The CES Newsroom

State/National News

MCAS Requirement Waived for Mass. Students This Spring

Posted on Monday, April 13th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Josh Sullivan, NBC Boston
Date: 4/11/2020
Link: Complete Article

Students in Massachusetts won’t have to take the MCAS exams this spring, amid school closures across the state due to the coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Charlie Baker signed the law that cancels the exam requirement for graduating high school. “Cancelling MCAS testing for the remainder of this school year will enable our teachers and students to… [Read More]

Early Education and Care programs to suspend operations; Some Emergency Child Care Programs will be established

Posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood and Care Programs
Link: Complete Article

Governor Baker has ordered all early childhood education programs across the State of Massachusetts to suspend providing childcare by 11:59 P.M. on Sunday, March 22, 2020. This will remain in effect until April 6, 2020. At the same time, the Department of Early Education and Care (“EEC”) is establishing a process to approve Exempt Emergency… [Read More]

Schools Closed In Massachusetts Until At Least April 7th

Posted on Monday, March 16th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: news staff, WROR
Date: 3/15/2020
Link: Complete Article

Part of the restrictions Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker imposed on the state on Sunday evening was a statewide closure of all schools in the Bay State. The Governor said that school districts were working to find alternative methods of learning for students while they are out. “We understand that many districts rely on school buildings… [Read More]

Education Dept. Reverses Plan to Cut Rural School Funding

Posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Erica Green, New York Times
Date: 3/4/2020
Link: Complete Article

WASHINGTON — Facing a bipartisan backlash led by Republican lawmakers, the Trump administration is backing off a bookkeeping change that would have drastically cut federal funds for rural schools – at least for a year. Betsy DeVos, the education secretary, will allow states to more easily qualify for funding under the Rural and Low-Income School… [Read More]

From “flat Earth” to climate change denial, kids are deluged with fake science. Now teachers are fighting back

Posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Ines Novacic, CBS News
Date: 3/5/2020
Link: Complete Article

Melissa Lau, a middle-school science teacher in Piedmont, Oklahoma, with over 19 years of experience, stood by the doorway of her classroom as the last few of her first-period sixth grade students filed in and took their seats. “Hey guys, you need your papers from yesterday, and a pencil,” said Lau, launching into the day’s… [Read More]

Mass Association of School Superintendents Supports Attorney General Healey in JUUL lawsuit announcement

Posted on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Erica Hedrick, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Date: 2/12/2020
Link: Complete Article

Paul Andrews, M.A.S.S. Director of Professional Development and Government Relation, represented M.A.S.S. today as Attorney General Maura Healey announced that her office has sued JUUL Labs Inc. for creating a youth vaping epidemic by intentionally marketing and selling its e-cigarettes to young people. Based on multiple depositions and hundreds of thousands of pages of company… [Read More]

Massachusetts Senate passes Breakfast After the Bell legislation

Posted on Friday, January 17th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jodi Reed, WWLP
Date: 1/16/2020
Link: Complete Article

BOSTON (WWLP) – Several schools in the western part of the state already offer what is known as the Breakfast After the Bell program, which makes sure students aren’t hungry when they are trying to learn. The Breakfast After the Bell bill passed the House before legislators went on their Christmas break. On Thursday, it… [Read More]

Local eighth-graders honored as Project 351 ambassadors, will meet Gov. Baker

Posted on Friday, January 17th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: David McLellan, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 1/16/2020
Link: Complete Article

At 18 years old, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Intelligence plus character — that is the true goal of education,” in an essay for his Morehouse College newspaper. That sentiment will ring true this weekend when students from across the state meet in Boston to reflect on King’s legacy, as well as continue their own… [Read More]

Holliston’s Jackson named Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year

Posted on Friday, January 10th, 2020 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Cesareo Contreras, Milford Daily News
Date: 1/8/2020
Link: Complete Article

For 33 years, the American Association of School Administrators has recognized one superintendent in each of the 50 states who has displayed exceptional leadership in the areas of education, professional development and community involvement. HOLLISTON – Lauded for his strong leadership skills and commitment to public education, Superintendent Bradford Jackson has been named the Massachusetts… [Read More]

Area lawmakers active in crafting landmark education bill

Posted on Thursday, November 21st, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Dusty Crhistensen, Hampshire Daily Gazette
Date: 11/20/2019
Link: Complete Article

BOSTON — It was a joyous atmosphere on Beacon Hill Wednesday as the state Legislature unanimously passed the $1.5 billion Student Opportunity Act school funding bill. And western Massachusetts lawmakers have their fingerprints all over the legislation. The landmark compromise legislation is a significant overhaul of the state’s Chapter 70 education funding formula. It was… [Read More]