Tag Archive for: MCAS

Study: Ed Reform Has Improved Academic Performance and Equity

Over the past 30 years, rigorous standards, assessments, and accountability for outcomes have propelled Massachusetts public schools to become the nation’s best. Taking away the high-stakes component of MCAS would weaken the accountability system and lead stakeholders to de-emphasize the assessment data that drives high-quality instruction, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

New Book Calls on States to Improve U.S. History and Civics Education

Pioneer Institute is today releasing Restoring the City on a Hill: U.S. History and Civics in America's Schools, which details the decline of history and civics knowledge among students and offers a plan for how states and local school districts can foster understanding of and curiosity about our nation's history.

Pioneer Institute Objects to Ballot Petitions on Rent Control and MCAS

Pioneer Institute today filed with Attorney General Andrea Campbell letters expressing opposition to certification of two ballot initiative petitions, one relating to rent control and the other proposing the elimination of MCAS testing as a condition for graduation from a public high school, because both initiative petitions, as drafted, are unconstitutional.

Can Massachusetts Reverse the Decline in U.S. History and Civics Performance?

Massachusetts — home to so much history, including seminal events such as the Boston Tea Party — has much to be proud of in its own students’ history and civics performance. Even as policymakers have supplanted typical curricular standards with “engagement” mandates that students participate in progressive activism, national attitudes towards Massachusetts’ civic education have remained envious.

Charter School Success: Importance in Suffolk County and College Enrollment

Learn about how charter schools set students up for success, especially in urban areas like Suffolk county. MCAS scores and college enrollment are stats that point to the impact of Charter schools.

A Bird’s Eye View: Massachusetts K-12 Education by County

Massachusetts has had the best public school system in the country for the past two decades: along with some of the highest per pupil spending as well. Among the counties, does high per pupil spending translate to better results? The short answer: not really.

Teachers union wants ed reform money — but not accountability

MTA campaign against graduation test takes their stand to 'farcical…

Civics education is crucial to engaged citizenship

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The Founding Fathers believed the main role of public education was not workforce development, but to create citizens prepared for informed participation in American democracy. Without this, they feared the nation might dissolve. Never have the founders looked more prescient.

Poll Finds Strong Majority of Massachusetts Residents Support Restoring U.S. History MCAS Graduation Requirement

Sixty-two percent of Massachusetts residents support restoring passage of a U.S. history test as a public high school graduation requirement, according to a poll of Massachusetts residents’ attitudes toward education policy commissioned by Pioneer Institute and conducted by the Emerson College Polling Center.

Massachusetts Survey Report on US History MCAS

Sixty-two percent of Massachusetts residents support restoring passage of a U.S. history test as a public high school graduation requirement, according to a poll of Massachusetts residents’ attitudes toward education policy commissioned by Pioneer Institute and conducted by the Emerson College Polling Center.

Pioneer Institute’s 2021 Government Transparency Resolutions: Sunshine Week Edition

As it does each year, Pioneer shares the resolutions it hopes state leaders will adopt to bring government actions into better focus and invigorate our democracy with heightened public engagement. As the late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis noted, “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.”

MCAS testing essential to address falling test scores

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Amid the chaos that was created by schools suddenly being shuttered in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it made sense to cancel administration of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests. But supporters of pending legislation that would place a four-year moratorium on using MCAS as a high school graduation requirement and create a commission to study alternatives to the tests are no longer responding to a crisis; they are using it to advance their anti-reform agenda.

How Massachusetts Showed the Way on Education Reform

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By Jamie Gass & Charles Chieppo Read this op-ed in The…

Op-ed: Marshall Plan brought U.S. to apex of power

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By Jamie Gass June 5, 2017 “The cost of war in human…

Op-ed: Why Mass. must not let up on testing students

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By Tom Birmingham   APRIL 13, 2017 Massachusetts’ story…

Op-ed: The Great Statesman Cicero Presides Over The Ides Of March Forever

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“How I could wish that you had invited me to that most glorious…

Guest Opinion: Don’t let Challenger disaster, space race become lost

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(Note: This op-ed originally appeared on the anniversary of the…

Pioneer Statement on Next-Generation MCAS Announcement

We applaud the Baker administration for proposing that Massachusetts…

Study: Poor Performance of Other States in PARCC Consortium Would Translate to Lower Standards for Mass.

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Attacks on MCAS for not producing “college-ready” graduates…

Testing the Tests: Why MCAS Is Better Than PARCC

Study:  MCAS Less Expensive, More Rigorous and Provides Better…

Statement on 2015 MCAS Results and Preliminary, Incomplete 2015 PARCC Results

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The release of 2015 MCAS results together with a patchwork of…

How Massachusetts Promoted Achievement Before Common Core & PARCC

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Before the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education…

Patriot Ledger: TOM BIRMINGHAM: Plan to scrap MCAS is a race to the middle

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Read this op-ed in The Patriot Ledger, where it was originally…

Let’s Not Waver on Testing: An Open Letter to MA Education Commissioner

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In the letter below, Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim…

Fall River Herald News: Mass. students miss out on Native American history

Understanding the complexity our country’s Native American past requires knowing U.S. history. Preferring softer 21st century skills like “media awareness” and “systems thinking” to academics, the Patrick administration in 2009 postponed a requirement, starting with the class of 2012, that Massachusetts public school students pass a U.S. history MCAS test to graduate from high school.

Our View: Schools need to tighten, not ease oversight

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http://www.gloucestertimes.com/opinion/x138781233/Our-View-Schools-need-to-tighten-not-ease-oversight Too…

U.S. history lessons getting short shrift

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http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_20727036/u-s-history-lessons With…

Decision time on extended learning

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http://boston.com/community/blogs/rock_the_schoolhouse/2012/05/decision_time_on_extended_lear.html The…

MCAS history exam in need of funding, fine-tuning

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http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_19943615 Although I…