The Senate’s Welfare Reform Proposal

The Senate has released its comprehensive proposal to strengthen the state’s largest cash assistance program, Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC). We will vote on it later this week. Here are the major components of the Senate’s proposal: First, the bill requires analysis and reporting on some fundamental program issues that have not …

Keeping academic skills fresh in the summer months: summer reading and beyond

When children do not have access to summer learning opportunities, some of their academic gains can be lost over the summer months. While this kind of “summer slide,” or summer learning loss, tends to impact all students, it has a greater impact on low-income students. Summer learning programs, including summer reading, provide an opportunity to combat summer slide. Boston, …

Book Recommendations

Reading is a great way to combat learning loss during the summer, as well as to feed your mind and enrich your life. What books do you recommend for children and adults this summer? For more information on summer learning loss, please see my post here: http://willbrownsberger.com/keeping-academic-skills-fresh-in-the-summer-months-summer-reading-and-beyond/ Anne Johnson Landry Committee Counsel and Policy Advisor …

Summer Learning Programs

You can read more about summer learning loss at my post here: http://willbrownsberger.com/keeping-academic-skills-fresh-in-the-summer-months-summer-reading-and-beyond/ We invite you to share information about summer learning opportunities below. Anne Johnson Landry Committee Counsel and Policy Advisor Office of State Senator William N. Brownsberger

Increase the Minimum Wage

I am surprised that the Minimum Wage problem is not among the active Forum topics on Will’s website. It is time for Massachusetts to take a leading position nationally on this critical social justice issue, instead of falling behind other progressive areas of the U.S. Wage-earners who fall under the minimum wage law – and …