State Education Secretary Addresses Southcoast Issues During UMass Forum

Massachusetts Education Secretary Jim Peyser met with area education leaders Wednesday morning at the UMass Dartmouth School of Law. Secretary Peyser discussed national and statewide education issues, and zeroed in on key issues affecting education on the Southcoast.

Recently, UMass Dartmouth applied through the state to begin a PhD program, but was denied. Peyser says he looks at several standards, including available resources and whether area jobs demand that high level of education when considering such applications. "If those high standards are met, and if we're making real choices about 'we're going to invest more here but we're actually going to invest less in some other place because they're sort of not as important or not as impactful as this new thing we want to do,' I'm totally open to any of those," said Peyser. Peyser says he would like to hear more from area CEO's concerning any demand for highly educated employees.

Peyser also made a sales pitch for more charter schools in New Bedford and other gateway cities during his visit. Peyser said even though the Baker/Polito administration is advocating for more charter schools in the state, that doesn't mean they don't support the improvement of public education. "Both supporting the school districts in strengthening the quality of options they have and the variety of options that they can offer, while at the same time keeping the door open to new operators to come in and create opportunities that may not exist and maybe can't be replicated within the local school district." Peyser said families, especially those with a low income, deserve more choices when it comes to their children's education, and charter schools afford them that opportunity.