Leaders join forces to improve education

MALDEN -- For the first time, state leaders covering the full spectrum of public education met yesterday to talk about jointly identifying and addressing a broad range of issues that affect students from preschool to college.

Members of the Massachusetts Advisory Committee on Education Policy say they hope the meeting will begin a historic cooperation between the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Education, and the Board of Higher Education. The committee is made up of high-level officials from the three state agencies.

``Education policy now crosses every sector of education," said Stephen P. Tocco, the chairman of the Board of Higher Education. ``We really have to talk collectively."

For example, the committee could work together to make sure the state's high school graduation requirements keep students out of remedial college courses or create programs to teach younger students how to get financial aid.

Tocco said the committee would focus on college admission standards, the quality and quantity of state teachers, and the dua lenrollment program that allows high school students to take college courses.

James A. Peyser, chairman of the Board of Education, said similar groups met before, but usually to deal with a specific issue, such as how teachers are certified.

``Having an ongoing and existing forum in which to bring not just these specific tactical issues, but the broader strategic questions is pretty important," he said.

A National Governors Association grant Massachusetts received in 2005 spurred the initiative. As part of the grant, which gives the state about $1 million annually for the next two years, Massachusetts is creating a database that will allow educators to track public high school students who go on to public colleges in the state. Eventually, researchers could use the data to identify trends, such as the relationship between standardized test scores or high school grade-point averages and collegeretention rates.