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Strengthening Standards-Based Education

Recommendations to Policy Makers on 21st Century Skills Author(s): Jim Stergios and Jamie Gass — Publication date: 2008-11-11 Category: Education Abstract: In May of 2008, then-Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Chairman Paul Reville named more than 20 individuals from education, not-for-profit organizations, and business to a task force on “21st Century Skills.” He charged the task force with finding ways to better integrate so-called 21st century skills into the public school curriculum. According to Patrick administration officials, this effort is tantamount to a manifesto that will move Massachusetts into the next phase of Education Reform. Download Report

Regionalization: Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts

Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts Author(s): Pioneer Institute — Publication date: 2008-10-08 Category: Better Government Abstract: Regionalization is a perennial favorite. In its various incarnations – inter-local agreements, shared services, regionalism – it is popular in theory and universally acknowledged to save money but not as widespread as one might expect. The urge to regionalize goes through periods of intense interest when budgets are tight, then is frequently ended by bureaucratic inertia and parochialism. Regionalization: Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts

Regionalization: Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts

Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts Author(s): Pioneer Institute — Publication date: 2008-10-08 Category: Better Government Abstract: Regionalization is a perennial favorite. In its various incarnations – inter-local agreements, shared services, regionalism – it is popular in theory and universally acknowledged to save money but not as widespread as one might expect. The urge to regionalize goes through periods of intense interest when budgets are tight, then is frequently ended by bureaucratic inertia and parochialism. Regionalization: Case Studies of Success and Failure in Massachusetts

Hard Decisions, Needed Leadership

Author(s): — Publication date: 2008-10-17 Category: Better Government Abstract: This report seeks to identify savings to help close a looming $1 billion to $1.5 billion gap in the Commonwealth’s FY09 budget. As a follow-up to a Pioneer press release outlining $600 million in immediate cuts, dated October 8, 2008, we have scoured the budget for savings and reforms, with an eye toward actions that can be undertaken immediately. This report identifies $700 million in budget savings. Moreover, it achieves these savings while adhering to the following premises and sound budgeting principles. [wpdm_package id=71]

Massachusetts State Taxpayer Funded School Construction Grants: Massachusetts School Building Authority

Like many other states, Massachusetts has struggled with out of control spending on school construction, often putting money into many unnessary projects at the expense of more deserving ones. State Treasurer Tim Cahill, a long-time entrepreneur who took office in 2003, traced the wasteful spending to poor administrative organization, a lack of oversight, and an atiquated system of reimbursements whose legacy had become exorbitant debt and a backog of projects. Applying his business acuemen and experience, Cahill in 2004 created the Massachusetts School Building Authority, an entity that would bring the rigors of  the private sector to eliminate wasteful spending while raising the quality of the education offered by the state [wpdm_package id=258]