Education

BOSTON — Julie Young, the founding CEO of Florida Virtual School, ASU Prep Digital and ASU Prep Global and one of the architects of the modern virtual learning movement has released a new book, Say YES! How Virtual Became Reality. Published in partnership with Pioneer Institute, the book chronicles the mindset shifts and disciplined practices that allowed her and her team to turn a small, grant-funded pilot into a first-of-its-kind national model serving millions of students globally. Young will discuss her journey on Monday, July 13 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET, in a live webinar hosted by edWeb.net.

Today's ruling is a serious disappointment for Massachusetts families struggling under one of the highest tax and cost burdens in the nation. The Court's decision rests on a drafting error in the Attorney General's summary of the petition—a matter entirely outside the control of voters and petition signers. As a result, the people of Massachusetts will be denied the opportunity to decide whether the Commonwealth should reduce the income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent.

As states decide whether to participate in the new federal scholarship tax credit program, Pioneer Institute is urging Governor Healey to ensure Massachusetts families are not left behind. In a letter to the governor, Executive Director Jim Stergios notes that governors from blue states, including most recently New York Governor Kathy Hochul, have already moved to participate in the program. Massachusetts students and families should not be denied the same opportunity.

Student achievement gains eroded amid shift to “social justice” education  

BOSTON – A new poll commissioned by Pioneer Institute finds that an overwhelming 90 percent of Hampden County residents support expanding county students’ access to vocational-technical high schools.   “Vocational-technical high schools are a bright spot amid an extended period of declining...

Massachusetts faces a growing challenge: K-12 public school enrollment is declining, while the state’s workforce continues to expand. How can smaller school districts maintain robust educational programs and meet the talent needs of the Massachusetts economy? Our new study, Fewer Students, Greater Demand:...

BOSTON – State policy is pivotal to the development and availability of online and virtual learning options, and Pioneer Institute’s new Virtual Schools Toolkit provides tactical guidance for developing such policies in the current educational landscape.   “Virtual learning began by serving students...

Calls for choices of high school pathways, early and end-of-course exams, and independent district accountability

A new statewide poll finds overwhelming support among Massachusetts adults for expanding vocational-technical high school capacity, along with broad backing for school choice options, including the new Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

Massachusetts’ budget for fiscal 2026 that includes $100 million in grants to create an additional 3,000 career/vocational education (CVTE) seats in the Commonwealth is a good start, but more should be done to eliminate the 8,100-seat shortage of CVTE seats, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.