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August 24, 2010

Massachusetts Wins Race to the Top Federal Education Funding, Scores Higher Than Any Other State

Massachusetts was named a winner in the Race to Top grant competition today, and will receive $250 million in federal funds for education.  In July, Governor Patrick testified in favor of Massachusetts receiving these funds in Washington, underscoring his commitment to excellence in education in Massachusetts.

• The funds will be used to completely overhaul underachieving schools, providing students in every part of the state with strong teaching and school leadership, improved instruction, and necessary support resources, and providing school administrators with an effective turnaround strategy.

• The cornerstone of Massachusetts Race to the Top application is Governor Patrick's historic education bill, which was passed earlier this year.  The legislation provides powerful new tools to rapidly overhaul underperforming schools, and gives local educators the ability to make innovative decisions about their own districts.  Because of this robust reform agenda, Massachusetts scored higher than any other winning state in today's announcement

• Governor Patrick knows that this grant will ensure every student the chance to succeed, no matter where he or she lives.  He remains committed to excellence in education in Massachusetts, and to the future of our students.

• Massachusetts has the highest expectations and the highest standards of any other state.  As a result, we can boast of the best schools in the nation.

• The Commonwealth recently scored first in the nation on the "National Report Card" -- the third year in a row that the state has been recognized as providing the best education in the country.

• Governor Patrick is committed to raising the bar and maintaining the Bay State's nation-leading rigorous standards, even as the state moves towards national standards.  The Governor will accept nothing less than continued excellence and improvement in the education of our children.

• Republican Charles Baker and Independent Tim Cahill risk our state's continued success in education with their budget proposals that will slash school funding.

• The Governor knows first-hand the value of a quality education, as Massachusetts teachers transformed the Governor's life when he moved from the South Side of Chicago to Massachusetts for schooling. 

Click here to view the Boston Globe article on the Bay State's Race to the Top grant

 

August 20, 2010

July Jobs Numbers

 

·      We had some good news on the jobs front today.  Labor and Workforce reported that the Massachusetts economy added 19,200 private sector jobs in July – the sixth straight month in a row we’ve added jobs and the largest monthly job gain in the private sector over the past twenty years.

 

·      This is not by accident. We have been working towards this recovery every day by investing in our economy, in the education of our students, in our neglected infrastructure, and in health care for our residents. Now is not the time to walk away from this progress, we have to continue to push forward, and finish what we started.

 

·      Since December we have added over 60,000 jobs, further proof that Massachusetts is on the mend and on the move.

·      Last month, we added jobs across the board in every sector except government.  I’m particularly excited to see that manufacturing gained 2,800 jobs last month and that other areas that we have focused on – technology, health care, and education - continue to see job growth.

·      The unemployment rate remained at 9.0 percent in July, below the national rate of 9.5 percent.  We have positioned Massachusetts to emerge from this recession faster and stronger than other states in the nation and these numbers reflect that commitment.

·      Together with recent month’s job gains, the recent surge in business confidence in Massachusetts, the retail space market on the upswing, small businesses accessing more capital to grow jobs and other positive economic indicators, we are leading the nation out of this recession.

 

·      Still, we understand that positive statistics mean little to the person who is out of work and looking for a job. For them and for our future, we will keep pushing.

 

·      That is why we continue our successful fight to lower health care costs for small businesses so they can afford to create more jobs; that is why we recently passed economic development legislation that will help all businesses – big and small – continue to grow; that is why we have invested at record levels in our schools, in our roads and bridges, and in our infrastructure to create jobs for both today and tomorrow.