Next Stop for the Grassroots Movement: Education Policymaking

For the first time in many years, Massachusetts has an "Education Governor." Swept into the corner office on the strength of an historic grassroots movement and a mission of civic renewal, Governor Deval Patrick has put education at the top of his list of priorities--and it is little wonder why. Like so many who have experienced success in the Commonwealth, and so many more who anxiously await their chance to do great things, Patrick understands the awesome transformative power of education. However, an extraordinary task lies ahead. Massachusetts has little connectivity and sporadic coordination between the three principal segments of the education pipeline. In this article, the author discusses the need for a new kind of conversation with the entire education community and the people of Massachusetts in order to build a coordinated education pipeline and develop policies that will address important educational issues.