mitchell chester

In a wide-ranging interview, outgoing New Bedford Schools Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin gives her reasons for resigning and addresses her critics.

By Katie Lannan STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JUNE 27, 2017.....Longtime Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester died Monday evening after a short illness, the state's education board chairman announced at a Tuesday meeting...

On Monday, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved a request for Alma del Mar Charter School to expand its enrollment by 90 students. The five-year-old school had its charter renewed without conditions last year...

The Commissioner of Education for Massachusetts says he's very concerned about the lack of academic improvement at the Hayden-McFadden school in New Bedford. Speaking on the Brian Thomas program on WBSM, Mitchell Chester says he's awaiting a turn-around plan from Superintendent Pia Durkin...

Boston (AP) - The state is looking for help designing a new version of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday formally requested proposals from private companies to help develop and build the ``next-generation MCAS'' test...

The State Board of Education has moved to lift the probation status on the Global Learning Charter Public School in New Bedford. The probation was put in place in January of 2014 for low MCAS scores in math and English language arts. Global Learning Executive Director Dr...

Mass. Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester says he's encouraged by what he saw Thursday in New Bedford's underperforming schools. Chester visited both the Parker School and New Bedford High School. Addressing the School Committee Thursday night, Chester said in both schools he saw serious learning taking place...

When state Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester drove up to the Parker School in New Bedford Thursday morning, he was greeted by Michelle Furtado of Fairhaven, a staunch opponent of the Common Core education standards in Mass. Furtado tells WBSM News, the federal government is buying off states to use Common Core by giving them millions of dollars...

The state's Commissioner of Education is visiting New Bedford on Thursday, stopping at two of the city's underperforming schools for meetings with teachers, administrators and parents. Mitchell Chester will start his day visiting classroom at the Parker Elementary School, which the state has designated as a level five school or chronically underperforming...

New Bedford Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin admits she's never personally overseen a school takeover before, but is optimistic it will be a relatively smooth transition at the Parker School. Massachusetts Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester named Durkin the "turnaround operator" for the level five elementary school...