Just about everyone who works in or participates in the field of education understands the need for equity in all aspects of teaching and learning. We hear about the need for equity in the quality of the learning environment, equity in access to rigorous curricula, equity in access to instructional technology, and equity in the…
read more
Esther Hines brought extensive teaching experience and deep knowledge of chemistry to the classroom when she began teaching Advanced Placement Chemistry at Billerica Memorial High School a few years ago. But something wasn’t clicking for students – they were struggling to pass the exam. Part of the challenge was preparing kids to manage their time…
read more
Two bills were heard by the Mass. Joint Committee on Higher Education recently that, if passed, would help students who score a 3 on their Advanced Placement (AP) exam receive college credit. S. 762 and H. 1206, An Act Relative to Advanced Placement Examinations, co-sponsored by Senator Moore and Representative Brodeur, establish as state policy…
read more
Among the many enthusiastic students from across Massachusetts at the State House March 5 to celebrate the state’s first ever Advanced Placement Day were two exceptional Everett High School seniors. These two AP coursework veterans deeply appreciate the value of the classes and also the importance of ensuring that more students like themselves receive credit…
read more
As part of STEM week, Massachusetts is promoting computer science (CS) education. Since our youth will never know a life without computers, we must teach them the skills and knowledge to understand the technology we use today so that they may go on to create the technology we will use tomorrow. We in the United…
read more
The Massachusetts Board of Education approved in June what may seem to some a small change to the state’s Next-Generation District and School Accountability System. The amended accountability language places “an increased focus on raising the performance of each school’s lowest performing students.” This represents a shift in how state results are reported and, more…
read more
With AP week just around the corner, students, teachers, and parents are gearing up for the exams they’ve been preparing for since the start of the school year last fall. By this point, they’ve worked hard, harder than they’ve had to for most high school classes, to gain a mastery of the content and skills…
read more
As public schools wrestle with an array of top-down mandates, there’s growing momentum for different approaches for school improvement — a push toward collective responsibility among a wide swath of stakeholders committed to student success. It’s an approach designed to engage parents, teachers, and various community nonprofit partners and businesses to build bonds for better…
read more
Massachusetts takes pride in being first in the country in many areas, especially the percentage of college grads in its workforce. But we can’t keep our lead unless we continue to invest in preparing high school students from all demographic backgrounds for college. That’s why last week’s news that Massachusetts again led the nation in…
read more
On January 11, 2018, teams from the five Gateway City school districts participating in the Gateway to College Success (GCS) Network, for which Mass Insight Education serves as the hub, gathered in Marlborough to review the progress to date and plan their next steps. The Cross-District Convening included leadership and instructional teams from Fitchburg, Holyoke,…
read more
By Dr. Susan F. Lusi Is school autonomy a necessary precondition to school improvement, or something that should be earned by virtue of a school meeting some type of performance threshold? When I was superintendent of schools serving a low-performing district, I didn’t find this either/or dichotomy very helpful. I thought of autonomy as a…
read more
MIE is proud to be partnering with Fitchburg High School for our 6th year in our Advanced Placement Success Sustainment Program! Here are some facts about FHS: Principal: Jeremy Roche District Superintendent: André Ravenelle Students at Fitchburg have the opportunity to use their high school AP courses for full credit at Mount Wachusett Community College.…
read moreOur blog features commentary and insights from our staff and, from time-to-time, special guest bloggers about school improvement practices and policies that are changing student lives and changing schools. Contact jschneider@massinsight.org for more information.