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Education
June 21, 2018

Has UMass used financial aid packages to favor out-of-state students?

A recent Pioneer Institute report concluded that the University of Massachusetts at Amherst has more stringent admissions standards for Bay State students than it does for out-of-state students. Given that UMass is heavily funded by state residents’ tax dollars, some experts have...
Education
May 31, 2018

Long-term decline in area Catholic high school enrollment is likely to continue

Over a dozen Catholic schools affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston are governed by independent boards of trustees. Most of these schools offer programs to students in grades 9-12 (Figure 1). However, as private schools compete to attract talented students and, increasingly,...
Education
May 29, 2018

Troubling takeaways from the SJC ruling on charter schools

These would be the best of times for Boston public charter schools were education policy decisions driven by evidence.  Boston’s charters are nationwide models and uniquely successful at closing pernicious achievement gaps.  But in education politics, where “momentum” is too often the...
Education
May 15, 2018

Education spending influences demographic trends at even the smallest scale

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has a habit of solving identity crises for Massachusetts towns. Operating chiefly in Greater Boston, the MAPC uses 5 broad “community types” (and 9 subtypes) to classify municipalities statewide based on criteria such as housing density, proximity...
Education, Opportunity
May 11, 2018

Income and Education Levels in Gateway Cities Well Below State Average as Debate over Chapter 70 Aid Formula Heats Up

Data from Pioneer’s online transparency toolset, MassAnalysis.com, shows that the Gateway Cities have some of the lowest per-capita incomes in the Commonwealth, according to the most recent data from 2017. Education and income levels are intrinsically tied, and not surprisingly, high school...
Education
March 30, 2018

Gateway Cities Face Educational Spending Challenges

As the Boston Globe recently reported, Gateway Cities Brockton and Worcester are mulling a lawsuit against the Commonwealth. They cite the methodology the state uses to address funding aid inequity for public schools in poorer municipalities as insufficient to meet their students’...
American Citizenship, Education
February 15, 2018

Celebrating Black History Month

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...
Education
January 26, 2018

Join Us on Catholic Schools Week for Special Film Screening Events

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...
Education
January 15, 2018

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

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...
Education
October 20, 2017

Join us 11/13: "Witnessing Hope: Cristo Rey Schools & Catholic Education"

As the country is engaged in a national discussion about equality of educational opportunity, school choice, and religious freedom, join us at a public forum featuring nationally recognized experts on Catholic leadership and schooling, that will highlight a successful model of Catholic...