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American Citizenship, Education
June 18, 2024

Examining the Academic Achievement Decline in New England Prior to COVID-19

COVID-19 was not the beginning of student performance declines in the United States. Academic achievement for students across the country began to drop-off following the widespread implementation of the Common Core curriculum in 2013. While declines have occurred across the country, New England has experienced a particularly sharp decrease in student achievement.
American Citizenship, Opportunity
June 13, 2024

Massachusetts Legislature Procrastinates Once Again

There are less than seven weeks left to the Massachusetts Legislature’s formal sessions with much unfinished business to attend to.  Analogizing Massachusetts legislators to students, they are waiting until the night before a 10-page paper is due to begin the assignment that...
American Citizenship, Opportunity
March 26, 2024

Testimony - Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Testimony - Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions
American Citizenship, Opportunity
March 14, 2024

Sunshine Week 2024

Partly Sunny with a Chance of Transparency As Pioneer Institute observes  Sunshine Week , March 10-16, it is worth remembering the uncommon courage it took for our founders to so publicly and transparently declare their political beliefs and loyalties at a time when Great Britain...
American Citizenship, Opportunity
December 22, 2022

Pioneer Commends MA Governor-elect Healey's Step Toward Greater Transparency

Pioneer Institute commends Governor-elect Maura Healey for choosing not to claim a public records exemption for the governor’s office. Governor-elect Healey also pledged to support legislation that would curb exemptions claimed by the legislative and judiciary branches of state government.
American Citizenship, Opportunity, Transportation
August 9, 2022

Massachusetts Needs a Comprehensive Performance Management Framework

Many states have made promoted government efficiency and effectiveness by setting goals and tracking their progress. Massachusetts tried making a performance structure, but in 2014 it was discontinued. Today, the state lacks a comprehensive structure to track progress.
American Citizenship, Education, Opportunity
August 4, 2022

School-Age Population Remains Steady, but Boston Struggles With Declining Enrollment

Hopefully, new leadership will ensure that the system makes the changes necessary to improve public education in Boston. Otherwise, enrollment declines will continue. 
American Citizenship, Opportunity
July 19, 2022

New Report: Massachusetts Maintains Reasonable Debt Relative to GSP

Massachusetts has more debt than any New England state. Can we afford to pay it off or will we hand it down to future generations?
American Citizenship, Opportunity
July 14, 2022

New Hampshire Tax Burden Dramatically Less than Massachusetts

New Hampshire collects less than half the amount of taxes per capita as Massachusetts. How do they do it, and which strategy produces better outcomes?
American Citizenship, Opportunity, Transportation
July 5, 2022

Looming Budget Crisis Reveals MBTA’s Dependency on Federal Funds

The MBTA is about to lose federal funding at a critical moment when ridership has not yet recovered. Will the state make up the difference?