Press Release: 8/15/2025
Back to School with MERC: Strengthening School Committees Across Massachusetts
In just a couple weeks school bells across MA will be ringing, teachers will be welcoming their new classes, and parents will be putting their precious children on the school bus, ready to start the new school year. For school committee members, it’s back-to-school time too. Across MA, a new year of agenda-setting, policy-shaping and decision-making has already begun in school committee meetings (or it will very soon). If you are one of the hardworking MA residents who has the privilege – and the challenge – of serving in this important role, we have good news for you.
This year you can go back to school with a new tool in your toolbelt: the Massachusetts Education Resource Center (MERC)! MERC is a newly-launched project of the Massachusetts Family Institute, designed to support and encourage MA school committee members (though educators and parents can join too!). If you serve on your local school committee, MERC is here to provide you with trusted guidance, practical tools, training opportunities, and model policies so you can lead with confidence and keep classrooms focused on academic excellence.
Why join the MERC network?
- Self-Guided Learning
- MERC’s curated books, articles, and media resources allow you to explore important topics – such as governance, curriculum oversight, and community engagement – on your own schedule.
- Model Policies Ready for Implementation
- From religious accommodations and bias-free instruction to fairness in girls’ sports and transparent selection of instructional and library materials, MERC’s model policies give school committees a strong starting point for crafting fair, effective, and legally sound policies on some of the topics that matter most to parents. NEW: MERC policies related to parental rights and opting out of certain curricula have now been updated to reflect the recent US Supreme Court decision Mahmoud v. Taylor. Download these policies today and present them at your next school committee meeting!
- Specialized Training Opportunities
- Through partnerships with the School Boards for Academic Excellence, Family Policy Alliance, Leadership Institute, Noah Webster Educational Foundation, Heritage Foundation, and National School Board Leadership Council, MERC connects you to webinars, on-demand courses, and workshops designed to enhance your leadership and governance skills.
- Legal support and expert strategy
- School committee members who join the MERC network receive priority access to free legal support and expert strategy advice on any of the issues MERC covers. And if we can’t answer your education-related question, we’ll find someone who can.
Lead with Confidence This School Year
Going back to school isn’t just for students—it’s a chance for school committee members to deepen their expertise, sharpen their decision-making, and gain the tools they need to serve their community to the best of their ability. By joining the MERC network, you’ll be equipped to meet challenges head-on, strengthen community trust, and ensure that every decision supports student learning, maintains common-sense ideals, and respecting parental rights. You’ll also receive updates when new resources, training, and networking opportunities are available.
Not on the school committee? Share MERC with your local members! And remember, you don’t have to be a school committee member to join the MERC network. Educators, candidiates, parents, and other stakeholders are welcome to join and become informed about how school committees function so that they can advocate better in their own communities.
Visit massedresource.org today and start your back-to-school journey with MERC!