Opening the Gates of Opportunity: Realizing the Potential of Gateway Cities
Friday, April 18, 2014 from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Harvard Graduate School of Design, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MassachusettsAgenda available on-line
Gateway Cities are midsize urban centers in Massachusetts facing stubborn social and economic challenges, but with many assets that have unrealized potential. This event will bring together community leaders, public officials, policymakers, faculty and students to exchange ideas and information about workable solutions for cities and local economies. The agenda will feature speakers who represent a cross-section of new ideas for revitalizing our cities and neighborhoods. Out of these discussions we hope to capture innovative, cross-sector, collaborative ideas and models that will feed into the work that is being done by students and faculty in urban planning.
Ending the Zero-Sum Game: Regionalizing Economic Development
Monday, April 28, 2014 at 8:00 a.m.
Omni Parker House, 60 School Street, Boston, MassachusettsJoe Curtatone, Mayor of Somerville
John Barros, Chief, City of Boston Economic Development Cabinet
The economy of Greater Boston has tremendous strengths and attracts businesses from around the world. Yet there is very little coordination of resources and activities around economic development among the municipalities that make up Greater Boston. In fact, many times they compete against each other for relocating firms. What would regional economic development look like and what structure would make it viable and durable?
Co-sponsored by Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, The Taubman Center for State and Local Government, and the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston.
Technology's Promise: Can It Create Social Mobility?
Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 8:00 a.m.
Location TBDMayor Martin Walsh, Keynote Address
The Rappaport Institute’s spring conference will bring together political, industry, and academic leaders to explore the potential for greater Boston’s technology leadership to address social inequality and improve social mobility. It will explore technology’s promise in the spheres of school, life, and work.
Has CitiStat Worked in Greater Boston
Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 8:30 a.m.
UMass Campus Ballroom, UMass Boston, Boston, MassachusettsBuilding on a 2003 Rappaport Institute policy brief that asked the above question, this forum will examine how Citistat has been implemented in both small and large communities in Greater Boston. The discussion will seek to draw lessons from the experience of different communities and provide a framework for deepening and broadening the use of performance management in municipalities.
Co-sponsored by Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, The Taubman Center for State and Local Government, and the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston.
Learning From Lawrence: Strategies for Turnaround Schools
Tuesday,June 10, 2014 at 5:30 p.m.
Bell Hall, 5th floor Belfer Buiding, at the Corner of JFK and Eliot Streets, Cambridge, MassachusettsJosh Goodman, Harvard Kennedy School
Beth Scheuler, Harvard Graduate School of Education
In 2011, Massachusetts took over the Lawrence Public Schools. The state instituted a variety of reforms, including Acceleration Academies, reassignment of teachers, and new district leadership. As the state examines the possibility of school and district turnarounds, what lessons can be learned from the Lawrence experience. Have the reforms worked? Which reforms appear to be more effective?
Co-sponsored by Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, The Taubman Center for State and Local Government, and the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston.
A full listing of spring events can be found on our website at www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/rappaport/events-and-news/upcoming-boston-101-and-other-events