Public education in the Commonwealth is organized according to the regulations adopted by the BESE, which are good faith interpretations of Massachusetts state and federal law.
The BESE's responsibilities include granting and renewing charter school applications, developing and implementing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), submitting yearly budget proposals for public education to the Massachusetts General Court, setting the standards for and certifying teachers, principals, and superintendents, and monitoring—as well as intervening to ameliorate—the achievement of underperforming districts in the Commonwealth.
His brief argument ran as follows: While nothing can be further from my purpose, than to disparage the common schools as they are, and while a deep sense of personal obligation to them will ever be cherished by me, it must yet be candidly admitted that they are susceptible of great improvements.
Teachers well qualified to give elementary instruction in all the branches of useful knowledge, should be employed; and small school libraries, maps, globes, and requisite scientific apparatus should be furnished.
"[6]The BESE is composed of 11 members: 10 are appointed by the governor, including his Secretary of Education, who serves ex officio, and one is a public school student elected by his or her peers.
"[10] Katherine Craven, Chair Matt Hills, Vice-Chair Patrick Tutweiler, Secretary of Education Russell Johnston, Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Ioannis (Yiannis) Asikis, Student Member, Brookline Ericka Fischer, Worcester Dalida Rocha, Boston Farzana Mohamed, Newton Michael Moriarty, Holyoke Paymon Rouhanifard, Boston Mary Ann Stewart, Lexington Marty West, Newton