If Massachusetts were a country, its 8th graders would rank second in science, right behind Singapore. Massachusetts 8th graders would rank 6th in math, behind Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan. According to an article by Kenneth Chang in yesterday’s Time’s Science section, the improvement in Massachusetts student scores has occurred across the whole state, including in poor districts.
The upward trend in scores began with the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993, passed by a Democratic legislature and signed by a Republican governor.
The reform had three key components: (1) more money, especially for urban schools; (2) high academic standards; and (3) a test that all students had to pass before they received a high school diploma. The students are permitted to retake the test if they fail the first time.
Here’s what the reform did not include: (1) elimination of tenure; (2) closing poorly performing schools; (3) merit pay; (4) a big increase in charter schools; or (5) vouchers for private schools.
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