Blog
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
January 23, 2018
For the past five years, as part of our Condition of Education in the Commonwealth report, we have been tracking progress on 25 state-level indicators of school performance. We thoughtfully selected these indicators, which span the education pipeline, to provide a snapshot of where our education system is and an indication of where it’s going. We hope our data dashboard can act as a tripwire, alerting education leaders to problems that could otherwise fall through the cracks.
January 10, 2018
Our Change Management Framework lays out six essential elements to guide improvement in districts, schools, and classrooms. This winter, we're digging into the second step in the process: Establishing Projected Outcomes. The path to lasting improvements must include setting realistic goals and meeting benchmarks along the way. This means constantly asking, "How do we know if it’s working?” and collecting data to find out.
December 13, 2017
Schools where students feel safe, supported, connected, and engaged are vital to their overall development and ability to learn. A positive climate is linked to increased academic achievement, higher attendance, better psychological health, and lower rates of aggression. Fostering positive school culture starts with understanding how students feel about their learning environment.
November 21, 2017
If Amazon chooses to make Massachusetts the home of its second headquarters, will our workforce be ready? The majority of local employers report having trouble finding qualified candidates. What will happen if we add 50,000 more jobs? More must be done to prepare students for success after graduation and the education field knows how to do this. The problem is that many schools and districts don’t have the capacity or resources to put effective practices in place.
October 23, 2017
There’s no shortage of innovative ideas in our education system. When it comes to the success of our students, everyone from educators to state policy makers is working tirelessly on new ways to improve our schools. But why do some new ideas stick and others don’t? Too often, well-intended policies unravel as they hit the ground. We want to change that. We know making large-scale improvements that are effective and sustainable is hard. It requires a thoughtful and structured process. So we've developed a step-by-step process that lays out six essential elements to manage improvement efforts.