Today: The T seeks transportation input; special election debate for Senate seat
MassDOT and MBTA are hosting "capital conversations" to hear input on transportation needs, as the organizations prepare their five-year capital plans for 2017-2021. Those who cannot attend a meeting can email comments to masscip@state.ma.us State Transportation Building, 4:00pm, 10 Park Plaza, Boston. Meetings will continue to be held throughout the state through Nov. 5. See this link for a full schedule: http://bit.ly/1OOf1i7
Candidates for the 2nd Plymouth and Bristol Senate seat will square off in a debate hosted by the Joseph Martin Institute for Law & Society at Stonehill College. Democrat Rep. Michael Brady of Brockton, Republican Rep. Geoff Diehl of Whitman and independent candidate Anna Raduc of Halifax are vying for the seat formerly held by Sen. Tom Kennedy, who died in June. It's at 7:00pm.
Also today: The great testing debate begins
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has meetings planned Monday and Tuesday at its Malden headquarters. Ahead of an expected decision in November, board members are scheduled to explore whether to retain the MCAS exam, shift to the federal PARCC exam, or adopt changes in existing assessments.
Despite being tedious and grueling for students, standardized testing is highly potent political topic. That is because, at its core, testing is about accountability in the schools and a critical component of education reform. The movement to replace the homegrown MCAS with federal PARCC test (derived from Common Core curricula) is seen by some as an attack on the high testing standards that distinguish Massachusetts public education.
The Globe devotes much of its editorial page to the issue today. The Pioneer Institute's Jim Stergios writes: "...Adopting PARCC locks Massachusetts, the nation's education leader, into inferior education standards. Common Core may help some low-performing states, but it is too low a bar for Massachusetts." http://bit.ly/1jPtZbK
On the other hand, today's Globe editorial states: "...PARCC promises to provide even better educational results for Massachusetts students. PARCC aligns with the Common Core national academic standards, diminishes the need for 'teaching to the test,' and provides more accurate assessments of student progress." http://bit.ly/1MNQ6eo
And the Globe's Joanna Weiss takes a sample math question -- on its face a complicated one -- as an object lesson about what's right and possibly wrong with the PARCC test. http://bit.ly/1RjMWy4
And for a deep backgrounder on the testing controversy, see Michael Jonas' CommonWealth Magazine story, which explore both the politics and the academics involved in the debate over Common Core, PARCC, and the MCAS. http://bit.ly/1jyOLMQ
SPONSORED Undemocratic charter schools siphon money from public schools. www.massteacher.org/chartermap #KeepTheCap
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More heat on DA about fair play
Yvonne Abraham of the Globe follows up on the questionable conduct of the Middlesex District Attorney's office, focusing on the failure of DA Marian Ryan's team to turn over critical exculpatory evidence in the case of Aisling Brady McCarthy, the Irish nanny who was facing a murder charge in the death of a 1-year-old. The question the column doesn't address is why there aren't more consequences for prosecutors when they don't play by the rules.http://bit.ly/1Gk3PrY
DeLeo has concerns on opioid bill
House Speaker Robert DeLeo has concerns about one aspect of Gov. Baker's opioid addiction bill -- the 72-hour limit on prescriptions. "All the people who suffer on a day to day basis with various illnesses, they're concerned about just a three-day prescription of drugs that you can get at any one time," DeLeo said in a MassLive story. "They don't feel that's right." Baker's bill would have exceptions for chronic pain. http://bit.ly/1MOQZ6s
The District 4 debate: Campbell v. Yancey
WGBH's "Under the Radar" held a radio debate, which aired yesterday, between incumbent City Councilor Charles Yancey and Andrea Campbell, the challenger for the seat. A transcript and link to the radiocast is here:http://bit.ly/1MOMRDD
DeLeo says slow roll on T fare hikes
Word that the MBTA's Fiscal Management and Control Board has put 2016 fare increases on the table was not received well in the office of House Speaker Bob DeLeo, the Herald reports. DeLeo's spokesman tells the paper the speaker is keeping tabs on the work of the newly formed board, but said fare increases "should only be considered as a last resort." http://bit.ly/1Nk0Rn7
While Baker deflects T fare hike question
A day earlier, the Herald reported that the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker did not stake out a clear stance on potential fare increases, even though in the past Baker has said the T must improve its operations before it receives additional revenue. http://bit.ly/1MyqjCr
City Council work hours questioned as pay hike looms
Some members of the Boston City Council-who are poised for a 14-percent pay hike-are away from City Hall for days at a time or show up for work for just a few hours daily, while continuing to earn six figures at other jobs, the Globe reports, citing data from the City Hall parking garage and other sources. Councilors downplayed the data, saying they are often handling constituent calls or doing work in their districts without ever showing up at City Hall.http://bit.ly/1LxURV9
Unions take time picking presidential candidates
Several key unions in the Bay State and nationally have yet to endorse a candidate for president, the Eagle Tribune reports. Statehouse reporter Christian Wade says that while some unions have backed Bernie Sanders, others are taking a wait-and-see approach, wanting candidates to take clearer stances on issues and watching to see if Vice President Joe Biden enters the race. "It's still very early," James O'Brien, president of Boston Carmen's Union Local 589, tells Wade. "There's only two major candidates in, and Biden hasn't decided yet. You have to let it play out." http://bit.ly/1LFHGoA
Healey to endorse council hopefuls
One person not shying away from endorsements is Attorney General -- and Boston resident -- Maura Healey, who the Globe says will formally endorse Annissa Essaibi-George and Andrea Campbell in their bids to unseat incumbents on the Boston City Council. The endorsements are expected to come Monday via email, says the Globe. http://bit.ly/1LjI1vK
Partisanship returns to Mass.: Baker hits campaign trail
Gov. Baker, meanwhile, is expected to campaign this week on behalf of Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman, who is running for the state senate seat left vacant by the death of Thomas Kennedy. Baker has appearances planned in Brockton and Whitman this week, the Enterprise reports. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Warren reportedly will be with Democratic challenger Rep. Mike Brady this afternoon on a workforce development panel. http://bit.ly/1Mys42J
Capital punishment back on table
The Telegram takes a look at the prospects for legislation that would reinstate the death penalty Massachusetts for certain crimes and situations where there is conclusive scientific evidence of a suspect's guilt. The bill mirrors one backed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney in 2005, the paper says, which failed by a two-to-one margin in the House. http://bit.ly/1Ge85K3
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Today's day: It' National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day. http://bit.ly/1okHstK REMEMBER: To send your tips to me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com. Op-eds and other commentary invited for publication on Massterlist.
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