Entries by Editorial Staff

Press Release: Birmingham Touts 1993 Ed Reform Act’s Success, Expresses Concerns about Recent Policies

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BOSTON – Massachusetts Education Reform Act co-author and former Senate President Tom Birmingham praised the historic success that has been achieved since the law was enacted in 1993, but expressed concern that the Commonwealth is veering away from basic principles of the law that produced that success at a State House event marking the 25th anniversary of the Education Reform Act. Describing the day the bill was signed, Birmingham, now the Distinguished Senior Fellow in Education at Pioneer Institute, said “If you had told me that over 90 percent of our students would pass MCAS and that we would have 13 consecutive years of improvement on SAT scores, or that our students would rank first in the nation in every […]

Time to End Legislative Exemptions from Public Records & Open Meeting Laws

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Under Massachusetts law, the state Legislature is not considered a “public body” in the traditional sense, and therefore enjoys exemptions from open meeting and public records laws. Pioneer Institute believes this is unconstitutional. The state constitution says the Legislature should be accountable to citizens “at all times.” The laws that apply to municipalities and the rest of state government should also apply to the Legislature. The 2016 public records reform law failed to adequately address this exemption but did establish a special legislative commission to look into the issue further. The commission’s report was supposed to be submitted to the House and Senate Clerks’ Offices by December 30, 2017. Unfortunately, the deadline was quietly extended to December 1, 2018. In February of 2018, […]

Draft History and Social Studies Frameworks Continue Trend Toward Dumbing Down Public School Content

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Weaker ELA and math standards have already produced declines in student achievement BOSTON – The draft of the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Frameworks that was released for public comment in January would follow in the footsteps of recently adopted English, math, and science standards by representing a decline in academic quality, content, and coherence compared to their predecessors, according to comments on the draft published by Pioneer Institute. “The watering down of the content children learn in public schools continues,” said Dr. David Randall, director of research for the National Association of Scholars and co-author of 2018 Proposed Revisions to Massachusetts History and Social Studies Frameworks. “This time it comes in the form of eviscerating the 2003 Frameworks […]

Inadequate Inflation Adjustment Factor Will Subject Increasing Numbers of People to So-Called “Millionaires” Tax

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Would take particular toll on those relying on home value appreciation to fund retirement BOSTON – The tax hike on those with annual taxable incomes of $1 million or more that would result from a proposed amendment to the state constitution scheduled to appear on the Commonwealth’s November ballot will likely ensnare an ever-increasing number of taxpayers because the index used to adjust the million-dollar threshold has historically grown at a far slower rate than both the taxable income of Massachusetts taxpayers and increases in state home values, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. “Those who are counting on decades of appreciation in the value of their homes in particular to fund retirement will be in for […]

New entry deadline: March 30th! Enter the 2018 Better Government Competition: “Making Higher Education & Career Training Options Affordable & Effective”

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Each year, the Better Government Competition focuses on one of the country’s greatest public policy challenges. Families today are struggling to afford college, young adults are saddled with crippling debt, and government workforce development programs and existing education models have not been reliable pipelines to stable employment. In recognition of these challenges, Pioneer Institute’s 2018 Better Government Competition seeks ideas to make postsecondary education options for high school graduates more affordable, accessible, and effective. Download the contest guidelines, visit us online to learn more, and submit your proposal today! *New entry deadline: March 30, 2018. POTENTIAL AREAS FOR APPLICANTS TO CONSIDER • Develop approaches to address escalating education costs and student loan debt. • Generate new information resources to: o […]

Proposition 80 Won’t Generate $1.9 Billion Annual Projected Revenue

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Passage of November 2018 ballot measure will make Massachusetts far less competitive BOSTON – Passage of Proposition 80, the tax hike proposal scheduled to appear on the November 2018 Massachusetts ballot, will fail to generate the level of revenue growth projected by its backers, according to a new Pioneer study. The ballot measure would add a 4 percent surtax on any annual taxable income over $1 million. In “Proposition 80 Will Not Raise $2 Billion and the Money Won’t Be Free,” Pioneer Institute Research Director Greg Sullivan warns that proponents’ projected revenue gains are based on a small pool of taxpayers, some of whom are likely to relocate outside the state if the proposal passes. According to Massachusetts Department of […]

Proposition 80 Will Increase Out-Migration of High Earners and Businesses

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Passage of November 2018 ballot measure would jeopardize Massachusetts’ long-term economic health BOSTON – Passage of Proposition 80, the tax hike proposal scheduled to appear on the November 2018 Massachusetts ballot, would accelerate migration out of Massachusetts, especially to Florida and New Hampshire, according to a new Pioneer study. Proposition 80 would add a 4 percent surtax on any annual taxable income over $1 million. In “Will The Wealthy Leave? They Already Are and Proposition 80 Will Only Make It Worse,” Pioneer Institute Research Director Greg Sullivan draws on IRS data showing aggregate migration flows by amount of adjusted gross income (AGI) and age of the primary taxpayer. The data show a strong correlation between state tax levels and migration […]

Op-ed: Time to lift up Boston’s voc-tech high school

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Read this full op-ed in CommonWealth magazine. By Tom Birmingham and Ken Campbell Years of missteps are leaving students behind “SUCCESS IS TO BE measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life,” said Booker T. Washington, the famous turn-of-the-20th-century black educator, “as by the obstacles… overcome.” February is both Black History and Career and Technical Education month. No figure in America’s past bridged those two worlds like Booker Washington, who was the first leader of Tuskegee Institute, Alabama’s historic black vocational college. Read more at CommonWealth magazine.

Supreme Court Arguments in Compulsory Union Fee Case Set for Today

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Outcome will affect similar petition pending before Massachusetts SJC Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case with important implications for Massachusetts in which an Illinois public employee is challenging the requirement that he pay an “agency fee” to a union as a condition of employment. Closer to home, a group of educators has petitioned the Commonwealth’s Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) to hear a case challenging compulsory union payments.  The SJC will likely delay any ruling on the petition pending the outcome of Janus v. AFSCME. “Union membership should never be banned,” said Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios.  “Nor should it ever be compulsory.” It is settled law that public employees who choose not to join […]

Celebrating Black History Month

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In the month of February, the nation honors the achievements of African Americans; their stories and historical accomplishments are worthy of recognition year round. That’s why Pioneer Institute has sponsored events, produced videos, and published opinion pieces informing the public about important leaders and key milestones in the African-American experience, as well as the need for more educational choice options for all children. Pioneer supports school choice and improvements to academic instruction, especially in U.S. history, so all schoolchildren learn about African-Americans’ long struggle for freedom and equal opportunity. Below, we share some highlights from our coverage of seminal figures, topics, and periods such as slavery during the Founding era, the Civil War, and Civil Rights icons such as Fannie […]

Study: New Federal Tax Law Would Exacerbate Economic Damage of Prop 80

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This report earned media coverage on WGBH radio, WBZ radio, and Fox 25 TV, Bloomberg radio; The Boston Globe, the Associated Press, MassLive/The Springfield Republican, Newburyport News, Gloucester Times, Salem News, Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, Greenfield Recorder, CommonWealth magazine, and The Lowell Sun. Cap on state and local tax deductions to hit Massachusetts hard BOSTON – Recent passage of the federal tax overhaul legislation will exacerbate the negative economic impact of Proposition 80, the proposed constitutional amendment scheduled to appear on Massachusetts’ November ballot that would add a 4 percent surtax on annual taxable income over $1 million, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. “The combined effect of Proposition 80 and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s $10,000 limit on deductions […]

Pioneer Institute and the Tax Foundation File Amicus Brief in Graduated Income Tax Ballot Initiative Case

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Brief argues that Proposition 80 violates the state constitution, would result in harmful fiscal policy BOSTON – PioneerLegal, Pioneer Institute’s public-interest law initiative, together with the Tax Foundation, has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Judicial Court in support of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and others, in the case Christopher Anderson et al. v. Maura Healey. The plaintiffs assert that Proposition 80, a ballot initiative to install a graduated income tax for Massachusetts, violates the state constitution and should not be allowed to appear on the Commonwealth’s November ballot. Proposition 80 calls for adding an additional 4 percent state tax on all annual taxable income above $1 million and earmarking the resulting revenue specifically for transportation and education. […]

Join Us on Catholic Schools Week for Special Film Screening Events

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Join us as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, with special film screenings of our new documentary, “Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams: Ending America’s Bigoted Education Laws,” at Boston College High School in Boston, MA on Monday, January 29th at 6:30pm; Marian High School in Framingham, MA on Tuesday, January 30th at 6:30pm; and Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, MA on Thursday, February 1st at 5:30pm. View a film trailer featuring Sarah Kelter, a student at Framingham’s Marian High School: “Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams” profiles four American families, two of which are from Massachusetts. Their pursuit of educational opportunity is impeded by so-called Blaine Amendments, which prohibit state money from supporting families sending their children to religiously affiliated schools. There […]

New Study Looks to Connecticut as Cautionary Tale for Impact of Proposed Ballot Initiative Hiking Taxes

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Hear Greg Sullivan discuss this report on Bloomberg Radio. Raising taxes on companies and high earners has resulted in less revenue, exodus of large employers and wealthy individuals BOSTON – Proponents of a 2018 statewide ballot initiative that would add a surcharge on the state taxes of those earning over $1 million annually should look at the experience of Connecticut, where multiple rounds of tax hikes aimed at high earners triggered an exodus of large employers and high-earning individuals that resulted in declining tax revenue, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. “Before going to the polls next year, voters should take a close look at the impact that tax hikes similar to the ones being proposed have […]

New Study Urges MBTA to Expand Corporate Pass Program

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Watch a video interview of the author on BNN News, and read coverage in the Boston Business Journal and The Boston Globe. More riders would boost T revenue, cut employee commuting costs, provide savings for employers, reduce traffic congestion and help the environment BOSTON – Increased use of employer-sponsored commuter benefit programs could boost MBTA revenue significantly, reduce employee commuting costs, provide employer savings, reduce traffic congestion and yield environmental benefits, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. “In 2015, the Governor’s Special Panel to review the MBTA found that the T needed to urgently pursue revenue opportunities and identified increasing ridership as the first item on the agenda,” said Jim Stergios, Pioneer Institute Executive Director.  “The Corporate Pass […]

New Documentary Highlights Impact of Bigoted “Blaine Amendments”

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Read op-eds about the film, by Raymond Flynn, former Ambassador to the Holy See, and Pioneer’s Jamie Gass in The Daily Caller, The Lowell Sun, and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Constitutional amendments in 38 states born of anti-Catholic bigotry now harm families practicing wide range of faiths BOSTON – A new documentary film, “Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams: Ending America’s Bigoted Education Laws,” profiles four American families, two from Massachusetts, whose pursuit of educational opportunity is impeded by so-called Blaine Amendments, which prohibit state money from supporting students in religiously affiliated schools. Four area Catholic schools will hold screenings of the film during National School Choice Week, beginning January 21st, and Catholic Schools Week, beginning January 28th. It will be […]

Film Screenings at Area Catholic Schools to Educate Public about Barriers to School Choice

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Constitutional amendments in 38 states born of anti-Catholic bigotry now harm families practicing wide range of faiths  BOSTON – Four area Catholic schools will hold public screenings of a new documentary film, “Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams: Ending America’s Bigoted Education Laws,” to be released by Pioneer Institute during National School Choice Week, beginning January 21st, and screened again during Catholic Schools Week, which begins on January 28th. The film will be shown at Fontbonne Academy in Milton at 6:30pm on January 23rd; Boston College High School at 6:30pm on January 29th; Framingham’s Marian High School at 6:30pm on January 30th; and Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River at 5:30pm on February 1st. Trailers for the film can be viewed […]

Celebrating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday and School Choice

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Today, we honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose life and work helped advance the American promise of equal opportunity for all. A key element of that promise is access to high-quality educational options. Pioneer Institute has held numerous public forums on Dr. King’s heroic legacy, and the continuing struggle to realize his dream. You can watch video highlights from our many events on Civil Rights below. Pioneer is also proud to announce next week’s release of a new documentary film, “Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams: Ending America’s Bigoted Education Laws,” that traces the ordeals of four different families who must make sacrifices to send their children to schools that offer instruction rooted in religious faith, […]

Op-ed: American Public Education Is Failing Miserably In Math And Science

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Op-ed: American Public Education Is Failing Miserably In Math And Science January 9, 2018 by Editorial Staff

This op-ed appeared in The Daily Caller and The New Bedford Standard Times. By Jamie Gass and Ze’ev Wurman “If I have seen further,” declared the great 17th-century English scientist Sir Isaac Newton, “it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” This season marks Newton’s 373th birthday, and his humility before renowned thinkers — Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Descartes — set in motion a towering life that redefined math, science, engineering, optics, and […]

Announcing Pioneer Institute’s 2018 Better Government Competition Topic: “Making Higher Education & Career Training Options Affordable & Effective”

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Each year, the Better Government Competition focuses on one of the country’s greatest public policy challenges. Families today are struggling to afford college, young adults are saddled with crippling debt, and government workforce development programs and existing education models have not been reliable pipelines to stable employment. In recognition of these challenges, Pioneer Institute’s 2018 Better Government Competition seeks ideas to make postsecondary education options for high school graduates more affordable, accessible, and effective. Download the Contest Guidelines Enter here. Share the Contest Guidelines: http://bit.ly/2Ai7zYQ Share the Guidelines on Facebook Share the Guidelines on Twitter Entry Deadline: Papers of up to five (5) pages due by Friday, March 23rd  at 4:00 PM ET. Submit an idea paper of five or fewer pages describing […]

12 Reasons to Give to Pioneer Before Midnight

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With the New Year fast approaching, here are 12 reasons to donate to Pioneer before the clock strikes 12:00 and ushers in 2018: In January, the Institute begins its national release of the documentary film, Big Sacrifices, Big Dreams: Ending America’s Bigoted Education Laws, which recounts the shameful history behind opposition to school choice and the impact on families in states across the union. In March, Pioneer will release a book sharing the best practices from Massachusetts’ gold-standard charter public school movement with other states. Pioneer’s examination of the University of Massachusetts’ reckless expansion plans prompted the Baker administration to revamp the decision-making process for state college and university capital projects. Pioneer is one of the highest-rated charities among the thousands […]

Op-ed: A Novel Solution To An Old Problem

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By Tom Birmingham  | The Boston Pilot  |  December 15, 2017 We are all shaped by our own experiences. When it comes to education, I spent nine years in Chelsea public schools, followed by high school at Austin Prep, an Augustinian Catholic school north of Boston. St. Augustine’s dictum from his Confessions, “Tolle, lege,” “Take up and read,” became Austin’s school motto. I believe that I benefitted from Catholic education and wish more young people could do the same, but economic trends and constitutional amendments in 38 states that prohibit public money from going to religious schools are among the factors that have staggered many Catholic schools. Cristo Rey high schools are returning Catholic education to urban areas. Under the […]

Report: Economic Freedom Up Slightly Across U.S.

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Massachusetts ranks 13th in North American index BOSTON – Massachusetts ranks 13th out of all 50 states in this year’s Economic Freedom of North America report, released today by the Pioneer Institute in conjunction with Canada’s Fraser Institute. “Massachusetts has real competitive advantages over other states – a top-rate education system, talent across financial services, consulting and important research and innovation sectors,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of Pioneer Institute. “But state government has also advanced policies that make Massachusetts an expensive place to live and work. We have a well-earned reputation for over-regulation and huge debt obligations that are a drag on the economy.  Several issues on the ballot in 2018, including additional tax increases and restrictions on labor […]

Study: Updated Massachusetts K-12 Standards Are Worse in English, Still Mediocre in Math

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Check out news coverage: “Report warns of falling test scores” (Salem News, Newburyport Daily News, Gloucester Times); Bloomberg Bay State; Accuracy in Academia; The Lowell Sun; The Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise; RealClearEducation. The Lowell Sun published an op-ed as well, here. Both 2010 and 2017 standards demonstrably inferior to state’s pre-2010 academic standards BOSTON – The 2017 update of Massachusetts’ English and math K-12 academic standards represents further deterioration in English, while the math standards are essentially unchanged from the 2010 version, according to the first independent evaluation of the newly revised standards, which is published by Pioneer Institute.  The 2010 standards, which were based on Common Core, led to […]

Op-ed: Our schools ignore US history at our peril

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By Tom Birmimgham | Nov. 30, 2017 State must make good on requirement for history instruction and testing ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO, as a member of the Massachusetts Senate, I co-authored the Massachusetts Education Reform Act. Drafting a complex bill with such far-reaching consequences requires significant compromise, but one thing my counterparts in the House of Representatives and then-Gov. Bill Weld all agreed upon was the importance of educating students about our nation’s history. As a result, the law explicitly requires instruction about the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers and the US Constitution. We also made passage of a US history test a high school graduation requirement. Sadly, subsequent generations of political leaders have not shared our view of the importance of US history. It is now […]

Op-ed: It’s Time to Strengthen—Not Reduce!—History in Our Classrooms

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By Tom Birmingham This op-ed appeared in the print edition of American Heritage magazine (Volume 62 Issue 5), with a preface from the Editor. The op-ed also appeared in the MetroWest Daily News and Milford Daily News. It is painful to see a state such as Massachusetts — so central to our Nation’s past — plan to cut back even more on the teaching of American history. In recent years renowned historical sites such as Old Sturbridge Village have reported a dramatic decrease in visits by students because of a reduced emphasis on teaching history in schools (despite the efforts of many dedicated teachers), and an increase in paperwork to justify field trips. (Parenthetically, American Heritagewas launched in 1949 at Old Sturbridge Village, which still guards the original carved eagle […]

Happy Thanksgiving from Pioneer Institute!

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Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family, share a traditional feast, and express gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy. We at Pioneer have much to be thankful for, most importantly for your trust in and support of the Institute.  We are also grateful for the opportunity to organize informative events, engage high-profile scholars and experts to develop new ideas and reforms, and advance public conversations on our most pressing policy challenges. In the coming months, keep an eye out for an exciting new documentary film raising awareness about the bigoted history behind opposition to school choice, the kickoff to our 2018 Better Government Competition (which, psst, is on college affordability), a book on how Massachusetts birthed the […]

Press Release: Definitive Biographer of Pope St. John Paul II to Keynote Cristo Rey High Schools Event

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Update: Watch the event videos below, in order.   Pioneer Institute to simultaneously release study on Cristo Rey schools BOSTON – George Weigel, who wrote a bestselling two-volume biography of Pope St. John Paul II; former Ambassador to the Vatican and three-term Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn; and Jeffrey Thielman, co-founder of the Cristo Rey Network of Catholic schools, will be among the speakers at “Witnessing Hope: Cristo Rey Schools & Catholic Education,” a Pioneer Institute and Catholic Schools Foundation forum to be held Monday, November 13th from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the Omni Parker House in Boston. Thielman is also the co-author of “Cristo Rey Schools: A Model of 21st-Century Catholic Education,” a Pioneer Institute White Paper that will […]

2017 Lovett C. Peters Lecture in Public Policy to Focus on Politics and Polarization on American Campuses

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Social Psychologist & National Commentator Jonathan Haidt to Deliver Keynote Address at Pioneer Institute Annual Dinner BOSTON – Dr. Jonathan Haidt, the leading national commentator on controversial speech at colleges and universities, will deliver Pioneer Institute’s 2017 Lovett C. Peters Lecture on Tuesday, November 7th, in Boston. “With the escalating battle over free speech on campuses across America, Dr. Haidt’s work to promote civil dialogue on political issues is vitally important,” said Jim Stergios, Pioneer Institute Executive Director. “We look forward to hearing Dr. Haidt’s thoughts on how future generations can move beyond the current impasse created by ideological extremism, intolerance, ignorance, and censorship.” Dr. Haidt is an American social psychologist and Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New […]