Education Policy

Background of Education & Ed Policy in MA

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 was a piece of legislation with the goal of making big change to the state's education system to improve student achievement and accountability. The key components of this act include: Standards and Assessment, School Funding, Accountability Measure, Teacher Certification, and Professional Development.

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 had a big impact on teaching and learning in the state by raising academic standards, increasing accountability for schools and educators, and highlighting the importance of equitable use of resources for all students. 

The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (1995), the Common Core State Standards (2009), and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are all relevant education policies today. Each being developed for Massachusetts, the 1995 Frameworks prioritized rigor and was used as the basis for statewide assessments like MCAS. The CCSS was used by several states and focused on language arts and math nationally to enhance college and career readiness. Finally, the NGSS, had the goal of modernizing science education across many states by emphasizing real-world applications and scientific inquiry.

Each of these acts and frameworks still impact schools today, so it is important for teachers to be conscious of what they are and how they affect their students and their classroom.

In my time student teaching, I have seen these acts come into play in multiple ways. For one, several students in my class had IEPs which are a part of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). From this, we had extra information on how to support our individual learners. Some of these supports such as extra time on assessments, we applied to all students in the class because we found it helpful for them. Another significant piece from these acts is the MCAS tests. Many students from my classes were taking the MCAS in various subjects. We also put a break on teaching math for one week to better prepare students for the biology MCAS. The MCAS seems to be a strong motivator for students to get in gear with their learning due to it being a graduation requirement.