Our Research

The Pioneer Charter School of Science II —winner of the 2021 Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools—was founded out of a deep belief that all students can achieve academic excellence and become successful professionals in today’s competitive world. Since the school received its charter in 2013, it has regularly outperformed state averages in standardized test scores and graduation rates. This case study explores how Pioneer educators empower students to set ambitious college and career goals, provide rigorous instruction to make students’ goals a reality, and offer individualized support to ensure that every student has the tools to succeed in a demanding environment.

The 2022 Condition of Education Action Guide highlights the critical need for our education system to better support teachers as they navigate the COVID-19 crisis and adapt their practice to be more trauma-sensitive, culturally responsive, and innovative. We offer recommendations for investing in teachers right now as well as putting a system in place to provide long-term support for current and future educators.

This report delves into the inequities among superintendents and other leadership roles in Massachusetts public schools and analyzes the cultural, systemic, and institutional barriers that woman and people of color face when aspiring to these leadership positions.

This policy brief makes the case for Massachusetts to design and pilot a new assessment and accountability system that measures deeper learning, prioritizes cultural responsiveness, and provides timely information to educators, students, families, and policymakers.

The Banneker was founded in 1996 by a group of Cambridge-area Black parents and community leaders concerned that their children did not have access to high-quality education. Despite dedicated staff and a deep commitment to the school’s mission, the school struggled for much of its first decade. But since 2003, the Banneker's performance has skyrocketed. This case study delves into the school’s secrets of success, including its comprehensive support for teachers, culture of trust among staff, and commitment to affirming each student and staff member’s culture.

This report examines the critical role community plays in education, providing recommendations for how schools, families, and community organizations can build on their collaboration during the pandemic to work toward a more equitable approach to education.

This case study explores how the Harvard-Kent Elementary School in Charlestown, winner of EdVestors' 2019 School on the Move Prize, made impressive academic gains by engaging teachers to create a school culture where students feel valued and where learning is experiential and engaging.

Our Back-to-School Blueprint is an interactive series of research-based, online action guides to help schools prepare to support students as they return to learning (whether in-person, virtually, or a mix of both) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The transition from high school to college is challenging under normal circumstances. But this year—with students ending high school remotely and potentially starting college virtually—this transition may seem nearly impossible for too many students. This report looks at how Wentworth Institute of Technology is addressing these challenges through their summer bridge program.

This annual status report looks at a range of state-level indicators of school performance to illuminate areas of success and areas for continued improvement across the education pipeline. This year's report examines the need for new ways of measuring student success.