Hear from staff and partners about aspirations, accomplishments, and lessons learned along the way.

From Boston to Haiti – A Barr Fellows Learning Journey

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Stefan Lanfer

Director of Communications

In January, 2012, a group of twelve Barr Fellows spent a week together in Haiti, during what was also the two-year anniversary of Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake. I had the opportunity to join them to help document the trip...

April 10, 2012 | Category: Barr Fellowship

Talking ELL's in BPS

Pat Brandes

Guest Author · Former Executive Director

Claudio Martinez

Claudio Martinez

Executive Director, La Vida Scholars

Over two years ago, the Gaston Institute at UMass Boston issued a scathing report on the status of English Language Learners in the Boston Public Schools.

February 22, 2012 | Category: Education

New and Refined Directions for Early Education at Barr

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Kimberly Haskins

Senior Program Officer, Sector Effectiveness

A 2011 strategy review of Barr’s approach to early education led to new and refined directions for this work in 2012 and beyond.

February 14, 2012 | Category: Education

Come Together Right Now...

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Stefan Lanfer

Director of Communications

How has Boston thrived in a resource-constrained era of fierce political divisions?

February 07, 2012 | Category: Education

More Racing to the Top in Massachusetts

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Kimberly Haskins

Senior Program Officer, Sector Effectiveness

In December 2011, Massachusetts was named one of only nine states to receive grants under the federal “Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge,” a successor to the Obama Administration’s competitive K–12 “Race to the Top” program.

February 02, 2012 | Category: Education

All Things Not Being Equal: Equity, Race, and Metro Boston

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Mary Skelton Roberts

Co-Director of Climate

What is the state of the American dream in Metro Boston? A new report takes a piercing look at how much the answer to that question still depends on race.

January 24, 2012 | Category: Climate

The OPPORTUNITY City on a Hill

Rahn Dorsey

Guest Author · Former Evaluation Director & Program Officer

What would it take to make Boston the premiere "opportunity city?"

December 27, 2011 | Category: Education

Beyond Silver Bullets, the Levers for Change

Pat Brandes

Guest Author · Former Executive Director

Risk, failure, silver bullets, systems thinking, and reaching beyond significant change to transformation – opening remarks from Pat Brandes at a breakfast meeting of the Massachusetts Education Innovators at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

December 19, 2011 | Category: Education

First Deep Look at Costs AND Benefits of Northeast Cap-and-Trade Program Shows it a Clear Winner

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Mariella Puerto

Co-Director of Climate

For three years, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – a collaborative effort of 10 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states – has been testing the nation's first cap-and-trade scheme to reduce carbon emissions.

December 12, 2011 | Category: Climate

Fueling Up for a New Conversation about Transportation Financing in Massachusetts

Since late this summer, Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray have been calling for renewed debate – and an "adult conversation" – about transportation finance in the Commonwealth. Business-as-usual is 1) not sustainable and 2) can only undermine the State's aggressive climate and energy goals. Three recent reports offer rich fodder for that conversation to occur. Lizzi Weyant, Staff Attorney of MASSPIRG breaks them down to their key insights.

November 21, 2011 | Category: Climate