UP Academy Holland’s turnaround success offers a nuanced lesson on receivership

                                                                  

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

Sponsored by The Boston Foundation The Best of CommonWealth Beacon OPINION UP Academy Holland in Dorchester is exiting state receivership after more than a decade under state oversight. (Photo courtesy of UP Academy Holland)

UP Academy Holland’s turnaround success offers a nuanced lesson on receivership   August 9, 2026 By Hillary Casson

The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education recently voted to end state receivership of UP Academy Holland and return the school’s operation to Boston Public Schools. It was a significant moment for a school that, just over a decade ago, was among the lowest performing in the state.

The vote should also prompt a broader conversation.

For the past several years, the dominant narrative surrounding state receivership in Massachusetts has been that it did not work. There is evidence to support that view. Several state takeovers produced mixed results, and the outcomes often fell short of the ambitious promises that accompanied them.

But if the goal is to improve outcomes for students attending chronically underperforming schools, the most important question is not whether receivership succeeded everywhere. It is whether it succeeded anywhere, and if so, why.

UP Academy Holland, soon to return to its original name, John P. Holland Elementary School, deserves to be part of that conversation.

When the school entered receivership, it ranked in the bottom 1 percent of public schools statewide. Today, it is one of the strongest-performing schools in Boston. It ranks second among Dorchester schools in English language arts growth and is among the top-performing Boston Public Schools in ELA and math growth overall. Third-grade students outperform district and state averages in math proficiency among comparable high-needs schools, and multilingual learners exceed district and state peers on ACCESS growth measures.

Most importantly, the school is now positioned to return to district governance while preserving the systems, culture, and instructional practices that drove its improvement.

That outcome matters.

BPS still has more than 40 schools performing in the bottom decile statewide, although the district is implementing numerous strategies to improve performance. Across Massachusetts, educators and policymakers continue to wrestle with the challenge of helping chronically underperforming schools improve. Holland demonstrates that meaningful transformation is possible. The question is why.

I have spent much of my career at Holland, first as a member of the founding leadership team, then as principal, later supporting the development of school leaders, and now as CEO of UP Education Network, the organization that partnered with BPS to manage the school during receivership.

No single curriculum, training, or intervention transformed Holland. The theory of change was more fundamental, and frankly, isn’t glamorous nor particularly innovative: create clarity about excellence, build systems aligned to that vision, and develop the capacity of leaders to improve teacher practice through sustained coaching and feedback. We were steadfast in our belief in the power of these elements, and over time, those elements did in fact reinforce one another and produced improvement that could last beyond any one leader or organization.

Looking back, three broader lessons stand out.

READ MORE

Submit an Opinion Piece We welcome informed commentary about local, state and national public policy. SUBMIT   Send a Tip Have a scoop you want to share? Click below to get in touch with the CommonWealth Beacon team. SEND A TIP

More Commentary from CommonWealth Voices

Homeownership preservation must be part of our housing strategy By Courtney Brunson Boston hosted the world. Let’s make it a habit. By Ron O'Hanley IG report ignored the critical role of over-prosecution in straining the indigent defense system By Shira Diner Data privacy bill must have real teeth By Kade Crockford Towns surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir protect the water for 2.7 million people in Eastern Mass. They’re getting financially starved in the process. By Matteo Pangallo

Job Board ⭐️ Chief Financial Officer, Metro Housing|Boston ⭐️ Managing Editor, CommonWealth Beacon Program Officer – Sustainable Homes, LISC MA Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Director of Policy and Planning, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MP) Clean Transportation Team Position (multi-levels), NESCAUM Communications & Events Assistant (Part-time), Strategies for Children Deputy Chief of Staff (Mayor’s Office) – City of Haverhill Youth Programs Associate, Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) Community Building Associate, Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) Manager of Training and Capacity Building, Mass Mentoring Partnership President, Reproductive Equity Now ADVERTISE YOUR JOB LISTING

Published by MassINC

CommonWealth Beacon, 11 Beacon Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02108, United States

Tell Congress: No AI data centers on federal land

                                                                 

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

This is a message from Win Without War and does not imply the editorial endorsement of The Intercept or any of its staff. Win Without War will collect your name and email address if you participate in the action below. AI data centers bring noise, light, air, and water pollution, and can increase energy costs by astronomical amounts. It’s why 63 percent of Americans oppose artificial intelligence data centers being built in their communities, according to a July 2026 Emerson College poll. But destructive data centers could soon be popping up on federal lands and military bases across the country if the Pentagon gets its way. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is demanding billions of dollars for data centers that will supercharge AI-powered warfare and help fuel software used to make life-or-death decisions. We need to act now. Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act would ban large data centers and associated infrastructure on land owned or managed by the U.S. government, including on military bases. Public lands should not be turned into sacrifice zones for an AI arms race. Rep. Tlaib’s bill is a necessary safeguard, and we need to push every lawmaker to go on the record: Will you protect communities from being forced to shoulder the energy, water, pollution, and infrastructure costs that data centers bring? Or will you join with Big Tech to accelerate AI-powered warfare? Send a message to your representative and senators demanding that they pass the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act. >> START WRITING →

This message from our membership team is an opportunity to take action, not a work of original journalism. The Intercept’s staff reporters are not responsible for its content.

The Intercept is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

The Intercept’s mailing address is:
P.O. Box 9201
New York, NY 10008-9201

The Intercept is an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Our in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on surveillance, war, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media and more.. Protecting freedom of the press has never been more important. Contribute now to support our independent journalism.

this story shows ICE's true cruelty

                                                                

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

✍️ Petition: Media Must Put Human Faces on the Deportation Crisis Add Your Name In the early hours of an April morning, Nixon Giovanni Pérez Paz was driving his brother to their roofing jobs when ICE agents exited an unmarked vehicle, swarmed them, placed them in handcuffs and shackles, and told them they were being arrested for entering the country illegally — with no warrant. Nixon was deported to Guatemala. His wife, Glendy Marisol González de la Cruz — who had an active asylum case — self-deported with their three young daughters to rejoin him. Weeks later, the couple was found bound, gagged, hands and feet tied, shot dead in a sugarcane field. Their one-year-old daughter was found alive beside her mother's body, dehydrated, having been there for hours. Three daughters are now orphans. "If immigration hadn't picked up my brother, my sister-in-law would still be alive," Nixon's brother said. "Unfortunately, immigration — the U.S. government — doesn't see that. It makes no difference to them." This story received local coverage and a vigil attended by hundreds. It received almost no national attention. That silence is a choice — and it reflects a broader failure of the mainstream media to cover deportation not as a policy abstraction, but as a cascade of human consequences with names, faces, and children left behind. We call on The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, NBC News, ABC News, and other mainstream outlets to cover Nixon and Glendy's story — and the countless untold stories like it — with the same prominence they give to White House press briefings and congressional hearings. Deportation policy is not an abstraction. It is a government action with life-and-death consequences. The public deserves reporting that makes that undeniable. Sign the Petition Now! Until next time, Harry from The Hound P.S. Do you know someone who would appreciate The Hound? If you can, forward this email and encourage them to subscribe! Let’s stay informed, together.

Part of the Civic Shout activist network © 2026 The Hound 16192 Coastal Highway Lewes, DE 19958, United States

                                                               

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

Katie Phang on Judge's MAJOR Epstein Files Order in Her Case!!

Hear it straight from the source

Ben Meiselas, Katie Phang, and MeidasTouch Network Aug 8

MeidasTouch reporter Katie Phang says her lawsuit against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the release of the Epstein files has reached a critical turning point after U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered both sides to appear in court next week over the Trump DOJ’ failure to comply with previous court orders.

Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Speaking with MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas, Phang said Judge Sullivan’s latest order signals growing frustration with the DOJ after it failed to provide documentation supporting key redactions in the Epstein records. The judge specifically questioned why the department has withheld handwritten FBI interview notes related to allegations against Donald Trump and ordered the DOJ to explain why those records cannot be produced with narrower redactions.

Phang also highlighted one of the most significant developments in the case: Judge Sullivan’s insistence that the DOJ produce a detailed redaction log. The log would provide a roadmap showing exactly what information the government is withholding and under what legal authority, allowing each redaction to be challenged individually instead of relying on what she called the DOJ’s “trust me bro” approach that nobody, especially the judge, is buying.

During the interview, Meiselas and Phang explained how the department has invented exceptions not found in the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Phang also sounded the alarm about the DOJ’s handling of individuals claiming victim status. Essentially, the DOJ argues it can label anyone a victim to justify redacting their name, without having to present any proof.

The discussion also focused on procedural issues in the litigation. Blanche missed the deadline to respond to her underlying complaint and later acknowledged the missed filing, asking the court to retroactively extend the deadline based on what the DOJ characterized as “excusable neglect.” The repeated delays reflect a broader strategy to slow production of the Epstein records and the DOJ’s conduct is already bothering the court.

Judge Sullivan has scheduled a status hearing for August 13, where the parties will address the DOJ’s compliance with prior orders, its justification for redactions, and the timing for producing the required redaction log. Phang said the hearing could prove to be a pivotal moment in determining whether the public gains greater access to the Epstein files.

Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

A guest post by Katie Phang Truth-Teller | Independent Journalist and Legal Analyst | Trial Lawyer | Fighting for OUR Democracy | "Law and Disorder" Substack | "Though She Be But Little, She Is Fierce"

We need you to see this press release from AIPAC

                                                              

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

 

SHARED FOR INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE WELL-FUNDED 

ANTI-DEMOCRACY AIPAC AND THEIR DISINFORMATION TACTICS! 

AIPAC = ANTI-DEMOCRACY AND THEY'RE DESPERATE TO DEFEAT FREE 

SPEECH AND THE GROWING LOSS OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AMONG 

AMERICANS....AMERICANS ARE INCREASINGLY OPPPOSED TO ISRAEL'S 

GENOCIDE, ATROCITIES AND CONTINUED KILLINGS OF INNOCENT 

CIVILIANS! 

ISRAEL HAS ARMED ILLEGAL SETTLERS IN THE WEST BANK AND THEY 

ARE PROVOKING ATTACKS, EVEN THREATENED A U.S. CONGRESSMAN!

IN A RECENT HOUSE VOTE, 100 MEMBERS OPPOSED SENDING MORE 

U.S. WEAPONS TO ISRAEL! 

We need you to see this press release from AIPAC:

After AIPAC and corporate interests spent $70 million trying to stop Abdul in the primary — and losing — AIPAC is now signaling it will spend big to try and elect Mike Rogers, our GOP opponent.

Before we say anything else, please chip in $5 to help us fight back. We overcame AIPAC’s primary spending and won by a mere 1% of the vote thanks to grassroots contributions, and if we’re going to beat them again, we’ll need every bit of support.

Donate $5 ››

This isn't new for us.

Abdul has never shied away from saying that our tax dollars should be invested in improving life here at home rather than spent on bombs and endless war overseas. That's why AIPAC spent so much trying to stop our campaign.

But now, more is coming, and the stakes are even higher.

AIPAC has the money to start advertising for Mike Rogers immediately. We don't have a war chest like that.

What we have is a people-powered movement made up of folks like you — and your support is the only way we fight back against spending like this.

Can you chip in $5 or any amount right now so that AIPAC's money doesn't get the last word in this race?

If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly:

Thank you,

Team Abdul 

---

Donate ››

Volunteer ››

. To contribute via check, please address it to Abdul for U.S. Senate, PO Box 126, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.

• 
  

Email us: info@abdulformichigan.com

Paid for by Abdul for U.S. Senate.