A new Pioneer Institute study of Jewish day schools in Massachusetts calls for the creation of an education tax credit program to ensure that children have the widest possible access to the schools their parents choose for them.[...]

We must act swiftly and boldly to enact far-reaching reforms that impact all of the Lawrence school district’s 13,000 students, not just a fortunate few.[...]

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_20709107/concerns-over-romney-plan-allowing-choice-schools Mitt Romney’s plan to encourage parents of poor and disabled students to send  their children to the school of their choice is receiving mixed reviews. In a speech Wednesday, the former Massachusetts governor and presumed  Republican presidential nominee outlined a voucherlike plan to let low-income  and disabled students use federal money to attend public schools, public charter  schoo[...]

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_20581617/legislator-tech-schools-should-change-their-admissions-policies#ixzz2NdY6GEln If a wait list is a sign of success, vocational-technical high schools across the state are thriving. But with more students being denied entry to the schools each year, one lawmaker is questioning whether they are serving the population of students for which they are intended. “Some families are choosing to send their kids to vocational schools when they are[...]

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/editorials/ci_20250784/pivotal-role-vocational-education According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, the stagnant manufacturing industry has enjoyed a comeback in the state and nation, and the main factor jeopardizing that growth is a lack of skilled labor. The decline of the industry created a gap between the pre-collapse skilled machinists who lack computer skills and the post-collapse work force that is computer-savvy but lacking in machining skills. Enter [...]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-21/state-based-education-reform-needs-tough-common-progress-standards-view.html The Barack Obama administration has begun issuing long-awaited waivers giving states some flexibility in complying with the No Child Left Behind education law. But with the exception of politicians, educators and parents in the 11 states that have received them, nobody seems very pleased with the changes. Advocates for the disadvantaged raise concerns that poor and minority child[...]

School Choice Models and Public School Reform Event to feature former District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams and a Roundtable Discussion among Education Leaders Contact Jamie Gass at 617-723-2277 ext. 210 or jgass@pioneerinstitute.org BOSTON – Former District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams, a nationally recognized leader in education reform, will address a forum on “School Choice Models and Public School Reform,” taking place on Wednesday, October 20th . The event is sponsored by Pionee[...]

Authors: William Howell and Mindy Spencer Date: October 2007 While efforts to offer Massachusetts families more school choice have stalled, other states have moved ahead, implementing innovative tax deductions and credit programs. By lowering barriers to private education, these programs open a new door for students trapped in underperforming public schools.[...]

BY M. CRAIG STANLEY, ED.D. Foreword by E. Robert Stephens Institute for Regional Studies in Education Educational service agencies (ESAs)—known as “educational collaboratives” in Massachusetts—have proven very efficient at providing high-quality education support services. By assuming many of the routine support functions required to run a public education system, educational service agencies free up the Commonwealth’s Department of Education to provide leadership and Massachusetts school distri[...]