Celebrating National Charter Public Schools Week

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Great charter public schools are about great leadership. Charters in Massachusetts are the best in the country at bridging achievement gaps for our neediest students. They were authorized through the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act, authored by Bay State leaders like Governor William Weld, Senate President Tom Birmingham, and Representative Mark Roosevelt. They believe that access to a quality education is a civil right, as education is the steppingstone to a better life. Education reformers often hearken back to the civil rights movement, drawing inspiration from the bold leadership that changed the nation, from the plaintiffs in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, the Little Rock Nine, and MLK’s March on Washington.

Pioneer Institute recently hosted an event highlighting the life and legacy of one of the Civil Rights era’s most courageous leaders, the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, of Birmingham, Alabama. Shuttlesworth was co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, organized the Freedom Rides, and led demonstrations to end segregation in Birmingham. The Pioneer event featured his widow, Sephira Shuttlesworth, and award-winning historians Diane McWhorter and Andrew Manis, all of whom knew him well and shared moving reminiscences of his dynamic personality, and the events that formed his core convictions, including multiple attempts on his life, mob assaults, and bombings by the Ku Klux Klan. Following that conversation, the Rev. Liz Walker moderated a panel of civil rights and school leaders discussing how best to fulfill this nation’s promise of equality through school choice options for underserved families.

In the aftermath of Question 2’s defeat, it’s important to remember that tens of thousands of children remain on waiting lists for their chance to attend a good school and enjoy the American Dream. Their struggle calls for the kind of leadership on display in the life of Rev. Shuttlesworth. Watch the video clips below.

Video Highlights from “A Fire You Can’t Put Out: Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Civil Rights, and School Choices” (held on March 20, 2017):

Roundtable Discussion:
Sephira Shuttlesworth, Regional Support Director, SABIS Educational Systems; Andrew Manis, author, A Fire You Can’t Put Out: The Civil Rights Life of Birmingham’s Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth; and Diane McWhorter, author, Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama – The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution

Policy Panel
Rev. Liz Walker, Pastor, Roxbury Presbyterian Church; Cara Candal, Pioneer Senior Fellow; Ken Campbell, IDEA Public Schools, Louisiana; Jeffrey Riley, Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent/Receiver; and Carlos Rojas Álvarez, Youth on Board

Charter schools are working for Massachusetts students, and through research, opinion pieces, videos and media appearances, Pioneer has been raising awareness about the innovative programs that these schools offer. You can view our website, videos, and research below.

Best Practices in Massachusetts Charter Schools: What We Know Now

Assessing Charter School Funding in 2016

Get Updates on Our Charter Schools Initiative

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September 10, 2020

Four years after it began to implement a turnaround plan, Boston’s Madison Park Technical Vocational High School is showing clear signs of progress, but its performance continues to lag behind that of other vocational-technical schools in Massachusetts, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

Education tax credit programs extend choice to families who can’t afford private schools or to move to a tony community

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July 20, 2020

Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Espinoza ruling, many more students can reap the benefits of school choice

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Pioneer Institute applauds today’s U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down a bigoted state constitutional amendment in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. Like Massachusetts, Montana is among nearly 40 states with so-called anti-aid amendments, which have roots in 19th century anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant discrimination.

A Well-Deserved Glimmer of Hope for Massachusetts Catholic Schools

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January 28, 2020

Enrollment in Archdiocese of Boston schools has increased by about 4,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combine that with a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case that makes it easier to support the schools and it adds up to a well-deserved glimmer of hope for Catholic schools that have fallen on hard times despite their outstanding performance.

When The Commonwealth Pays The Education Bill, It Should Get A School Committee Say

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November 19, 2019

Local education officials were up in arms earlier this year when Pioneer Institute proposed giving the Commonwealth the power to appoint some school committee seats in urban districts that are mostly state-funded. It would be hard to imagine a better example of why we need to adopt that reform than the current mess in Fall River.

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October 29, 2019

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August 5, 2019

By Jim Stergios August 2, 2019 This spring, The New York Times…

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July 19, 2019

Thanks to Kendra Espinoza, a determined Montana mom, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up and hopefully strike down the infamous legacy of state Know-Nothing and Blaine amendments. From Massachusetts to Michigan and across the nation, this case has the potential to overturn a century and a half of state constitutional discrimination against religious families and their quest for the most suitable and effective education for their children.

Pioneer Alert: Supreme Court Will Rule on Highly Significant School Choice Case

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June 28, 2019

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) announced that it would…

By Jamie Gass and Ze'ev Wurman May 1, 2019 This op-ed appeared…

Celebrating National Charter Public Schools Week

Get Updates on Our Charter Schools Initiative

Study: Signs of Progress at Madison Park, but Still a Long Way to Go

Education tax credit programs extend choice to families who can’t afford private schools or to move to a tony community

Public Statement: Pioneer Institute Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Espinoza School Choice Case

A Well-Deserved Glimmer of Hope for Massachusetts Catholic Schools

When The Commonwealth Pays The Education Bill, It Should Get A School Committee Say

Education business ruled by teachers’ unions truly terrifying

Pioneer Institute Files Updated Amicus Brief in Potentially Landmark School Choice Case Currently before U.S. Supreme Court

Tackling equity at Boston’s exam schools

The Supreme Court Is Set To Decide Whether Religious Kids Are Allowed A Good Education

Pioneer Alert: Supreme Court Will Rule on Highly Significant School Choice Case

Study Finds Student Growth Percentile Is Unreliable, Limits Access to Charter Public Schools

Pioneer Public Statement on Legislative Demise of New Bedford Charter School Deal

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