MBTAAnalysis: A look inside the MBTA

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The MBTA shuttles over a million passengers a day around Greater…

The Clock is Ticking…….

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The clock is ticking towards December 30, 2017.  As part of…

A First Step Toward Retiree Healthcare Reform, But Much More is Needed

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A First Step Toward Retiree Healthcare Reform, But Much More is Needed was provided in October 2013.

In Pictures: 15 Facts Pres. Obama Needs To Know About Mass.’s Healthcare Reform

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During President Obama’s Boston visit to talk about the ACA…

Cost of COLAs in Massachusetts Public Retirement Systems

Study Finds Increased Pension COLA Will Require Communities to…

Urban School Reform: Event Recap

On October 14, 2013, Pioneer hosted a forum, "Urban School Models:…

6 Takeaways on New Orleans’ charter initiative

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Earlier this week, at a Pioneer forum we had the pleasure of…

Let’s Guard Public Safety: Letter to MassDOT Secretary Davey

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Pioneer Institute is committed to improving the quality of life…

Why Boston’s Ban on Convenient Care Clinics Is Costing Taxpayers Millions

Study Urges Boston Mayoral Candidates to Reverse City Policy,…

Letter to MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey requesting information regarding the safety of the ramps near the Zakim Bridge

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Letter to MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey requesting information regarding the safety of the ramps near the Zakim Bridge

School Vouchers in Washington, DC: Lessons for Massachusetts

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"School Vouchers in Washington, DC: Lessons for Massachusetts" was presented by Patrick Wolf in 2013.

Urban School Models Forum to Feature Pulitzer Prize Winner, Fmr DC Mayor

Pulitzer Prize Winner, Former D.C. Mayor, Two Former State Education…

Video: Lead Mathematics Standards-Writer Jason Zimba

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These short video clips were from lead mathematics standards-writer…

Mass Health Connector 2.0: Limited Function and Unable to Provide Subsidy and Medicaid Information

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The Health Connector has spent the last 3 years telling everyone…

Needed: Matriculation exams tailored to each state’s higher education system

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Several decades ago, self-appointed education reformers decided…

2013 Better Government Competition Winner: Manufacturing Revitalization

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We were pleased to learn of the announcement this week of a Manufacturing…

Watertown Police Department stubbornly refuses electronic public records requests

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Despite repeated appeals to reason and official state guidance,…

Steve Forbes – Keynote Speaker, 2013 Better Government Competition

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Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media…

Healthcare.gov Crashes During First Day, Why Massachusetts Never Had This Problem

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In the grand scheme of the ACA, the first day of open enrollment…

An anniversary you may have missed

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With the acrimonious standoff in Congress bringing about the…

Mayor, Tear Down This Wall: Why Boston’s Ban on Convenient Care Clinics Is Costing Taxpayers Millions

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As convenient care clinics (also known as walk-in clinics or limited service clinics) grow in popularity across the nation, Boston remains empty of these clinics due to mayoral opposition. Convenient care clinics, a relatively new development in the world of health care, first emerged just 12 years ago.

School Vouchers in Washington, D.C.: Lessons for Massachusetts

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This report tells the story of the Opportunity Scholarship Program, paying special attention to lessons that can be applied to educational improvement in the urban areas of Massachusetts. Section 1 describes the design and initial implementation of the program. Section 2 outlines the main features of the rigorous experimental evaluation of the program’s impacts on participating students and parents. The main results of that evaluation are presented in Section 3. Section 4 concludes by discussing the implications of the OSP results for possible school choice reforms in Massachusetts.

Charter Schools in New Orleans: Lessons for Massachusetts

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While the remarkable turnaround in New Orleans was accelerated - and perhaps even made possible - by the very storm that nearly destroyed the city, it still has education experts looking for lessons that might be applied elsewhere. This paper looks at the public school reform efforts of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and its impact on student achievement. It also offers recommendations on how urban public schools in Massachusetts, which historically underperforms the commonwealth’s suburban school districts, could benefit from New Orleans’ experience.

The Cost of Cost-of-Living Adjustments in Massachusetts Public Retirement Systems

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While the recent pension reforms focused primarily on reducing the cost to the government, one component of the changes had the opposite effect: the legislation allowed local retirement boards the option of offering retirees a larger annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. While Massachusetts has made its COLAs more generous, many retirement systems around the country have been reducing COLAs to save money.