"The intersection of educational research, policy, and practice."

That is how we define ourselves. Our work is guided by the assumption that sound education policy stems from good research and an understanding of the realities of school practice. We apply that assumption to bring about meaningful -- not marginal -- school reform.

We are, therefore:

Synthesizers and providers of research. Mass Insight is a national resource for practical information on how to effectively implement standards-based education. The Turnaround Challenge represents a new form of educational policy research: highly graphical, presented in varying user formats (print, presentation, web), and expressly designed to spur action on both the policy and practice fronts. Our Building Blocks Initiative for Standards-Based Reform has been cited and used as a model for effective-practice research by the U.S. Department of Education. The landmark Keep the Promise Initiative studied urban, at-risk high school students in the first three classes subject to Massachusetts' MCAS graduation requirement and district strategies for serving them.

Policy facilitators. We are a leading statewide convener and catalyst for thoughtful, informed state education policymaking. Mass Insight's Great Schools Campaign and its predecessor, the Campaign for Higher Standards, have played a highly visible role in shaping the priorities of Massachusetts' education reform drive. Mass Insight consults on education policy formulation outside of Massachusetts as well -- most recently helping to design school turnaround frameworks in Illinois and Washington State.

Leaders in standards-based services to schools. We provide practical, research-based technical services, staff and leadership development programs, and consulting services to schools and school districts -- particularly to members of the Great Schools Coalition, a partnership of nearly 30 change-oriented Massachusetts districts founded in 1997. Our field services have focused on math and science, and over the next five to ten years will revolve principally around using increased access to AP courses and improved performance on AP tests to catalyze dramatic cultural an dinstructional change in schools across grades 6-12. The effort wil lbe funded in part through the National Math & Science Initiative, which awarded Mass Insight $13 million as the Massachusetts lead on a competitive RFP in September, 2007.