Public Policy Updates

MASC reports on Massachusetts public schools, education news, school committee issues and updates from the Department of Education.

This information has been compiled by MASC Field Director Tracy Novick.

Novick Reports: Joint Committee Hearing S.223

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Published on Wednesday, 02 August 2017 15:05

MASC members from across Massachusetts were among those who packed the State House hearing room on July 25 to provide testimony on Senate Bill 223, An Act Modernizing the Foundation Budget for the 21st Century. Joining students, parents, teachers, superintendents, and civic allies, they gave voice to the urgent need for education funding reform.

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Novick Reports: May Board of Education

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Published on Tuesday, 23 May 2017 14:55

The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held their May meeting on Monday, May 22 and on Tuesday, May 23. The agenda is posted online here.

The Tuesday morning meeting was held, as is the Board's practice, at the school of their student representative; Nathan Moore, this year's student representative, attends Scituate High School. The Board was welcomed by Superintendent John McCarthy and Principal Robert Wargo.

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Novick Reports: Condition of Education in Western Massachusetts

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Published on Thursday, 11 May 2017 15:39

On May 11, the Rennie Center presented "The Condition of Education in Western Massachusetts" at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. They introduced their data dashboard and hosted a panel discussion on student-centered learning.

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Novick Reports: April Board of Education

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Published on Tuesday, 18 April 2017 16:55

On April 18, 2017, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary met in Malden for their monthly meeting. You can find the meeting agenda here. The video of the meeting is posted here.

The meeting opened with comments from Chair Paul Sagan and Commissioner Mitchell Chester. Chair Sagan began by announcing that member Roland Fryer has resigned. (Members of the Board of Education are appointed by the Governor.) Sagan also opened a discussion regarding remote participation by Board members, something to which the Board will be returning.

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Novick Reports: Joint Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Education

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Published on Friday, 31 March 2017 06:00

There were two main themes that emerged in testimony at the education hearing before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Wednesday, March 29 at UMass-Amherst: the impacts of issues outside the classroom on the classroom, and the need for funding reform in both K-12 and higher education.

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More Articles...

  1. Novick Reports: March Board of Education Meeting
  2. Novick Reports: February Board of Education
  3. Novick Reports: Implementation of the Foundation Budget Review
  4. Novick Reports: January Board of Ed Meeting
  5. Novick Reports: Massachusetts plans for ESSA
  6. Novick Reports: Conditions of Education in the Commonwealth 2017
  7. Novick Reports: December Board of Education
  8. Novick Reports: Consensus Revenue Hearing
  9. Novick Reports: Together Is Our Only Chance
  10. Novick Reports: November Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting
  11. Novick Reports: October 25 meeting of the Board of Education
  12. Novick Reports: September 27 meeting of the Board of Education
  13. Novick Reports: Healthy Food Fuels Hungry Minds
  14. Novick Reports: The Emerging Third Way - Blazing an Optimistic Path Ahead in K-12 Education
  15. Novick Reports: May Meeting of the Board of Education
  16. Novick Reports: March Meeting of the Board of Education
  17. Novick Reports: Ways and Means Education Hearing
  18. Novick Reports: Board of Education - Charter Schools, Standards, Updates and more
  19. Novick Reports: Board of Education, Southbridge, Charter Schools and more
  20. Novick Reports: Rennie Center - Conditions of Education in the Commonwealth