By Michael Moore and Harriette Chandler
Our Commonwealth has long been viewed as a national leader in education. It’s true, we have impressive graduation and attainment rates, challenging curricula, and hardworking educators who are second-to-none. As Horace Mann, founder of public education and Bay State native once said, “Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.”
But there’s also a dark underbelly to our public education system — there exists a serious lack of funding and widespread inequities in the distribution of educational resources between wealthy and low-income communities. Simply put, our current investment level is falling far short of providing all of our children the education they deserve.
The cracks in our education system are becoming increasingly evident. For the first time in four years, Massachusetts has dropped to second place in a national ranking of school systems, and has also slipped to eleventh place in education funding levels.
In 1993, the Legislature approved educational reforms that, in part, implemented a set formula to calculate local education aid disbursements commonly referred to as “Chapter 70.” The formula considers a variety of factors including district enrollment and the wealth of each local community.
Twenty-six years later, however, the education landscape and our economy have changed dramatically. The stagnant Chapter 70 formula has failed to account for rising expenses facing school districts every year, just to maintain the status quo. Most of these cost drivers, including energy and health care rates, contractual obligations, and testing mandates, are beyond the control of local school districts.
We have consistently heard from local school committees, administrators, teachers, and families that we must do something about the funding formula. The time to act is now.
The Student Opportunity Act, which is set to be voted on by the State Senate this week, provides much-needed overhauls to our school financing laws. This bold legislation adjusts the local aid funding formula to more equitably provide for school districts’ costs, and to enhance resources available to public schools in Worcester, surrounding towns, and across our Commonwealth.
The bill fulfills recommendations offered by the Foundation Budget Review Commission and recognizes that the state is currently shorting our public schools by over $1 billion per year. It prioritizes resources to support low-income students and English language learners, and strengthens investments in special education and employee health benefits.
With this bill, our public schools will see an infusion of over $1.5 billion over the next seven years. It includes targeted investments in key areas from a $150 million increase in state aid for school construction and renovation costs, to additional funding for in-school programs such as guidance and psychological services. Every school district across our two Senate districts will see an increase in state funding that could range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. The Student Opportunity Act will begin to bridge education funding gaps between high-income and low-income school districts— gaps that have persisted for nearly three decades.
But the bill does more than merely increase state education aid. As our students compete in an increasingly global economy, this legislation helps school districts pursue creative approaches to educating students, and informs development of best practices in teaching, learning, and resource allocation. It also expands data collection to help ensure that the skills and talents of our students meet the Commonwealth’s future workforce needs.
We have an obligation to the students of Massachusetts to take action on implementing a more equitable approach to funding and supporting our public education system. The Student Opportunity Act invests in our future by making monumental strides to close opportunity gaps and to better prepare students for our changing world. We stand with educators and families— the time has come to renew our commitment to our children and their futures.
Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury, represents the Second Worcester District and Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester, represents the First Worcester District in the Massachusetts State Senate.