• Department of Elementary & Secondary Education proposes to require use of admissions lottery, but would allow schools to exclude as many as half of students from many cities based on attendance records
• DESE’s New Proposed Vocational Admissions Policy ends three barriers that discriminated against students from protected classes (Grades, Guidance Counselor Recommendations, Interviews) and eliminates ranking of applicants
• BUT It SIGNIFICANTLY RAISES THE BARRIER ATTENDANCE can play in disqualifying many students from admission
  • Statewide, over one-third of Latino, low-income, and English Learner students would be excluded from applying to vocational schools
  • In a sample of 10 Gateway Cities, 30-53% of students would be excluded from attending
• It Further Clarifies the Discipline Offenses That Exclude Students From Applying, however the criteria are still overly broad
• The Vocational Education Justice Coalition asks Governor Healey and the Board of Education to eliminate the proposed attendance criteria and more narrowly focus the discipline criteria

The Vocational Education Justice Coalition has deep concerns with the Commissioner of Education’s proposed revised regulations on vocational school admissions, to be presented to the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE) at its February 25, 2025 meeting.   → Read More

CPS Executive Director Lisa Guisbond spoke to the Massachusetts Education Secretary, Interim Commissioner and members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at the January 28, 2025 BESE meeting. Here are her comments: Good morning. I am Lisa Guisbond, Executive Director of Citizens for Public Schools, a public education advocacy organization. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

In the wake of the overwhelming vote in favor of Question 2, we have the opportunity to forge a path forward that will do justice to our talented students and educators, in all of their extraordinary diversity.

Voters spoke loudly and clearly, especially in our less affluent, more diverse cities and towns, rejecting an outmoded one-size-fits-few system. I urge those involved with developing requirements going forward to avoid the trap of imposing a new one-size-fits-few solution.

Instead, let’s look at successful alternatives, solicit input from educators (including teachers of the year) as well as other stakeholders, especially parents and advocates for students with disabilities and English learners.   → Read More

In “Building the Bilingual Educator Pipeline,” our speakers will share their knowledge and experience with successful programs to recruit, develop and support bilingual educators in Massachusetts and the U.S., the barriers to success, and how to overcome them. You can register and learn more here.   → Read More

Join us Tuesday, December 10, at 7pm by Zoom to help us honor and celebrate the decisive win for the Yes on 2 Campaign and these three Champions of Public Education: Dr. Shelley Scruggs, Deborah McCarthy and Beth Kontos (left to right).

   → Read More

by Louis J. Kruger, Professor Emeritus, Northeastern University

“It is… a mistake to accept observed test scores as either infallible or immutable” (National Research Council, 1999)

For more than two decades, controversy has swirled around the MCAS graduation requirement. At present, Massachusetts public high school students must pass tests in English language arts, mathematics and science to receive a diploma. The controversy has now reached a crescendo because the graduation requirement is a ballot question in this year’s election season. Both advocates and opponents of eliminating the graduation requirement have cited data and research in support of their positions. 

Given the confusion that can arise from conflicting claims, it is important to ask if there are trusted sources of guidance on this issue. The answer is an unequivocal ‘Yes.’ Just as climate scientists from different research organizations reached consensus on human-caused global warming, the leading experts on assessment have reached consensus on the appropriate use of educational tests, including high-stakes tests, such as the high school MCAS tests.    → Read More