Deb Mccarthy News Today

BOSTON — Backers of a proposal to scrap the states MCAS high school graduation mandate have cleared another — possibly final — hurdle to the November ballot.

A plan for universal, tuition-free community college for Massachusetts residents was discussed Tuesday as the state Senate launched debate on this year's budget.

BOSTON — Backers of a proposal to scrap the MCAS graduation requirement are gathering another round of signatures to make the ballot after lawmakers punted on approving the plan through

BOSTON — Backers of a proposal to scrap the MCAS graduation requirement are gathering another round of signatures to make the ballot after lawmakers punted on approving the plan through

A state legislative committee recommended lawmakers take a pass on enacting a ballot question that would get rid of the MCAS graduation requirement for students on Wednesday, sending the question another step towards landing before voters in November.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association’s blunder-prone leaders have incentives to stick to their guns.

If the bill passes, Massachusetts would join roughly two-dozen states requiring evidence-based reading instruction, which includes explicit, sequential lessons in literacy skills such as phonics and vocabulary

"A strike isn’t something unions enter into casually. They take such actions only when negotiations truly break down," writes one reader. Another writes that unions say "it’s all about the students and their needs — except it’s not."

Since Manchin's announcement, Zach Shrewsbury has been on the road almost every day -- going door to door meeting people in their homes, talking to union halls, striking workers up north, a democratic meeting down south and committees across the state. Tonight he made a stop at Freefolk Brewery in Fayetteville. "Shows how much work

The bill would set a statewide starting base salary at $65,000 for classroom teachers and $45,000 for support staff, including paraprofessionals.