Originally Posted by EmeraldCity
Does anyone have any insights - other than higher socio-economic level - on the reason for MA's high performance?

Note that US student's belief in abilities was higher than OECD avg., while anxiety was lower despite performance.

http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results.htm
Some have credited the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993:

http://educationnext.org/accountability-overboard/
Accountability Overboard: Massachusetts poised to toss out the nation's most successful reforms
By Charles D. Chieppo and James T. Gass
Education Next
Spring 2009