Boston Children’s Museum’s Construction Zone Exhibit to Close New Dream it! Build it! Exhibit Reimagined for 21st-Century Children

 Boston Children’s Museum’s Construction Zone Exhibit to Close New Dream it! Build it! Exhibit Reimagined for 21st-Century Children

BOSTON, MA—February 12, 2026 — Boston Children’s Museum is announcing a fond farewell to its beloved Construction Zone exhibit, closing on Sunday, February 22. This change will make way for a brand-new exhibit titled Dream it! Build it!, designed to empower children and their families to dream, design, and construct the next generations’ vision to make a positive impact on the world. 

As Boston’s first child-focused construction site, Construction Zone has offered interactive activities centered on urban development and construction safety for over two decades. Opened during Boston’s Big Dig, the 3,750-square-foot area featured authentic construction equipment, tools, and people that you would have found at that construction project. There was scaffolding for climbing, equipment for pretend play, and blocks for building in both life-sized and child-sized formats. 

Carole Charnow, President & CEO, commented, “For more than 20 years, the Construction Zone exhibit has been a beloved visitor favorite that introduced millions of children and families to the field of construction. Originally created to help children understand Boston’s Big Dig, it invited kids to have fun with trucks, pulleys, and diggers. But as the field of construction has advanced, there are many more opportunities now to learn about STEM, design and how modern cities come to life. The new exhibit will be called Dream It! Build It!, and I love the many exciting features and activities that will be offered. I think the kids will love it, too!”

By focusing on dreaming and designing, Dream it! Build it! will engage children and caregivers who are drawn to the artistic and social-emotional sides of construction, such as drawing, imagining, and understanding community needs. The exhibit will emphasize creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and resilience — future-ready skills children need for STEM fields and throughout life.

The exhibit is intentionally crafted to be hands-on and minds-on, encouraging children and families to tackle challenges in construction, architecture, and engineering. Key features include: 
● The Big Build: Climb scaffolding, move materials, and try out building trades to construct a large-scale structure together.
● Dream City: Imagine, sketch, and add your ideas to a collaborative digital city.
● Design Studio: Experiment with light, color, and materials to create spaces for yourself and others.
● Green Spaces: Explore sustainable design by integrating nature into community environments.
● Portraits of Workers: Meet real people who shape the built environment, celebrating the diversity of pathways and identities in construction.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $4.45 Million to Expand Advanced Manufacturing, Create Jobs Across Massachusetts

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $4.45 Million to Expand Advanced Manufacturing, Create Jobs Across Massachusetts 
Grants will support three high-growth projects, creating 90 new jobs and leveraging more than $52 million in private investment. 

BOSTON - The Healey-Driscoll administration announced $4.45 million in awards to three transformative projects through the Business Builds Capital Grant Program, which supports business expansion, job creation, and investment across Massachusetts. These projects, led by Boston Metal in Woburn, Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Devens, and Urthpact Innovations LLC in Leominster, are expected to create 90 net new jobs and leverage more than $52 million in private investment.  

“Massachusetts is where the technologies of the future get built and where good jobs come with them,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These Business Builds awards will help companies expand and modernize their facilities and create jobs while keeping Massachusetts competitive in the industries driving the next generation of economic growth.” 

“Business Builds is about helping communities win, whether that means new jobs in a Gateway City, upgrades to an aging facility, or new life in an underused site,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These grants will deliver real benefits for residents in every region.” 

“Massachusetts is competing and leading in the industries that will define the next century,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “These grants support companies advancing fusion energy, sustainable manufacturing, and next-generation materials, while creating new jobs statewide. Business Builds helps ensure that as these companies scale, they do it here in Massachusetts” 

Created through the Mass Leads Act and administered by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) within the Executive Office of Economic Development, Business Builds provides strategic grants to businesses relocating to, expanding in, or creating new jobs in Massachusetts. The program advances the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to increasing Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness while ensuring that public investments deliver meaningful public value. Business Builds also complements existing tools such as the Economic Development Incentive Program to spur job creation, strengthen regional economies, and support capital investments in facilities and equipment. Through Business Builds, EOED aims to attract and retain businesses across Massachusetts, including in Gateway Cities, rural towns, and underutilized or redevelopment areas. 
 

The awarded projects include:  

 

Boston Metal, Woburn - $950,308 
Boston Metal has developed a patented technology that can be used to recover critical metals from mining and industrial waste and produce steel with more than 90 percent reduction in lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions. The company will use the grant to support facility upgrades, which will allow it to recover critical materials at commercial-grade purity and yield while significantly increasing energy efficiency. 

Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Devens – $2.5 million 

Commonwealth Fusion Systems operates a 57-acre commercial fusion energy campus that includes the company’s global headquarters and corporate offices, a manufacturing facility for high temperature superconducting fusion magnets, and the SPARC facility - the world’s first commercially relevant fusion energy machine. The $2.5 million grant award will allow the company to install high energy and high-density battery storage systems and complete construction of the SPARC facility. 

 

Urthpact Innovations LLC, Leominster - $999,692 

Urthpact designs, engineers, and produces sustainable products using renewable resources such as compostable coffee pads, straws, and cutlery. The $999,692 grant award will allow Urthpact to create 75 new jobs and upgrade production lines for straws, cutlery, coffee pods and degassing valves, resulting in the replacement of more than 500 million petroleum-based plastic items per year.  

AAJC Publishes New Report on AI’s Impact on AAPI Communities

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Publishes New Report on AI’s Impact on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Communities 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) released findings from qualitative research outlining how members of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community view and interact with artificial intelligence (AI): From Translations to Chatbots: AANHPI Community Perspectives on the Impact and Governance of Artificial Intelligence. 

 

AI has quickly become a mainstay in our society and grown into an industry worth billions of dollars. The technology has been praised for its potential – but has also come with critiques and warnings about the risks of irresponsible AI usage. But for AANHPI communities, the rapid adoption of AI coincides with the ongoing digital divide, which keeps many from being able to responsibly use this new technology – and thereby prevent them from being able to shape the opportunities and outcomes of a technology that is already transforming our economic, social and civil lives. And despite heavy representation of the AANHPI community in the tech industry, disparities in language access, immigration status, income and more exclude the AANHPI members most vulnerable to algorithmic harms and bias. 

 

Advancing Justice – AAJC convened 65 individuals representing various AANHPI backgrounds across the country to better understand how AI impacts their lives. These listening sessions took place from April to November 2025, and participants were able to share their observations about AI’s integration into society in small and large-group discussions. Discussion facilitators found that: 

• AI is pervasive in AANHPI communities, yet many individuals lack clarity on exactly where and how it affects them. 
• Job opportunities, especially those accessible to individuals who have limited English skill, are being reshaped by AI in the workplace.  
• AI-powered misinformation erodes trust and limits AANHPI community members’ ability to access critical resources.  
• The psychosocial impacts of AI chatbot use vary widely by age groups and can erode intergenerational relationships.  
• AANHPI community members want transparency, control, and accountability in the use of their data. 
• AANHPI community priorities are not adequately represented in AI governance. 

“AI is one of the most rapidly adopted technologies in history, and we are already seeing the ways in which it is reshaping our lives. The fullextent of both the potential and harms of AI are still being understood and there is insufficient information about how it affects marginalized communities – especially Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders,” said Lia Nitake, Senior Director of Technology, Telecommunications and Media Policy at Advancing Justice – AAJC. “This report helps get us closer to understanding how AI manifests in our communities and how to ensure that they are being equitably represented in AI governance. We hope that it can be a guide for policymakers, community leaders and investors in their decisions regarding AI integration, regulations and technology improvements.” 

 

As AI usage and applications continues to grow, we must ensure that emerging technologies represent our communities accurately, and that no one is left behind. 

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Higher Reimbursement Rates for Child Care Providers

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Higher Reimbursement Rates for Child Care Providers

 

Higher payments aim to reflect true cost of providing care

 

BOSTON – The Board of Early Education and Care today unanimously voted to approve the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s proposed increases to child care financial assistance reimbursement rates for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), reinforcing the state’s ongoing commitment to supporting early education and care providers and strengthening the child care system for families across Massachusetts.

 

This rate increase invests $20 million to provide a modest across-the-board increase for all providers, along with specific adjustments for providers whose current rates are furthest from the cost of providing care and median private tuition rates. That includes particular attention to some preschool rates and geographic areas where families face some of the greatest barriers to access. The administration recognizes that early education and care providers continue to experience rising costs and remains focused on making progress toward reimbursing providers at the cost of care while also responding to conditions in the broader child care market.

 

To make child care more affordable, EEC helps to cover tuition costs for eligible families by providing financial reimbursements to early education and care programs that serve children utilizing Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA). These reimbursements are paid using pre-determined daily rates that are based on a child’s age group, provider region, and program type.

 

“Affordable, high-quality child care is essential for our children, our families, and our economy. Our Administration has significantly increased rates over the years, and with this latest increase, we’re taking another important step toward covering the real cost of care, so providers can keep their doors open, and families can access the care they need to succeed,” said Governor Maura Healey.

 

“These rate increases reflect our commitment to building a stronger child care system across Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Supporting early education providers means supporting working families and ensuring that parents have real choices when it comes to safe, high-quality care in their communities.”

 

This year’s rate increases build on the state’s previous investments in CCFA rates, which have increased by $147.5 million since FY23 and represents the latest step in a multi-year, data-driven effort to set rates based on the cost of care. Since 2022, EEC has partnered with external researchers to study the cost of providing care and develop and refine a cost-based alternative methodology for setting CCFA rates. Under this administration, Massachusetts became the sixth state in the country federally approved to move forward with a cost-based alternative methodology when setting rates for child care financial assistance. This has allowed the state to use the cost of care when setting rates for the last three fiscal years and bring all rates closer to the true cost of providing care while addressing long-standing inequities by geographic region and age group of children served.

 

“Today’s vote marks an important step forward in Massachusetts’ commitment to strengthening our early education and care system,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “Increasing reimbursement rates shows we are investing in providers and moving forward an effort to make sure the rates reflect the true cost of care.”

 

“By continuing to move reimbursement rates closer to the true cost of care, we are strengthening provider sustainability, supporting the child care workforce, and helping to ensure families across Massachusetts have access to stable, high-quality care,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw

 

“Higher reimbursement rates mean more dedicated and consistent care for our youngest children, real relief for working families, and fairer compensation for our exceptional providers,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “The Senate has proudly worked alongside the Healey-Driscoll Administration to continue raising rates to better address the true cost of care, and our entire Commonwealth is better for it. I applaud the administration for taking yet another strong step forward today.”

 

“Today’s unanimous vote reflects the Board’s strong commitment to a stable, accessible, and high-quality early education and care system,” said Paul Belsito, Chair of the Board of Early Education and Care. “By increasing reimbursement rates and continuing to better align payments with the realities providers face, we are supporting those who serve our most vulnerable children, strengthening the child care workforce, and helping ensure families across Massachusetts can access the care they need.”

 

This combined approach is intended to support a more equitable distribution of funds across all providers participating in the CCFA program while continuing to monitor market trends to promote equal access to high-quality care for families statewide.

新英格蘭台學聯辦2講座探討台灣健保和急重症醫療現狀 請出健保署長、醫事司長做分享

波士頓經文處科技組組長蔡孟勳（右二）和台學聯會長李典璋（左一）、
波士頓大學同學會長葉宇愷送紀念品，感謝蔡振嘉醫師。（台學聯提供）

       （Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導）新英格蘭地區臺灣同學聯合會（FTSANE）和 13 所常春藤等名校同學會合作，於 2026 年 1 月底及 2 月初在哈佛醫學院舉辦了兩場「臺灣健保與急重症醫療現況」講座，邀得6名專家探討政策轉型、醫師荒危機，以及台美之間對比。

台灣健保署署長陳亮妤（下中）、醫事司司長劉越萍（下右）遠距開講。（台學聯提供）

新英格蘭台學聯會長李典璋指出，這場系列講座由波士頓經文處教育組組長黃薳玉贊助，科技組組長蔡孟勳支持，藉實體和網路的同步舉行，讓對此議題有興趣的學生、學者及業者，無論身在台灣和美國，都能夠一起聆聽健保署、醫事司主管和哈佛醫學院一線專家為臺灣醫療環境把脈的分享。

這2場講座各有300多人報名，參加者不但來自美國麻州、加州，還有台灣，日本，德國及英國。波士頓大學葉宇愷、黃景軒，布朗大學李沅臻，哥倫比亞大學陳偉德 紀岱亞等同學會會長，以及新英格蘭台灣商會會長賴怡殷都參加了講座。

第一場講座現場。（台學聯提供）

第一場講座的主題是醫療政策，由李典璋和哈佛公衛碩士班的鍾寧真醫師主持，講者有衛生福利部中央健康保險署署長陳亮妤，醫事司司長劉越萍，哈佛公共衛生學院衛生政策管理學系副教授暨布萊根婦女醫院與哈佛醫學院外科醫師蔡振嘉。

健保署署長陳亮妤從台灣人口在少子化、高齡化同步發展下，老化速度極快，預計到2039年，高齡人口就會超過30%，到2070年時，甚至會達到46.5%，智慧醫療中的視訊診療和居家服務配送，因此成為台灣政府近年來的推動重點。

蔡振嘉副教授分享美國健保優缺點。（台學聯提供）

陳亮妤還介紹了「8 年 888 計畫」的慢性病照護新政策，目標是把80% 的三高／慢性腎臟病（CKD）患者納入照護網絡，讓照護網絡中 80% 的患者接受生活型態諮詢，以及幫助80% 的三高患者達成最終控制目標。她也談到了要以大數據與資訊科技整合來強化醫療體系，加強偏鄉遠距醫療，推廣數位健保卡，推動遠距醫療與視訊門診。

波士頓經文處科技組組長蔡孟勳（右起）和台學聯會長李典璋、（左一）哈佛公衛
的葉卉榛送紀念品，感謝狀給侯全益醫師。（周菊子攝）

醫事司司長劉越萍重點談急重症醫療人力問題，直指新世代對工作與生活平衡的看法和老一輩不同，解決方案主要從3方面著手，包括藉由來自健保資料、公務統計，以及電子病歷等的資訊，來調整資源配置，強化醫療人員解決問題和善用資源的能力，以及運用資通科技降低第一線醫療人員的負擔。

講座海報之一。

蔡振嘉副教授曾於歐巴馬總統任內，擔任美國衛生及公公服務部高級顧問。他引述Hubert Humphrey 的名言，「政府的道德考驗，在於它如何對待生命起點的孩子、生命終點的老人，以及活在生命陰影中的人——病患、弱勢者與身心障礙者」。他以美國醫療改革長年以來的關鍵盲點為例，提醒台灣，美國醫療支出已超過4兆美元，占GDP18%，但人均壽命卻落後於許多其他國家，部分原因在於15到49歲的年輕及中壯年族群，因自殺、濫用藥物、交通事故而死亡率偏高，彰顯醫療無法解決社會結構與公共衛生問題。

講座海報之二。

蔡振嘉闡述了美國醫療健保中的5大迷思，包括美國長期低估了社會政策與公共衛生投資的重要性，錯誤以為慢性病是導致美國人過早死亡的主因，「聯邦醫療保險優勢計畫（Medicare Advantage）」本想借私營企業提供服務來提高效率，結果卻讓聯邦醫療保險多支出約270億美元，美國使用的醫療服務量其實低於大多數的經濟發達國家，但費用卻昂貴得多，外科手術常是歐洲的2倍，增加了基層醫師，卻並未減少專科醫師的使用，以為推動價值導向醫療可以節省支出，結果行政成本與獎勵的支出，卻讓聯邦醫療保險損失54億美元。蔡振嘉指出醫療改革該針對最根本的影響健康因素。

第二場講座的主題是急重症醫師觀點，由李典璋和哈佛公衛碩士班葉卉榛醫師主持，講者有臺北市立聯合陽明醫院胸腔內科蘇一峰醫師，衛生福利部雙和醫院(委託臺北醫學大學興建經營)心臟外科部主任李紹榕醫師，以及哈佛醫學院/布萊根婦女醫院急診部助理教授暨北美洲臺灣人醫師協會會長侯全益醫師。

蘇一峰醫師認為，台灣正在經歷一場「看不到盡頭的醫療、尤其是重症醫療崩壞」，急診擁塞成常態，住院一等就是一週。部分醫院甚至張貼公告，明言病床與推床不足，提醒民眾需有久候的心理準備。他指出，關鍵在於醫院找不到足夠的護理師，以至於實際可用床位減少了。另外年輕醫師紛紛選擇小科目，醫美業，住院醫師過去每年可招收上百名，如今僅約20餘人，護理師大多數月薪僅3至4萬元，缺額高達2萬人。這種制度造成的結構性問題，後果將由全民承擔。

李紹榕醫師直指台灣健保及醫療正走向不可逆的失衡。以7.3%  GDP撐起，在各項國際評比中都名列前茅，低成本，高表現的醫療體系，背後有三大矛盾，第一，健保究竟是社會保險，還是社會福利，定位始終模糊；第二，就醫便利與實際付費嚴重不成比例；第三，在全球醫療費用持續上漲的趨勢下，臺灣卻試圖用「低給付」撐起整個體系。人力短缺是全球醫療的共同困境，未來的解方，可能不在制度內，而在制度外。

遠距醫療、AI 自動生成病歷、機器人輔助照護、穿戴式裝置蒐集日常健康數據，將逐步重塑醫療流程。這個新的醫療生態，勢必與電子產業深度結合，並由民眾自費支撐「預防導向」的照護模式。

侯全益醫師系統性分享美國大型醫療體系的急診運作經驗，並從人力結構、教育訓練、醫療經濟與職涯發展等層面，對臺灣急診醫學未來提出重要觀察與反思。侯醫師強調，急診住院醫師與護理人員是醫療體系的核心，必須獲得合理補償。侯全益醫師強調，他無法直接替臺灣開藥方，但從美國經驗可見，醫療人力短缺是全球性問題。透過合理補償、清楚分工、培育多層次醫療人員，以及重視導師制度與職涯彈性，或許能為臺灣急診醫學帶來新的想像空間。

WeStar波士頓新年交響歌舞晚會 台上台下融為一體

波士頓新年交響歌舞晚會演出人員謝幕。（WeStar提供）

            （Boston Orange）華悅音樂（WeStar Music）與波士頓國際交響樂團（BISO)合作，1 月 24 日在勒星頓鎮 Cary 廳舉辦「波士頓新年交響歌舞晚會」，別開生面的同場呈現古典交響樂、歌劇、器樂獨奏及現代流行音樂，製作人兼導演朱鴻還把舞台與觀眾席融為一體。

3名女高音合唱普契尼歌劇。（WeStar提供）

            這場晚會以關峽的「激情燃燒的歲月」主題曲《第一交響序曲》揭開序幕。指揮豪爾赫·索托（Jorge Soto）與客座指揮埃文·貝內特（Evan Bennett）為音樂家們的不同風格演出，提供了絕佳搭配。

天鵝芭蕾舞。（WeStar提供）

            聲樂部分，有廉艷演唱《春天的芭蕾》，晏美嬌演繹《瑪依拉變奏曲》；艾琳·默瑟魯奧·納爾遜（Erin Merceruio Nelson）、廉艷與奧爾加·利索夫斯卡（Olga Lisovska）等3名女高音合作普契尼歌劇《波西米亞人》中穆塞塔的詠嘆調，以及奧爾加·利索夫斯卡演唱意大利街頭歌曲，以及索菲亚·什基琴科（Sofia Shkidchenko）、比特丽斯·科尔（Beatrice Cole）、艾比·伯纳德（Abby Bernard）和丹妮克·波尔科夫尼科夫（Danique Polkovnikov）等四人合唱流行歌曲《天幕墜落（Skyfall）》。

觀眾紛紛起舞。（WeStar提供）

舞蹈與器樂跨界表演方面，芭蕾舞者珍娜·米格里奧雷利在大提琴手艾倫·托達-安巴拉斯、鋼琴家張海琪演奏配合下表演了聖桑《天鵝》舞。小提琴家黃開誠演奏名曲《梁祝》，波士頓國際音樂大賽10至14歲組金獎得主沈思璇，彈奏了李斯特的鋼琴曲《輕盈》。

          波士頓國際交響樂團演奏了尼古拉·李森科的華爾茲舞曲《告別》，波士頓國際作曲大賽獲獎者趙芊蕁的弦樂作品《啟航日》，以及劉熾的作品《我的祖國》。

舞蹈環節則由哈佛大學交誼舞團演出探戈《La Cumparsita》。

晚會最後邀現場賓客參與共舞《皇帝圓舞曲》，埃文·貝內特指揮《春之聲圓舞曲》，豪爾赫·索托帶領全場觀眾配合《拉德茨基進行曲》的節奏鼓掌中畫下句點。

FIFA世界盃足球賽波士頓將承辦七場 波士頓市府廣場將成“粉絲嘉年華”場地

波士頓主辦城市委員會（Boston 26）執行長Mike Loynd (中）
宣佈將以波士頓市政府廣場為“粉絲嘉年華”場地。（波士頓市府圖片）

          （Boston Orange周菊子綜合報導）世界盃足球賽(FIFA)的波士頓主辦城市委員會（Boston 26）今（10）日和麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）、波士頓市長吳弭（Michelle Wu）聯袂宣佈，波士頓市政府廣場將成為官方指定的2026世界盃足球賽粉絲嘉年華（FIFA Fan Festival™）場地。

州市政要為FIFA2026來波士頓打氣。（波士頓市府圖片）

承辦世界杯足球賽在麻州舉辦7場賽事的活動，估計可謂麻州帶來200萬名遊客，創造10億美元經濟效益，並創造9000個工作機會，但波士頓主辦城市委員會目前面對籌辦活動經費有1000萬美元缺口，Foxborough鎮要求先支付700到800萬元維護安全及醫護準備費用，否則扣押娛樂許可證照的挑戰。

不過波士頓主辦城市委員會（Boston 26）執行長Mike Loynd仍強調，“2026世界盃足球賽粉絲嘉年華”將在主要比賽進行的16天內，以「免費入場」為目標，邀請民眾參與這四年一度的盛事。

麻州州長Maura Healey(左）和波士頓市長吳弭（Michelle Wu)攜手宣傳FIFA Boston。
（波士頓市府圖片）

世界杯足球賽的2026年大賽，規模之大將為歷年之最，預定於6月11日至7月19日，在美國、加拿大、墨西哥這3個國家的16個城市，舉辦長達39天的共104場比賽。參賽隊伍已從32隊增加到了48隊。

麻州將在6 月 13 日至 7 月 9 日之間，假Foxborough鎮的吉列體育場（Gillette Stadium）承辦其中7場比賽。根據FIFA規定，在這期間，吉列體育場將改名為波士頓體育場（Boston Stadium）。

麻州眾議會財政委員會主席麥家威（Aaron Michlewitz)(中）承認辦世界盃賽
需要花錢，承諾將努力爭取資金。（波士頓市府圖片）

目前已排定的賽程包括分組賽： 6月13日（海地對蘇格蘭）、6月16日（挪威對附加賽勝者）、6月19日（蘇格蘭對摩洛哥）、6月23日（英格蘭對迦納）、6月26日（挪威對法國），淘汰賽： 6月29日舉行 32 強賽，以及 7月9日 舉行的重頭戲——半準決賽（Quarter-final）。

在比賽期間無法親自到比賽場地的球迷們，將可聚集在波士頓市政府廣場這官方指定的“FIFA粉絲嘉年華“場地，免費觀賽，享受波士頓主辦城市委員會與協辦單位提供的各種娛樂。

波士頓市長吳弭在宣佈活動中表示，波士頓市政府廣場幾年前才翻修，正好迎接這盛大活動，把來自全世界的眼光帶到波士頓。為因應龐大人潮，MBTA 屆時將提供直達Foxborough鎮的專屬火車接駁服務。

波士頓主辦城市委員會（Boston 26）執行長Mike Loynd表示，該會目標是讓波士頓市政府廣場內舉辦的所有活動，都讓民眾免費參加，估計主要活動將集中在16天左右。他還坦承，目前面對1000萬美元的資金缺口，粉絲嘉年華的現場設施，可能得因應資金狀況修訂。

Mike Loynd這麼說，是因為Foxborough鎮要求波士頓主辦城市委員會先支付大約800萬元的現場保安及醫護準備費用，否則將扣發舉辦比賽所需的娛樂許可證。但麻州政府本來承諾要撥給2000萬元籌辦比賽補助，卻被州議會大刀一揮，只剩下1000萬元，於是出現了1000萬元缺口。

麻州州長奚莉在會中表示，這七場大比賽，估計可謂麻州帶來200萬名遊客，創造10億美元經濟效應，相信州市政府及相關單位最終將克服困難，達成協議，順利舉辦比賽。

Governor Healey Appoints Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr. as Secretary of Education

Governor Healey Appoints Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr. as Secretary of Education 

Patrick Tutwiler is stepping down as Secretary to lead Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey announced that she is appointing Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr. as Secretary of Education. Dr. Zrike is currently the Superintendent at Salem Public Schools and previously led the Holyoke and Wakefield Public Schools. Current Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler will be stepping down from his position on Friday, February 13 to assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs. 

“Dr. Zrike has a proven track record of improving learning for thousands of students across our state and the country. From his time as a fifth-grade teacher, to principal and onto Superintendent, he has changed lives and inspired those he works with. We congratulate him on this new role and can’t wait to work together to make sure every student has a high-quality education from early childhood through college and career,” said Governor Healey. “I’m grateful for Secretary Tutwiler’s leadership as Secretary of Education and his lifetime of service to the students of Massachusetts. Together, we created nation-leading graduation standards, enrolled thousands more students in early college, added thousands of child care seats, expanded early literacy tutoring and made historic increases to college financial aid. But what I’ll remember most about Secretary Tutwiler is his unfailing positivity and the absolute joy on the faces of students across the state any time he walks into the room. We wish him the very best in his next steps.” 

“I am pleased to welcome Stephen as our next Secretary of Education. As a former Mayor of Salem, I know firsthand what a strong partner he is for our students, teachers and parents, and I am confident his leadership will strengthen education across our state and build on the great work from the last three years under Secretary Tutwiler’s leadership,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “It’s been a pleasure to work with Secretary Tutwiler, and I am beyond grateful for his commitment to the students across Massachusetts. He will be missed, but I wish him the very best in his next steps, and I know he will continue to positively shape the futures of the students of Massachusetts for years to come.” 

“As I prepare to step into a new role with an organization dedicated to serving children with complex needs, my heart is full. This moment brings both excitement for what’s ahead and profound gratitude for the years I was honored to serve side by side with students, educators, families and communities to strengthen the educational landscape of the Commonwealth. I want to thank Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for the privilege of serving as Secretary of Education. I will miss this work and this partnership more than I can express, but I also feel immense hope knowing that I’m leaving it in such capable, committed, and compassionate hands,” said Secretary Tutwiler. “Together, we will all continue fighting for the freedom of students to learn, to grow, to imagine, and to belong.” 

“I’m deeply grateful to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for the opportunity to serve as Secretary of Education,” said Dr. Zrike. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside students, parents and educators across the state to ensure every student has the support and opportunities they need to succeed. I will miss working with Salem’s students, educators, and families; the lessons they have taught me over the past six years will be central to how I lead as Secretary.” 

Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw will serve as Interim Secretary until Dr. Zrike assumes his position in March. 

Since 2020, Dr. Zrike has served as Superintendent of Schools for Salem Public Schools, where he led academic recovery efforts, strengthened educator support, expanded student-centered programming, and deepened partnerships with families and the broader community. He oversaw significant gains in MCAS achievement, expanded full-day pre-kindergarten, reduced chronic absenteeism to below pre-pandemic levels, and strengthened dual language and early college programming. 

Dr. Zrike previously worked at the Holyoke Public Schools as Receiver/Superintendent, where he led the turnaround of 11 chronically underperforming schools, improved academic outcomes, increased the graduation rate, and reduced chronic absenteeism. He also served as Superintendent of Schools in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Chief of Elementary Schools for the Pilsen-Little Village Network in the Chicago Public Schools and Principal of both the William Ohrenberger Elementary School and John Philbrick Elementary School in Boston. He began his career as a fifth-grade teacher in Massachusetts’ Andover Public School District. 

Dr. Zrike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Dartmouth College and a master's degree and a doctorate in education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is Cuban-American and speaks Spanish. He lives in Andover with his wife, who is an elementary school special education teacher in the Andover Public Schools, and his children who attend public schools. 

The Executive Office of Education oversees and coordinates the work of the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (K-12), the Department of Higher Education and the state’s 29 public colleges and universities to align programs, policies and resources across the entire public education system. 

Under the leadership of Governor Healey and Secretary Tutwiler, Massachusetts has continued to rank number one in the nation in education. The state’s child care system has stabilized and expanded, adding over 20,000 seats, increasing educator wages by 20 percent and helping more families than ever pay for care. The administration secured over $83 million in state and federal dollars to support early literacy instruction and tutoring to help children learn how to read and read well. Universal free school meals are now permanent, and Massachusetts is reimagining high school, with more than 80,000 students engaged in Early College and Career Pathways programs and is on the path to setting nation-leading expectations for every school and prepare all students for success after high school graduation. The number of students attending Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities has returned to pre-pandemic levels following historic investments in state financial aid and making community college cost-free. 

Patrick Tutwiler is leaving the administration to become President & Chief Executive Officer of Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs in Needham, Massachusetts. Walker is a nonprofit dedicated to serving children and youth with complex emotional, behavioral, and learning needs, and the families who support them. The organization provides evidence-informed therapeutic residential and education programs; outpatient, in-home, and community-based services; and professional consultation and training across the Commonwealth. 

麻州高等教育大變革 全美首創3年制學士學位或今秋上路

（Boston Orange編譯）麻州高等教育委員會（BHE）秉持創新，可負擔原則，2026 年 2 月 10 日 正式通過法規，首度允許州內公私立大專院校申請辦理「三年制學士學位」試點計畫。將採「一校一審」模式，最快今秋可上路。

麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）表示，麻州一向標榜創新，在教育制度上也應抱持協助學生以更可負擔方式，儘早走上人生成功之路的理念，推陳出新的擬定策略，為麻州因應勞動力市場變革，更快養成具有競爭力的人才。

根據新法規，凡是已連續營運6年，期間無任何受到懲處紀錄或財務調查，能提交具備不犧牲原有品質，維持辦校足夠資源的證明，且在招生簡章中標註3年制學位的風險與限制者，才有資格申請辦理試點計劃。若試辦期滿成效不彰，委員會將要求校方逐步停辦。

麻州這新做法，將打破長久以來，學生必須修滿120個學分，耗時4年，才能取得學士學位的傳統。學生們將可因此既少負擔一年學費，又提早一年進入就業市場。

麻州高等教育委員會（BHE）為慎重起見，將採取「一校一審」模式，凡是有意頒授3年制學士學位的學校，必須提交詳盡的試點計劃，證明課程總學分低於120，是透過整合重複性課程、認證實務工作經驗或將實習學分化等創新手段，在不犧牲專業品質的前提下達成了減時目標。

一般估計，護理、工程與建築等專業受到全國性行業協會的執照認證限制，學分調降難度較高；因此，第一批獲准的試點計畫預計將集中在商科、大眾傳播與通識教育等領域。

有些早已籌謀辦理3年至學士學位的公私立大學，估計會在2026 年春夏季 陸續提交提案，麻州最快可在 2026 年秋季學期 迎來全美首批入讀三年制學士學位的新生。

Massachusetts Opens the Door to Three-Year Degrees and Other Innovative Approaches to Higher Education
Board of Higher Education approves a new regulation that creates a pathway for innovative pilot proposals, including three-year degrees to lower costs

BOSTON – New regulations approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) today open the door to innovative approaches to make it more affordable for students to attend college and help them graduate and join the workforce faster. The approved regulation allows the state’s public and private colleges and universities to propose pilot programs that increase the effectiveness of higher education, but may require the Board to waive one or more of its other regulations on degree-granting authority. This includes the option to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees, in line with what other states across the country are doing.

“Massachusetts is the innovation state – and we want to apply that to our higher education system to make it more affordable for students to pursue college and help them succeed through graduation and beyond,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re creating a pathway for colleges to allow some students to graduate in three years, which will help make us more competitive with other states, lower costs, and support students and our workforce.”
 
“In Massachusetts, we have industries that need talent and students eager to grow their education and careers,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “I’m grateful to the Board of Higher Education for inviting campuses to innovate in a way that will benefit students, faculty, employers and our economy.”
 
The Board’s existing regulations require that bachelor’s degrees in Massachusetts include at least 120 credits, amounting to the traditional four-year degree. Approval of the Innovation Regulation does not mean automatic approval of bachelor’s degrees below 120 credits. Rather, the Board vote creates a pathway for institutions to propose sub-120 degree pilot programs, among other innovative approaches, by submitting an application that is subject to Board review, approval, and -- upon the completion of the pilot -- evaluation to assess whether the pilot met its intended goals.
 
“The ‘traditional college student’ is a thing of the past, and as a state, we must be open to exploring innovative approaches to college degrees that work for the lives of students,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “This Innovation Regulation shows us how consumer protection and innovation can co-exist, and I’m excited to see what types of proposals the Board receives.”
 
Degree-granting pilot programs proposed under the Innovation Regulation must be responsive to significant changes in society, demographics, technology, educational research, or expectations regarding post-secondary education. 
 
“These regulations invite ideas on how to increase the effectiveness of higher education,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “We’re inviting campuses to innovate in order to meet the needs of students and the Commonwealth, and we’re doing it in a way that maintains the Board’s careful review of program proposals and upholds consumer protections.”
 
"The Board of Higher Education prioritizes smart, responsible innovation to accelerate needed change in higher education,” said BHE Chair Chris Gabrieli. “In a state that leads the nation and even world in higher education, I am proud that we are offering a balanced approach that focuses on pilots which will allow us all to work with pioneering colleges and confirm whether creative new approaches provide students with real advantages."
  
Innovation is one of the BHE’s four strategic priorities in service to its Equity Goal. The other strategic priorities are Student Success and Financial Aid, Economic Mobility, and Public Good. The BHE began discussing sub-120 credit bachelor’s degrees at its December 2024 meeting, and in 2025, the Board held discussions on how to allow for responsible exploration, which formed the foundation of the approved regulation. The Department of Higher Education (DHE) engaged with stakeholders to finalize the draft regulation, and on October 28, 2025, the BHE voted to open a public comment period.
 
Institutions proposing degree-granting pilot programs under the Innovation Regulation will be evaluated on two main criteria:  the pilot’s innovation and consumer protection. Depending on the proposal, institutions may need to demonstrate how the new offering will grow the effectiveness of higher education, how it responds needs such as labor market or student demand, that the institution has sufficient resources to deliver the program, and that the risks of advancing the pilot are outweighed by the proposed benefits. The regulation includes several, detailed consumer protection provisions, including that the institution must demonstrate that it has sufficient resources to initiate and sustain the initiative, that the program proposed meets quality standards related to admissions and degree requirements, and that the pilot will be marketed clearly and transparently, among other requirements.

Institutions submitting pilot proposals under the Innovation Regulation must also meet minimum criteria that include being accredited without sanction for a minimum of six years; having operated in good standing, with a continuous physical presence in Massachusetts for six consecutive years; and not having any open investigations or corrective actions, including investigations related to the sufficiency of financial resources.
 
Based on an evaluation of a pilot program approved under the Innovation Regulation, the BHE will either grant full approval, extend conditional approval, consider future regulatory or policy changes to codify and scale the pilot, or work with the institution to phase out the pilot if unsuccessful.