Malden's strategy for student success

Today's employers want workers with more advanced skills. Plain and simple. As a community, Malden is deeply committed to ensuring that all of our students build these skills. 

Community partnerships are at the core of our new strategy. 

As a Gateway City, we are fortunate to have a rich web of exceptional partners, from our early education providers and youth development organizations to our local community college. These organizations joined with district leaders to 

develop our plan, and they will be central to helping us implement programs that produce the carefully defined outcomes in the strategy. 

In addition to our community partners, we need partners who will advocate with us side by side to ensure that we have the means to offer high-quality early education, enrichment activities that support social-emotional growth, viable pathways into college and career, and additional learning opportunities to help newcomers acclimate and accelerate their growth. With an economy that demands more from our students, these learning opportunities are critical to providing a level playing field.

So Malden is also working hard to be a partner to Gateway Cities across the state that share our vision for giving students access to these learning opportunities. On the horizon, we see critical tests. A new low-income student designation could reduce the support our districts get from the state. Alternatively, the legislature could implement the Foundation Budget Review Commission's recommendation, increasing state aid to high-need districts to the level education reformers envisioned two decades ago.

Working together, we could usher in even more transformative change. Through the Building on What Works Coalition, Gateway City leaders are urging the state to embrace a forward-looking approach to funding for education in high-need communities-one that provides more resources for the higher doses of learning our students require, incentives for innovation, and rewards for results. For Malden and other Gateway Cities, such a change is urgently needed to bring state policy in line with our vision for student success.

Housing & Economic Development

Brockton and state officials announce a plan to remake the downtown area into a more transit-oriented and walkable neighborhood under the state's Gateway Cities Transformative Development Initiative.

The Republican captures the birth of Magazine Commons, a new rebuilt area in Springfield devastated by the 2011 tornado.

A new MAPC study suggests the population of Salem will grow by nearly 10 percent over the next 15 years, requiring an increase in housing of 10 to 15 percent.

Worcester Mayor Joe Petty hosts the mayors of Brockton, Revere, and Newton to discuss Community Development Block Grants, which have been used to revitalize the Main South area in Worcester.

Writing for Commonwealth, the head of the Worcester Housing Authority says public assistance is failing as currently organized.

Tenants hold a rally in Holyoke in support of the Lyman Terrance renovation, a project awaiting public financing to support the $30 million rebuild.

Unemployment rates rise in Springfield and Holyoke, according to new figures from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

Governing looks at what the Supreme Court's recent fair housing decision will mean for the (de)concentration of poverty.

Education

The Herald Tribune takes a look at social-emotional student support in Fall River through the lens of MassINC's latest research report.

The Fall River Public Schools plan to launch Parent Academies to increase parental involvement. The Herald Times applauds the move.

Rep. Linda Campbell of Methuen says Governor Baker's veto of $17.6 million in kindergarten grants will have a substantial impact on Gateway Cities. Strategies for Children is also concerned about the Governor's early education vetoes.

A few Gateway Cities are making progress on early education with help from a federal grant. Springfield will offer full-day, year round preschool to city children whose family income is at or below double the national poverty guidelines. Holyoke is also expanding preschool access, adding preschool classrooms in five elementary schools this fall.

More students at Massachusetts community colleges are taking out loans -- and defaulting on them.

Next City explores the preschool in parks, an innovative approach to moving toward universal access to quality preschool programs.

Creative Placemaking

Speaking of parks: Fitchburg hails its first "Art in the Park" event as a success.

Lawrence invests $7 million to create new parks and rehabilitate old ones.

The Globe's Yvonne Abraham picks up on the ethos of creative placemaking (unfortunately she features a Boston example):

Check out Team Better Block in Revere.

Or Worcester's new go local initiative.

Creative Haverhill is gearing up for a big summer weekend.

Western Mass Mayors meet with Senate President Stan Rosenberg. Economic development and kindergarten expansion grants were the hot topics

.

The Women's Pipeline for Change, a group that launches women into the political spotlight, honorsFitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong, who eight years ago became the first Asian-American to hold the title of mayor in Massachusetts.

In Chicopee, Kaween Fernando announces his bid for City Council, bringing the total number of candidates running for the four at-large seats to seven.

Energy/Environment/Transportation

New Bedford achieves its goal of generating two-thirds of its electricity from renewable sources, cementing its place as a leader in renewable energy.

Methuen is moving ahead with a plan to aggregate all the commercial and residential customers in town in a bid to negotiate lower electricity rates.

Fall River Mayor Sam Sutter announces a new bus schedule that will make it easier for senior citizens to get to the city's three remaining senior centers.

Communities & People

Malden Department of Public Works employee Mike Connaire is honored for actions that saved a young man's life.