Blog

MCAS Next Generation: What do the latest MCAS scores mean for our schools?

November 13, 2018

Standardized tests like the MCAS are certainly not the only way to measure student or school success. There are many factors that go into assessing the quality of a school. But MCAS results do provide a tool to track growth and a window into existing achievement gaps. That’s why 3rd Grade English language arts and 8th Grade Math MCAS are two of the 23 indicators we use to measure progress on our Condition of Education Data Dashboard. The state recently released the latest round of MCAS scores, giving us a chance to dig into these two indicators.

Coming Together to Spread Social-Emotional Learning

September 27, 2018

Educators know that academic skills are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the success of their students. Understanding math and science is important, but to be prepared for life after graduation students need to understand how to navigate relationships and make healthy decisions too. In fact, research finds that social-emotional skills like these are more indicative of success than IQ. Despite this knowledge, making SEL part of everyday learning is not easy. While many teachers work on these skills in their classroom, the education system as a whole is not yet set up to support widespread implementation of SEL practices. So we're bringing 19 districts together to tackle this challenge in the second year of the Excellence through Social Emotional Leaning Network.

Rennie Center Names New Board Chair

September 25, 2018

The Rennie Center has made long-time board member Celine Coggins its new board chair. Dr. Coggins, who has been involved with the Rennie Center since its founding in 2005, was recently appointed Executive Director of Grantmakers for Education. She previously led Teach Plus, a nonprofit with a mission to empower educators. She originally launched Teach Plus as a subsidiary of the Rennie Center and has since overseen its rise to a national network of more than 24,000 teachers.

Change Management: A Team to Lead the Way

August 15, 2018

A crucial step in making lasting improvements in schools and districts is assembling the right team to make it happen. Sustainable change requires a thoughtful approach that includes building consensus around the problem you are looking to solve, setting clear goals, and choosing a strategy to get there. But none of this can happen without a team that is committed, trusting, diverse, established, and safe for all members.

The Condition of Education in Western Massachusetts: Looking at Progress in Early Learning

June 25, 2018

Massachusetts has made significant efforts to improve access to high quality early education and care over the past two decades. But significant challenges remain, particularly in the state’s lowest-income communities. Our 2018 Condition of Education in the Commonwealth report looks at how Springfield increased the number of vulnerable students attending preK and improved the quality of early education by creating a partnership between preschool providers. On June 5, we brought the education and business communities of Western Massachusetts together to delve deeper into the success of Springfield’s early education programming.

Setting a Vision for School Success

May 25, 2018

It’s no easy task for schools and districts to keep up with the ever-changing world around them. Preparing an increasingly diverse student population for the global and digital economy of tomorrow means setting a new vision for schools. This takes significant planning, resources, and a commitment from the whole community. This year, we had the chance to help the city of Worcester plan for its future. The school system and community came together to chart a new course for Worcester Public Schools by creating the district’s first new strategic plan in 25 years.

Change Management: Finding a Solution

May 07, 2018

Making lasting improvements in classrooms, schools, and districts takes a thoughtful and structured approach. You need to have consensus around the problem you are looking to solve and a clear set of goals your team wants to reach. The next step is to choose a strategy, or intervention, that will help you reach your goal. In this crucial element of our Change Management Framework, the key is to look for a solution that has worked for others and customize it for your unique context.

Preparing the Education Policy Leaders of Tomorrow

April 25, 2018

Well informed decision makers are crucial to improving education for all students. That’s why we run the Massachusetts chapter of the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP). One of seventeen national EPFP sites, we work with about 30 fellows each year during a ten-month professional development program aimed at fostering leadership skills, understanding public policy, and cultivating a network of local, state, and national fellows and alumni. Participants meet monthly and go on a two-day tour focused on Massachusetts civil rights history, a full-day session at the State House, and a four-day conference in Washington, D.C.

The Power of Networks

March 23, 2018

Too often, educators tend to tackle problems in isolation, whether in an individual classroom, school, or district. But when we come together to address challenges, we multiply our ideas, expertise, resources, and knowledge. That’s why the Rennie Center is working to harness the power of networks.

Over the past few years, we’ve teamed up with districts and partners across the state on a number of networks aimed at improving education in the Commonwealth. Through these experiences, we’ve worked with several kinds of networks, each with its own unique value.

Coming Together to Close the Achievement Gap: Educators Gather to Discuss Condition of Education

February 20, 2018

On January 25, we released the fifth annual Condition of Education in the Commonwealth report to a room of nearly 300 state leaders, legislators, educators, and community members. This is an opportunity for the education community to reflect on progress made over the past year and recommit to improving outcomes for all students.