Governor Healey Announces Second Year Agenda to Lower Costs, Improve Quality of Life Through Education, Housing and Infrastructure

Governor Healey Announces Second Year Agenda to Lower Costs, Improve Quality of Life Through Education, Housing and Infrastructure 

Governor commits to passing Affordable Homes Act, launching transformative early literacy plan, reauthorizing life sciences initiative, making new climatetech investments, historic funding for roads, bridges, MBTA 

Builds on agenda for affordable, accessible child care announced yesterday, including universal Pre-K access for all four-year-olds in Gateway Cities 

Governor Maura Healey (photo by Chutze Chou)

BOSTON – Governor Maura T. Healey tonight delivered her first State of the Commonwealth address since taking office one year ago. Her speech drew on the strength and resilience of Massachusetts, beginning first and foremost with its people. She highlighted the work that her administration has accomplished during its first year to lower costs for people and grow the economy, from passing the state’s first tax cuts in 20 years to introducing the most comprehensive housing bill in state history. She then laid out an aggressive agenda to continue addressing high costs, improve quality of life through education, housing and infrastructure, and drive innovation and job creation through landmark investments in life sciences and climatetech. 

“We set high goals for our first year in office. I stood here a year ago and made promises. And because we came together, and we acted with urgency, we delivered results. We met every one of our goals,” said Governor Healey. “Today, Massachusetts today is more affordable, more competitive, and more equitable than it was a year ago. And the state of our Commonwealth, like the spirit of our people, is stronger than ever.” 

The Governor announced several new initiatives for 2024 that will continue to build on this progress – including launching a nation-leading early literacy strategy, reauthorizing the Life Sciences Initiative, initiating a new climatetech initiative, and increasing roads, bridges and MBTA funding in the state budget to record levels. 

These commitments build on the Governor’s agenda for affordable, accessible child care that she announced on Tuesday. Her four-pronged plan includes achieving universal high-quality Pre-K access for all four-year-olds in Gateway Cities by 2026, expanding child care financial assistance for thousands more families, continuing her record-levels of state funding for C3 grants to stabilize providers, and signing an Executive Order directing her administration to take a “whole-of-government" approach to child care. 

2023 Accomplishments 

Governor Healey highlighted her administration’s accomplishments in its first year, particularly their efforts to make life more affordable for residents and strengthen the state’s economy. 

In reflecting on the past year, the Governor pointed to the $1 billion tax cuts package she signed with the partnership of the Legislature as a milestone accomplishment. Starting this spring, families will benefit from the most generous child and family tax credit in the nation. Seniors will see their circuit breaker credit double from $1,200 to $2,400, and renters, commuters, businesses and people dealing with lead paint and septic systems will save money as well. It also increased the estate tax threshold so that families are able to pass on more of their hard-earned money. 

Governor Healey introduced Elaine Correia from New Bedford. She is 87 years old and has lived in her home for 61 years. Under the new tax cuts, her senior housing credit will double from $1,200 to $2,400 because no one should have to worry if they can afford to stay in the home they love. 

Together with the Legislature, the administration made breakfast and lunch free for all students, fully funded the Student Opportunity Act, expanded ConnectorCare to deliver health care savings to 45,000 people, paid off student loans for health care workers, increased financial aid at state colleges and universities, and made community college free for students aged 25 and older through MassReconnect. 

Governor Healey invited Danita Mends and MassBay Community College President David Podell to the State of the Commonwealth. Ms. Mends is a mom from Roxbury who couldn’t advance in her career without a college degree. Thanks to MassReconnect, she is now enrolled in MassBay and says her no-cost degree is “life-changing” and that she will pass the lesson she’s learned about the importance of education on to her young son. 

The Governor also highlighted the work that her administration has done, with the partnership of the Legislature and Congressional delegation, to revitalize services for veterans in Massachusetts. She appointed the state’s first cabinet-level Secretary of Veterans Services, U.S. Army Reserves Major Jon Santiago, broke ground and opened new, state-of-the-art veterans homes in Holyoke and Chelsea, respectively, and filed the HERO Act to ensure veterans get the services and resources they need and deserve. 

The administration also stepped up to host a work authorization clinic in partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration to help nearly 3,000 new arrivals get work permits and then connect them with jobs. Salem State Hospital, for example, recently hired migrants, which enabled them to be fully staffed in their housekeeping department for the first time in years. 

Massachusetts continued its leadership in standing up for civil rights and freedoms, including by taking steps to protect access to medication abortion. Governor Healey and the Massachusetts State Police established a new hate crimes unit to help keep all communities safe. The Governor hosted the first ever Youth and Families Pride event at the State House. They also successfully implemented the Work and Family Mobility Act and helped issue 100,000 learners permits and 60,000 licenses in just six months. 

Governor Healey also issued new clemency guidelines to center fairness and compassion, and she became the first Massachusetts governor in 40 years to recommend pardons in her first year – pardoning a total of 13 people. 

2024 Priorities 

Governor Healey outlined her administration’s priorities for 2024, beginning with the FY25 budget proposal she will file next week. 

“The budget I file next week will be balanced, responsible and forward-looking,” said Governor Healey. “It will build on our progress, and we will take new steps to lower the cost of housing and child care, strengthen our schools and help all young people reach their potential, get our roads and rails moving, help businesses and workers thrive, and meet the climate challenge by creating good jobs across our state. This is the work ahead of us, and there’s no time to wait.” 

Housing 

That work starts with housing. Governor Healey highlighted the action her administration has taken over the past year – establishing a standalone housing secretariat and appointing the state’s first Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, tripling support for housing development in Gateway Cities, funding new rental vouchers, and identifying surplus state land that could be used for the development of new housing. 

In the year ahead, the Healey-Driscoll administration will be focused on passing the Governor’s $4.1 billion Affordable Homes Act. It will create middle-class housing, make homeownership a reality for families that have been priced out, build affordable homes at every income level, repair public housing, create supportive housing for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities, and support good construction careers with strong labor standards. 

Governor Healey introduced Abelardo Corona and Gabriela Amezcua from Haverhill. They have two young children and dreamed of buying their first home in their community, but they thought they’d have to move out of state to afford it. Instead, they were connected with a MassHousing mortgage and MassDreams grant, which enabled them to buy a home in Haverhill. The Affordable Homes Act would increase funding for MassDreams and the Commonwealth Builder Fund, which creates housing for first-time homebuyers, to make these opportunities available to even more families. 

Governor Healey also emphasized the importance of the MBTA Communities law and the opportunity that every community has to be a part of the solution and build more housing to lower costs. 

Child Care and Preschool 

After housing, Governor Healey pointed to child care as one of the most significant cost burdens facing Massachusetts families. Last year, the Healey-Driscoll administration delivered nearly half a billion dollars to stabilize providers through C3 grants and expanded financial assistance for more families. 

Yesterday, Governor Healey announced that she is going to build on that progress by setting a goal to achieve universal access to high-quality pre-kindergarten for every four-year-old in all 26 Gateway Cities across Massachusetts by the end of 2026. This will help 23,000 more children access an early education that sets them up for success, while relieving financial pressure on families. 

The Governor also announced that her FY25 budget will include funding to expand child care financial assistance to reach an additional 4,000 low- and moderate-income households. Under this plan, family costs will be capped based on what they can afford. It will also raise the cap for receiving financial assistance from 50 percent to 85 percent of the state median income. With this change, a single mom with two kids who earns $100,000 and two parents with three kids who make $143,000 would qualify for assistance. 

Governor Healey also signed an Executive Order establishing a whole-of-government approach to advancing new solutions to address the state’s child care challenges. The administration will convene the entire cabinet, as well as providers, businesses and advocates to work together to expand access and lower costs for families. 

Education 

Governor Healey outlined efforts to ensure that our K-12 system is delivering the high-quality education that our students, families and educators deserve. She pledged to yet again fully fund the Student Opportunity Act with record levels of local aid. 

The Governor also announced a transformative plan to improve early literacy education in Massachusetts and reach every young student with the best possible instruction. Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler and his team are developing an initiative called Literacy Launch to help make sure our schools, educators and students aged three through third grade have access to the highest quality, evidence-based reading instruction available. The initiative will accelerate the timeline for school districts and early education programs to adopt high-quality literacy materials and provide technical support, coaching, and professional development to educators. It will also update approval criteria and accelerate review timelines for teacher education programs to require evidence-based early literacy training. This will be a five-year initiative, starting with a proposed $30 million in the FY25 budget. 

Last year, the Healey-Driscoll administration expanded Early College programs to nine new schools, reaching a total of 58 schools and 8,200 students. The Innovation Career Pathways program is now in a total of 78 schools with 6,900 students participating. The administration also launched a new Clean Energy Innovation Career Pathway to train the next generation of clean energy leaders. In the FY25 budget, the Healey-Driscoll administration will also continue to expand these critical programs to connect students with hands-on worked-based learning and a head start in higher education.  

Behavioral Health 

To ensure that young people have the wraparound supports they need, the Healey-Driscoll administration last year supported implementation of 26 Community Behavioral Health Centers, which have served thousands of people, including children and youth. Since CBHCs opened in January 2023, emergency room stays related to mental health for all MassHealth members fell by 50 percent, according to Massachusetts Behavioral Health Access. Governor Healey committed to continue investing in CBHCs while also increasing investments in social and emotional education, expanding school-based supports, and delivering $10 million to develop intensive program models, including residential opportunities, that provide relief to families and ensure that the most vulnerable young people can get the support they need.   

Economic development 

Governor Healey previewed investments in her administration’s upcoming Economic Development Bond Bill. Building on the vision laid out in Secretary Yvonne Hao’s “Leading Future Generations” economic development plan, the bill will expand economic opportunity in every region of the state and make it easier for companies of all size to do business in Massachusetts. 

The Governor applauded the scientists, doctors and community leaders who positioned Massachusetts to win the ARPA-H national hub – the nation’s medical innovation moonshot. She said the administration will set out to reauthorize the Life Sciences Initiative, building on the success of prior life sciences authorizations and leveraging ARPA-H to advance innovation, health equity, and affordability.  

And for the first time, Governor Healey will propose a historic, multi-year capital investment in climatetech to make Massachusetts the climate innovation lab for the world. It will help companies open, stay and grow in Massachusetts, power the state’s efforts to meet its climate goals, produce cutting-edge technologies, and create a generation of good, union careers across the state. 

Governor Healey highlighted two Massachusetts businesses that are prime examples of the opportunities in this industry. Commonwealth Fusion is a clean-energy innovator that started at M.I.T. and now has 500 employees in Devens. Sublime Systems is a Somerville startup bringing low-carbon building materials and 70 manufacturing jobs to Holyoke with the partnership of the state. 

Climate 

From day one, the Healey-Driscoll administration has been focused on leading the fight against climate change and driving the clean energy economy. On her first full day in office, Governor Healey appointed Melissa Hoffer as the first ever cabinet-level Climate Chief in the country to lead a whole-of-government approach to climate policy. They later created the first green bank in the country dedicated to decarbonizing affordable housing. Governor Healey also injected historic levels of funding to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.  

The administration also opened the largest Request for Proposals for wind power in New England history. Just recently, Vineyard Wind in New Bedford sent power to the grid for the first time – on its way to being the largest offshore wind farm in North America.  

The transition to clean energy provides enormous workforce opportunities. Governor Healey committed to working with organized labor, industry leaders, and higher education on pathways to good, green careers. She pledged to fund no-cost HVAC training at community colleges across the state. This investment will train more than 400 students in the first year to install and maintain heat pumps that help decarbonize our buildings. 

Farms and municipalities across the state experienced major damage from severe flooding this year. Governor Healey also recalled visiting farmers who had their livelihoods threatened. Jay and Lisa Savage from Deerfield were in attendance. Jay is a fourth-generation potato farmer who had hundreds of acres of crops destroyed by flooding.  

Together, Governor Healey and the Legislature passed $20 million in relief and United Way of Central Massachusetts launched a Farm Resiliency Fund that has distributed millions of dollars in relief. The administration also issued the state’s first comprehensive plans for coastal and statewide resilience.  

Governor Healey tonight proposed establishing a permanent Disaster Relief Resiliency Fund, an issue championed by Senator Jo Comerford and Representative Natalie Blais. She also pledged to increase funding to help cities and town shore up riverbanks, fix failing dams and drainage systems, and plan for the future. 

Infrastructure 

Governor Healey has committed to aggressively compete for federal funding opportunities, particularly those that support critical infrastructure projects. She created the new Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office, hired Quentin Palfrey as Director, and filed legislation to unlock $800 million in additional state funding to make applications more competitive. 

The results are already coming in. MassDOT won $372 million and is competing for another $1 billion to rebuild the Cape Cod Bridges. MassDOT also won $108 million to advance West-East Rail, and is moving forward with additional projects, such as Palmer and Pittsfield, with state funds. The state has also won $24 million to rebuild Leonard’s Wharf at the Port of New Bedford and $33 million for electric school buses. 

In 2023, the Healey-Driscoll administration made historic investments in the state’s transportation system. MassDOT awarded over $2 billion in new construction to contracts to repair or improve roads, bridges, sidewalks and more in municipalities. Governor Healey announced that she would be increasing funding for local roads and bridges to record levels in her FY25 budget proposal, with special investments dedicated to rural communities. This will support more transportation projects in communities across the state to improve quality of life. 

Governor Healey also appointed Phil Eng as General Manager of the MBTA, the first time in years that the agency has been led by a transportation expert. The T exceeded the Governor’s hiring goal of 1,000 – they hired nearly 1,500 workers, beating their hiring target by 50 percent and representing the best year of hiring the T has ever had. The administration and the T also negotiated an historic contract with the Carmen’s Union to boost recruitment and retention. 

Under General Manager Eng’s leadership, the T reduced slow zones and continues to execute on their plan to eliminate existing speed restrictions by the end of the year. They opened commuter rail platforms in Lynn and Ashland on or ahead of schedule, and commuter rail ridership has exceeded 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. 

Governor Healey announced that her FY25 budget proposal will double the operational funding support for the MBTA in the annual state budge. The budget will also propose to fund a system-wide reduced fare program for low-income riders.  

The administration will also sustain its new investments in Regional Transit Authorities statewide and will appoint a Transportation Financing Task Force of public and private leaders to chart a sustainable financial course for our transportation system in the clean energy era. 

 A full version of Governor Healey’s remarks can be found here and the full video can be found here. 

陳思蕾弦樂三重奏音樂會在觀眾歡呼聲中落幕

Stella Chen (右起)，Matthew Lipman 、Brannon Cho謝幕。
(中華表演藝術基金會提供)

     (Boston Orange) 中華表演藝術基金會第35屆音樂季第二場音樂會，由陳思蕾 (Stella Chen) 和Matthew Lipman 、Brannon Cho等3名年輕音樂家演出的弦樂三重奏，1月13日晚在300多觀眾的熱情歡呼、鼓掌聲中，圓滿落幕。 

從青少年時期起就已是好朋友的這3名年輕人，如今都是成就極高的音樂家，不但活躍於世界舞台，贏得過頂級國際獎項，還經常和最著名的樂團及指揮家合作。 

陳思蕾(右三)等人和同學聚會、慶功。(中華表演藝術基金會提供)

陳思蕾贏得過2019年伊莉莎白皇后國際小提琴大賽第一名，2020年艾弗里·費舍爾職業生涯獎，2023年留聲機年度青年藝術家獎；中提琴家Matthew Lipman贏得過2015年 艾弗里·費舍爾 Avery Fisher 職業生涯獎；大提琴家Brannon Cho贏得過保羅大提琴比賽一等獎，以及伊麗莎白女王、瑙姆堡和卡薩多國際大提琴比賽的最高獎。 

他們3人這次合作，以小、中、大提琴的三重奏，既演奏了著名作曲家莫札特的標誌性作品（降E大調嬉遊曲，K.563），也演奏了鮮為人知，在納粹集中營被殺前幾天才完成傑作，時年僅26歲的Gideon Klein的作品。 

當晚的觀眾中有許多世界著名的音樂家，都讚譽這場音樂會，給予高度評價。 

這3名年輕人的弦樂三重奏組合演奏，已邁入第二季，但組合還未正式命名。波士頓音樂情報 (The Boston Musical Intelligencer) 在把這場音樂會形容為驚人、永恆和創新的表演之際，稱他們為 “青年名人弦樂三重奏”。這位樂評家還說：“與在場的許多世界知名弦樂鑑賞家交談後，他們都同意我的看法。那就是這個年輕組合的名人弦樂三重奏所呈現的華麗音色，以及精緻、投入、有力而深刻的音樂演繹，將長時間在我們的記憶中迴盪”。 

音樂會結束後，35名以上的跨世代音樂家齊聚一堂，祝賀他們演出很成功。這3名音樂家的多位高中、大學好友，也都來參加了慶祝會，分享喜悅。其中有4人得過Avery Fisher 職業獎，另有許多人得過伊麗莎白女王、利茲(Leeds)、蕭邦、保羅(Paulo) 、諾伯格(Naumberg) 等許多國際知名大賽的頂尖獎項。中華表演藝術基金會會長譚嘉陵表示，他們深為這些優秀的年輕音樂家感到驕傲。 

      音樂會的錄影，將於近日上傳Youtube頻道，https://www.youtube.com/@FCPA/videos

，供大眾免費欣賞。中華表演藝術基金會籲請各界關注該會的社交媒體帳號，Instagram: @ cathychanfcpa。

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF BOSTON SAVES’ JANUARY INCENTIVE TO GIVE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES A FINANCIAL BOOST FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S FUTURE

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF BOSTON SAVES’ JANUARY INCENTIVE TO GIVE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES A FINANCIAL BOOST FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S FUTURE BPS families who log in to the Savings Center for the first time by January 31, 2024 will earn an extra $25 for their child’s savings account

BOSTON - Wednesday, January 17, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced that Boston Saves, the City’s children’s savings account program, is again offering a January incentive to encourage eligible Boston Public Schools (BPS) families to participate in the program. Families of BPS students in grades K2 - 4th who log in to the Boston Saves online savings platform for the first time by January 31, 2024 will earn an extra $25 for their child’s account. This money, plus the $50 provided in every Boston Saves account and any additional incentives families earn, can be used to pay for their child’s future college or career training. Findings from the first year of a three-year evaluation of Boston Saves link participation in the program to significant positive effects on students’ academic success, including social-emotional development and reading frequency, as well parental life satisfaction and educational expectations. Research shows that the mere presence of savings can motivate post-secondary success. In one study, low-income children with less than $500 in an account dedicated to higher education were three times more likely to enroll in college and four times more likely to graduate from college than families with no savings.  “Boston Saves is critical to investing in Boston’s young people and families with every opportunity possible,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This program empowers families to plan early and save even more for their children’s future. I encourage all of our newly participating families to log in to Boston Save’s online savings platform and utilize this key resource.” A joint program of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet and Boston Public Schools, Boston Saves automatically provides every BPS K2 student with a college savings account (CSA) seeded with $50 to give families a boost for their child’s future. The program also offers families the opportunity to earn additional Boston Saves Dollars for their child’s account through ongoing incentives and access to financial education resources that make saving easier. Since its launch in 2019, Boston Saves has allocated over $1.3 million, including $145,344 in family-earned incentives, to nearly 20,000 student accounts.  "Participation in Boston Saves opens doors to a brighter future for our children,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “By taking this simple step of logging into the Savings Center, families are not only securing financial rewards but also investing in the educational journey and success of their children." The January incentive is especially critical as it encourages families to take the necessary first step of logging into their accounts, thereby unlocking the program's benefits. More than 500 BPS families earned a total of $14,575 for their children’s futures through last year’s January incentive. When a family logs in to the Savings Center, they can: See the money in their child’s Boston Saves account Link their own financial account to the Savings Center to track all their savings for their child in one place and earn an additional incentive Earn more money for their child’s Boston Saves account by taking simple steps like reading with their child, or saving regularly  “Boston Saves is an amazing financial tool that shows the City's dedication to investing in our next generation of leaders,” said Rochelle Perry-Craft Ed.D., Kindergarten Teacher at the George H. Conley Elementary School. “The program is statistically proven to promote significant positive outcomes in our students. I strongly encourage all eligible BPS Families to take advantage of the program and start planning for their child's future.” Families of students in select older grades may also have accounts (and be eligible for the promotion) if they were part of the Boston Saves pilot program or joined a pilot cohort. Families that have eligible children should have received an email from bostonsaves@boston.gov with a direct link to log into their child’s account. Parents/guardians who believe their child is eligible but did not receive an email can contact the Boston Saves team at bostonsaves@boston.gov with their child’s name, grade, and school. For more information, visit boston.gov/boston-saves.

亞裔企業資金準備線上速成班 免費 1/23截止報名

亞太裔企業資金準備計劃 線上加強速成班

1月23日免費報名截止 

 

美國亞太裔總商會（National ACE）今天宣布，《資本準備計畫CRP》將於1月23日開始其為期八週的小型企業線上加強速成班。歡迎華裔踴躍報名，免貴註冊。

 

該計劃由少數族裔企業總署MBDA資助，也是該機構歴來對協助被忽視的企業和創業者的成長或升級而推出的最重要投資專案。

 

這項為期八週的網路研討系列，將協助全美各地的亞太裔中小企業主與其他亞太裔企業家族群和各行業的領導提供聯繫與合作的機會。

 

150名與會者將有機會了解更多有關資本獲取、能力建設、撰寫撥款申請以及透過網絡訪問獲取信息。 National ACE正在努力協助為全美各地的亞太裔小型企業主裝備他們邁向成功所需的資源、知識和聯繫網絡。

 

全美亞裔總商會執行長董繼玲表示，透過這些關鍵問題的解決方案，ACE為亞太裔AAPI企業家在通往成功的道路上提供了重要的支援系統。歡迎亞太裔企業多多利用。

 

詳細信息，請上網 nationalace.org   or  https://www.nationalace.org/accelerator1，免費註冊，並可成為第一個加速的成功企業家。

The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE) is pleased to announce the Capital Readiness Program will be kicking off its programming with an 8-week small business virtual accelerator starting January 23.

The program, which is funded by the MBDA, is the most significant investment to support the growth of underserved businesses and entrepreneurs in the agency’s history.

The 8-week webinar series will put Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) small business owners from across the country in contact with other AAPI entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

150 attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about access to capital, capacity building, grant application writing, and access to networks. National ACE is working to empower AAPI small business owners with the resources, knowledge, and connections they need to succeed.

By addressing these critical issues, we are providing a vital support system for AAPI entrepreneurs on their journey to success.

To learn more, visit www.nationalace.org or    https://www.nationalace.org/accelerator1

 and register for the first accelerator.

Bloomberg 捐款3780萬元資助波士頓市、MGH和EMK學校合作 加倍招收醫療護理學生

MAYOR MICHELLE WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM, AND BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP TO TRANSFORM AND EXPAND THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY ACADEMY INTO CUTTING-EDGE TRAINING GROUND FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Bloomberg Philanthropies’ $37.8 million grant marks the largest philanthropic investment in BPS history, enabling EMK Academy to double in size, add new health career pathways, college courses and work-based learning, and offer graduates access to good-paying careers at Mass General Brigham

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu BOSTON - Wednesday, January 17, 2024 - Building on the City of Boston’s commitment to early college and career-connected learning for every student, Mayor Michelle Wu today joined Superintendent Mary Skipper, Edward M. Kennedy Academy of Health Careers (EMK) School Leader Dr. Caren Walker Gregory, Mass General Brigham (MGB) President and CEO Dr. Anne Klibanski, and leaders from Bloomberg Philanthropies at Massachusetts General Hospital to announce a new partnership between the Boston Public Schools and Mass General Brigham that will expand and transform the EMK, the City’s health career-focused public high school, into a national model of career-connected learning.  The partnership is supported by a $37.8 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the largest philanthropic investment in the history of the Boston Public Schools. The collaboration with Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest private employer, will allow EMK to double in size to 800 students, add new health career pathways in surgery, medical imaging, and biotech/medical lab science to complement existing pathways in nursing and emergency services, and offer work-based learning, summer and after-school placements, and career counseling to every student. Graduates will have the opportunity to pursue higher education or graduate straight into a well-paying career within the Mass General Brigham system.  “As the birthplace of public education, Boston must give our young people the world—in the classroom, in community, and in every corner of our city. Today we take a huge step forward in our vision for every high school student to be college and career ready. With this transformational support, we are bringing the full resources of Mass General Brigham’s nation-leading teaching hospitals into a deep partnership with the Boston Public Schools,” said  Mayor Michelle Wu . “Leveraging the incredible resources of Boston – our universities, our businesses, our cultural institutions, and our academic medical centers – to support college and career-connected learning in our high schools will help our students achieve their highest aspirations. We are grateful to Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Howard Wolfson, and the entire team at Bloomberg Philanthropies for their extraordinary support of the Boston Public Schools, and Dr. Anne Klibanski and the entire Mass General Brigham team for their remarkable partnership now and in the years ahead. This opportunity for our students is only possible because of the vision and leadership of Superintendent Mary Skipper, Dr. Caren Walker Gregory and their teams of committed educators. This is a game-changer for Boston.” In her State of the City Address on January 9, Mayor Wu announced several early college and career pathway expansions across the Boston Public Schools, including at the EMK, designed to ensure that all BPS high school students are ready for college and career.  “This exciting partnership allows us to build on the success of the EMK partnership with Mass General Brigham to provide our students with meaningful learning experiences that set them up for a bright future with career opportunities in Boston’s world class medical facilities and beyond,” said Mary Skipper, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. “This is a prime example of the innovative work we are doing across our BPS campuses to provide each child in Boston with a rigorous academic education inside our classrooms and opportunities to learn and develop outside of class that provide a springboard for their future success. We want every student in Boston to find their passion and provide them with an educational experience that allows them to explore it, and crucial funding from partnerships like this help make that possible.” As the healthcare sector grapples with post-pandemic vacancy increases and recruiting challenges, the EMK partnership with Mass General Brigham will address workforce needs by building the pipeline of students prepared to enter high-paying health careers. MGB worked closely with BPS to develop expanded career pathways that align with the greatest areas of need and opportunity in the regional healthcare workforce. These pathways through high school will empower EMK graduates to either pursue higher education immediately or enter the healthcare workforce with a high-demand, well-paying job that fits their career interests. “As healthcare providers continue to face persistent labor challenges, it is crucial that we develop innovative partnerships to respond to the challenges of today and invest in the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. Moreover, our work to dismantle generational health inequities depends on our ability to recruit, retain and support a diverse, culturally competent and highly skilled workforce,” said Anne Klibanski, MD, President and CEO, Mass General Brigham. “We are deeply grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their transformational support that will allow us to dramatically increase the impact of our proven partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, and for our continued collaboration with Mayor Wu, the City of Boston, and Boston Public Schools. We are excited about the tremendous impact this expansion will have on our current and future workforce and the surrounding community.” This partnership is part of a $250 million initiative announced today by Bloomberg Philanthropies to build partnerships between healthcare and education systems and create new health career high schools in 10 communities across the country including: Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Durham, NC; Houston, TX; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Demopolis, AL; and Northeast, TN (six locations). The schools will collectively serve nearly 6,000 students at full capacity. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment will support school start-up costs including personnel needs and classroom and lab renovations. Additionally, this investment will support healthcare-specific work-based learning costs such as developing specialized curricula, lab materials and equipment, and stipends for work-based learning. Successful programs launched from this initiative have potential to scale across the nation and serve as sustainable, long-term models for how to address gaps in education and workforce development. “For too long, our education system has failed to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth industries,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP and 108th mayor of New York City. “By combining classroom learning with hands-on experience, these specialized health-care high schools will prepare students for careers with opportunities for growth and advancement. America needs more health care workers, and we need a stronger, larger middle-class -- and this is a way to help accomplish both goals." Founded in 1995 by a group of community health care providers and higher education leaders committed to a more diverse and reflective health care workforce at every level, EMK is a college preparatory and vocational high school for Boston students exploring careers in health and science. With Bloomberg Philanthropies’ financial support, BPS plans to double the enrollment at EMK to 800 students in grades 9-12 over the next five years. Consistent with the District’s plan for high schools, EMK also intends to add a 7th and 8th grade in the later years of the expansion. In partnership with Mass General Brigham, each pathway will be designed to help students build critical thinking and specialized skills within their chosen area through a combination of traditional classroom-based learning, specialized health-oriented curriculum, and graduated work-based learning. “EMK students are the future of the healthcare workforce in Boston, and through strengthening our partnership with Mass General Brigham, we meet the needs of their workforce and the dreams of our students,” said Dr. Caren Walker Gregory, school leader of the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers. “I am so proud that Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested in the urgency of healthcare by supporting the vision and mission of EMK and the Boston Public Schools.”  “On behalf of the Boston School Committee, I applaud Mayor Wu, Superintendent Skipper, Dr. Walker Gregory, the committed educators at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy and the teams at Mass General Brigham and Bloomberg Philanthropies who are bringing this super exciting collaboration to life,” said Jeri Robinson, Chairperson of the Boston School Committee. “We are committed to advancing a vision for high schools that prepare all our students for college and career. This is a major step forward.” In the early high school grades, work-based learning will consist of visits to hospitals, job shadowing, and participation in simulation labs. Hands-on learning will allow students to apply concepts from the classroom as they transition to deeper and more extensive work-based learning experiences, culminating in paid internships in grades 11 and 12. Students in all pathways begin their twice-weekly clinical practice in grade 11, first in specialized school-based skills lab facilities for their pathway, and then through placement at partner healthcare facilities. These more intensive work-based learning placements continue in grade 12. Many students will also participate in paid after-school and summer internship experiences focused on health careers beginning in the summer after grade 9.  Every EMK student will have the opportunity to earn 18 or more college credits at no cost to them, through dual enrollment or early college partnerships with two- and four-year higher education partners whose course offerings align with EMK’s healthcare pathways.  “By embedding college coursework and work-based learning into the high school experience of every EMK student, we know they’ll each be ready to pursue a healthcare career or take the next step in their higher education,” said Dr. Ted Lombardi, Secondary Superintendent for College, Career, and Life Readiness. “This is a model that we hope to replicate across our high schools to deliver on the full promise of a Boston public education.”

Healey-Driscoll Administration Appoints Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to Lead Efforts to Connect New Arrivals with Employment

Healey-Driscoll Administration Appoints Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to Lead Efforts to Connect New Arrivals with Employment    

Administration prioritizing connecting work authorized individuals with jobs in health care and human services, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing  

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the appointment of Ken Brown as Assistant Secretary for Employer Engagement and Employment Outcomes and Sarah Joseph as Director of Community Engagement for the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD).  

 

“Across industries, we have employers who urgently need talent to fill open positions, and we have people arriving in Massachusetts who want to work. Our administration has worked hard to get people work authorizations as quickly as possible, and now we are connecting them with jobs that need to be filled,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We are bringing in Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to drive this work and get this done.”   

 

“Ken and Sarah will hit the ground running as we continue our work to reduce the strain placed on communities and our Emergency Assistance program and provide the support that newly arrived families and individuals need in Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This will take a collective effort, and we look forward to bolstering our efforts to partner with employers and community organizations to unlock these critical employment opportunities we need to urgently achieve.”  

 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has worked with the MassHire Regional Workforce Boards and Careers Centers to assess skills and work readiness for individuals in shelter who have their work authorization. Recently, the Healey-Driscoll Administration also partnered with the Biden Administration to hold two, week-long clinics to help migrants in Massachusetts with obtaining work authorizations. The clinics were successful, and now nearly 3,000 people have work authorizations in Massachusetts.  

 

Brown will oversee hiring and job placement for migrants with work authorization. Joseph will oversee local and regional partnerships with stakeholders dedicated to employment outcomes for migrants, refugees, and vulnerable populations, including addressing work supports like language barriers and skill development and providing resources for employers statewide. 

 

“EOLWD is pleased to welcome Ken and Sarah to deliver employment outcomes and strengthen hiring practices, especially for new arrivals,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “This work will get more people employed with livable wages, which will help both employers and relieve pressure on our existing shelter system.” 

 

About Ken Brown 

Ken Brown is a proven leader with experience in both the private sector and state government, managing strategic partnerships, key relationships, and results. In recent years, Brown served as Senior Vice-President of SICPA North America, and Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction. Brown also served under the Patrick-Murray Administration as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and in the Governor’s Office including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Special Projects to Governor Deval Patrick.  

 

Ken Brown is a graduate of American University in Washington D.C. and holds a Juris Doctor from Boston College School of Law. 

 

About Sarah Joseph 

Sarah Joseph is a trained social worker with experience managing human services and resources for immigrants, individuals with disabilities, individuals experiencing mental health trauma, among other populations. Joseph recently worked as an Immigration Court Helpdesk Paralegal, where she provided assistance and legal information to unrepresented respondents in removal proceedings at the Boston Immigration Court, informed respondents appearing before the court on court practices, procedures, and general information about options related to relief and protection from removal, conducts information sessions and legal orientations, and acted as Friend of Court to assist unrepresented respondents and the Court in the administration of Master Calendar Hearings and Individual hearings. Joseph is fluent in English and Haitian Creole. 

 

Joseph graduated from Fairfield University and holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College.