Blog: Education

January 25, 2017

Celebrating School Choice Week: Digital Learning

On Day 3 of National School Choice Week, we explore opportunities to personalize educational options through Digital Learning. Pioneer believes that effective and accountable digital learning opportunities can benefit students across Massachusetts. Virtual schools challenge our traditional “one-size-fits-all” education model. They can...
January 24, 2017

Celebrating School Choice Week: The METCO Program

On Day 2 of National School Choice Week, we take a closer look at METCO, which provides over 3,300 children in Boston and Springfield with access to high-performing suburban schools. METCO, the nation’s longest-running voluntary school desegregation program, recently celebrated its 50th...
January 23, 2017

Celebrating School Choice Week: Charter Public Schools

Today marks the beginning of National School Choice Week, an annual celebration of the variety of high-quality academic options available to families across the U.S. Each day this week at Pioneer Institute, we’ll be highlighting charter public schools, the METCO program, digital learning, vocational-technical...
January 16, 2017

Pioneer Celebrates the Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, America celebrates the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose eloquence and courage mobilized this nation during the Civil Rights era. Over the last several years, Pioneer Institute has promoted U.S. History instruction and school choice options in...
September 26, 2016

More Mass. Charter Public Schools: Daughter of Brown v. Board of Ed Plaintiff Makes the Case

Last Monday, Pioneer hosted the event “Equal Access to Excellence: Charter and District School Reform,” which was co-sponsored by the Program on Education Policy and Governance at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Center for Education Reform, the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association,...
August 16, 2016

Mass. Public Officials Must Brush Aside The Know-Nothings' Legacy Of Bigotry

Last week, Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios sent a letter to Governor Baker and the leaders of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Senate asking them to support our call to move the portrait of Know-Nothing Governor Henry J. Gardner...

What do Property Taxes Mean for your Town?

Earlier this year, the Boston Globe published an article comparing the average percentage of change in the property tax bills of owners of single-family homes in Massachusetts municipalities between 2016 and 2012. Unsurprisingly, most municipalities experienced a net increase in their bills,...

Honoring the Service and Sacrifice of Our Veterans

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the men and women who have courageously defended the ideals and freedoms that Americans hold so dear. We also view it as a poignant reminder that we must ensure our children are learning about the important events...
April 28, 2016

The Education Writers Association casts its narrowing gaze on Boston, May 1-3

Many billions have been spent, and continue to be spent, promoting the Common Core Standards and their associated consortium tests, PARCC and SBAC. Nonetheless, the “Initiative” has been stopped in its tracks largely by a loose coalition of unpaid grassroots activists. That...
April 21, 2016

Join Us May 4th: "Best Practices from Urban Charter Public Schools"

As the charter public school debate heats up, it’s important to remember that urban charter schools are Massachusetts’ best option for closing achievement gaps. On May 4th, we’ll hear from a national charter school leader, a noted researcher, as well as charter...