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Decision in the Mcduffy v. Secretary of the Executive Office of Education
This case, initiated in 1978, established the state constitutional standards against which education reform efforts in Massachusetts would be judged. Though already under debate in the legislature, the Education Reform Act of 1993 became an urgent priority as a result of the ruling in the McDuffy case. MBAE filed an amicus brief on the side of the plaintiffs. -
Student 1 v. Driscoll
Student 1 v. Driscoll challenged the requirement that students pass the MCAS test as part of their high school graduation requirement. MBAE entered as amici and successfully defended the rigor and importance of the MCAS. The court denied plaintiff’s motion and the MCAS became a graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2003. -
Hancock v. Driscoll
Hancock v. Driscoll raised many of the same issues as the McDuffy case. MBAE filed an amicus brief taking the position that while plaintiffs had not received the education to which they were constitutionally entitled, it was premature to require substantial new expenditures of public funds before the schools and districts had instituted reforms necessary to use those resources effectively. The Supreme Judicial Court sided with the defendants, ruling that while reform was still needed, there h -
State Scholars Initiative
Massachusetts was selected to join states across the country in this program bringing business volunteers into classrooms to help students better understand and prepare for the demands of today’s work environment and postsecondary education. -
Preparing for the Future:Employer Perspectives onWork Readiness Skills
ReportMBAE contributed to the development of MassCore minimum graduation requirements by holding focus groups with employers across the state to describe the skills and characteristics these corporations require for entry-level positions with potential for growth and advancement. MBAE's goal in this project was to inform educators and policy-makers about the work readiness skills that employers expect of Massachusetts high school graduates to promote relevant high school reforms. -
Commonwealth Readiness Project
MBAE participated on five committees – serving as co-chairs for two - and the Leadership Council to develop a 10-year plan for public education in the Commonwealth from “cradle to career”. MBAE Board members also served on the Readiness Finance Commission that examined how to allocate resources to implement the proposals.
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Tapping Massachusetts’Potential: The Massachusetts Employers' STEM Agenda
The continuing dependence of the Massachusetts economy on knowledge-based industry, and projections for its future growth, makes a public policy focus and investment in the STEM fields of primary importance to the state's employers. MBAE joined 15 of the state's leading business and technology organizations in a collaborative call-to-action for STEM education to become a statewide policy priority.
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School Spending and School Improvement: Preliminary Report
MBAE reviewed available reports regarding the progress and impact generated by the funding reforms included in the Education Reform Act of 1993. This preliminary report emphasized that while the foundation budget must be maintained, money alone does not drive reform, and accountability is essential to results.