can point to measurable progress. Advocates of national standards — including trade organizations and special interest groups such as Achieve, the Gates Foundation, the Council of Chief State Schools Officers and the National Governors Association — would be hard-pressed to point to a single program they’ve developed that definitively boosted student achievement. The same can be said for the 32-year history of the U.S. Department of Education. The contrast between the triumph of local control in Massachusetts and decades of unproductive federal involvement in education couldn’t be clearer. [read more...] Outsourcing Author(s): Josh Archambault — Press date: 2011-07-20 Category: Better Government Description: Chris Lovett of Boston's neighborhood Network News interviews Pioneer's Josh Archambault on how outsourcing services can help cities and towns save money. [read more...] What’s Behind the State’s ‘Big Shrink’ Author(s): John Friar — Press date: 2011-07-19 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Massachusetts has lagged behind the rest of the country in job creation since the 2001 recession. While the rest of the country grew, we shrank. Two interlocking factors explain a significant portion of our stagnation — Massachusetts is failing to create new businesses at the same rate it did in the ’90s, and the new businesses we manage to create are much smaller in size. The Pioneer Institute’s latest study, “The Big Shrink,” seeks to understand how the dynamics of firm size have changed. [read more...] Outsourcing offers benefits and savings to municipalities Author(s): Steve Lisauskas and Josh Archambault — Press date: 2011-07-14 Category: Better Government Description: Many state and local officials want to explore outsourcing, but don't know where to begin. The recent Pioneer Institute paper, A Practitioner's Guide to Outsourcing: An Opportunity to Improve Cost and Service Quality?, seeks to provide answers and help local officials avoid possible pitfalls. Done right, outsourcing can help deliver better services for less. In Springfield, for example, outsourcing grounds maintenance reduced costs by an estimated 75 percent. Outsourcing reduced the cost of managing and processing workers compensation by well over 80 percent, thanks to improved oversight and control. This and other improvements were the result of applying specialized knowledge to particular services that were otherwise being provided by a municipality in the same manner they had been for many years. [read more...] Jamie Gass & Tom Gosnell Join Dan Rea To Discuss Teacher Evaluations Author(s): — Press date: 2011-07-06 Category: Education Description: Since standardized testing entered the education world, there has been a debate over how helpful student scores can be in assessing a teacher’s success or failure. Jamie Gass, Pioneer Institute’s Director of the Center for School Reform, and Tom Gosnell, President of the Massachusetts branch of the American Federation of Teachers, sit down to debate the role of standardized test scores in evaluating teachers. [read more...] Expedite Medicaid Reform Author(s): Josh Archambault — Press date: 2011-06-29 Category: Better Government Description: July 1 marks the day the state will lose hundreds of millions in federal stimulus money for MassHealth, the Bay State’s Medicaid program which provides health care for the poor and disabled. [read more...] How Bay State can fix Mass. Medicaid Author(s): Josh Archambault — Press date: 2011-06-22 Category: Better Government Description: It’s budget season in Massachusetts, where the heated debate over municipal workers’ health care has been the top policy story. Yet, because of its long-term impact on state finances, the line-item that should be drawing the most attention is MassHealth, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program. Currently, the state is dedicating over $10 billion, more than 30 percent of the total budget, to cover 870,000 residents. That’s enough to provide each of these residents a very generous private insurance plan, for free. [read more...] Mandates make premium difference Author(s): Josh Archambault — Press date: 2011-06-17 Category: Better Government Description: Gov. Patrick has proposed changing the way the commonwealth reimburses for health care. But any proposal must be considered in the context of several regulatory drivers that make Massachusetts the most expensive state in the nation for health insurance. [read more...] Trend points to need for broader job creation effort Author(s): JIM STERGIOS and PETER FORMAN — Press date: 2011-06-15 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Pioneer Institute recently issued the latest in its Massachusetts’ New Economy series that depicts big changes in business and job trends in Massachusetts. The trends are not positive, and the implications are significant for the South Shore, where strong population growth offers the potential for job growth and prosperity. The New Economy reports highlight a disturbing long-term trajectory of job losses that began long before the recent recession. Three trends define the heart of the problem. [read more...] Charter-school system shows cracks Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-06-14 Category: Education Description: After a 2010 law raised Massachusetts' cap on charter public schools, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in February approved an unprecedented 16 new charters. Those schools will provide opportunity to thousands, but the process by which they were selected should concern anyone interested in school reform and good government. [read more...] Guest View: Recent charter school approval process needs attention Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-06-12 Category: Education Description: After a 2010 law raised Massachusetts' cap on charter public schools, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in February approved an unprecedented 16 new charters. Those schools will provide opportunity to thousands, but the process by which they were selected should concern anyone interested in school reform and good government. [read more...] Mass charter-school system shows cracks Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-06-10 Category: Education Description: After a 2010 law raised Massachusetts’s cap on charter public schools, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in February approved an unprecedented 16 new charters. Those schools will provide opportunity to thousands, but the process by which they were selected should concern anyone interested in school reform and good government. A 2003 study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a national education think tank, found Massachusetts had the nation’s best charter-school authorizing process, lauding the commonwealth’s “comprehensive review and oversight practices” and “careful, rigorous, even fussy approach.” [read more...] My View: Compromised charter process needs fixing Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-06-09 Category: Education Description: After a 2010 law raised Massachusetts' cap on charter public schools, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in February approved an unprecedented 16 new charters. Those schools will provide opportunity to thousands, but the process by which they were selected should concern anyone interested in school reform and good government. [read more...] Create the right environment to create jobs Author(s): John Friar — Press date: 2011-06-03 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Massachusetts has trailed the rest of the country in job creation since the 2001 recession. While the rest of the country grew, we shrank. Two interlocking factors explain a significant portion of our stagnation — Massachusetts is failing to create new businesses at the same rate it did in the 1990s, and the new businesses we manage to create are much smaller in size. Pioneer’s latest study, “The Big Shrink,” seeks to understand how the dynamics of firm size have changed. Average establishment size has dropped from 16 employees in 1990 to 9.7 employees by 2007. This decline has several ... [read more...] Medicaid breaks the bank, delivers poor results Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-06-01 Category: Better Government Description: It's budget season in Massachusetts, and the heated debate over municipal health care has been the top story. Yet because of its long-term impact on the commonwealth's finances, the line-item that should be drawing the most attention is MassHealth, the state's version of the federal Medicaid program. Currently, the state is dedicating over $10 billion, more than 30 percent of the total budget, to cover 870,000 residents. That's enough to provide each of these residents a very generous private insurance plan, for free. Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor and disabled, is crowding out spending on other public priorities. Established in 1966, Medicaid is an open-ended, joint federal-state entitlement program. Annually, MassHealth receives $5 billion from the federal government to match the $10 billion in state funding. Cost, however, is not the only reason we need reform. Medicaid is broken. Without reform, it will create a two-tiered health-care system, with Medicaid participants trapped in a medical ghetto. This is no small matter as one out of every five Massachusetts residents is currently enrolled. [read more...] (Almost) Everything You Want to Know About the MBTA Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-05-31 Category: Better Government Description: As a user of the MBTA and a fan of transit (no, really), there’s no better place to learn about the minutiae of the system than the T’s Blue Book. It tells you everything (well, almost everything*) you could want to know about the system like:... [read more...] Archambault: Why MassHealth needs reform Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-05-29 Category: Better Government Description: It's budget season in Massachusetts, and the heated debate over municipal health care has been the top story. Yet, because of its long-term impact on the Commonwealth's finances, the line-item that should be drawing the most attention is MassHealth, the state's version of the federal Medicaid program. [read more...] Health Care Reform Author(s): Joshus Archambault — Press date: 2011-05-29 Category: Better Government Description: [read more...] Stop anti-aid amendments Author(s): Patrick Wolf — Press date: 2011-05-18 Category: Education Description: Evidence continues to mount of the benefits poor and minority students in particular gain from choice programs that give them access to options like charter public and Catholic schools. But Massachusetts is one of just two states with strict constitutional provisions that prevent families from taking advantage of many of these opportunities. The Massachusetts Constitution includes two so-called anti-aid amendments — rooted in 19th-century bigotry against the Irish Catholic immigrants who were then coming to Massachusetts in large numbers — which prevent public funds from being disbursed to parents to pay for private or parochial school tuition. [read more...] We’re #5! Or Are We #43? Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-05-18 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: During last year’s gubernatorial campaign, CNBC ranked Massachusetts #5 as one of the best places to do business. The ranking (and some of the subindexes that weren’t quite so positive) got bandied around by the campaigns as evidence and counterevidence of the state of our business climate. (Even some of my fellow bloggers have referenced it.) If you look at the subindexes for that ranking, you can quickly figure out our strengths and weaknesses – on productivity/quality of life measures, we are very strong; and on business cost/tax policy issues, we are pretty weak. [read more...] The benefits to choice outweigh the negatives Author(s): Patrick Wolf — Press date: 2011-05-18 Category: Education Description: Evidence continues to mount of the benefits poor and minority students in particular gain from choice programs that give them access to options like charter public and Catholic schools. But Massachusetts is one of just two states with strict constitutional provisions that prevent families from taking advantage of many of these opportunities. The Massachusetts Constitution includes two so-called anti-aid amendments — rooted in 19th-century bigotry against the Irish Catholic immigrants who were then coming to Massachusetts in large numbers — which prevent public funds from being disbursed to parents to pay for private or parochial school tuition. [read more...] Promoting school choice a no-brainer Author(s): Patrick Wolf — Press date: 2011-05-16 Category: Education Description: There is mounting evidence that students benefit from various forms of school choice like vouchers, charter public schools and Catholic schools. But children aren’t the only beneficiaries; many of these options save taxpayers serious money. Yet the commonwealth is prohibited from reaping many of these benefits. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that voucher or scholarship programs, under which families are given resources they can use to attend the school of their choice, are consistent with the First Amendment, Massachusetts and Michigan are the only states with strict constitutional amendments that prohibit them. The so-called anti-aid amendments, rooted in 19th-century bigotry against Irish Catholic immigrants who were coming to Massachusetts in large numbers, prevent public funds from being disbursed to parents to pay for private or parochial school tuition. They also likely prohibit education tax credit programs, under which corporations or individuals receive credits for money they donate to nonprofit organizations that in turn award scholarships to families. The funds are then used by parents to pay private or parochial school tuitions. Education tax credit scholarships allow more than 450 needy Rhode Island students to attend private or religious schools each year. Almost 33,000 low-income Florida students take advantage of similar scholarships. Typical vouchers of $3,500 to $6,000 that approximate the cost of attending a Catholic school are just one-third to half of annual per-pupil costs for public schools. That doesn’t include the additional money taxpayers save by not being responsible for capital expenses. Milwaukee’s voucher plan, under which many students attend Catholic schools, saved Wisconsin taxpayers $52 million this year.And those are just the direct savings. Voucher programs also deliver higher graduation rates that trigger a domino effect. Graduation rates are 10 to 18 percentage points higher at the Catholic schools students would be able to attend if not for the Massachusetts and Michigan amendments, and the percentage of their students who enroll in college is 11 to 17 points higher than for public schools. On average, high school graduates earn about $8,500 a year more than those who don’t graduate, which translates into more tax revenue. The unemployment rate is also one-third lower for graduates. A reduced likelihood of engaging the criminal justice system saves even more. Compared to those who don’t graduate, a 2005 study found that Americans save $260,000 over the lifetime of each high school graduate. Boston archdiocese schools educate more students than any state school district and outperform both national and state averages on SATs, even though Massachusetts has the nation’s best-performing public school students. More than 95 percent of archdiocesan graduates enroll in college; the overwhelming majority at four-year schools. The precarious fiscal condition of Massachusetts and its municipalities in the aftermath of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression should be enough to persuade lawmakers to repeal the bigoted anti-aid amendments that prevent state taxpayers from reaping significant savings on the $4 billion they pay annually to fund K-12 public education. Improved academic achievement, higher graduation rates and more students going to college should make it a no-brainer. Patrick Wolf is the 21st-Century Endowed Chair in School Choice at the University of Arkansas. [read more...] Why Are Jobs Leaving? Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-05-15 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios talks about some of the factors contributing to Massachusetts' job loss trends. [read more...] Secrecy In Severance And Settlement Pacts Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-05-11 Category: Better Government Description: Why are some agencies trying to keep the use of public dollars a secret despite the fact that the attorney general’s office has advised them for years to avoid confidentiality clauses in settlement pacts? Steve Poftak, research director at The Pioneer Institute, joins us to discuss. [read more...] Jamie Gass Joins Dan Rea To Discuss US History and Civics Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-05-10 Category: Education Description: Are Massachusetts students becoming “civics ignorant”? US History MCAS has been postponed twice in two years. In 24 years, no Massachusetts team has ever cracked the top 10 in the country in the national “We the People” US History-civics contest. Recently, the Federal government has cut the $30 million necessary to continue supporting the “We the People” civics program. Jamie Gass of Pioneer Institute tells why there appears to be a war on US History and civics education. [read more...] Handing it to the House Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-05-06 Category: Better Government Description: Last week, the state House of Representatives passed health care reform that would allow municipal managers greater control over plan design and also easier entry into the state employees’ insurance pool if needed. Big Labor has reacted with what is seemingly its single bargaining tactic: white-hot outrage. They’ve already begun to frame this as “another Wisconsin.” Don’t buy it. First, a careful reading of the actual amendment reveals that municipal managers have the power to change insurance plan design up to a cost level equivalent to the largest state plan. In other words, municipal employees will now have an insurance ... [read more...] Gov. Cuomo can learn from Massachusetts Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-05-06 Category: Better Government Description: Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” In health policy the same principle stands. As Gov. Andrew Cuomo convenes stakeholders to design a health insurance exchange for small businesses and consumers—mandated under the federal health reform law—they would be well advised to look east and draw five lessons from Massachusetts’ experiment to avoid the same pains. [read more...] Picking Winners - like Evergreen Solar Author(s): Steve poftak — Press date: 2011-05-03 Category: Better Government Description: Evergreen Solar was the perfect temptation for those tasked with economic development. It hit multiple sweet spots - large numbers of jobs in manufacturing in the white-hot clean tech industry. But Evergreen Solar also took advantage of a state economic development apparatus that has limited analytical capacity, responds to political pressure, and fails to adequately monitor investments. Despite the short-term costs of the Evergreen Solar debacle, it may have done the state a long-term favor by highlighting the limitations of the state's ability to pick winners and losers. Given the scale of the state's involvement in this field, through scores of financing programs across an alphabet soup of agencies and quasi-public entities, understanding these limitations and redesigning our economic development strategy to address them is crucial. Evergreen Solar operates in a complex global environment. Its competitive position is dependent on multiple factors - the value of its technology, decisions by multiple foreign governments to subsidize renewable energy, production costs, supplies of globally traded commodities and so on. Sophisticated private investors struggle to understand this market. Yet multiple state entities all decided to put millions of dollars, through various mechanisms, into Evergreen Solar. The prospect of big job numbers in a hot field apparently obscured some of the more mundane facts of the company. Unlike the romantic notion of the small tech start-up looking for its big break, Evergreen Solar was pretty far into its lifecycle, founded in 1994 and having gone public in 1998. It had burned through hundreds of millions of dollars of financing over the years and had accessed multiple private sources of financing. As if to confirm this point, after entering its agreement with the state, Evergreen entered into a financing package of eyewatering complexity that appeared to give the company's lender the incentive and the means to short the company's shares and benefit from losses in the stock price. With significant planned investments in the company, this should have set off red flags for the state. Unfortunately, it responded by renewing a $5 million commitment that had expired. There is precious little information in the public domain to suggest that the state had performed a comprehensive analysis of industry dynamics and had erred in its conclusions. Rather, the public record points to a strongly focused interest on this company from the Administration and a bullheaded, undiscerning commitment to so-called 'clean tech' regardless of the context or cost. In its current state, Evergreen is shedding jobs and moving manufacturing to low-cost (and high subsidy) manufacturing sites in China. It is struggling to drive adoption of its technology in the face of declining prices and industry oversupply. The company's stock has suffered as well, dropping over 90 percent from the beginning of 2008 to now. What can we learn from the Evergreen Solar debacle? First, the state needs to shed its network of entities and programs providing financing, through a variety of means, to specific companies. We don't have the capacity to do it properly, it's too diffuse to have material impact (compared to other means), and the oversight is inconsistent at best. Second, the state would be better off concentrating on broad-based programs rather than picking specific industries to favor. Over the past five years, programs have been passed that provide special tax breaks to the film, clean tech, and life sciences industries. Film and Clean Tech are relatively minor employers in this state and will remain so, even under the most generous growth scenarios. Life sciences is larger but the state's own employment growth projections are modest. Broad-based programs, like the R&D and investment tax credit, would provide incentives for more investment and employment in innovative industries, without requiring extensive public sector infrastructure to oversee and without any type of favoritism beyond compliance with the IRS tax code. From one perspective, Evergreen Solar looked like a 'can't miss' deal. But the market had other ideas. And Evergreen failure reveals the fundamental tension between our flawed economic development strategy and the market. It's an expensive lesson to learn but worth it if we redirect our energies to more broad-based economic development activities that promote job creation across the economy. [read more...] Municipal health care reform can help Fall River Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-05-03 Category: Better Government Description: What happens when an irresistible force hits an immovable object? In Massachusetts, a solidly pro-labor House of Representatives votes convincingly to curtail labor’s ability to control the design of health insurance for municipal employees. For Fall River, the irresistible force is the unfettered expansion of health insurance costs. In 2005, the city paid $29 million for employee and retiree health insurance. By 2010, health insurance costs had risen to $38.8 million. That’s an average yearly increase of 6 percent, in an environment where state aid was under pressure and property taxes only rose at the rate permitted under Proposition 2.5. Outside the context of Fall River’s budget, consider state aid for education (paid by your state taxes). A recent study found that, from 2000 to 2007, the state raised education aid to municipalities by $700 million. For $700 million, one envisions funding things like more teachers, newer textbooks, and improved classrooms. Unfortunately over the same period, school-related health insurance costs went up by $1 billion, consuming all of the state aid and more. Something had to give and last week, the House overwhelmingly passed municipal health care reform that would allow municipal managers greater control over plan design and also easier entry into the GIC (the state employees’ insurance pool) if needed. The immovable object, Big Labor, reacted with outrage, lambasting the sponsors of reform and angrily lashing out at municipal officials. Labor officials have already begun to frame this issue as “another Wisconsin.” Don’t buy it. First, a careful reading of the actual amendment reveals that municipal managers have the power to change insurance plan design up to a cost level equivalent to the largest state plan. Municipal employees would have an insurance plan either equally costly, in out-of-pocket terms, or less costly than the most popular one given to state employees. In other words, municipal workers won’t have it any worse than state employees. Further, they will retain the right to collectively bargain premium cost sharing. This state of affairs hardly squares with the apocalyptic rhetoric we are hearing from some corners. Second, if this amendment is indeed the creation of some right-wing conspiracy, it’s well-camouflaged. Few would mistake Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino and Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem for career anti-union activists. Yet they, along with local officials across the state who must make the accounts balance, have come out in favor of plan design (even threatening a referendum campaign). In addition, the drivers of the amendment, Speaker Robert DeLeo and Ways & Means Chairman Brian Dempsey. each have voting records that are roughly 70 percent pro-labor over the past three years, not exactly the mark of individuals deeply hostile to all things union. The House deserves credit for this action. Health insurance costs were growing unsustainably and crowding out expenditures on other municipal services. The unions offered very little beyond so-called reforms that would lock in the existing cost spiral (which would paradoxically threaten their members with layoffs). During the House session, some representatives sought to turn a blind eye toward budget realities and offered no real solutions. The House as a whole, however, is to be commended for its resolve. It remains to be seen if the Senate and the governor will display similar tenacity? Steve Poftak is Research Director of Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based think tank. Read more: http://www.heraldnews.com/opinions/x449045400/GUEST-OPINION-Municipal-health-care-reform-can-help-Fall-River#ixzz1LJ2pQPD4 [read more...] Millions will pay no federal income tax Author(s): Alison King — Press date: 2011-04-18 Category: Better Government Description: Jim Stergios discusses the current tax code responding to a study showing that 45% of Americans don't owe federal income tax. [read more...] Massachusetts model mismatch Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-04-14 Category: Better Government Description: Massachusetts' Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick was in Washington this week to deliver remarks at the left-leaning Center for American Progress to mark the fifth anniversary of Massachusetts' health care reform. This is the latest public-relations effort by liberals to justify Obamacare. However, their problem is that the national health law suffers from an inherent flaw: Massachusetts is not Texas. President Obama and congressional Democrats' overhaul is based on the assumption that you can take the experiment of a state that comprises just 2 percent of the country's population and impose it on the rest of the nation. The federal government's overreliance on the Massachusetts model is myopic and dangerous in three ways. First, the Massachusetts experience is unique. Before reform, fewer than 10 percent of Massachusetts' residents were uninsured. By contrast, in states such as Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, more than 20 percent of residents lack insurance. Second, there is weak support in the states for the new federal law. Before the 2010 federal health care expansion, the last contentious entitlement debate was on welfare reform. The two experiences could not have been more different. Welfare reform was 20 years in the making, built on more than a dozen waivers of federal rules in the 1980s so states could experiment. By the mid-1990s, policymakers had drawn lessons from many states. It was pretty clear what was working - and what wasn't. Passage of the federal reform was contentious in Washington, but in the states, the debate already had been won. There, welfare reform was a fait accompli, whether President Clinton signed it or not. In contrast, the health care debate centered on the experiment of the only state with the goal of virtual universal coverage, in which clear data were not available on important outcomes such as long-term costs, administrative expenses, cost-effectiveness of quality gains or crowd-out impacts. Third, the real price tag of the new federal law is unknown. It doesn't much matter what an academic exercise from the Congressional Budget Office estimates; experience teaches us that the charge will easily dwarf any past entitlement expansion. Massachusetts also had a sizable pot of money already dedicated to hospitals and providers that could be redirected toward subsidies to provide the poor with more mainstream health care options. The federal bill lacked this resource and, as a result, increased taxes and cut from Medicare to help finance the bill. The Massachusetts experiment has indeed brought the uninsured rate down to a handful of percentage points. But there are big holes that, magnified at the federal level, will prove disastrous. The Massachusetts reform has not provided small-business employers with expanded insurance options or cost relief. These failures have led to desperate attempts to put a finger in the dike, such as Mr. Patrick's "premium freezes" and calls from the legislature to impose large "one-time donations" from nonprofit hospitals to help small businesses. The experience offers a lesson in how major reforms are best moved forward in this country: We need to respect the federalist imperative by which states experiment, then the federal government acts as a popularly elected judge of what works and what doesn't. This was not the model used for the federal health care law. Instead, it was an exercise in hubris, drawing lessons from a highly insured, high-income, health-care-infrastructure-rich state that accounts for 2 percent of the nation's population. The president and Mr. Patrick want you to think Massachusetts and Texas are apples to compare, because that is the only rationale that would justify signing Obamacare, but common sense says otherwise. Joshua Archambault is the director of health care policy at the Pioneer Institute. [read more...] Mass. Leads with Wrong Example Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-04-13 Category: Better Government Description: This week marked the fifth anniversary of health reform in Massachusetts. With the law sure to be campaign fodder in the upcoming presidential race, politicos will present only a caricature of the law’s impact. For liberals it inspired national reform, for conservatives it is the new litmus test for candidates. In Massachusetts, it is simply an experiment — one that we are still learning from. Without a record of success, it should never have been the framework for federal legislation. What has actually been the result thus far here? The Connector was established under health care reform to help two populations acquire affordable, high-quality health care — the working poor with new subsidies to purchase private insurance and the small business community. The expansion of free or near-free insurance coverage helped to increase the percentage of insured individuals from roughly 92 percent to 98 percent. Sadly the results have been mixed for the small companies that comprise 85 percent of our economy. The Connector has not attracted a significant portion of their business. These companies today pay higher insurance premiums than larger employers, and those premiums are rising more quickly. Many have seen double-digit annual increases several years running. Employees of small companies make up only 1.5 percent of total Connector membership. That translates into just 0.3 percent of the total insurance market for small companies in Massachusetts. The Connector must increase its number of unsubsidized customers or it will be financially unsustainable. But how do we get there? First, the state should remove restrictions on insurance product choice and participation. The Connector could serve as a perfect testing ground for innovative ideas, including encouraging consumers to utilize cost-efficient providers and services. Second, insurance plans offered through the Connector should be crafted in a way that promotes patient health. One way to do that is to provide incentives to consumers for choices that favor evidence-based health care services. Both government and small companies are beset by spiraling health care costs that are crowding out other public priorities, like education and public safety, and essential private sector investments in new hires. In general, during implementation of the law, officials have frequently chosen to limit choice and over-standardize insurance products for small companies. Unless the federal law is repealed, its requirement that all states establish a health exchange by 2014 means the Connector is an important test case for other states to study — for successes and failures. The five-year anniversary of the health reform law marks an opportunity to reflect on the Massachusetts law. The implications for the country are great in terms of health and jobs. We believe the Connector needs to return to the original plan and get serious about adding value for small businesses. That means it should function as a real marketplace and not a fiefdom of government where insurance carrier and individuals are told what to buy and how to buy it. Joshua Archambault is the director of health care policy at Pioneer Institute, a public policy think tank. [read more...] Mass. needs better tax regime to keep firms Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-04-03 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: A recent string of bad news stories on Massachusetts jobs augurs badly for the future. Right after ballots were tallied in November, Genzyme, Charles River Laboratories, Biogen Idec and Raytheon announced thousands of layoffs. Then Evergreen Solar, the recipient of $54 million in state taxpayer-funded subsidies, said it was moving its manufacturing jobs to China. Now Fidelity has announced that it will shutter its Marlboro operation and send the jobs to New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Governor Patrick’s response was to huff that Fidelity did not give the state an opportunity to “compete for jobs.” Governor, Fidelity has been competing all along. It is trying to beat both domestic and international competition. It’s Massachusetts and Boston that have for too long turned a blind eye toward the financial-services sector, one of the commonwealth’s largest employers and biggest taxpayers. [read more...] Preserve women’s place in Mass. history, literature education Author(s): By Kerry Healey and Kathleen Madigan — Press date: 2011-04-01 Category: Education Description: Recent changes in state education policy mean fewer Massachusetts children will learn about any of this. Two years ago, the board voted to postpone a plan for U.S. History to join English, math and science as subjects in which students must pass an MCAS test to graduate from high school. It has yet to reinstate U.S. History as a required core subject. Without mandates for measurement, fewer history and social studies classes are being offered in Massachusetts public schools. Entire social studies departments have been eliminated, meaning that when classes are offered, they’re often taught by math, English or science teachers. [read more...] Preserve women’s place in Mass. history, literature education Author(s): Kerry Healey and Kathleen Madigan — Press date: 2011-03-31 Category: Education Description: As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we also congratulate the many teachers who, regardless of the actions of state policymakers, are determined not to neglect history and literature. They choose instead to use those subjects to highlight the contributions of Bay State women. Only by restoring both US History MCAS and access to literary excellence to their rightful places in state standards can we ensure that women’s contributions to the commonwealth’s heritage are fully animated in the lives of Massachusetts schoolchildren and passed down to future generations. [read more...] Commuter Rail - Off Track Author(s): John Miller and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-03-30 Category: Better Government Description: COMMUTER RAIL in Massachusetts had a dreadful winter with on-time performance. Rail patrons used social networking to broadcast their complaints about it, most notably when riders on the four-hour trip to Worcester produced regular, real-time updates of their saga. But the events offer an opportunity for the state to begin planning how to solve operational issues and create a system that provides safe and timely service to customers. [read more...] Why Jobs Are Leaving Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-03-30 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: We need a new approach to put hundreds of thousands of unemployed Massachusetts citizens back to work. We need to stop picking winners and losers, and stop making concentrated, publicly funded bets on specific companies and industries. But we need to do more. We should ensure that tax incentive and credit strategies apply broadly, for all industries making research and development and other investments. Finally, entrepreneurs and investors don't need handouts; they need a consistent and fair tax regime, and reasonable regulations. [read more...] Women, history and MCAS Author(s): Kerry M. Healey and Kathleen A. Madigan — Press date: 2011-03-29 Category: Education Description: Only by restoring both the U.S. History MCAS and access to literary excellence to their rightful places in state standards can we ensure that women’s contributions to the commonwealth’s heritage are fully animated in the lives of Massachusetts schoolchildren and passed down to future generations. [read more...] Halting bigotry against Mass. Catholic schools Author(s): Raymond L. Flynn — Press date: 2011-03-17 Category: Education Description: Catholic schools are a clear academic success. On SATs, Archdiocese of Boston schools top national and state averages, even though Massachusetts has the nation's highest-performing public schools. Archdiocesan schools have very high graduation rates and a 96 percent college matriculation rate, with nearly all students headed to four-year colleges. Today, Catholic schools face financial challenges that are exacerbated by so-called Know-Nothing amendments to the Massachusetts constitution. The amendments, which prohibit state funds from being directed to sectarian schools, are a relic of the anti-Irish Catholic bigotry of the mid-19th century. One way to potentially enhance educational choice despite the amendments is through education tax credits. Under these programs, funds for religious and private-school tuition come from credits granted to corporations and/or individuals who choose to donate. [read more...] Know-Nothing amendments a relic of anti-Irish-Catholic bigotry Author(s): Raymond L. Flynn — Press date: 2011-03-17 Category: Education Description: Catholic schools are a clear academic success. On SATs, Archdiocese of Boston schools top national and state averages, even though Massachusetts has the nation's highest-performing public schools. Archdiocesan schools have very high graduation rates and a 96 percent college matriculation rate, with nearly all students headed to four-year colleges. Today, Catholic schools face financial challenges that are exacerbated by so-called Know-Nothing amendments to the Massachusetts constitution. The amendments, which prohibit state funds from being directed to sectarian schools, are a relic of the anti-Irish Catholic bigotry of the mid-19th century. One way to potentially enhance educational choice despite the amendments is through education tax credits. Under these programs, funds for religious and private-school tuition come from credits granted to corporations and/or individuals who choose to donate. [read more...] Barriers of bigotry are blocking greater access to Catholic schools Author(s): Raymond L. Flynn — Press date: 2011-03-17 Category: Education Description: Catholic schools are a clear academic success. On SATs, Archdiocese of Boston schools top national and state averages, even though Massachusetts has the nation's highest-performing public schools. Archdiocesan schools have very high graduation rates and a 96 percent college matriculation rate, with nearly all students headed to four-year colleges. Today, Catholic schools face financial challenges that are exacerbated by so-called Know-Nothing amendments to the Massachusetts constitution. The amendments, which prohibit state funds from being directed to sectarian schools, are a relic of the anti-Irish Catholic bigotry of the mid-19th century. One way to potentially enhance educational choice despite the amendments is through education tax credits. Under these programs, funds for religious and private-school tuition come from credits granted to corporations and/or individuals who choose to donate. [read more...] Time for education tax credits Author(s): Raymond Flynn — Press date: 2011-03-16 Category: Education Description: Today, Catholic schools face financial challenges that are exacerbated by so-called Know-Nothing amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution. The amendments, which prohibit state funds from being directed to sectarian schools, are a relic of the anti-Irish Catholic bigotry of the mid-19th century. One way to potentially enhance educational choice despite the amendments is through education tax credits. Under these programs, funds for religious and private school tuition come from credits granted to corporations and/or individuals who choose to donate. Nonprofit organizations — not the state — award the money. The funds are directed to religious and private schools as a result of the independent choices of parents, not government. [read more...] School Choice, Catholic Schooling Author(s): Jamie Gass, Ambassador Raymond Flynn — Press date: 2011-03-10 Category: Education Description: Former Boston Mayor/US Ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn and Pioneer Institute’s Jamie Gass say Massachusetts policymakers should work to dump the bigoted 19th-century Know-Nothing amendments to our state’s constitution and push for education tax credits. These reforms would allow more working class and minority students to benefit from high-quality Catholic education via school choice. What do you say? [read more...] Alternatives Abound for Health Insurance Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-03-04 Category: Better Government Description: With Gov. Sean Parnell deciding to move forward with state money to implement aspects of the federal health law, he and the Legislature would be wise to heed Eleanor Roosevelt's advice when she said, "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself." Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Joshua Archambault is the health care program manager at Pioneer Institute, a public policy think-tank in Boston. Story tools 24 Comments E-mail a friend Print Share on Facebook Digg this Seed Newsvine Send link via AIM Tweet this Add to My Yahoo! Font size : A | A | A tool name close tool goes here In health policy the same principle stands. With limited resources available, the governor should look 2,880 miles southeast to draw five lessons from Massachusetts' experiment with a health care exchange to avoid the same growing pains. A basic exchange, if designed to fit the unique needs of Alaskans, can be a powerful tool for state-based health reform. Here is what matters. [read more...] Changes Sought In Jobless Benefits System Author(s): Paul Tuthill — Press date: 2011-03-02 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Massachusetts and 29 other states have borrowed a total of 41 billion dollars from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits. Steve Poftak, the research director at the Pioneer Institute, a Boston based think tank says its no way to run an unemployment benefits system [read more...] On the Clock and in the Bar Author(s): Mike Beaudet — Press date: 2011-03-01 Category: Better Government Description: “If that's working as hard as he can, that's a pretty low bar,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute, a conservative think tank. “When you pay someone $90,000-a-year, when the average salary is far below that and when people are in Massachusetts are struggling quite a lot, there are hundreds of thousands of people who are unemployed, you expect someone to work full time and work to the best of their abilities,” Stergios said. Stergios even questions why Massachusetts has elected registers of deeds, especially since so many records at the registry are or should be online. [read more...] Mass. Union Experts Take On Worker's Rights Debate Author(s): Bob Oakes — Press date: 2011-02-28 Category: Better Government Description: Staging our own “debate” with two people on different sides of the issue, we brought together two guests to hear what’s at stake in Massachusetts: Paul Toner, the executive director of the Massachusetts Teachers Association — the largest teacher’s union here — and Jim Stergios, who leads the Boston think tank the Pioneer Institute. [read more...] Black history being left in dust of MCAS exclusion Author(s): Kevin Chavous — Press date: 2011-02-25 Category: Education Description: But today, fewer and fewer Massachusetts students from all backgrounds are learning about the role African-American men and women played in our nation's history. That's because what isn't tested isn't taught. Citing the fiscal crisis, the commonwealth postponed a mandate that Massachusetts public school students pass an MCAS U.S. history test to graduate from high school. History had been slated to join English language arts, math and science as a graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2012. [read more...] Reform jobless insurance Author(s): Christopher Anderson and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2011-02-22 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: But by reforming one program, Massachusetts could reap 10,000 new jobs, add $3.8 billion in wages, increase economic output by $7.5 billion, and take in $30 million of additional tax revenue over the next decade, according to the economic consulting firm IHS Global Insight. That program is unemployment insurance, and the Commonwealth’s current version is the costliest in the nation. [read more...] Flaws in GIC transition plan Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2011-02-15 Category: Better Government Description: Moving municipal workers into the state employees insurance pool (the “GIC”) has new life with the endorsement of both Speaker Robert DeLeo and Gov. Deval Patrick. In addition, a number of high-profile mayors, including Mayor Thomas Menino, are threatening a referendum campaign to give them power over health insurance plan design, another mechanism to control municipal employee health care costs... To put a truly effective reform in place, the Legislature and the governor need to confront some difficult flaws in the current process. [read more...] Bay State renders U.S. history a footnote Author(s): Sandra Stotsky and Ze'ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-09 Category: Education Description: In 2009, right here in the cradle of liberty, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education -- its 171 years of independence ended by 2008 legislation that placed almost all members under the political control of the governor -- postponed making passage of an MCAS test in U.S. history a high school graduation requirement. [read more...] State Bets On The Future Of Industry Author(s): Dan Mauzy and KIRK CARAPEZZA — Press date: 2011-02-08 Category: Better Government Description: Jim Stergios, executive director of the Boston-based Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, and Eric Nakajima, state senior Innovation Policy advisor share thoughts on whether the state should be targeting particular industries. Are special loans, subsidies, and industry-specific tax incentives the best way to develop the Massachusetts economy? Can state government grow markets, or should that just be left to the market itself? [read more...] The goal of education in Massachusetts Author(s): Sandy Stotsky and Ze’ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-06 Category: Education Description: [read more...] R.I. should learn from Mass. health blunders Author(s): Joshua Archambault and Amy Lischko — Press date: 2011-02-05 Category: Better Government Description: Just last week, Rhode Island Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed filed legislation to implement a health-benefits exchange. The General Assembly would be well advised to look north and draw five lessons from Massachusetts’s experiment with an exchange and avoid the same growing pains. [read more...] Massachusetts educational standards turn back on our history Author(s): Sandra Stotsky and Ze’ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-05 Category: Education Description: But in 2009, right here in the cradle of liberty, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education — its 171 years of independence ended by 2008 legislation that placed almost all members under the political control of the governor — postponed making passage of an MCAS test in U.S. history a high school graduation requirement. [read more...] Massachusetts educational standards turn back on our history Author(s): Sandra Stotsky and Ze’ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-05 Category: Education Description: [read more...] A retreat on ed standards Author(s): Sandra Stotsky and Ze’ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-04 Category: Education Description: Gov. John Winthrop proclaimed that the Massachusetts Bay Colony would “be as a City on a Hill.” In the almost half a millennium since he spoke those words, it is education that has illuminated Winthrop’s vision. Massachusetts was home to Horace Mann, the father of American public education. When the commonwealth’s independent state Board of Education was established in 1837, Mann was its first leader. [read more...] A retreat on ed standards Author(s): Sandra Stotsky and Ze’ev Wurman — Press date: 2011-02-04 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Chelmsford can learn from professional solution Author(s): By Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-01-31 Category: Education Description: A new study of teacher contracts in 25 Massachusetts school districts finds they range from a "professional" model that treats teachers as skilled professionals who are held accountable for student achievement, to a "factory" model characterized by overly rigid provisions and under which everyone is treated the same regardless of performance... Sadly, Chelmsford recently became a highly publicized example of what happens under a contract that treats teachers like factory workers. After 16 months of working without a contract, the union threatened that teachers wouldn't attend a professional development day. They also refused to do any "extras" like writing letters of recommendation or giving parents online updates. [read more...] State’s focus is too narrow for job creation Author(s): Jim Stetgios — Press date: 2011-01-30 Category: Better Government Description: The state has lost 200,000 payroll jobs since 2001. Sadly, Massachusetts’ failed stake in Evergreen Solar is representative of the state’s failed approach to job creation. [read more...] New Bedford's factory-style teacher contract Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-01-28 Category: Education Description: a new Pioneer Institute study of teacher contracts in 25 Massachusetts school districts suggests that New Bedford's teacher contract makes the problem worse, not better. [read more...] Contracts key in school professionalism Author(s): Jim Stergios and Charlie Chieppo — Press date: 2011-01-27 Category: Education Description: A new study of teacher contracts in 25 Massachusetts school districts finds they range from a "professional" model that treats teachers as skilled professionals who are held accountable for student achievement, to a "factory" models characterized by overly rigid provisions and under which everyone is treated the same regardless of performance. [read more...] Massachusetts state budget: Kicking the can Author(s): The Pioneer Institute — Press date: 2011-01-26 Category: Better Government Description: Pioneer's annual "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" review of the Governor's budget proposal. [read more...] Mass. charter schools merit tip of the cap Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2011-01-17 Category: Education Description: [read more...] National education standards fall short Author(s): Jamie Gass and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2011-01-14 Category: Education Description: [read more...] History graduation requirement should be resurrected Watering down state's education standards Author(s): Jamie Gass and Charlie Chieppo — Press date: 2011-01-09 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Putting history in its place Small business needs insurance help Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2011-01-03 Category: Better Government Description: [read more...] Despite success, MCAS under siege Author(s): Charlie Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-12-29 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Judiciary must assert itself Author(s): James Dolan — Press date: 2010-12-28 Category: Better Government Description: [read more...] Youth need literary nutrition It’s for another look at education tax credits Author(s): CHARLES CHIEPPO AND JAMIE GASS — Press date: 2010-12-22 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Power to the principals! Mass. should help poor children attend better schools Author(s): CHARLES CHIEPPO and JAMIE GASS — Press date: 2010-12-19 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Give students the chance their governor had Author(s): CHARLES CHIEPPO AND JAMIE GASS — Press date: 2010-12-15 Category: Education Description: [read more...] An education in tax-credit program for Massachusetts Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-12-13 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Dose of flexibility needed Author(s): Eric Dahlberg and Josh Archambault — Press date: 2010-12-10 Category: Better Government Description: Supports Sens. Brown and Wyden's Empowering States to Innovate Act, to revise the national health reform law. [read more...] Expanding opportunity Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-12-08 Category: Education Description: [read more...] Pete Peters, RIP Author(s): Dr. Richard Bishirjian — Press date: 2010-11-23 Category: Better Government Description: Tribute to Lovett C. Peters, Founder of Pioneer [read more...] Tax credit key to broader school choice Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2010-11-17 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts should adopt a program similar to the Rhode Island Corporate Scholarship Tax Credit (CSTC) program, through which businesses receive state tax credits equal to 75 percent to 90 percent for money donated to a Scholarship Granting Organization. [read more...] Four steps to reverse urban decline Author(s): Joshua Archambault — Press date: 2010-11-13 Category: Better Government Description: There are four steps the commonwealth can take to reverse years of urban decline. [read more...] Strong STEM Education Author(s): Charlies Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-10-27 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts' adoption of the Common Core national standards will weaken its own high quality math standards, since the national standards are not as rigorous in algebra, geometry, and arithmetic as the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. [read more...] Pulling charter schools into bureaucracy Author(s): Cara Stillings Candal, PhD — Press date: 2010-10-23 Category: Education Description: The much-touted MA charter school cap-lifting legislation passed earlier this year offered a sense of hope to those thousands of families currently occupying wait lists for entrance to our high performing charter schools. However, hidden within that legislation are a number of bureaucratic regulations that threaten to ...jeopardize charter schools' ability to focus on results rather than compliance. [read more...] Adams would be appalled Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-07-16 Category: Education Description: The recent Fourth of July holiday provided an opportunity to reflect on the principles of American democracy. Few had a bigger role in developing those principles than the commonwealth's own John Adams, who wrote the Massachusetts Constitution, proposed that Thomas Jefferson pen the Declaration of Independence, nominated George Washington to lead the Continental Army and appointed John Marshall chief justice. [read more...] State needs to increase aid for local education Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2010-07-12 Category: Education Description: Gov. Patrick may tout his $27.6 billion budget for next year as "balanced, responsible and on time," but it continues to protect state workers at the expense of local communities. Nowhere is that protect-the-Dome attitude more prevalent than in education. [read more...] A dubious Mass. budget for education Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2010-07-09 Category: Education Description: Governor Patrick may tout his $27.6 billion budget for fiscal 2011 as "balanced, responsible and on time," but it continues to protect state workers at the expense of local communities. Nowhere is that protect-the-Dome attitude more prevalent than in education. [read more...] 21st century skills soft at core Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-07-09 Category: Education Description: In 2008, a state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) task force proposed integrating soft, so-called 21st century skills like "cultural competence" and "global awareness" into the commonwealth’s public school standards. But closer scrutiny revealed falling reading scores in states that took this approach. [read more...] Hard times hit schools, not state bureaucrats Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2010-07-06 Category: Education Description: Governor Patrick may tout his $27.6 billion budget for next year as "balanced, responsible and on time," but it continues to protect state workers at the expense of local communities. Nowhere is that protect-the-Dome attitude more prevalent than in education. [read more...] Hard times hit schools, not state bureaucrats Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2010-07-06 Category: Education Description: Governor Patrick may tout his $27.6 billion budget for next year as "balanced, responsible and on time," but it continues to protect state workers at the expense of local communities. Nowhere is that protect-the-Dome attitude more prevalent than in education. [read more...] Health Care Fails Small Businesses Author(s): Jim Stergios and Amy Lischko — Press date: 2010-05-25 Category: Better Government Description: Not long after President Nixon took the unprecedented step of imposing peacetime wage and price controls, the American people learned a basic economic lesson: artificial controls don’t work unless underlying costs are controlled. Four decades later, the Patrick administration is imposing controls on small-business health-insurance rates. The move will prove to be little more than an election-year reprise of Nixon’s failed effort. The Commonwealth's 2006 health care reform was supposed to address rising health-insurance costs for small businesses. It hasn't — and small businesses are paying the price. [read more...] Demography is not destiny Author(s): Kathleen A. Madigan and Theodor Rebarber — Press date: 2010-05-23 Category: Education Description: Anyone interested in knowing state policy-makers' top educational priority need only read the title of reform legislation enacted in January: "An Act Relative to the Achievement Gap." [read more...] Health care fails small businesses Author(s): Jim Stergios and Amy Lischko — Press date: 2010-05-12 Category: Better Government Description: Not long after President Nixon took the unprecedented step of imposing peacetime wage and price controls, the American people learned a basic economic lesson: Artificial controls don't work unless underlying costs are controlled. [read more...] MCAS may lose 'Race to the Top' Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-04-25 Category: Education Description: Washington bureaucrats are transforming Race to the Top (RttT) education grants from a competition that encourages states to replicate practices proven to boost student performance into an invitation to undo effective reforms. After using the lure of federal money in hopes of getting states like Massachusetts to adopt an inferior national K-12 standards proposal, beltway insiders are now working on assessments to accompany the yet-to-be-finalized standards. [read more...] Washington bids to gut MCAS and destroy Mass. school reform Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-04-23 Category: Education Description: Washington bureaucrats are transforming Race to the Top (RttT) education grants from a competition that encourages states to replicate practices proven to boost student performance into an invitation to undo effective reforms. [read more...] Don't dump MCAS for weak national tests Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-04-20 Category: Education Description: Washington bureaucrats are transforming Race to the Top education grants from a competition that encourages states to replicate practices proven to boost student performance into an invitation to undo effective reforms. [read more...] Don't lower state's education standards Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-04-19 Category: Education Description: Washington bureaucrats are transforming Race to the Top education grants from a competition that encourages states to replicate practices proven to boost student performance into an invitation to undo effective reforms. After using the lure of federal money in hopes of getting states like Massachusetts to adopt an inferior national K-12 standards proposal, beltway insiders are now working on assessments to accompany the yet-to-be-finalized standards. Massachusetts lost out on the first round of Race to the Top. Winning part of the $350 million federal kitty now being offered to help states develop assessments could spell the end of MCAS as we know it. State education policy makers should decline to pursue the money. [read more...] Massachusetts Does It Better Author(s): JIM STERGIOS AND CHARLES CHIEPPO — Press date: 2010-04-03 Category: Education Description: The Obama administration announced the winners of its Race to the Top contest this week. Even though the competition was supposed to award money to states making strides in K-12 public education, one state that is a recognized leader in educational standards didn't receive a dime. Delaware and Tennessee received a combined $609 million in grants, while Massachusetts got nothing, placing 13th out of 16 states that were finalists. What hurt the Bay State was that it has less union buy-in for education reforms compared to the other states and has so far refused to adopt national education standards. [read more...] Throw financial lifeline to Lawrence with a permanent solution Author(s): James Stergios — Press date: 2010-02-21 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Governor Patrick's proposed financial rescue of the city of Lawrence has three major elements: $35 million in loan guarantees, a state overseer with the power to recommend and report on city actions, and full receivership if the first two do not work. The city needs - and deserves - much more. [read more...] YOUR VIEW: Education gets more political Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-02-20 Category: Education Description: Recent reform legislation that doubled the number of charter school seats in the neediest school districts is an important step forward for public education in Massachusetts. But the commonwealth has taken two steps backward thanks to disastrous changes to the way Massachusetts sets education policy. [read more...] Boston and Mayor Menino should make more data available to public Author(s): Steve Poftak and Liam Day — Press date: 2010-02-19 Category: Better Government Description: Boston — They say you can’t fight City Hall but, of course, you shouldn’t have to. City Hall is supposed to work for you, not the other way around. And in that context, you deserve to know your tax dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent. [read more...] Politics interferes with education agenda Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2010-02-05 Category: Education Description: Recent reform legislation that doubled the number of charter school seats in needy districts is an important step forward for public education in Massachusetts. But the state has taken two steps backward thanks to disastrous changes to the way it sets education policy. [read more...] UMass law school looms, but questions remain Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2010-01-19 Category: Better Government Description: A plan by the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth to take over the Southern New England Law School leaves a number of critical questions unanswered, and yet it seems to have acquired the air of inevitability. Such heavyweights as Governor Patrick and Education Secretary Paul Reville have already given their support, the UMass Board of Trustees has voted overwhelmingly in favor, and only the Board of Higher Education remains to give its approval. But there remain fundamental inconsistencies in the proposal, which rests on several crucial assumptions: that an unaccredited law school can simultaneously gain accreditation, expand its enrollment, substantially raise the achievement level of those students, charge tuition rates far below private competitors, and still throw off millions of dollars for other uses. [read more...] Charter school foes would cost us Author(s): Cara Stillings Candal — Press date: 2010-01-07 Category: Education Description: Myths have long surrounded Massachusetts charter schools. With the elimination of arbitrary charter caps - a criterion for receipt of what could be more than $250 million in federal grant money - the time has come to slay those myths once and for all. [read more...] YOUR VIEW: Money argument against charters falls flat Author(s): Ken Ardon — Press date: 2010-01-07 Category: Education Description: Charter school opponents rarely talk about the comparative educational quality of Massachusetts' charter and district schools. Given the consistent flow of research showing that charters outperform district schools, it's easy to understand why. [read more...] Red ink is staining more than MBTA Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-11-12 Category: Better Government Description: In his recent review of the MBTA, business leader David D’Alessandro wrote: “A private firm faced with this mountain of red ink would likely fold or seek bankruptcy.’’ More sobering is the realization that the T’s financial mess is only marginally bleaker than what the Commonwealth itself faces. [read more...] Ed funds at risk Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-11-04 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts charter schools are a proven, effective mechanism for bridging the achievement gaps politicians have long talked about. With President Barack Obama making the lifting of state charter caps a criterion for receipt of $4.35 billion in federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grants, the pressure to allow more of them is on. Still, legislators fear the reaction from school superintendents and teachers unions. [read more...] Better way to manage Mass. fiscal crisis Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-10-21 Category: Better Government Description: BOSTON - Managing the Massachusetts budget during a time of crisis is hard work. It is even harder heading into an election year. Governor Patrick’s announcement of a new round of $600 million in state budget cuts is yet another sign that we are far from out of the economic woods. Some even estimate that next year’s budget shortfall could reach $2 billion to $3 billion. [read more...] 5 Things Massachusetts Should Do Immediately Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-10-20 Category: Better Government Description: Massachusetts has a big budget gap but tax hikes and service cuts shouldn't be the only approach. We must also change practices to help close that gap. Here are five things Massachusetts should do right now to become more efficient and more effective. [read more...] Keep politics out of charter-school selections Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-10-10 Category: Education Description: The question wasn't if it would happen; it was just a matter of when. State governance changes enacted last year that included packing the Board of Education and recreating a secretary of education were destined to politicize education policymaking. The current flap over the secretary's late-night e-mail asking the commissioner if he could "see (his) way clear" to supporting a proposed Gloucester charter school was inevitable. [read more...] Education standards watered down Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-10-08 Category: Education Description: Michael F. Fitzpatrick’s As I See It, “Academic, life skills needed” (Telegram & Gazette, Oct. 1), was of interest because of Pioneer Institute’s research highlighting the academic successes of vocational-technical education in Massachusetts, in addition to our criticism of efforts to water down the state’s academic standards with 21st century skills. [read more...] The biggest issue of the election Author(s): Jim Stergios and Liam Day — Press date: 2009-10-08 Category: Better Government Description: With Boston mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty’s announcement that he is partnering with Sam Yoon in an effort to beat the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, we now have the most competitive mayoral race in a generation. [read more...] A step to manage health costs Author(s): Eric Schultz and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-09-19 Category: Better Government Description: Massachusetts' managed care organizations lead the nation in quality of care and consumer satisfaction. So it is no surprise that the percentage of people in the Commonwealth’s private health insurance market who use managed care is the highest in the nation. [read more...] History lessons help to create educated and dedicated citizens Author(s): Sandra Stotsky — Press date: 2009-09-03 Category: Education Description: "These youngsters...aren't taught (about the Battle of Bunker Hill) in school anymore," said Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston public schools students at a recent holiday ceremony, "so we are losing part of that American history." But American history isn't being lost at a remarkable school in Malden -- Mystic Valley Regional Charter School. [read more...] History lessons help to create educated and dedicated citizens2009 Author(s): Sandra Stotsky — Press date: 2009-09-03 Category: Education Description: "These youngsters...aren't taught (about the Battle of Bunker Hill) in school anymore," said Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston public schools students at a recent holiday ceremony, "so we are losing part of that American history." [read more...] Ed board PTA appointee puts parents last Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-08-19 Category: Education Description: Given his support for MCAS and recent embrace of charter schools, it’s surprising that Gov. Deval Patrick quietly reappointed an opponent of both to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education after her initial term expired earlier this summer. Even more surprising is how few people Ruth Kaplan, supposedly the board’s "parent representative," actually represents. [read more...] One school's healthy dose of history Author(s): Sandra Stotsky — Press date: 2009-07-24 Category: Education Description: THESE YOUNGSTERS . . . aren’t taught [about the Battle of Bunker Hill] in school anymore,” said Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston public schools students at a recent holiday ceremony, “so we are losing part of that American history.” But American history isn’t being lost at a remarkable school in Malden — Mystic Valley Regional Charter School. [read more...] High-tech highway funding Author(s): Joseph M. Giglio and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-07-22 Category: Better Government Description: With funding set to expire this fall, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee proposes to authorize a half trillion dollars in federal spending on surface transportation over six years. The Obama administration took a different view, announcing that it wanted Congress to delay reauthorization for 18 months. [read more...] Invest in education programs that have proven records Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-07-09 Category: Education Description: A new study confirms what most observers suspected: Massachusetts' education reform has been a historic success, but much still needs to be done to narrow stubborn achievement gaps between high- and low-income students. [read more...] Tough standards produce great teachers Author(s): Kathleen A. Madigan — Press date: 2009-07-05 Category: Education Description: News that nearly three-quarters of aspiring teachers failed the new math section of the state licensure exam represents another crossroads in the Massachusetts education reform journey that began more than 15 years ago. [read more...] School 'reform' snubs students Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-07-03 Category: Education Description: The most stunning moment of a recent panel on education reform came when state Education Secretary Paul Reville was asked about how to confront an establishment that routinely uses its political clout to block reform. It was like asking the CEO of General Motors how to stem the tide of costly corporate bailouts. [read more...] No pension reform laurels just yet Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-06-25 Category: Better Government Description: A pension reform bill was just signed with much fanfare. But that should be the beginning, not the end, of the pension reform conversation. To that end, what is happening in Essex County may ultimately be more important. There, local leaders are finally declaring enough is enough. [read more...] Mass. schools greatly improved, can be better Author(s): Charlie Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-06-18 Category: Education Description: A new study confirms what most observers suspected: Massachusetts' education reform has been a historic success, but much still needs to be done to narrow stubborn achievement gaps between high- and low-income students. The study, published by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC), finds that Massachusetts has more than doubled its investment in schools since education reform was enacted in 1993, with most of the additional money directed to poorer districts. In return for the money, the state raised standards and increased accountability. [read more...] Mayor struggling in leadership test Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-06-12 Category: Education Description: Four years ago, in a thriving economy, Mayor Tom Menino was easily re-elected. He was the urban mechanic, ensuring equity at a time of prosperity, job growth and skyrocketing home prices. Steady management, not vision, was what Boston needed. Times have changed. Unfortunately, Menino has not. [read more...] 21st-century ed mustn't go soft Author(s): Jamie Gass and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-06-05 Category: Education Description: Last December, former Senate president and co-author of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act Tom Birmingham said he fears that so-called 21st century skills may lead to "a soft subversion of objective assessments, a watering down of clear expectations with vague aspirations." [read more...] Keep high standards for teacher testing Author(s): Kathleen A. Madigan — Press date: 2009-06-04 Category: Education Description: News that nearly three-quarters of aspiring teachers failed the new math section of the state licensure exam represents another crossroads in the Massachusetts education reform journey that began more than 15 years ago. In the years before MCAS became a high school graduation requirement, large numbers of students routinely failed. But the commonwealth held firm to standards and was rewarded with unexpectedly high pass rates when the graduation requirement kicked in for the class of 2003. [read more...] The wrong way to fund education Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-05-30 Category: Education Description: "It shall be the duty of legislatures and magistrates, in all future periods of this Commonwealth, to cherish . . . the public schools, and grammar schools in the towns," proclaims the Massachusetts Constitution. For over two centuries, this is how the state has defined its commitment to its schoolchildren. [read more...] Teachers' union flunks courses Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-05-27 Category: Education Description: The latest example of the education establishment placing its parochial interests ahead of improving student achievement originates with the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), the commonwealth's largest teachers union. But this one is even more disturbing than usual, both because it's so blatant and because it highlights a loophole the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education needs to close. [read more...] Don't water down MCAS Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-05-26 Category: Education Description: Last December, former Senate President and co-author of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act Tom Birmingham said he fears that so-called 21st century skills may lead to "a soft subversion of objective assessments, a watering down of clear expectations with vague aspirations." [read more...] Watering down MCAS would be mistake Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-05-25 Category: Education Description: Last December, former Senate President and co-author of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act Tom Birmingham said he fears that so-called 21st century skills may lead to "a soft subversion of objective assessments, a watering down of clear expectations with vague aspirations." [read more...] Time to stop the rhetoric and enact real pension reform Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-05-24 Category: Better Government Description: Deval Patrick is under attack from State Treasurer Tim Cahill — an increasingly likely opponent in the 2010 governor's race — for "political grandstanding" on the issue of legislators who use state law to inflate their pensions as they're leaving office. [read more...] We've never needed our graduates more Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-05-23 Category: Better Government Description: The season of commencement speeches has begun. Expect good cheer from the podium, but, dear graduates, you – and we – would benefit from the truth. [read more...] How to tell the 'reform' sizzle from the steak Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-05-21 Category: Better Government Description: Tax increases come out of your wallet immediately. But will the reforms we were promised before new revenues come at all? The House took less than three hours to debate and pass a 25 percent increase in the sales tax. Contrast that with the extended agony that accompanied incremental pension and transportation reforms, most of which were swept away in seconds of closed-door lobbying. [read more...] Hearing the truth Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-05-17 Category: Better Government Description: The season of commencement speeches has begun. Expect good cheer from the podium, but, dear graduates, you, and we, would benefit from the truth. [read more...] YOUR VIEW: An inexpensive boost for schools Author(s): Jamie Gass and Liam Day — Press date: 2009-05-11 Category: Education Description: What would you say if you found out your kids weren't being taught the material covered by state tests? Unfortunately, a 2006 Pioneer Institute study of 76 school districts revealed that 58 percent of the districts have not aligned their local curricula with the commonwealth's curriculum frameworks. Since the MCAS exams are based on the academic material included in the frameworks, the results mean that 16 years after the passage of education reform, students in these districts are still being tested on material they haven't learned in class. [read more...] How to make the Pike serve its customers Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-05-06 Category: Better Government Description: The Massachusetts Turnpike's Easter debacle shines a harsh spotlight on the absurd depths to which our ability to manage the Commonwealth's transportation network has sunk. Depending on whom you believe, some combination of (possibly deliberate) reductions in staffing and questionable levels of sick leave resulted in gridlock. [read more...] Funding obligations are forever Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-05-02 Category: Education Description: Thanks in part to Gov. Deval Patrick's advocacy, Massachusetts will receive nearly $2 billion for education under the recently passed federal stimulus legislation. The money is certainly welcome, but is the commonwealth prepared to invest it wisely? [read more...] Opportunity for transportation reform fading Author(s): Joseph M. Giglio and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-05-01 Category: Better Government Description: The watering down of state transportation reform legislation demonstrates that shepherding meaningful change through the legislative process requires the leadership of professional managers. The prognosis isn't good; transportation reform is in trouble in Massachusetts. [read more...] Gov’s anti-tax stance mustn’t be just an act Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-05-01 Category: Better Government Description: One day. That’s all it took. We wait years for pension reform. Years for the state to reform health care purchasing. Decades for elected officials to shrug off the embrace of public employee unions. And still none of it is done. But increase the sales tax? All it takes is a day. [read more...] Invest education aid wisely Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-04-18 Category: Education Description: Thanks in part to Gov. Deval Patrick’s advocacy, Massachusetts will receive nearly $2 billion for education under the recently passed federal stimulus legislation. The money is certainly welcome, but is the commonwealth prepared to invest it wisely? [read more...] Foxes guard school henhouse Author(s): Charles Chieppo and James Gass — Press date: 2009-04-15 Category: Education Description: Thanks in part to Governor Patrick’s advocacy, Massachusetts will get nearly $2 billion for education under the federal stimulus bill. The money is surely welcome, but is the Commonwealth prepared to invest it wisely? [read more...] School vouchers level playing field Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-04-11 Category: Education Description: QUINCY — "The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them," wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 book, "A Nation of Immigrants." Today, few people realize the Massachusetts Constitution has two Know-Nothing-style amendments that still thrust their mid-19th century bigotry into our world. [read more...] Gov behind the curve Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-03-30 Category: Education Description: Uncap the charters. "Right now, there are many caps on how many charter schools are allowed in some states, no matter how well they’re preparing our students," President Barack Obama recently noted before calling to "lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools, wherever such caps are in place." [read more...] Patrick's retreat on reform Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-03-23 Category: Education Description: Gov. Deval Patrick calls education his "singular pursuit." Sadly, he has pursued the systematic dismantling of the nation's most successful education reforms. Massachusetts' 1993 Education Reform Act dramatically increased school funding in return for high standards, accountability and enhanced school choice. The result has not only been a national model -- by 2007, the average Massachusetts fourth-grader was performing at a higher level in math than the average sixth-grader had been in 1996 -- but recent testing shows it has even bridged the achievement gap between state students and their international counterparts. [read more...] Going beyond the Know-Nothings Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-03-22 Category: Education Description: The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them,” wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 essay "A Nation of Immigrants." Today, few people realize the Massachusetts Constitution has two Know-Nothing-style amendments, which still thrust their mid-19th Century bigotry into our world. [read more...] Accountability Overboard Author(s): Charles Chieppo and James T. Gass — Press date: 2009-03-19 Category: Education Description: Special interest groups opposed to charter schools and high-stakes testing have hijacked the state’s once-independent board of education and stand poised to water down the MCAS tests and the accountability system they support. [read more...] Know-Nothings’ bigotry lives Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-03-18 Category: Education Description: “The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them,” wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 book, "A Nation of Immigrants." Today, few people realize the Massachusetts Constitution has two Know-Nothing-style amendments, which still thrust their mid-19th century bigotry into our world. [read more...] Metco's merits many Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-03-17 Category: Education Description: The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens, President Barack Obama said last week in his first major education address. At stake is nothing less than the American Dream. [read more...] Move necessary to adjust to demographics Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-03-15 Category: Education Description: In the Ideas section piece "Together we won't" (March 8), Elaine McArdle omits key data in her criticism of Governor Patrick's plans to regionalize school districts. Her analysis ignores the larger demographic shifts making regionalization a necessary fact of life in Massachusetts. [read more...] Transport system's blind spot Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2009-03-14 Category: Better Government Description: We all want to get where we're going in a reasonable amount of time. Strip away the politics and policy, and that's the essence of the average citizen's expectation about transportation. We just want dependable service. [read more...] Losing a fiscal shell game Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2009-02-20 Category: Better Government Description: There's nothing like an economic meltdown to make state government feel powerless. Its impact on the economy is marginal, and it takes time before even that effect is felt. The natural desire is to take bold action to turn the tide. Unfortunately, those actions often do more harm than good. [read more...] A repackaged education proposal Author(s): Kathleen A. Madigan — Press date: 2009-02-14 Category: Education Description: A debate is raging about the future of academic standards in American public education. On one side, University of Virginia Professor E.D. Hirsch and organizations like Democrats for Education Reform are working to extend standards-based reforms. [read more...] Gloucester deserves better than denial that KO'd Brockton school Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-02-12 Category: Education Description: February is charter school season in Massachusetts, when the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education decides whether to approve proposals for schools recommended by the commissioner. Among the three schools up for approval is Gloucester Community Arts Charter School, which would ultimately serve grades K-8. [read more...] Do the math: Bay State on proper path Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2009-01-18 Category: Education Description: We have long wondered how the commonwealth's students stack up to the rest of the world in math and science. Now we know. Results from Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), the leading test of global math and science achievement, show that Massachusetts is an exception to the generally mediocre performance of U.S. students on international assessments. [read more...] State can’t afford cut in safety net, local aid Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2009-01-16 Category: Better Government Description: News that Gov. Deval Patrick’s October budget cuts led to layoffs of 100 state workers who served 3,000 mental health clients should set off alarm bells about how we are approaching the current budget crisis. [read more...] COMMENTARY: A regional approach Author(s): Steve Poftak and Aaron Powers — Press date: 2009-01-12 Category: Better Government Description: QUINCY — This fall, Gov. Deval Patrick cut $600 million from the state budget after first quarter tax revenues came in lower than projected. With House Speaker Sal DiMasi’s recent warnings that local aid could be slashed by as much as 10 percent in the upcoming budget, municipalities have little choice but to tighten their belts even further. [read more...] Uncap the charters! Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2008-12-16 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts’ students are not only the best performers in the nation, but recent results of the Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS) test show they are among the best in the world. But we have a way to go when it comes to developing the skills of our most gifted students. [read more...] YOUR VIEW: Don't dismantle Mass. students' success Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-12-12 Category: Education Description: We have long wondered how the commonwealth's students stack up to the rest of the world in math and science. This week, the results from the New Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), the leading test of international math and science achievement, demonstrated once again that Massachusetts is an exception to the mediocre performance of U.S. students. [read more...] Don't dumb it down Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-12-09 Category: Education Description: We have long wondered how the commonwealth's students stack up to the rest of the world in math and science. This week, the results from the New Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), the leading test of international math and science achievement, will likely demonstrate once again that Massachusetts is an exception to the mediocre performance of U.S. students. [read more...] “21st century skills” shenanigans in the Bay State Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-12-04 Category: Education Description: Last spring, Paul Reville, who was then chair of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and is now the Commonwealth's Secretary of Education, created the 21st Century Skills Task Force. Its charge seemed reasonable at first glance--to review state curriculum frameworks and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), the high-stakes tests students are required to pass to earn a high school diploma, and update them to include additional skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, these futuristic skills include creativity, media savvy, cultural competence, problem solving, and improved teamwork. [read more...] Vocational-technical schools a great option for North Shore students Author(s): Alison Fraser — Press date: 2008-12-04 Category: Education Description: There is no shortage of spirited debate over state education policy. MCAS, charter schools and merit pay for teachers all make headlines. But the commonwealth's regional vocational-technical high schools don't spark much debate, because most everyone agrees they are a Massachusetts success story. [read more...] Bay State mustn’t cut safety net first Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-11-12 Category: Better Government Description: EVERY TIME an economic downturn hits Massachusetts, Beacon Hill reverts to the failed remedies of the past — across-the-board cuts that target social services, preserving pet projects and public-employee benefits at all costs, and passing the burden on to future generations. [read more...] Revising Patrick's education agenda Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-10-28 Category: Education Description: GOVERNOR Deval Patrick has acted to stanch budgetary bleeding caused by the national financial crisis. He has demonstrated leadership by resisting the temptation to wait until after the election to make cuts and by slashing his own budget before calling on other constitutional officers to do the same. [read more...] The Mass. voc-tech success story Author(s): Alison Fraser — Press date: 2008-10-26 Category: Education Description: There is no shortage of spirited debate over state education policy, with issues like MCAS, charter schools and merit pay for teachers regularly in the headlines. But the Commonwealth's regional vocational-technical high schools don't spark much controversy, because most everyone agrees they are a Massachusetts success story. [read more...] The T's unchecked expansion and its consequences Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-10-12 Category: Better Government Description: WITH THE turnpike's budget woes making headlines and the Patrick administration going about the painful work of identifying what could be $1 billion in emergency budget cuts, it seems increasingly difficult to find a state agency that can pay its bills. [read more...] Mass. limits options for poor students Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-10-10 Category: Education Description: A LOT of parents — particularly in urban areas — worry about sending their kids to public schools. Many make great sacrifices to finance private education; some apply to charter schools or take advantage of other opportunities within the public system. [read more...] Pension liability constrains state Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-10-06 Category: Better Government Description: Gov. Patrick has once again focused attention on the need to fix the commonwealth’s public employee pension systems. After a summer that featured “fired” Turnpike employees collecting outsized pensions and a “disabled” bodybuilder, Patrick wisely includes reform of the state and MBTA pension systems in his plan to address a growing state fiscal crisis. [read more...] All kids deserve quality education Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-09-22 Category: Education Description: A lot of parents -- particularly in urban areas -- worry about sending their kids to public schools. Many make great sacrifices to finance private education; some apply to charter schools or take advantage of other opportunities within the public system [read more...] The MCAS and the goal of schools Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-09-17 Category: Education Description: GOVERNOR PATRICK says his support for MCAS is clear. But with the Readiness Project report's characterization of the past 15 years of education reform as "batch processing," calls for assessments to "complement" MCAS, and its "whole child" rhetoric, you have to wonder. [read more...] Privatization That Protects Taxpayer Interests Author(s): Joseph M. Giglio and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-09-15 Category: Better Government Description: The Mass. Turnpike Authority is broke, and state taxpayers are partially on the hook if it can’t pay the bills. Bridges are in woeful condition; the Commonwealth just agreed to borrow $3 billion to fix the nearly 600 of them categorized as “structurally deficient.” [read more...] Bay State blocking the schoolhouse door Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-09-14 Category: Education Description: A lot of parents - particularly in urban areas - worry about sending their kids to public schools. Many make great sacrifices to finance private education; some apply to charter schools or take advantage of other opportunities within the public system. [read more...] Privatization that protects taxpayer interests Author(s): Joseph M. Giglio and Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-09-10 Category: Better Government Description: THE MASSACHUSETTS Turnpike Authority is broke and state taxpayers are partially on the hook if it can't pay the bills. Bridges are in woeful condition; the Commonwealth just agreed to borrow $3 billion to fix the nearly 600 of them categorized as "structurally deficient." [read more...] Tax credit eludes poor Bay Staters Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-09-08 Category: Better Government Description: More than a decade has passed since Massachusetts took advantage of a federal waiver to reform its welfare programs. At the time, there were more than 240,000 recipients of the old Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Today the number of state welfare recipients is down to about 100,000. [read more...] Selected hospitals shouldn't get special treatment under heath care reform Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-08-10 Category: Better Government Description: Like all legislation, the Massachusetts health care reform act of 2006 is imperfect. Mandating that people buy insurance or face a tax penalty is an abridgement of liberty and there are too many complex interactions with the government. That said, it has provided hundreds of thousands of poor, uninsured individuals with access to insurance — and therefore to preventive and continuing care. [read more...] Ready for more educational choices Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-08-05 Category: Education Description: PRIOR TO release of the Readiness Project, his administration's 10-year strategic plan for public education in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick declared, "Everything is on the table because our future is at stake." Everything, that is, except the kind of educational choice that transformed his own life. [read more...] Health care subsidies unfair to WMass Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-08-03 Category: Better Government Description: Like all legislation, the Massachusetts health care reform act of 2006 is imperfect. Mandating that people buy insurance or face a tax penalty is an abridgment of liberty and there are too many complex interactions with the government. That said, it has provided hundreds of thousands of poor uninsured individuals with access to insurance - and therefore to preventative and ongoing care. [read more...] Massachusetts health care reform is at risk Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-08-01 Category: Better Government Description: Like all legislation, the Massachusetts health care reform act of 2006 is imperfect. Mandating that people buy insurance or face a tax penalty is an abridgment of liberty and there are too many complex interactions with the government. That said, it has provided hundreds of thousands of poor uninsured individuals with access to insurance - and therefore to preventative and ongoing care. [read more...] Turnpike bailout signals need for broader reform Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-07-24 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: It's been said that you never get reform without paying for it, but the Patrick administration's Turnpike bailout proposal might just force us to pay without getting any reform. [read more...] Doing the math on healthcare Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-07-22 Category: Better Government Description: ALMOST WITHOUT exception, policy makers find 1+1 = 2 an easier proposition to understand than 2-1 = 1. Just consider the ease with which earmarks are "sold" in the political marketplace and the difficulty of trying to stay focused on providing high-quality core services. [read more...] MBTA fringe benefits still a runaway train Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-07-15 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: An arbitrator’s decision that will increase health-care co-pays for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s largest union and for the first time require future MBTA retirees to pay for a portion of their health insurance is a step in the right direction. But it may be too little too late for an agency whose finances are quickly approaching the end of the line. [read more...] Manual collection takes its toll Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-07-03 Category: Better Government Description: MASSACHUSETTS residents were outraged by last week's arrests of 10 current and former toll takers for allegedly skimming $7,500 from their Massachusetts Turnpike Authority booths. But shouldn't they be more outraged that the archaic practice of manual toll collection continues? This is an inefficient system that benefits almost no one but its own employees and creates unnecessary congestion when a more efficient alternative is available. [read more...] Rebuilding bridges and public trust Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-06-11 Category: Better Government Description: GOVERNOR Deval Patrick's proposal to accelerate funding to fix deficient bridges is a creative policy move that promotes public safety and economic growth. It could also repair taxpayers' faith in state government's ability to manage critical transportation infrastructure projects. more stories like this Patrick plans new kind of public school Bill to make Mass. leader in life sciences gets OK Park face-lift is two years past deadline Big Dig's $13.9m ducts go unused Mass. unveils plan to speed repairs for up to 300 bridges [read more...] The Battle to Curb Public Pensions Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-06-11 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: It’s one step forward, two steps back in the battle to bring pensions and other public-employee retirement benefits under control in Massachusetts. Beginning in January, MBTA retirees under 65 will contribute 15% toward the cost of their health insurance. Most T employees can retire with generous benefits after 23 years. Until now, those benefits included free health care for life. Not a bad deal, especially when you can retire in your 40s. [read more...] The battle to curb public pensions Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2008-05-21 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: IT'S ONE STEP forward, two steps back in the battle to bring pensions and other public employee retirement benefits under control in Massachusetts. more stories like thisBeginning in January, MBTA retirees under 65 will contribute 15 percent toward the cost of their health insurance. Most T employees can retire with generous benefits after 23 years. Until now, those benefits included free healthcare for life. Not a bad deal, especially when you can retire in your 40s. [read more...] Middle Cities' need help to boost business climate Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-05-13 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Gov. Deval Patrick recently announced an effort to create "regional growth districts" across Massachusetts, where he will pair streamlined permitting with increased focus from state officials. [read more...] A model in business and education Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2008-05-11 Category: Better Government Description: A RECENT statewide report found that 70 percent of students from 12 Massachusetts urban and vocational high schools required one or more remedial classes once they got to college. The study confirms that helping students in poor and urban schools - schools that have largely missed out on the impressive gains of the last 15 years - should be the Commonwealth's top educational priority. more stories like this It's a long way from Norfolk to Lowell New tools for schools School districts start to face sanctions under landmark law Addressing the education achievement gap with single-sex classes Patrick aide backs teacher pay overhaul [read more...] Catholic school woes not insular Author(s): Michael Petrilli and Liam Day — Press date: 2008-04-28 Category: Education Description: America’s Catholic schools are in crisis. In the last two decades, at least 1,300 of them have closed. Most were located in our cities, where too many children attend low-performing public schools and desperately need better options. As a consequence, 300,000 students have flooded back into public schools at a cost of more than $20 billion to state and local governments. [read more...] The politics of hope, take one Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-04-14 Category: Better Government Description: ...Patrick is committed to big government and has proposed billions in new spending, including a billion-dollar giveaway to biotech companies, a new $1.4 billion commuter rail line, numerous multibillion-dollar bond bills, and a proposal to make Massachusetts community colleges tuition-free.... [read more...] Forum: Transportation Reform Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-04-08 Category: Better Government Description: ...The first step toward solving our transportation problems cannot simply be more money, as some have suggested. We have to fix the broken system that got us into this mess in the first place. The proposed transportation reform package is the beginning of that process.... [read more...] There's more to transportation reform than police details Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-04-05 Category: Better Government Description: ...Transportation reform deserves a closer look, because it's vital for the future of Massachusetts. We face a massive bill for deferred maintenance. Pioneer's study "Our Legacy of Neglect" found that the current backlog is over $17 billion and rising daily.... [read more...] Your View: Massachusetts Unemployment Insurance Author(s): John O'Leary — Press date: 2008-04-01 Category: Better Government Description: ...For two years during the Romney administration, I ran the state's Division of Unemployment Assistance. In 2004, I sent out checks totaling $1.4 billion to folks for not working. I also taxed Massachusetts business to the tune of $1.5 billion to subsidize the program. Government cannot give money to some people unless it takes it away from others. That is a law of economics, not subject to repeal by lawmakers.... [read more...] Unemployment insurance mess a job-killing machine for state Author(s): John O'Leary — Press date: 2008-03-31 Category: Better Government Description: When people fly to Massachusetts from Arizona to collect Massachusetts unemployment insurance, don’t you think it’s a signal that our benefits are too high?...To be fair, some businesses love the UI program — the ones who scam it. You see, employees from about 4 percent of Massachusetts businesses consume about one-third of all UI benefits. Over a three-year period, about 5,500 “frequent flyer” companies collected $1.2 billion more in benefits than they paid in taxes. For them, the UI program means money for nothing.... [read more...] Revoke anti-aid amendments Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2008-03-17 Category: Education Description: "The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them," wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 book, A Nation of Immigrants. Today, few people realize the Massachusetts Constitution has two Know-Nothing-style amendments, which still thrust their mid-19th century bigotry into our world. [read more...] Mammoth debt load is putting Bay State in a deep fiscal hole Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2008-03-07 Category: Better Government Description: It’s often said that in a democracy, we get the government we deserve. But when it comes to debt, we don’t deserve the treatment we’re getting from government....Massachusetts and the nation are slipping into recession. Part of that has to do with the cyclical nature of the economy, but it’s exacerbated by the fact that we’re in debt up to our ears.... [read more...] Steep hike in debt cap not the answer Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-03-02 Category: Better Government Description: It's often said that in a democracy, we get the government we deserve. But when it comes to debt, we don't deserve the treatment we're getting from government. Massachusetts and the nation are slipping into recession. Part of that has to do with the cyclical nature of the economy, but it's exacerbated by the fact that we're in debt up to our ears.... [read more...] Forum: Billion-dollar life sciences investment may leave Lawrence behind Author(s): John Friar — Press date: 2008-03-02 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: With Massachusetts and the nation facing recession, both the state and federal governments are promoting initiatives to help avoid it. Here in Massachusetts, the Legislature passed Thursday a $1 billion life sciences package originally proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick. Unfortunately, much of the commonwealth, including Lawrence, would be largely immune to any economic growth the bill might generate....My new study, "New Business Creation and the Urban Economy," published by Pioneer Institute, examines the link between business creation and employment growth in 14 cities Pioneer refers to as Middle Cities — those outside the Boston area with populations ranging from 40,000 to 170,000.... [read more...] Lowell must diversify its business portfolio Author(s): John Friar — Press date: 2008-03-02 Category: Better Government Description: ...My new study, New Business Creation and the Urban Economy, published by the Pioneer Institute, examines the link between business creation and employment growth in 14 cities Pioneer refers to as "middle cities" -- those outside the Boston area with populations ranging from 40-170,000. Economic trends in the middle cities differ from those statewide. Business creation in smaller, older cities moves independently from statewide cycles of business expansion and contraction. It may seem like common sense, but legislators and other policy makers must bear in mind that what works for Boston doesn't necessarily work for Lowell.... [read more...] State swamped in debt Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2008-02-27 Category: Better Government Description: It's often said that in a democracy, we get the government we deserve. But when it comes to debt, we don't deserve the treatment we're getting from government....By virtually any measure — such as per-capita debt and debt as a percentage of personal income — the state is deeper in hock than almost any other state. Debt service is one of the largest line items in our annual budget and one of the drivers of a structural deficit that has topped $1 billion in each of the last two years.... [read more...] The great biotech giveaway Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-02-27 Category: Better Government Description: THE CONVENTIONAL wisdom is that we are heading into a recession. So on the surface, the deal negotiated by state leaders to secure a $394 million expansion in Lexington of Shire PLC, with 680 new jobs, is good news....The problem is that landing the British drug maker's expansion cost taxpayers $40.5 million in state and $7.5 million in local incentives, or nearly $70,000 per job....The state House of Representatives has revised the life sciences bill, broadening its application to related industries. While marginally better, here are the top 10 reasons why the Great Biotech Giveaway is a bad idea:... [read more...] When unemployed work system . . . Author(s): John O'Leary — Press date: 2008-02-19 Category: Better Government Description: Each year, the Massachusetts Unemployment Insurance system is routinely scammed for hundreds of millions of dollars.By whom? Well, there’s the 47-year-old restaurant owner from Cape Cod who earned $49,000 and then laid herself off and collected $10,621 from UI. She has collected Unemployment Insurance benefits for 22 straight years....John O’Leary is the former director of the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance and co-author of “Unemployment Insurance in Massachusetts: Burdening Businesses and Hurting Job Creation,” published by Pioneer Institute. [read more...] Massachusetts should preserve independent Board of Education Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2008-01-28 Category: Education Description: The independence of key institutions from political influence has been at the heart of the nation’s most successful education reform program....Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s proposal to overhaul public education governance in Massachusetts would shift power from those institutions to a bureaucracy firmly under his own control.... [read more...] The end of education reform? Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-01-24 Category: Education Description: The independence of key institutions from political influence has been at the heart of the nation's most successful education reform program. Gov. Patrick's proposal to overhaul public education governance in Massachusetts would shift power from those institutions to a bureaucracy firmly under his own control.... [read more...] Keep Board of Education independent Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2008-01-24 Category: Education Description: ...Patrick proposes creating a secretary of education who would have broad authority over early childhood, K-12 and public higher education. It is an idea that has been twice created and twice abolished in recent decades due to the conflict and confusion it produced. But the plan is really about taking control of the Board of Education, the nation's oldest independent education board. Since it was established in 1837 with Horace Mann at the helm, it has successfully insulated state education policy from the political process.... [read more...] Easing the burden of unemployment insurance Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2008-01-18 Category: Better Government Description: AFTER NEARLY a year of haggling over the most recent round of proposed business tax changes, a compromise seems to be emerging....One of the main sources of that disadvantage is a business tax that has hardly even been mentioned during the recent debate: unemployment insurance. The unemployment insurance program levies a payroll tax on employers that is used to provide a financial cushion for individuals who unexpectedly lose their jobs.This entirely rational idea has spiraled out of control.... [read more...] COMMENTARY: A regional approach Author(s): Steve Poftak and Aaron Powers — Press date: 2008-01-12 Category: Better Government Description: QUINCY — This fall, Gov. Deval Patrick cut $600 million from the state budget after first quarter tax revenues came in lower than projected. With House Speaker Sal DiMasi’s recent warnings that local aid could be slashed by as much as 10 percent in the upcoming budget, municipalities have little choice but to tighten their belts even further. [read more...] Mass. must reach poor children Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-12-20 Category: Education Description: IN RUSSIA there are just over 17 million school-age children. Cribbing from Crash Course, Chris Whittle’s wonderful look into the future of American education, the U.S. is home to 15 million public school students who are below basic literacy levels, which means we have about as many students who don’t possess the skills to function in the workplace as some other large countries have kids.... [read more...] Apply school innovations on a larger scale Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-12-18 Category: Education Description: ...[We] have outperformed every other state in each category of national assessments two years running. We're right to be proud of that, but we should also recognize that it's mainly due to improvements in suburban schools as a result of the 1993 Education Reform Act. Our major urban centers have hardly improved, and the achievement gap has not narrowed since 1998. For urban districts, the dream remains deferred. ....More than other states, we have avoided the pursuit of a single "silver bullet" by embracing a number of innovations that have proven successful.... [read more...] Paying the Bills Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2007-11-24 Category: Better Government Description: LESLIE KIRWAN, secretary for administration and finance, says the Commonwealth faces a budget deficit of at least $1.3 billion next year. That doesn't include a down payment on a number of new programs Governor Deval Patrick has proposed that have one thing in common: They would cost a lot of money....In a September speech before a business group, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi took a different approach. "When people . . . say 'new revenue,' " he declared, "I like to say, 'What about efficiencies and cutting costs?' " What about cutting costs? Here are a few savings ideas that would improve the Commonwealth's fiscal condition.... [read more...] Charter schools closing achievement gap Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-10-28 Category: Education Description: Lately, the education news in Massachusetts has been good....But closing the achievement gap has proven to be a far more vexing problem. Two-thirds of Asian and white students scored proficient or advanced on the 10th grade test, but the corresponding numbers were just 32 and 29 percent for African American and Hispanic students, respectively....One tool that has proven effective at combating the achievement gap is charter public schools. [read more...] Oversight overhaul won’t ensure ed reform Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-10-26 Category: Education Description: The education community is buzzing in anticipation of Gov. Deval Patrick’s much-discussed proposal to overhaul the commonwealth’s education governance structure. Patrick has often expressed his desire to create a seamless system that governs public education from cradle to career. [read more...] Focused tax credit for school reform Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-10-19 Category: Education Description: MCAS test scores are up again, but progress remains painfully slow when it comes to closing the achievement gap....As Massachusetts languishes in neutral and even seems poised to take several steps backward on education, other cities and states are piloting bold experiments to drive change. One such innovation is offering tax credits to corporations and individuals who donate tuition money for students to attend private schools.... [read more...] Latest test scores display charter-school advantage Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-10-14 Category: Education Description: Lately, the education news in Massachusetts has been good. First, MCAS test results showed improvement and then - for the second time in a row - the commonwealth placed first in all four categories of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation's Report Card.... [read more...] Expand charter-school movement in Mass. Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-10-08 Category: Education Description: ...But closing the achievement gap has proven to be a far more vexing problem. Two-thirds of Asian and white students scored proficient or advanced on the 10th grade test, but the corresponding numbers were just 32 and 29 percent for African-American and Hispanic students, respectively. One tool that has proven effective at combating the achievement gap is charter public schools.... [read more...] High standards for teachers Author(s): Charles Glenn — Press date: 2007-10-06 Category: Education Description: TEACHER QUALITY has more impact on student performance than any other factor, according to a variety of research, which is why the way we prepare teachers is fundamental to education reform....Charles Glenn is dean ad interim at Boston University School of Education and a member of the Pioneer Institute's Center for School Reform Advisory Board. [read more...] Economy thrives, but schools go begging Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2007-10-05 Category: Education Description: Businesses are flush with profits, public schools strapped for cash. Is that fair? Yes and no. Businesses succeed under a competitive model, wherein consumers choose products and services that best meet their needs. The more successfully businesses meet customers' needs, the more they profit. If not, rivals will force them to improve or capture market share. Education lacks a similar competitive model.... [read more...] Move to appoint a new state commissioner of education Author(s): Jamie Gass and Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-09-16 Category: Education Description: Though we're far from perfect, more than a decade of reform has propelled Massachusetts to the front of the line when it comes to national public school performance. But progress has slowed recently, which is why it's critical that a new education commissioner be appointed quickly to take the place of the retiring David Driscoll.... [read more...] Water bans not the best way of dealing with drought Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-09-06 Category: Better Government Description: Yes, August was dry. But even before that warm and cloudless month, our water supply was under stress. Strained public water systems are common in Massachusetts, despite rainfall and groundwater levels that were average for the first half of this year, according to the United States Geological Survey. It appears, then, that no matter how high or low rainfall and groundwater levels are, the potential for drought conditions exist. [read more...] State in dire need of reforms in road, bridge maintenance Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-08-31 Category: Better Government Description: The Minneapolis bridge collapse is just the latest evidence that too often it takes a tragedy to get our leaders to do what they should be doing in the first place....A recent Pioneer Institute study found that Massachusetts’ infrastructure assets like roads, bridges, transit and buildings face a deferred maintenance backlog that is at least $17 billion and might be substantially higher. Addressing that backlog will likely require new resources, but we should fundamentally reform the way we finance assets to focus on maintenance before asking citizens to provide those resources.... [read more...] Maintaining infrastructure saves a lot Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-08-23 Category: Better Government Description: THE MINNESOTA BRIDGE collapse is just the latest evidence that too often it takes a tragedy to get our leaders to do what they should be doing in the first place. Crass as it may sound, turning the lessons of tragedy into real change requires us to be opportunistic — we must act while public attention is still focused on the issue at hand. A recent Pioneer Institute study found that the Commonwealth’s infrastructure assets, such as roads, bridges, transit and buildings, face a deferred maintenance backlog that is at least $17 billion and might be substantially higher.... [read more...] No more kicking the can down the road Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-08-19 Category: Better Government Description: The Minneapolis bridge collapse is just the latest evidence that too often it takes a tragedy to get our leaders to do what they should be doing in the first place. Crass as it may sound, turning the lessons of tragedy into real change requires us to be opportunistic - we must act while public attention is still focused on the issue at hand... [read more...] A Legacy of Neglect Author(s): David Westerling and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-07-31 Category: Better Government Description: ONE HUNDRED years ago today, more than 100,000 people attended the grand opening of what is now the Longfellow Bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge. A century later, there is little to celebrate, as this grand structure has become a symbol of Massachusetts's failure to maintain the $25 billion worth of its infrastructure assets.... [read more...] Longfellow Bridge in Disrepair Author(s): David Westerling and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-07-31 Category: Better Government Description: The Longfellow Bridge, connecting Boston and Cambridge, is in bad shape, due not only to its age and the ravages of our weather, but also to a troubling and persistent lack of maintenance.... [read more...] No such thing as free water Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-07-24 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: While the American Southwest is gripped by drought this summer, the United States Geological Survey reports that Massachusetts' rainfall and groundwater levels are average. Yet despite the apparent abundance of water in our region, the water supply for household and business use is strained. Communities across eastern Massachusetts, in particular along the 495 growth corridor, are restricting water use and promoting conservation through a range of policies. Oddly, they often ignore the most effective policy tool for achieving conservation: water pricing.... [read more...] Lesson in Arrogance Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-07-10 Category: Education Description: "If there’s one constant in American politics, it’s that landslides are poison to the winner," said presidential historian Lou Cannon. After his huge win in the 1936 presidential election, even the great Franklin D. Roosevelt disastrously tried to increase the membership of the Supreme Court so he could appoint justices more likely to uphold his New Deal programs. Seventy years later, Gov. Deval Patrick is following a similar strategy by backing a proposal to add four seats to the Massachusetts Board of Education in order to gain quicker control over education policy.... [read more...] Attacks on MCAS, EQA office are threats to education gains Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-07-05 Category: Education Description: Just 15 years ago, Massachusetts public school student performance ranked in the middle of the pack in national comparisons. By 2005, the commonwealth became the first state ever to place first in four categories on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation’s report card. The transformation was triggered by the 1993 Education Reform Act, which put in place tough standards and accountability in return for a large infusion of state money. Despite our success, standards and accountability are now under attack in Massachusetts.... [read more...] Patrick's plan is "stunning in its fiscal irresponsibility" Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-06-29 Category: Education Description: There is an undeniable utopian appeal to the idea of two years of free community college for all Massachusetts residents. But like most utopian dreams, it unravels when confronted with hard realities. Gov. Patrick’s proposal flies in the face of human nature, it’s a ticking fiscal time bomb and it fails to address underlying problems that plague our community colleges.... [read more...] An avoidable teachers strike Author(s): Jim Stergios and Alison Ledger Fraser — Press date: 2007-06-26 Category: Education Description: THE SETTLEMENT OF the recent Quincy teachers strike has everyone involved breathing a sigh of relief. But once the relief subsides, we should turn our attention to just how easily avoidable the episode was....But if Quincy and other Massachusetts municipalities purchased health insurance through the Commonwealth's Group Insurance Commission, they would save hundreds of millions of dollars that could be redirected into classrooms and other local services, and employees would get better coverage.... [read more...] Bay State school reform at risk Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-06-20 Category: Education Description: ...The transformation was triggered by the state’s 1993 Education Reform Act, which put in place tough standards and accountability in return for a large infusion of taxpayer money. Despite our success, standards and accountability are now under attack in Massachusetts. In February, Governor Patrick’s budget proposal called for eliminating the Office of Educational Quality Assurance (EQA), the centerpiece of an accountability system that is a national model. [read more...] If unions ask, they will receive Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-06-19 Category: Better Government Description: ...While running for governor, Patrick told supporters there would be times they would be mad at him. But one group to whom Patrick's allegiance has been unwavering has been the unions that so generously bankrolled his campaign.... [read more...] State retreating from its education success Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-06-17 Category: Education Description: Just 15 years ago, Massachusetts public school student performance ranked in the middle of the pack in national comparisons. By 2005, the commonwealth became the first state ever to place first in four categories on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation's report card. The transformation was triggered by the 1993 Education Reform Act, which put in place tough standards and accountability in return for a large infusion of state money. Despite our success, standards and accountability are now under attack in Massachusetts.... [read more...] teacher licensing rules just got more complex Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-06-11 Category: Education Description: Research consistently shows that teacher quality has more impact on student performance than any other variable. That's why the process by which we license teachers is important. The state Department of Education claims two laudable principles guided a recent proposal to revise its teacher licensing regulations...Unfortunately, these principles aren't reflected in the proposed new regulations. Instead of a simplified procedure, the proposal looks as if the education department developed it in consultation with Rube Goldberg.... [read more...] City officials silent on looming health care liability Author(s): Alice White — Press date: 2007-06-10 Category: Better Government Description: ...Buried in the fine print of the budget, the governor's commitment to fully fund retiree health benefits demonstrates real fiscal responsibility. In New Bedford, the picture is less encouraging.... [read more...] Let's not bet state tax dollars on biotech Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-06-04 Category: Better Government Description: ...There are some very good things in the governor’s proposal - most notably funding to promote basic research. Basic research attracts the brains that make Massachusetts a leader in biotech, medical devices and related industries, and companies don’t often focus on it, preferring product application-related research. Other elements of the package - establishing a stem cell bank, investments in lab equipment and tax breaks for the biotech industry - are not a wise use of public dollars.... [read more...] To spur economic expansion, fix unemployment insurance Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2007-05-25 Category: Better Government Description: Regardless of whether you agree with Gov. Patrick’s proposal to spend $1 billion over the next decade to support the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, it is clear that there are more basic — and far less sexy — concerns that must be addressed if we are to improve the commonwealth’s business climate....In the case of unemployment insurance, we tax jobs. Benefits are paid for by a tax on businesses. [read more...] In free market, focus on scalpers misguided Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2007-05-25 Category: Better Government Description: The Red Sox home opener last month was a great success for the team and its fans. It was not so successful for ticket resellers, more commonly known as "scalpers."... [read more...] Lawrence is behind in accounting for cost of retiree benefits Author(s): Alice White — Press date: 2007-05-23 Category: Better Government Description: ...Buried in the fine print of the budget, the governor's commitment to fully fund retiree health benefits demonstrates real fiscal responsibility. Not so in the City of Lawrence. The city government is just in the early stages of forming a committee to begin the hard work of calculating its own liability for retiree health benefits - an amount that is expected to be huge.... [read more...] Reform unemployment benefits Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo — Press date: 2007-05-15 Category: Better Government Description: Regardless of whether you agree with Gov. Patrick's proposal to spend $1 billion over the next decade to support the Massachusetts biotechnology industry, it is clear that there are more basic -- and far less sexy -- concerns that must be addressed if we are to improve the commonwealth's business climate. Massachusetts is a very expensive place in which to do business, and unemployment insurance is one of the main culprits. The commonwealth offers the nation's richest unemployment insurance benefits, allows recipients to collect longer than in any other state and requires workers to be employed for a shorter time in order to qualify for benefits.... [read more...] Education needs jump-start Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2007-04-21 Category: Education Description: Each year, foundations give millions of dollars to support education in Massachusetts. Their generosity is indispensable, but harnessing market forces could further leverage its impact.... [read more...] School choice that works for Boston's parents Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-04-19 Category: Education Description: Fingers crossed, waiting for the envelope to arrive, an educational future in limbo. College acceptance day? No, it’s the Boston Public School assignment process for kindergarten....For those parents with time, initiative, and luck, the process can provide access to educational opportunity and some excellent schools. But for the rest of us, it represents a barrier we muddle through – or eventually abandon, by removing our children from the system altogether.... [read more...] A road to ruin for Massachusetts transit Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2007-04-19 Category: Better Government Description: LATE LAST month, the Transportation Finance Commission, a group created to assess Massachusetts' longterm transportation needs and make recommendations about how to finance them, announced that the Commonwealth's roads, bridges, and the MBTA face a $15 billion to $19 billion funding shortfall over the next 20 years. Worse yet, the jaw-dropping number s assume not a single new road or transit line will be built during that time beyond what is already in service or under construction.... [read more...] New York is leading the way on education reform Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-04-17 Category: Education Description: Together, the mayor and new governor have called for more than doubling the statewide cap on charter schools. They have proposed giving principals broader discretion over what happens in schools, including which teachers to retain and what strategies to use....Unfortunately, none of this is happening in Boston or Massachusetts. Instead, it describes reforms taking place in New York under Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city School Chancellor Joel Klein. [read more...] Don't let our schools become the next Big Dig Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-04-12 Category: Education Description: Deval L. Patrick declared last summer, in an article in the Boston Globe, that we must "confront the ‘Big Dig culture' on Beacon Hill." He described this culture as one of "neglect and inaction, where politics is more important than governing." The portrayal by Candidate Patrick of the Big Dig mentality was right on the money, and our new governor's first budget confronts this culture in some encouraging ways. [read more...] The power of rigorous teacher tests Author(s): Sandra Stotsky — Press date: 2007-04-12 Category: Education Description: Most elementary teachers seem to require intensive, expensive, and continuous professional development in mathematics. Even if current federal and state initiatives to train experienced teachers are successful, their costs are staggering. Other countries sensibly focus on ''frontloading'' (imparting subject-matter knowledge to teachers before they are licensed and enter the classroom) rather than ''backloading'' (trying to patch teachers' knowledge after they've started their career). It's reasonable to think that our elementary teachers' understanding of mathematics might be increased more effectively and efficiently via regular or specially designed mathematics courses they take before, rather than after, they begin teaching. [read more...] Don't let our schools become the next Big Dig boondoggle Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-04-12 Category: Education Description: Deval L. Patrick declared last summer, in an article in the Boston Globe, that we must “confront the ‘Big Dig culture’ on Beacon Hill.” He described this culture as one of “neglect and inaction, where politics is more important than governing.” The portrayal by Candidate Patrick of the Big Dig mentality was right on the money, and our new governor’s first budget confronts this culture in some encouraging ways....Unfortunately, Mr. Patrick also lets the “Big Dig culture” gain a new foothold: our schools. [read more...] School dropout data should bring changes Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-04-08 Category: Education Description: The recent release of school dropout data by the Department of Education should serve as a call for sweeping change in our urban school districts. DOE reported that at least 40 percent of black and Hispanic students in Massachusetts currently either drop out or fail to meet graduation requirements.... [read more...] In Barnstable, wall between schools and town crumbles Author(s): Julia Steiny — Press date: 2007-04-01 Category: Education Description: This is the third of three stories about how the pressures of Proposition 2 1⁄2 combined with creative management to improve schools in Barnstable, Mass. In last week’s episode of the Barnstable, Mass., saga, the fight within the school community was finally resolved. Those who wanted site-based control of the schools prevailed, and immediately tapped Tom McDonald to be superintendent. McDonald and his new administrative team wrote a memorandum of understanding that effectively "chartered" all the schools that were not yet state- chartered. And boom, just like that, all Barnstable schools could hire their own staff, manage their budgets and decide for themselves how they’ll help their kids meet academic targets... [read more...] Tax hike stunts business growth Author(s): Charles Chieppo and Steve Poftak — Press date: 2007-03-30 Category: Better Government Description: In defending his proposed business tax hikes, Gov. Patrick argues that businesses generally don’t base location or expansion decisions on the tax code. He’s right. That’s why his proposed “loophole closings” need to be viewed in the context of the Commonwealth’s overall business costs.... [read more...] Barnstable embraces bright side of the charter school model Author(s): Julia Steiny — Press date: 2007-03-25 Category: Education Description: Barnstable-This is the second of three stories about how the pressures of Proposition 21⁄2 combined with creative management to improve schools in Barnstable, Mass. [read more...] Patrick's tax plan would hurt business climate Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2007-03-21 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: Gov. Deval Patrick often speaks about making decisions that are in the commonwealth's long- term interests, most recently in his televised budget address. To his credit, parts of the governor's budget proposal follow through on that promise, but others would only make it harder to balance the books in future years.... [read more...] Time and administrative guts get school system working Author(s): Julia Steiny — Press date: 2007-03-18 Category: Education Description: This is the first of series of three stories about how the pressures of Proposition 21⁄2 combined with creative management to improve schools in Barnstable, Mass. [read more...] Patrick faces highway-finance crisis Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Press date: 2007-02-26 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: MASSACHUSETTS GOV. Deval Patrick faces a transportation challenge potentially bigger than the $15 billion Big Dig. Addressing it will require him to confront some of his most powerful backers. The Transportation Finance Commission (TFC), which was created to propose a comprehensive long-term plan for financing transportation projects, has identified a 20-year roadway-funding shortfall of about $9 billion, and the transit finance picture looks no better.... [read more...] Jamie Gass: Bay State still lags on school reform Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-02-20 Category: Education Description: BOSTON--"THE EDUCATION REFORM Act can be reduced, in essence, to two propositions. We will make a massive infusion of state dollars into our public schools, and in return we will demand high standards ... and accountability from all." So said former Senate President Thomas Birmingham, one of the architects of the landmark Massachusetts legislation. [read more...] Districts must live up to ed-reform bargain Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2007-02-08 Category: Education Description: "The Education Reform Act can be reduced, in essence, to two propositions. We will make a massive infusion of state dollars into our public schools, and in return we will demand high standards... and accountability from all." So said former Senate President Thomas Birmingham, one of the architects of the landmark Massachusetts legislation. [read more...] Don't pull the plug on education reform Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and Jim Stergios — Press date: 2007-01-27 Category: Education Description: ...Ominously, Patrick also used the announcement of his plan to launch a preemptive strike against charter schools and MCAS. "Grow up," he said. "We've been at this a decade-and-a-half. We have to examine whether we are doing as well as we can."... [read more...] Remember the urban children Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2006-12-26 Category: Education Description: AMID A DAUNTING list of challenges you face on the heels of your historic election, I hope, Governor-elect Patrick, you will focus on an issue with which you are intimately familiar: giving urban kids access to educational opportunity. [read more...] A post-Payzant strategy for schools Author(s): Jim Stergios & Samuel R. Tyler — Press date: 2006-09-19 Category: Education Description: WITH THE retirement of superintendent Tom Payzant, it is critical that Boston public schools build on the momentum generated during Payzant's tenure and accelerate the pace of reforms that will improve student performance. Among the factors that will determine whether Boston students can continue their upward trajectory are contract negotiations underway with the Boston Teachers Union and the Boston Association of School Administrators and Supervisors. [read more...] Moving forward with Turnaround Schools Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2006-05-12 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts is 13 years and $40 billion into its landmark education reform effort. The focus of this work was to improve the academic results of students in the poorest and lowest-performing school districts. After a whole K-12 cycle, underperformance is still rampant and the rate of improvement is unacceptably slow. [read more...] State education reform is moving forward with ‘turnaround’ schools Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2006-05-08 Category: Education Description: Massachusetts is 13 years and $40 billion into its landmark education reform effort. The focus of this work was to improve the academic results of students in the poorest and lowest-performing school districts. After a whole K-12 cycle, underperformance is still rampant in urban districts and the rate of improvement is unacceptably slow. [read more...] The Know-Nothing's ongoing constitutional prejudice Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2006-03-16 Category: Education Description: "The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them," wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 book, "A Nation of Immigrants." Today, few people realize that the Massachusetts Constitution has two Know-Nothingstyle amendments, which still thrust their mid-19th century bigotry into our world. [read more...] Massachusetts' great gambling giveaway Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2006-03-16 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: IF THE MASSACHUSETTS Legislature wrote a billion-dollar check to the casino industry, people would be outraged. But the gambling bill, awaiting action in the House after receiving Senate approval, threatens to give away more than $1 billion in value by charging an inordinately low fee for the four proposed licenses. [read more...] Rounding out our future workforce Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2006-01-24 Category: Education Description: IT MAY BE a modern heresy to take issue with Thomas Friedman's best-selling book on globalization, ''The World Is Flat," but Columbus's voyages washed away forever any notions of a level earth. These days, when we consider the competitiveness of US public schools and international trade concerns, we see again that the contour of our world is still very much round. [read more...] The stranglehold on housing Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2006-01-06 Category: Economic Opportunity Description: PEOPLE HAVE long suspected that local regulations are a major cause of the crisis in Massachusetts' housing affordability. In a paper recently issued by Pioneer Institute and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, Harvard University economist Edward L. Glaeser demonstrates that the decline in supply is steeper and more crippling than anyone had imagined. He conclusively demonstrates how the decline in supply due to regulation is driving up housing prices across the region. [read more...] Schools can learn from Edmonton's teamwork Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2005-12-23 Category: Education Description: Most of us in Massachusetts identify the city of Edmonton, Alberta, with hockey star Wayne Gretzky. His individual successes were impressive, as was the spirit of teamwork that garnered five Stanley Cup championships for his team, the Edmonton Oilers. Equally remarkable is the teamwork and accomplishment in Edmonton's 203 public schools, which enroll 80,000 students (20,000 more than Boston). Unlike the Bay State's union-dominated landscape, in Edmonton the collaborative efforts of former Superintendent Angus McBeath and the local teachers union have resulted in an educational revolution. [read more...] School Choice With Consequences Author(s): Steve Poftak — Press date: 2005-12-20 Category: Better Government Description: FEW NOTICED WHEN the Boston School Committee recently closed Grover Cleveland Middle School. No parents attended a meeting called by the school to discuss the issue, and no one stood up to defend the school at the school committee's closure hearing. [read more...] Gambling Help for Stumbling Ponies? Author(s): Lovett C. Peters — Press date: 2005-10-29 Category: Better Government Description: THE OWNERS of racetracks have a failing business. They report losing money and want the Legislature to enhance their profits by authorizing slot machines. Proponents argue that slots are a win-win for Massachusetts, because they will increase state revenues and boost our already thriving tourism industry. The evidence tells quite a different story. [read more...] A big chill on school accountability Author(s): Jamie Gass — Press date: 2005-10-14 Category: Education Description: Autumn means back-to-school time in the Bay State -- except, perhaps, for the charter school students at Frederick Douglass, Lynn Community, Renaissance Middle, and Roxbury Charter High Public School. In recent years, these charter schools' struggle to stay open wasn't due to the fall cold, but rather, their low performance and the state's selective application of school accountability. [read more...] Heading off convention center debacle Author(s): Stephen Adams — Press date: 2005-06-05 Category: Better Government Description: Why are so many Massachusetts residents despondent over the reelection of President Bush? I think it goes deeper than the specifics of policy differences between the Republican and Democratic candidates. President Bush’s inaugural address may help explain a lot of the angst that lingers here long after the election. [read more...] Government’s eminent domain powers must be limited Author(s): Stephen Adams — Press date: 2005-03-20 Category: Better Government Description: Just when I thought I was finished writing about the new Boston convention center, city or state officials offer a new reason to pick on the project. In light of recent public statements by Boston public officials, it turns out that the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) is a great argument for limiting the government's power of eminent domain. That is the authority to take private property against the will of the owner. [read more...] Why Massachusetts has the blues Author(s): Stephen Adams — Press date: 2005-01-24 Category: Better Government Description: Why are so many Massachusetts residents despondent over the reelection of President Bush? I think it goes deeper than the specifics of policy differences between the Republican and Democratic candidates. President Bush’s inaugural address may help explain a lot of the angst that lingers here long after the election. [read more...] Why not weigh private options for new BCEC? Author(s): Stephen Adams — Press date: 2004-04-30 Category: Better Government Description: The numbers are in on the convention center, and they're not pretty. I am not referring to the treasurer's recent assessment of the Hynes, appraised at a modest $35 million. I am talking about the new Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the South Boston behemoth preparing to open in June. [read more...] Build homes, not a convention center Author(s): Jim Stergios — Press date: 2001-06-18 Category: Better Government Description: In a recent report commissioned by Cardinal Bernard Law, Northeastern’s Barry Bluestone and Charlie Euchner of Harvard depicted the bleak housing situation in Greater Boston....Meanwhile, over 60 acres of developable land in the Seaport District may be sacrificed for a proposed convention center that industry trends suggest would be virtually empty....By zoning the convention site to allow the same concentration of residential units as the adjacent land, Boston and the Commonwealth could create 7,600 housing units... [read more...] Forum Those pesky things called laws Author(s): George F. Will — Press date: 0000-00-00 Category: Education Description: Meanwhile, the Education Department is pretending that three laws do not mean what they clearly say. This is documented in the Pioneer Institute’s report “The Road to a National Curriculum: The Legal Aspects of the Common Core Standards, Race to the Top, and Conditional Waivers” by Robert S. Eitel, Kent D. Talbert and Williamson M. Evers, all former senior officials in the Education Department. The 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) — No Child Left Behind is its ninth iteration — intruded the federal government into this traditionally state and local responsibility. It said that “nothing in this act” shall authorize any federal official to “mandate, direct, or control” a state’s, local educational agency’s or school’s curriculum. The General Education Provisions Act of 1970, which supposedly controls federal education programs, stipulates that “no provision of any applicable program shall be construed to authorize” any federal agency or official “to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction” or selection of “instructional materials” by “any educational institution or school system.” The 1979 law establishing the Education Department forbids it from exercising “any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum” or “program of instruction” of any school or school system. The ESEA as amended goes further: No funds provided to the Education Department “may be used . . . to endorse, approve, or sanction any curriculum designed to be used in” kindergarten through 12th grade. However . . . What authors Eitel, Talbert and Evers call the Education Department’s “incremental march down the road to a national curriculum” begins with the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS). It is an initiative not of any state legislature but of a governors association, state school officials and private foundations. This push advanced when the Race to the Top Fund (RTTT, part of the 2009 stimulus) said that peer reviewers of applications for money should favor those states that join a majority of states in developing and adopting common standards. The 11 states and the District of Columbia that won Race to the Top funding had adopted or indicated an intention to adopt the CCSS, which will require changes in curricula. An Education Department synopsis of discussions with members of the public about priorities in competition for RTTT money says “the goal of common K-12 standards is to replace the existing patchwork of state standards.” Progressives celebrate diversity in everything but thought. The Obama administration is granting conditional waivers to states chafing under No Child Left Behind’s unrealistic accountability requirements. The waivers are contingent on each state adopting certain standards “that are common to a significant number of states,” or the state may adopt standards endorsed by its institutions of higher education — if those standards are consistent with the Education Department’s guidelines. We have been warned. Joseph Califano, secretary of health, education and welfare in the Carter administration, noted that “in its most extreme form, national control of curriculum is a form of national control of ideas.” Here again laws are cobwebs. As government becomes bigger, it becomes more lawless. As the regulatory state’s micromanagement of society metastasizes, inconvenient laws are construed — by those the laws are supposed to restrain — as porous and permissive, enabling the executive branch to render them nullities. [read more...] |
Pioneer › In the PressMass › Media Outlets
|