Massachusetts is a small state, but a fairly active market for the school improvement industry - as a source of supply, development, private sector investment, and evaluation. Readers of K-12Leads and Youth Service Markets Report know it to be a source of demand disproportionate to its student population. Higher education's longstanding interest in k-12 is the foundational reason. Close behind is the state's Education Reform Act of 1993, with a real effort to create and integrate k-12  standards, assessment, accountability and funding at the state level; and one of the nation's best charter laws when judged by the nature of the contractual relationship and state oversight.

An effective state board of education is still another.  Recent Chairman Jim Peyser was a force. But he was a Republican force. Democratic Governor Deval Patrick has chosen another.  As founding executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE), Paul Reville was one of several architects of the 1993 law. Republican Governor William Weld's education guy, Steve Wilson, who went on to found the EMO Advantage Schools (merged into Mosaica), and Democrat Mark Roosevelt, a state representative who is now superintendent in Pittsburgh (after training at Broad), are two others.

So Reville's first official words at his first board meeting are worth reading, to see if the Democrats have market-oriented ideas for public education, and any policy innovations. The most important "take away" is that this Democrat implies authentic alliegance to the principles NCLB I.

Schools and educators need support in order to build the necessary expertise to achieve our unprecedented goal of educating all students to high levels. Standards and accountability are critical cornerstones that provide the foundation for education reform, but a foundation alone is insufficient. The Commonwealth needs to provide the resources, expertise, direction and opportunities for our educators to do what is essentially a new job, educating all students to at least a level of proficiency. In addition, the work of educating all students goes beyond the boundaries of traditional K-12 schools. Early childhood education, human and social services, expanded school time and after school and summer programming are all needed in addition to a robust Department of Education capable of providing high quality technical assistance and support to all school districts.

Moreover, there are no caveats in these remarks about unreasonable AYP rules, too little money, etc.  That's unusual, and a good sign.