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Education in Massachusetts - A Priority

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As one of the oldest areas in the United States, Massachusetts has almost always played an important part in the formation of the country's people and culture. While much of this was its influence in politics, another large factor was Massachusetts's mandate to its people to produce and develop quality educational systems. In fact, the very first piece of legislation passed in the state, in 1647, was the Old Deluder Satan Act which required a public education system. This act
later became part of the state constitution, demonstrating the importance that was felt by the people of Massachusetts in regard to educating their citizens.

The country's oldest high school - Boston Latin School - is located in Massachusetts, as is Harvard University - the country's oldest university - and Boston Public Library - the country's oldest public library. The state also contains many of the US's most well known and high quality preparatory schools, colleges, and universities, though less than 3% of the population of the United States lives in the Commonwealth. Even in the mere space of greater Boston, there are located 62 colleges. Some of the renowned schools located in Massachusetts include the following:

• Amherst College
• Berklee College of Music
• Bentley College
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Brandeis University
• College of the Holy Cross
• Emerson College
• Harvard University
• Massachusetts College of Art
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Mount Holyoke College
• Northeastern University
• Tufts University
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Massachusetts Boston
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• University of Massachusetts Medical School
• Wellesley College
• Williams College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The state of Massachusetts was among the top schools in scores on advanced placement tests (in 2004, it was first in science and math state scores), and it also boasts one of the lowest rates in the United States of high school dropouts. It also has the second highest rate in the US of students who continue to college after their graduation from high school. It is clear that the people of Massachusetts make their educational system a high priority, and this same educational system molds their culture.

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