of the legislation submitted written
testimony urging that the bills be voted
out of committee.
Luc Schuster, deputy director of
the nonpartisan Massachusetts Budget
and Policy Center, displayed slides
showing that costs in some areas,
such as special education and health
insurance, have grown far faster than
had been estimated when the funding
formula was initiated. While wealthier
districts have been able to shift or
add to Chapter 70 funding, lower-income districts have often not had the
resources to do so. This, Schuster said,
ultimately leads to huge disparities
between non-wealthy districts and
wealthier ones.
Schuster said that while the
state initially “made an important
commitment” to the Foundation
Budget, inflation, lower tax revenues
and other factors over the last 20 years
have eroded that commitment.
David Verdolino, assistant
superintendent for operations in
Medway and a member of the
Massachusetts Association of School
Business Officials, said technology,
energy and health insurance costs have
risen far faster than the average rate of
inflation. He called the current formula
“outdated and illogical” and reiterated
that financially struggling cities
and towns are “spending at exactly
foundation levels,” while wealthier
districts routinely spend 115 percent
to 120 percent above their foundation
budgets.
Titus DosRemedios, director of
research and policy for Strategies
for Children, testified that the review
commission is vitally needed to deal
with the state’s persistent achievement
gap.
“We will not close this gap until
we target more resources to early
learning,” he said.
“We all want the same thing
for the Commonwealth that we do
for our own children — a bright
and prosperous future,” he said. But
he cited results of Massachusetts
Comprehensive Assessment System
tests that showed that 43 percent of
Massachusetts third-graders scored
below “proficient” in reading this year.
He said that 68 percent of third-graders
in Boston, 73 percent in Brockton
and 87 percent in Holyoke don’t meet
standards for reading.
Schuster cited gains in
neuroscience research that point
to the need for more emphasis on
early childhood education. Despite
these gains, he said, the Chapter
70 Foundation Budget “is virtually
silent on how to fund and adequately
address learning from preschool
through grade three.”
“We need to go where research
tells us has the most impact — high-quality early education,” he said.
Neil Clarke, a Legislative and
Political Action Team Senate district
coordinator for the MTA and a retired
teacher from Lee, reminded the
committee how quickly the pace of
change has accelerated since education
reform put the funding formula into
effect. Today’s “top 10 in-demand jobs
didn’t exist in 2004,” Clarke said. “If
Facebook were a country, it would
be the third largest, behind China and
India,” he added.
Clarke said it took “38 years for
radio to reach 350 million people, 13
years for television, and four for the
Web.” And yet the Foundation Budget
formula remains the same.
“We need to be resilient — not
resistant to change,” he said, noting
that Charles Darwin proved it’s
“not the strongest of the species that
survive, or the most intelligent, but
those that are the most adaptable” to
change.
Clarke then posed this question:
“Isn’t it time now, after 20 years, to
revive the Foundation Budget Review
Commission and explore what changes
Updates will be posted on the
MTA website, www.massteacher.org.
David Verdolino, assistant superintendent for operations in Medway
and a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Business
Officials, called the current formula “outdated and illogical.”
Mortgage products are provided by Greenpark Mortgage, a division of Berkshire Bank: NMLS Registry Number – 506896.
Rates offered by Greenpark Mortgage, a division of Berkshire Bank. Berkshire Bank: Member FDIC. Member DIF. Equal Housing Lender.
The Only Mortgage Lender Endorsed by the Massachu tts Teachers Association
MA Lender and Broker MC#1883, Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department, RI Broker #20072173LB d Lender #20072174LL, CT Mortg ge Len
ME Supervised Lender SLM10152, VT Mortgage Lender #6090, Licensed by the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance, NMLS #2030 (9/12/
Guidelines subject to change without notice. Greenpark Mortgage is only providing this fact sheet for information
≤ = 95% LTV 110%
> = 95% LTV 115%
Condos
Condo must be on FHA approved condo list or sent to HUD for prior ap
Projects of 2 or more units are eligible
51% owner occupancy 50% presale
See FHA Condominium Eligibility Requirements for a complete list of condo
Property
Minor cosmetic issues with property do not need to be fixed unless they prop
No More VC-Sheet (Valuation Condition Sheet)
No Termite report requirement unless visible termite damage
noted
Process
Same turn times as a conventional loan
No additional approval by MI companies
> = 90% LTV 50%
Loan Am
Middlese
Single F
2-family
3-family
4-family
Keira Clemenzi
Excited Fan of Greenpark Mortgage
“The application process was quick and easy. The Greenpark loan officer was outstanding!
He went above and beyond to help me achieve my dream of purchasing a home.”
Keira Clemenzi
Keira is a math teacher at the
Howe-Manning School in Middleton.