How kids are faring across the country

With the local hype, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Annie E. Casey Foundation had sponsored a study just on Massachusetts, but in fact their annual KIDS COUNT report looks at all fifty states. If you get a chance, I'd recommend giving it a read, as there is solid information here beyond that Massachusetts is doing well.
Something which I suspect won't make the press, but should, is this note of caution on recent educational policy changes:

The effects of these major, costly policy  changes are not yet clear. National math  and reading scores as well as high school  graduation rates have steadily improved  for students of all races and income levels, ents preceded  the policy changes of the past decade. 

Also, this, on the gaps between students:

Given that in-school factors account for only a third or less of the variation in test scores, we must face the fact that our high child poverty rate constrains our nation’s academic achievement. 

If you're looking at what we should be tackling, there's your answer.