Massachusetts

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Massachusetts
Close up of student holding a pencil and filling in answer sheet on a bubble test.
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Assessment Why the Pioneers of High School Exit Exams Are Rolling Them Back
Massachusetts is doing away with a decades-old graduation requirement. What will take its place?
Sarah Schwartz, November 11, 2024
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7 min read
Tight cropped photograph of a bubble sheet test with a pencil.
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Assessment Massachusetts Voters Poised to Ditch High School Exit Exam
The support for nixing the testing requirement could foreshadow public opinion on state standardized testing in general.
Alyson Klein, November 6, 2024
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3 min read
Pencil drawing a checkmark in a box. U.S.A. ballot measures voting in elections.
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States 5 Ways You Didn't Know the Election Will Affect K-12 Schools
Voters will weigh ballot items that affect funding for electric school buses, tax revenue for state education budgets, and more.
Mark Lieberman, October 31, 2024
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8 min read
Person using technology smart robot AI, enter command prompt. A.I. Chat concept AI, Artificial Intelligence.
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Artificial Intelligence Parents Sue After School Disciplined Student for AI Use: Takeaways for Educators
The Massachusetts lawsuit is one of the first to highlight the benefits and challenges of generative AI use in the classroom.
Lauraine Langreo, October 24, 2024
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5 min read
From left, Andrew Rebello, former principal, Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Fall River, Mass.; Tracie Anderson Swilley, principal, Fairfield Central High School, Winnsboro, S.C.; Job Wilcox, principal, Petoskey Middle School, Petoskey, Mich.
From left, Andrew Rebello, former principal, Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Fall River, Mass.; Tracie Anderson Swilley, principal, Fairfield Central High School, Winnsboro, S.C.; Job Wilcox, principal, Petoskey Middle School, Petoskey, Mich.
Courtesy of NASSP
School & District Management Meet the 3 Finalists for National Principal of the Year
All three finalists spoke about the need to lift up their peers.
Olina Banerji, September 6, 2024
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5 min read
ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman, left, and Liam Morrison speak at a press conference following oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit on Feb. 8, 2024.
David Cortman, senior counsel and vice president of Alliance Defending Freedom, left, and middle school student Liam Morrison speak to reporters following oral arguments over Morrison's "There Are Only Two Genders" T-shirt before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston on Feb. 8, 2024.
Courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom
Law & Courts Court Backs School That Barred Student's 'Two Genders' Shirt
The court said the shirt could be understood to demean transgender and gender-nonconforming students, and administrators could prohibit it.
Mark Walsh, June 10, 2024
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5 min read
Photograph of hygienic tampons and a sanitary pad on a blue background.
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Equity & Diversity More Schools Stock Tampons and Pads, But Access Is Still a Problem
Period products are becoming more commonplace in schools. But there are gaps in funding—and in access, a barrier for lower-income students.
Brooke Schultz, June 10, 2024
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7 min read
Illustration of empty school desks with scissors cutting 100 dollar bill.
F. Sheehan for Education Week + iStock / Getty Images Plus
Budget & Finance Why Chronic Absenteeism Is a Budget Problem, Too
Chronic absenteeism has serious academic consequences. It also comes with a price tag.
Mark Lieberman, May 13, 2024
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7 min read
A middle school football team practices Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
A middle school football team practices in Oklahoma City in 2022.
Sue Ogrocki/AP
Student Well-Being SEL Could Move Into School Sports. What That Might Look Like
Massachusetts is considering a bill to establish guidelines on how school athletics incorporate SEL.
Lauraine Langreo, April 12, 2024
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5 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
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Teaching Opinion An Interview With Educator and Author Jonathan Kozol
In his new book, longtime activist Jonathan Kozol dives further into school inequity and offers solutions.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 20, 2024
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6 min read
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reads "Snowflakes Fall" to daycare children at the Department of Labor on Dec. 20, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. Hochul on Jan. 3, 2024, said she will push for schools to reemphasize phonics in literacy education programs, a potential overhaul that comes as many states revamp curriculums amid low reading scores.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reads "Snowflakes Fall" to day-care children at the Department of Labor on Dec. 20, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. Hochul on Jan. 3, 2024, said she will push for schools to reemphasize phonics in literacy programs. New York is one of several states introducing new reading plans or proposals in 2024.
Will Waldron/The Albany Times Union via AP
Reading & Literacy The 'Science of Reading' in 2024: 5 State Initiatives to Watch
These actions join a mounting tide of reading legislation across the country.
Sarah Schwartz, January 25, 2024
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6 min read
People protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 29, 2023. The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.
People demonstrate outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, the day the court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. A new federal appeals court ruling says that race-neutral criteria for Boston's selective high schools is consistent with the high court's ruling.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Law & Courts Court Backs Race-Neutral Criteria in Selective K-12 Schools
In a case involving Boston's "exam schools," the 1st Circuit said even admissions plans with a goal of boosting racial diversity pass muster.
Mark Walsh, December 20, 2023
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4 min read
Image of a leader reflecting on past and future.
akindo/DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Sometimes Principals Need to Make Big Changes. Here’s How to Get Them to Stick
School leaders need their community to take a leap of faith with them. But how do they build trust and conviction?
Olina Banerji, December 5, 2023
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8 min read
School buses parked in Helena, Mont., ahead of the beginning of the school year on Aug. 20, 2021.
Some districts are pulling back on decisions to outsource bus services in an effort to save money and improve service.
Iris Samuels/AP
School & District Management Late Arrivals, Steep Costs: Why Some Districts Ditch Third-Party Bus Companies
Districts are facing a host of transportation challenges. Some have addressed them by deciding to bring buses back in house.
Mark Lieberman, November 30, 2023
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6 min read
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