State News

Baker-Polito Administration Honors 51 Schools – recognized for high achievement, strong progress or narrowing gaps

Posted on Monday, February 6th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jacqueline Reis, MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Date: 2/1/2017
Link: Complete Article

MALDEN – The Baker-Polito Administration today held a ceremony at the State House to recognize 51 schools for high achievement, narrowing achievement gaps between groups of students or making strong progress. The schools were recognized as 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools, state-designated Commendation Schools or National Title I Distinguished Schools. “I’m proud that our Massachusetts… [Read More]

Governor Baker outlines plans for local aid increases

Posted on Tuesday, January 24th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: State House News Service, WWLP
Date: 1/22/17
Link: Complete Article

In next week’s annual budget proposal, Gov. Charlie Baker will call for a $91 million increase in education local aid, and a $40 million boost in unrestricted local aid to cities and towns. The combined $131 million increase in the two main local aid accounts compares to a more than $158 million increase in the… [Read More]

Special Education Professional Development Survey

Posted on Tuesday, January 10th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Massachusetts DESE
Date: 1/10/2017
Link: Complete Article

The Office of Special Education Planning and Policy is in the process of identifying special education professional development activities based on a comprehensive survey of the field. The Department is interested in educators’ opinions about how ESE can best help educators achieve their professional development goals and hopes educators will take 10 minutes to complete… [Read More]

Report: High demand but high cost for voc-tech programs

Posted on Monday, November 28th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, in a paper titled “Skills For Our Future,” reported that while a career, vocational and technical education (CVTE) costs about $5,000 per pupil more than a traditional high school education each year, good CVTE programs can boost college attendance and career earning power. The 28 regional vocational schools and… [Read More]

Mass. employers identified skills gaps in workforce readiness

Posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Sam Bonacci, Worcester Business Journal Online
Date: November 21, 2016
Link: Complete Article

A new survey, reported in the Worcester Business Journal, has found that 75 percent of employers are having trouble finding qualified candidates to fill open positions, up from 69 percent in 2013, particularly in the central and western parts of the state. The survey commissioned by the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education of public education… [Read More]

Rural schools develop state aid proposal

Posted on Friday, September 30th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Diane Broncaccio, The Gazette
Date: 9/30/2016
Link: Complete Article

BUCKLAND, MA — Saying about 50,000 rural students attend public schools that are in “severe fiscal crisis,” Mohawk Superintendent Michael Buoniconti will ask the Massachusetts Rural Schools Coalition to review a draft proposal that seeks more Chapter 70 state aid for rural schools with the highest enrollment declines, the lowest per capita income and flat-level… [Read More]

Mass. Center for Civic Education promotes engaged citizenship among students

Posted on Friday, July 15th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Mary McCleary, New Boston Post
Date: July 15, 2016
Link: Complete Article

When history teacher Roger Desrosiers received a postcard from the Center for Civic Education in 1987 offering free classroom materials for the U.S. Constitution’s bicentennial, little did he know that the organization would become his life’s work. After decades of promoting the study of American history and civics, Desrosiers is now President of the Massachusetts… [Read More]

Breaking the school-to-prison pipeline for young offenders one class at a time

Posted on Tuesday, July 5th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Hari Sreenivasan, PBS
Date: June 29, 2016
Link: Complete Article

Since 2003, the Collaborative for Educational Services has been a partner to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) in creating access to high-quality education and employment opportunities for youth in the care and custody of DYS. The Collaborative is helping to equip an especially vulnerable population of young people with the tools they need… [Read More]

State’s new rural policy commission meets in Greenfield

Posted on Monday, June 13th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Richie Davis, The Recorder
Date: 06/10/2016
Link: Complete Article

GREENFIELD, MA — A newly formed state Rural Policy Commission set to work Friday at an organizational meeting that sets to make its top priority the 167 rural communities of the nation’s third most densely populated state. Fifteen members of the new 17-member panel turned out for a two-hour session that set up four work… [Read More]