Happening in Massachusetts: The Northshore Recovery High School is recognized for their more compassionate, evidence-based approach to youth addiction management. "Michelle Lipinski is the school’s founder and principal. As a career-long public educator, she felt a sense of despair over the number of students she was losing to the growing opioid crisis, and the ways that the system was failing them at every level."
Keeping Equity at the Forefront | Returning to School
To address challenges and solutions regarding school reopening plans, the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership has published "Keeping Equity at the Forefront Returning To School."
4 Ways Racial Inequity Harms American Schoolchildren
Here's how racial inequity affects U.S. school children, including: Black students are more likely to be arrested at school. Black students are more likely to be suspended. White school districts get more funding on average than non-white…
Massachusetts education board votes to modify the definition of remote learning in regulations
Changes are being made in Massachusetts education guidelines. Amendments to the guidelines based on public comment include: adding a definition of “synchronous” and “asynchronous” learning to provide clarity on the scope of the concepts, modifying the definition of remote learning to include that students have opportunities to regularly interact with teachers to address the concern that remote learning could consist of asynchronous learning only, and including “students” to the requirement that…
Helping teachers and principals confront their own racism
Former school principals, Fiarman, Ed.D. ’09, and Benson, Ed.L.D. ’16, co-wrote the book “Unconscious Bias in Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism,” drawing on their experiences as principals in Massachusetts public schools. They were scheduled to discuss their new work at the Ed School in late April, but the event was canceled due to the pandemic. The Gazette interviewed the authors via Zoom to talk about the project and the need for educators and school leaders to start conversations about race and address racism in schools.
Massachusetts ranked among worst states for racial equality in education
BOSTON (WHDH) - A recent study named Massachusetts one of the worst states for racial equality in education. Massachusetts came in as the sixth-worst state overall in a study conducted by WalletHub that compared the difference between black and white Americans in areas such as graduation rates and test scores. The Bay State reportedly had the second-highest gap in share of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree and the 11th highest gap in share of adults with at least a high school degree. Wisconsin was named the worst state overall, followed by Minnesota, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York…
‘I’m horrified that we didn’t get this right’: Worcester schools see rocky rollout of online learning
For more than two months after schools closed in March, thousands of children in the state’s second-largest district lacked full access to the two things most essential to continue learning from home: computers and direct contact with their teachers. Until Worcester officials finally began distributing laptops in May, many students were unable to take part in online learning at all because they didn’t have access. Even students who did often ran into problems because of another policy: District officials discouraged teachers from talking one-on-one with students on Zoom, fearing lawsuits if a student recorded a teacher saying something inappropriate, for instance…
The Miseducation of the American Boy
I knew nothing about Cole before meeting him; he was just a name on a list of boys at a private school outside Boston who had volunteered to talk with me (or perhaps had had their arm twisted a bit by a counselor). The afternoon of our first interview, I was running late. As I rushed down a hallway at the school, I noticed a boy sitting outside the library, waiting—it had to be him. He was staring impassively ahead, both feet planted on the floor, hands resting loosely on his thighs.
My first reaction was Oh no…
Dead mice, crumbling concrete: Education reform won’t fix the sorry state of some schools
Gateway cities like Lynn, midsize urban centers whose lower property values are a draw for lower-income households, are slated to be among the big winners in the sweeping school-funding reform bill signed into law last week by Governor Charlie Baker. Such districts are expected to see millions in fresh spending from the new law — a down payment meant to reverse yawning student achievement gaps fueled by years of underinvestment…
Former education secretary John King Jr. says achievement gap remains top challenge
WORCESTER – Two years after he left office, former U.S. Secretary of Education John King Jr. said persistent achievement gaps remain the No. 1 challenge facing schools today.
But King, who served under President Barack Obama in that role from 2016 to 2017, said Massachusetts has a rare opportunity to bridge those longstanding divides between poor and minority students and wealthier, white students with the pending adoption of a massive funding bill that aims to fix rampant underfunding of the public education system… READ MORE
“IF YOU LISTEN, WE WILL STAY,” SAY TEACHERS OF COLOR
The Education Trust and TeachPlus produced an interesting report on the retention of teachers of color. The report makes some interesting observations that are useful not just in consideration of the diversity of the teaching force, but in terms of the experience of teaching and school climates and a cultures. A lesson that I see in this, and that I have continually seen reinforced is that change for good often comes from the so-called margins and affects the center for the better.
Student Opportunity Act
Worcesteria: Progressive, but make it sketchy
A DEBATE BUT DIFFERENT: With so many School Committee candidates this year, learning what each of them are about is a real challenge. That’s why I’m intrigued by the digital candidate forum the Worcester Education Collaborative launched this week. Basically, they’re just sending questions out to the candidates and posting their answers. Answers go up every Tuesday until election day at wecollaborative.org/school-committee. Should be a good way to stay on top of all these candidates.
Unfulfilled Promises: The Unconstitutional State of Our Public School Funding System
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has abandoned its constitutional duty to “cherish” education and ensure that all students receive a high-quality education. Instead, funding for its public school systems has become increasingly unequal. The Commonwealth’s proud history and national reputation as a leader in public education are irrelevant for the students in far too many communities since they attend schools that remain woefully underfunded…
Response to: "Worcester Mayor Joe Petty on Latino concerns: ‘We can do better’"- Worcester Magazine
The Worcester Education Collaborative stands in support of Mayor Petty’s multi-point action plan offered in response to the concerns of the Worcester Coalition for Education Equity. We appreciate leaders in our community also voicing concerns specific to the education and experiences of our children that WEC has been engaged with for many years. We look forward to the shared work ahead.
Read Full Article "Worcester Mayor Joe Petty on Latino concerns: ‘We can do better’"- Worcester Magazine
Foundation Budget Testimony- Jennifer Davis Carey
In 1993 gasoline cost $1.16 a gallon, cell phones were non-existent, and Jurassic Park had just come to theaters. Also, in 1993, Massachusetts passed a groundbreaking education reform bill. That Act, among other things, included two important provisions that reflect core values of our commonwealth—high expectations for teaching and learning and adequate and equitable funding to assure that every child educated with public funds was offered an education that allowed them to acquire the knowledge and skills to become productive, contributing residents of our state.
Conference at Worcester State Focuses on Race, Education
WORCESTER – Twenty-three-year-old Antonio Rivera said he feels that the public school system failed him. He never graduated high school. But he has passed everything but math to get his GED…
Push for more school funding gains ally
Massachusetts has long been ranked No. 1 on a number of national education benchmarks, including the SAT, but wide gaps in achievement persist in the state among students of different backgrounds, prompting more than a dozen advocacy organizations to form a new coalition to push for more school funding…
Worcester School Committee approves new strategic plan for district
WORCESTER – After wrapping up a series of public discussions about the document that took place over the summer, the School Committee at its meeting Thursday unanimously voted to accept and begin implementing a new long-term strategic plan for the system.
Building an Education System that Works for Everyone: Funding Reforms to Help All Our Children Thrive
Mass Budget: Our education funding formula has not been systematically updated in twenty-five years, and it fails to provide the funding needed for school districts to fund core expenses – like teachers, materials and technology, and building maintenance – at the levels within the formula that estimate the full cost of an adequate education (called the “foundation budget”). In our wealthiest districts, local taxes have been able to fill gaps, allowing schools to provide the educational supports and opportunities students need to succeed. In our low-income and many of our middle-income districts, however, the amounts schools can spend on core expenses are well below what the foundation budget specifies. This means many of our schools don’t have the resources they need to implement effective strategies that could help all children succeed...
