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Education Healthcare Opportunity Citizenship
Education Healthcare Opportunity Citizenship

Agenda for Leadership 2026 is available!

A policy blueprint for a more competitive Massachusetts. Full release February 24—sign up now for weekly preview chapter excerpts!

Latest Publications

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American Citizenship
March 2, 2026

Mass. Officials Talk a Big Game About Democracy. Do They Practice What They Preach? 

Elected officials in Massachusetts sure have a lot to say about “democracy” these days.   For those paying attention to goings on around here in recent years, hearing politicians trumpeting their state as a citadel defending democracy and the rule of law, you might be…
Education
February 17, 2026

A Roadmap for States to Build High-Quality Online Education

BOSTON – State policy is pivotal to the development and availability of online and virtual learning options, and Pioneer Institute’s new Virtual Schools Toolkit provides tactical guidance for developing such policies in the current educational landscape.   “Virtual learning began by serving students…
Opportunity
February 16, 2026

Statement of Jim Stergios, Executive Director of Pioneer Institute on Governor Healey’s Opposition to Lowering State Income Tax

On Friday, Governor Healey opposed a proposed cut in the personal income tax that would put an average of $1,300 back into people’s pockets. Her claim that it would devastate the budget and gut education is a wild distortion—and it ignores more…
Opportunity
February 12, 2026

Domestic Outmigration is Hollowing Out Massachusetts’ Workforce and Economy 

From April 2020 through July 2025, Massachusetts experienced a net loss of approximately 182,000 residents to domestic outmigration — the equivalent of losing one-and-a-half Cambridges. While a recent surge in international immigration temporarily boosted labor force numbers, new research from Pioneer Institute shows that underlying demographic, workforce, and economic challenges continue to threaten the Commonwealth’s long-term competitiveness. 
Opportunity
February 9, 2026

Nine More Massachusetts Towns Subject of State Litigation over MBTA Communities Act Noncompliance

February’s edition of The House Call discusses new legal action over Massachusetts’ multifamily zoning mandate for transit-accessible communities. It also highlights a new federal data release that shows where many Massachusetts homeowners tend to overestimate – or underestimate – their property values.

Latest Podcasts

Roxana Robinson on Georgia O’Keeffe, Mother of American Modernist Painting

March 4, 2026

Pulitzer Winner Gordon Wood on Benjamin Franklin & American Revolution 250

February 26, 2026

Step Up for Students’ Ron Matus on Florida School Choice

February 25, 2026
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Impact

When We Succeed

Pioneer succeeds when its research, communications, litigation, and coalition-building lead to tangible improvements in Americans’ lives—access to world-class learning options for students; affordable and innovative care for patients; and plentiful jobs, a rich civic life, and individual liberty for all.

We focus on state policy as a proving ground—testing, refining, and demonstrating reforms that work, in order to raise the bar for opportunity across the United States.

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Explore Our Work

Education
February 5, 2026

Study Urges New K–12 Accountability Framework Following End of MCAS Graduation Requirement

Opportunity
February 2, 2026

A Steady-State Budget in a Moment of Crisis 

Education
January 29, 2026

Poll Finds Massachusetts Residents Overwhelmingly Support Expanding Vocational Schools

Opportunity
January 28, 2026

10 Reasons to Discount ITEP’s Analysis of the Proposed Income Tax Cut

Opportunity
January 28, 2026

New Census Data Show Massachusetts Would Be Losing Population Without Immigration 

Opportunity
January 23, 2026

Statement of Jim Stergios, Executive Director of Pioneer Institute on State of the Commonwealth Address

Transportation
January 21, 2026

Statement in Response to Transportation for Massachusetts Report and MassBudget and Policy Center

Opportunity
January 12, 2026

In Cambridge, New Lawsuit Challenges Constitutionality of Mandatory Set-Asides for Affordable Housing

Fact of the day

Massachusetts State Government Spending

Did you know? After adjusting for inflation, Massachusetts state government spending didn’t grow at all from 2010–2019 — it held steady at about $60 B. Then came COVID, which pushed spending up to $87 B in 2021. Today, the new post-COVID normal sits just above $70 B. Explore the full trend on the MA DataLabs site:
https://loom.ly/BGwuBSU

View More Data

Policy Priorities

Education Healthcare Opportunity American Citizenship

PioneerEducation supports excellent school options for all children, world-class liberal arts-based academic standards, and accountability for results in public education.

PioneerHealthcare champions market-based reforms to rein in the cost and improve the quality of care for patients.

PioneerOpportunity seeks a business climate in which entrepreneurs and employees benefit from a thriving economy.

American Citizenship:  To increase public engagement in the nation’s civic life, Pioneer champions K-12 history and civics education, and provides transparent government data for citizens to hold their state governments accountable.