Initial recommendation documents released by the council on Monday include a “demonstration of mastery” that has two components: exams administered by the state, taken at the end of courses; and capstones or portfolios that are designed, administered and scored locally.
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Posted inEducation
Controversial curriculum swept up in literacy reform debate
Science-of-reading advocates describe the activity as a “back-door effort”
Posted inTransportation
Forced labor reviews influencing MBTA train deliveries
So far, the T has received 58 new Red Line cars, with two more expected in December. Those vehicles — part of a 252-car replacement fleet — are running years behind schedule.
Posted inState Government
Galvin weighs in on Boston, Lawrence election oversight
Speaking after casting his vote in Brighton, Galvin said both cities were under close supervision by his office as municipal elections unfold in 55 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
Posted inGovernment
Feds plan to deliver reduced SNAP benefits in November
The Trump administration faced a Monday deadline to tell federal judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts whether it would tap contingency funds to keep the SNAP program running.
Posted inPolitics
Top Dems rally around effort to thwart federal Constitutional Convention
“The Constitution allows states to propose amendments if two-thirds (34) of state legislatures call for it, and the offices of the two state legislators said Wednesday that a convention ‘could open the entire Constitution to unpredictable changes, as there are no clear guidelines or limitations on what delegates could propose.'”
Posted inState Government
State board eyes early 2026 vote on three-year bachelor’s degree
The regulations — should the board vote to approve them — would not automatically allow the programs, just enable colleges and universities to submit proposals for potential approval to the board, board chair Chris Gabrieli has previously said.
Posted inPolitics
House targets ‘troubling trends’ with early literacy reform push
“The bill seeks to tackle what officials describe as a literacy crisis, as more young students struggle with the foundational reading and writing skills needed for learning.”
Posted inState Government
Rash of assaults cited as House approves transit worker bill
The MBTA alone reported more than 600 assaults last year, including 33 assaults with weapons, 72 physical assaults and batteries, and 38 assaults and batteries with bodily fluids, Rep. Michael Day said as he introduced the bill that emerged from the Judiciary Committee he chairs.
Posted inPolitics
ICE sweeps viewed as ‘real awakening’ by immigration bill backers
Supporters of the so-called Safe Communities Act say the stepped-up raids have stoked fear in immigrant communities and underscore the need to shield local law enforcement from entanglement with federal immigration authorities.
Posted inGovernment
Congressman Moulton will challenge Markey for US Senate Seat
“Congressman Seth Moulton of Salem announced Wednesday morning that he will run for U.S. Senate next year, arguing that Massachusetts cannot wait another six years to install someone from a younger generation in the Senate.”
Posted inState House News Service
Airfield expansion opponents dismiss ‘greenwashing campaign’
“The Massachusetts Port Authority proposal, which has faced years of opposition, would expand the Lawrence G. Hanscom Field located between Bedford, Lexington and Concord by adding 17 new hangars. The publicly-owned airfield holds the most private jets in New England.”
Posted inState House News Service
Massachusetts trails other states on forever chemical policies
House Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan and Senate Assistant Majority Whip Julian Cyr have filed legislation that would phase out the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of chemicals that do not break down fully in the environment and are linked to harmful health issues.
Posted inState House News Service
Healey pledges “zero tolerance” for violent street takeovers
The governor’s remarks followed a weekend that saw police responding to “street takeover” events in at least seven communities, according to the Boston Globe. In Boston’s South End early Sunday morning, a police cruiser responding to a large gathering was surrounded, struck with fireworks “from all angles,” and later set ablaze.
Posted inHealth
State mental health commissioner stepping down
“Doyle has helmed DMH since October 2020, after serving as deputy commissioner for nearly five years. The agency has a roughly $1.3 billion budget for fiscal 2026, and more than 4,000 full-time employees.”
Posted inState Government
Sen. Edward Kennedy of Lowell dies, at 74
“A longtime member of the Lowell City Council before he was elected in 2018 to the Massachusetts Senate, Kennedy had been serving this session as Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.”
Posted inPolitics
Former medical device exec Minogue joins governor’s race
A Hamilton Republican who had been discussed as a potential entrant to the 2026 gubernatorial race, Minogue made his campaign official with a video on social media Wednesday morning, pledging that he would be a “new kind of governor.” He said many families here no longer have the same kind of opportunities that his did.
Posted inEducation
Mass. MCAS scores still not back to pre-pandemic levels
“The results show slight improvement in English language arts scores among students in grades 3 through 8 and no change in math scores for that cohort. Results for 10th graders, the first class to take the standardized test knowing that voters had already scrapped it as a high school graduation requirement, were down across the board.”
Posted inEducation
High school graduation standards evolving at local, state levels
Under updated regulations adopted in May by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, each district must develop and submit a local Competency Determination (CD) policy and graduation requirements to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by December 31.
Posted inState Government
Healey seeks traction on $400 million research bill
Healey’s Discovery, Research and Innovation for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE) bill aims to attract private investment and preserve research jobs. With federal funding drying up for hospitals and higher education institutions, the administration argues the state must step in to maintain its competitive edge.
Posted inState Government
Goldberg drops legal effort to prevent O’Brien’s return to CCC
A judge late Wednesday said Goldberg was not likely to succeed in her appeal and denied the treasurer’s request to block O’Brien from returning to her job as CCC chair while the appeal played out.
Posted inState Government
Gun safety advocates push for industry accountability in Massachusetts
Gun safety advocates are pitching lawmakers on a proposal that would give victims a path to litigate against the industry and require firearm manufacturers and dealers to operate under an established standard of conduct.
Posted inHealth Care
Accord pledges $234M for hospitals, health centers
Top House and Senate Democrats announced new plans to boost facilities amid “persistent economic headwinds and an unfriendly federal government.”
Posted inHousing
Rent hike limits pitched as complement to housing production push
The Legislature and Gov. Maura Healey last session teamed up to pass a major new housing production law, and in the process left rent control proposals, which are opposed by the real estate lobby, on the sidelines.
