FYI from BSF, 11.11.22
Mandates
Within the space of one calendar year, we have witnessed two big elections with strikingly similar arcs. On November 2, 2021, Michelle Wu became the first woman to be elected mayor of Boston; this past Tuesday, Maura Healey was the first woman to be elected as our Commonwealth’s chief executive. Both women established frontrunner status early, garnered polling and fundraising advantages, and won by massive, nearly identical margins of ~28 points.
Aside from the obvious difference of geographic reach, perhaps the most significant difference between the elections was the issue of education. In the 2021 mayoral race, education mattered, ultimately tying as the top issue in the last poll of voters prior to the election.
In the last gubernatorial poll, only 1% of Massachusetts voters indicated education was a top issue. This seems to mirror trends around the country, where speculation that parental unrest would create dramatic electoral outcomes proved once again that expert “predictions” may provide clicks, and not much else. While families may have different opinions on education issues, they are mostly satisfied.
Exit polls indicate education was a non-issue for most Americans this election cycle.
It is ironic that the fears of arrested academic development that fueled interest in education in 2020 and 2021 have come to pass, just as our urgency appears to wane. After weeks of releases of sobering assessment results, analysisindicates that the educational and economic impacts of the pandemic on Massachusetts children is equal to the gross domestic product of Senegal. But we are yet to see a comprehensive plan to address this. It probably doesn’t help that some leaders in charge of education programs and teacher training seem to think this isn’t a big deal.
Coincidence or correlation with poll position, the first year of the Wu administration has seen significant developments in education in Boston. New School Committee members. The departure of Superintendent Cassellius. The hiring of Superintendent Skipper. The announcement of the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools. A negotiated agreement with the state to avert receivership. A new contract with the Boston Teachers Union.
With 99% of Massachusetts voters checking “other,” what should we expect to see in PK-12 education from the Healey administration?
Notes in the Margin
Despite continued concerns about performance, BPS has only one (returning) bidder for bus services.
BPS is opening an investigation into allegations of discrimination of leaders of color.
“Science” is making another comeback. A study of Massachusetts schoolsconcludes masking is effective in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Los Angeles is the most recent major district to adopt evidence-based reading curriculum. The science of reading is given credit for the Mississippi miracle: the Southern state with limited resources is outpacing its peers in literacy development.
Other Matters
On Veterans Day, it worth reflecting that the GI Bill, although not equitably distributed, stands as perhaps the most consequential educational investmentin American history.
Baseball season is never over when Pedro is in town. At Eastie High yesterday.
