SAVE THE DATE
4
2015 MTA
JUST FOR NEW TEACHERS
14TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 4
Sheraton Framingham
Hotel & Conference Center
Please also consider joining us for the
ETHNIC MINORITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
(EMAC) CONFERENCE
T he commission charged with reviewing whether the state has et adequate spending levels
for K- 12 school districts is extending
its work until November. It has already
recommended immediate adjustments,
however, to calculations used to
determine expenses for employee
health care and special education.
The Foundation Budget Review
Commission issued a preliminary
report on June 30 after holding six
public hearings across the state. The
commission found that school districts
are spending far more on health
insurance and special education than
is assumed in the state’s foundation
budget formula.
The state’s calculation of a
“foundation budget” for each school
district reflects the cost of providing
students with an adequate education.
After local contributions are figured
in, the state allocates Chapter 70 funds
to districts to ensure that foundation
levels are met. The formula takes into
account several factors, among them
student need, special education and
health insurance for employees.
The formula was created under
the Education Reform Act of 1993, but
it had not had a thorough review until
the Legislature revived the Foundation
Budget Review Commission in 2014.
The commission is chaired by
Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston)
and Representative Alice Peisch
(D-Wellesley). MTA President Barbara
Madeloni serves on the 19-member
panel.
During the public hearings,
educators and municipal officials
repeatedly told the commission that
the escalating costs of health insurance
and special education consume a lot
more of local school budgets than the
foundation formula factors in.
In the case of health insurance, the
commission has recommended linking
the formula to the average rate set by
the Group Insurance Commission.
In the area of special education, the
report noted that the foundation budget
understates the number of children
receiving in-district services and that
school systems spend far more than is
allotted for out-of-district placements.
The commission will continue to
examine funding issues concerning
mental health and wraparound services
for students, English language learners,
full-day preschool, class size and
technology.
“I’m glad we are continuing to
work on a funding model that will
address the needs of all public school
students and work to ensure that every
student is receiving a high-quality
education,” Madeloni said.
“Educators have known for
years that the state funding formula
and budget assumptions were way
off,” she continued. “We now have
a chance to correct the formula, as
well as make sure that we value all
school districts equally by providing
them with the necessary funding for
arts programs, small class sizes and
enrichment opportunities.
“Of course,” Madeloni said,
“these formula changes will require
more revenue, but our work on the
amendment to fund public schools
and transportation through taxing the
highest-income earners can make these
The Foundation Budget Review
Commission issued a preliminary
report on June 30 after holding six
public hearings across the state.
“In less than a week we got
all our members to sign the testing
resolution,” Reynolds said. “The
School Committee asked for
more information. I and two other
members compiled a brief, bullet-style report, giving the main points
made at the national and local
levels. Our district serves students in
grades seven to 12. Over that time,
our students spend nearly 100 hours
either taking a test or staying at
home because their peers are taking
a standardized test. And that’s just
taking the test — not preparing for
it. We’re a district that scores well,
but those days are a loss.
“As a French teacher, I would
love to travel more with students,”
Reynolds said, “but it’s really
challenging to find time on the
calendar with such a focus on
testing.”
A sample resolution, fact
sheets on the moratorium bill and
other materials can be found at
massteacher.org/testing.
Too many days
lost to testing