THE MASSACHUSETTS Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Friday issued new guidance “strongly recommending” that elementary school students wear masks this fall, but leaving the decision up to individual school districts. The guidance also recommends that vaccinated students not be required to wear masks. The new guidance falls far short of the indoor mask […]
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Posted inOpinion
Charter school funding formula is broken
ONE DOESN’T HAVE to choose sides in the long debate over charter schools in order to raise legitimate questions about the approach being taken in Massachusetts. I count myself among those who have adopted a nuanced view—one that is philosophically supportive of a range of ambitious K-12 education reforms, including charters, but that also recognizes […]
Posted inThe Download
The Codcast: Riley’s collaborative ways
Jeff Riley won the backing last week of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to be the next state education commissioner based in large part on his work over the last six years as the state-appointed receiver for the Lawrence schools. If somebody can show real gains in what was arguably the lowest-performing, […]
Posted inEducation
Education commissioner finalists interviewed
THE THREE FINALISTS for state education commissioner each faced close to two hours of questioning on Friday from the state panel that now must decide who will lead the system serving nearly 1 million Massachusetts students. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will meet on Monday to deliberate publicly and then vote on whether […]