Education Accomplishments as Governor of Massachusetts

• Created a merit-based scholarship that provides full tuition to a state university or college to the top 25% of graduating high school students (14,000 scholarships awarded to date).
• Initiated a school building reform that has jump-started hundreds of school projects.
• Began a program to expand charter schools.
• Massachusetts 4^th and 8^th graders scored first in the nation in both math and English—the first time in history a state has achieved this accomplishment.
  

Proposed Education Reforms

• Provide special financial bonuses to math and science teachers, Advanced Placement teachers, and teachers with a proven record of results.
• Create a mentor teaching program and increase funding for teacher training.
• Equip the state to intervene faster in failing schools to provide leadership training and give principals the authority they need to turn around failing schools.
• Supply every high school and middle school student with a laptop.
• Raise state education aid to its highest level in history.
• Mandate parental preparation classes for the parents of children in failing schools.
• Require abstinence education in schools.