Fund Our Future

Educator friends asked me to moderate two forums organized in Cambridge and Lexington in the past week for the Fund Our Future campaign. Fund Our Future is a new campaign to see public education in Massachusetts, from PreK-12 and higher education, funded at appropriate levels. Attendees are asked:

• What if all public schools and districts had all of the Chapter 70 dollars they deserved? 
• How do we access those dollars? 

The growing coalition seeks equity and fairness for every student and to end the systemic underfunding in Massachusetts gateway cities, urban districts, and communities of color.

Forums are being held in communities across the Commonwealth. Each is an opportunity to understand the state of funding public education in Massachusetts and to learn about options for revenue, plus two legislative proposals that attempt to fix the problem: PROMISE and CHERISH Acts.

The coalition is asking Governor Baker and the Legislature to invest, at minimum, $1.5 billion per year for public education, and to phase it in over five years: $1 billion for K-12 (in accordance with the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, FBRC, 2015) and $500 million for higher education (in accordance with the recommendations of the Higher Education Finance Commission, HEFC, 2014).

CAMBRIDGE FORUM

Colin Jones, Senior Policy Analyst at MassBudget and Policy Center (MassBudget), focuses on early and K-12 education policy and finance. He presented *the funding problem* at both of the forums I moderated, beginning with the background and history of Chapter 70—how we got where we are today, what the funding gap looks like between some gateway cities compared to wealthier suburbs—and concluding with some of MassBudget's research on options for progressive revenue. Colin  briefly addressed the Governor's budget proposal on this matter (which phases in fewer dollars over seven years. Some other relevant links are at the end of this post).

André Greene, member of the Somerville School Committee, shared the impact of underfunding from the school and district level. He stressed the need for equitable funding for all students. With better funding there could be more and better materials in classrooms, as well as smaller classrooms. André also noted the importance of adequate capital investments, including for vocational education, and the need for increased MSBA funding to speed up school replacements and renovations in communities.

Senator Pat Jehlen of Somerville, formerly a member of the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC), noted that language in PROMISE is identical to FBRC's recommendations. She had us visualize the *three-legged stool* of education reform and how badly out of kilter things are in the 25+ years after enacting those reforms, absent critical Foundation Budget updates (which she has written about HERE). Senator Jehlen stressed urgency in providing the means for every city and town to  offer an adequate education to every child, and that we are not fulfilling our obligation to educate all students as mandated by the Massachusetts Constitution (Chapter V, Section II).

LEXINGTON FORUM
Superintendent of Lexington Public Schools, Dr. Julie Hackett, formerly of Taunton Public Schools, talked about the inequities that follow in classrooms, schools, and districts as a result of underfunding. Taunton is a gateway city with a higher number of students who are economically disadvantaged and/or are not native English speakers. Student needs are higher as a result and funding education via property taxes has real limits for the city's meeting their Net School Spending level (NSS), as opposed to Lexington which can (and does) contribute well above their NSS level. This comment of hers has stuck with me:

In Taunton, we spent most of our time figuring out how to fund our learning; in Lexington we spend our time learning.

Max Page, MTA Vice President, has been a professor of Architecture since 2001 at UMass/Amherst.  He shared the importance of improved PreK-12 funding, in addition to the legislative proposals, the PROMISE and CHERISH Acts. He explained that our PreK-12 schools lack funding necessary for students to be adequately prepared for their future and the PROMISE Act will help to change that. In higher education, he said the financial burden has shifted from the state to students; infusing the state budget with $574 million gets us to the 2001 level for higher education and that we need our legislators to fund our future with the CHERISH Act.

ABOUT PROMISE AND CHERISH ACTS
PROMISE
An Act Providing Rightful Opportunites and Meaningful Investment for Successful and Equitable Education, the PROMISE Act currently S.D.101 (and H.D.434), is a proposal offered by Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. She is also former Senate Chair of the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC, 2014-2015).

By way of brief review, FBRC's final report recommended changes to the *four pillars* of our outdated financing system (10/30/2015, Senate), specifically, in the areas of:

• Health Insurance
• Special Education
• English Language Learners
• Low Income Students

The report concluded:

"...the good work begun by the education reform act of 1993, and the educational progress made since, will be at risk so long as our school systems are fiscally strained by the ongoing failure to substantively reconsider the adequacy of the foundation budget..."

PROMISE acronym excellence notwithstanding, I note (again) the Senate has acted on FBRC each year since the report was delivered to the Legislature in October 2015. The House has not acted. (Conference Committee came close before *time ran out* last legislative session...but hey, let's be honest and recognize THAT decision was a choice by House leadership—and a poor one, too).

It's more accurate to say that time has run out for a generation's worth of students. How many children have had to *bide their time* while the Legislature has failed to adequately address Massachusetts' public education funding system? It's well past time for the Legislature to act.

CHERISH
Senator Jo Comerford has introduced An Act Committing to Higher Education Resources to Insure a Strong and Healthy Higher Education System, currently S.D.740. CHERISH builds on the previous work of the Higher Education Finance Commission (HEFC, 2013-2014), predating FBRC. HEFC report concluded:

"...the Commonwealth must reform antiquated financing systems that promote inequity and inefficiency..."

CONCLUSION
I've said before and it bears repeating: We all have a stake in the solid education of all our people, least of which are countless situations where our personal interests, safety, and well-being depend on others' competence, empathy, and compassion.

MassBudget reminds us: Anyone who has set foot in a public school, driven on a road or across a bridge, or gone to a public park has been touched by the state budget. What we fund in our state budget reflects our values. Government isn't some big blob *out there*, government is us! No essential services would be possible without the revenue to pay for it—and it's important that we consider whether the state is raising revenue adequately and fairly. If the state budget isn't funding the things we want at the levels necessary to close gaps and prepare students, why not?

Two things to understand about our revenue system: 1). It's inadequate and 2). It's unfair. Decisions made beginning twenty years ago have left us with a budget gap of about $4 billion. Every. Year.

The education funding system established in 1993 has never been updated. It's inadequate. It's structurally broken. In 2015, FBRC made the necessary recommendations which have only been acted upon by the Senate. Four years later, we may be seeing movement toward taking action in the Legislature and in the Executive Office.

Please ask yourself and others:

• What if all schools and districts had all of the Chapter 70 dollars they deserve?
• How do we pay for it?
• What are one or two insights you have?
• What's one action you're prepared to take?
• By when?
• Who will you share it with?

The biggest insight I had after reflecting on the information presented in Cambridge and Lexington is that more education on how to fund public education appropriately is necessary! This post represents then, one of my actions to spread the word to more people. Please share it.

It was pointed out at the Lexington forum: If your elected Rep/s have co-sponsored either PROMISE or CHERISH, thank them. Especially in the House, ask them to go further and advocate for the bills to House leadership, as well. It's not enough to co-sponsor these proposals. They will not move ahead without your Rep's advocacy!

Another thing you can do is to urge local elected School Committee, Select Boards/City Councils, and public college campuses in your region to pass a resolution in support. More details on that HERE.

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Image credit: Word cloud generated, Part D, "Conclusion and Next Steps", Foundation Budget Review Commission, 2015

View past issues of Senator Pat Jehlen's excellent newsletter and sign up for it HERE.

Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents: Project Equity

Fair Share Amendment: S.D.1709 and H.D.3300 proposes a legislative amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution to provide resources for education and transportation through an additional 4% surtax on incomes in excess of one million dollars.

MassBudget Resources:

• Revenue Options
• Public Education Funding Reforms
• Five Things to Look for in the FY20 Budget
• Governor's FY20 Budget Analysis
• Funding Reforms to Help All Our Children Thrive (modeling used in Colin's presentations. Model 4 used in PROMISE)

Cross-posted on PDM

Education-related Legislation Enacted in the 190th Session

In a Memorandum from Commissioner Riley to the Board, we received details about the education-related laws enacted in the last legislative session (190th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts). I'm posting them here; the Memo may be downloaded from the Department's website here: agenda item #8.
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The following laws relating to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) have been enacted during the 2017-2018 190^th Legislative Session. The laws are listed in chronological order of enactment.

LEGISLATION

An Act relative to relative to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District and the Hawlemont School District

Chapter 31 of the Acts of 2017

Effective: 06/30/17

This follow-up legislation to a 1993 law was filed to confirm the Mohawk Trail Regional School District’s budget process and their right to approve future amendments in accordance with law and the terms of their agreement after the participating towns approved a change in their regional agreement.

An Act relative to language opportunity for our kids [LOOK Act]

Chapter 138 of the Acts of 2017

Effective: 02/19/17 (90 days from enactment)

Sections 47 to 54 shall take effect on 05/01/18

The new LOOK law establishes language acquisition programming flexibility for districts and oversight requirements for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Provides districts with flexibility in choosing a language acquisition program that best fits the needs of their English Learner (EL) population, while ensuring accountability through Department oversight.

Requires districts that intend to offer new programs for ELs to submit specific information for review by the Department and the district's parent advisory council. All programs must be based on research and best practices.

Directs the Department to notify a district and provide the corrective steps that a district must take before commencing a program if the Department finds that a proposed program fails to meet the applicable requirements.

Districts that intend to offer a new sheltered English immersion or alternative instructional English learner program in the next academic year must submit the required information to the Department and the district's parent advisory council by January 1 of the current academic year, which means new EL programs may open no earlier than the 2019-2020 school year.

Increased Input from Parents and Guardians

Requires districts that serve a significant population of ELs to create EL Parent Advisory Councils, made up of parents/guardians of ELs in the district.

Requires districts to provide notification to parents/guardians of ELs regarding various topics, including their right to choose a language acquisition program among those offered by the district.

Parents/guardians of ELs may select any language acquisition program offered by the district, provided that the program is appropriate for the age and grade level of the student.

Parents/guardians may request a transfer of the student to another language acquisition program available in the district, subject to approval by the superintendent.

Educator Qualifications
Requires the Department to establish licensure endorsements for various language acquisition program types (for example, Two-Way Immersion Programs).

Requires the Department to annually provide districts with reports of all educators who have current language acquisition program endorsements.

Requires districts to verify, prior to the beginning of each school year, that each educator in an English learner program is properly endorsed for that program.

Benchmarks, Guidelines and TemplatesRequires the Department to establish: (i) benchmarks for attaining English proficiency for ELs; (ii) guidelines to support districts in identifying ELs who do not meet benchmarks; and (iii) an EL success template for use by districts to assist ELs who are not meeting English proficiency benchmarks.

Requires districts to provide a copy of these materials from the Department to parents/guardians of ELs within the timeframes specified in the law.

Requires districts to adopt procedures to identify ELs who do not meet the English proficiency benchmarks and establish various processes relating to them.

Data and Reporting
Expands EL related reporting requirements for districts to the Department.

Establishes a data commission to study the collection and dissemination of data on ELs and to make recommendations on streamlining data reporting.

State Seal of Biliteracy
Directs the Board to establish the State Seal of Biliteracy. Districts may award the seal to students who meet the state criteria in attaining a high level of proficiency in English and at least one other language.

Pre-K English Learners
Expands the student census requirement for districts to include ELs who are in Pre-Kindergarten

An Act relative to standards of employee safety

Chapter 44 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 02/01/19

Chapter 44 of the Acts of 2018 has impact on school employees in Massachusetts, particularly in the context of lab safety in science classes. In brief, Chapter 44 requires that schools comply with federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) standards of workplace safety by expanding the scope of a statute, G.L. c. 149, § 6½, that currently mandates OSHA compliance only for workplaces within the state government’s executive branch. School employees are already protected by a more general workplace safety statute, G.L. c. 149, § 6; however, § 6 is phrased in broad terms, while Chapter 44 provides a more concrete list of requirements that public sector employers must satisfy. 

Chapter 44 does not directly apply to students, although any requirements dealing with the physical work environment of teachers or other school staff would naturally affect them as well. Should they desire more direct guidance, schools will be able to request an inspection by the Department of Labor Standards (DLS).

An Act relative to criminal justice reform

Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 04/13/18; 07/12/18

The Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2018 included several sections that affect schools, districts, and students. The Act:

Establishes a childhood trauma task force to identify school-aged children who have experienced trauma, and to make recommendations on treatment services.Requires certain criteria in the process for school resource officer (SRO) selection.

Establishes standards for the memorandum of understanding between a district and public safety entities for SROs.

Removes potential classification of elementary and secondary students under age 18 as delinquent for disturbing the peace if the conduct occurs in a school building, on school grounds or during a school-related event.

An Act protecting the rights of custodial and other non-teaching employees of school districts

Chapter 160 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 10/31/18

Chapter 160 amends G.L. Chapter 71, Section 59B to require promotion and discipline of non-teaching employees to be conducted in accordance with any collective bargaining agreement.

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

Chapter 228 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 08/03/18

The 2018 Economic Development bill includes:
a $75M appropriation for a competitive grant to be administered by the Executive Office of Education for the purchase and installation of equipment and facilities upgrades to expand career technical education.

The creation of the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Innovation Fund that can be accessed to promote the development and implementation of educational programs in Massachusetts public schools.

An Act relative to students with dyslexia

Chapter 272 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 01/16/19

Chapter 272 requires that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with the Department and Early Education and Care, issue guidelines to assist districts in developing screening procedures or protocols for students who demonstrate one or more potential indicators of a neurological learning disability. The requirement is subject to appropriation.

An Act relative to the financial condition of the pioneer valley regional school district

Chapter 295 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 11/08/18

Chapter 295 allows the Pioneer Valley Regional School District (PVSD) to borrow up to $2 million with approval by the school committee and the elementary and secondary education commissioner to mitigate budget deficits. 

The bill also requires the PVSD to contract a fiscal overseer and gives the commissioner authority to approve the appointment, allows the commissioner and DOR to recommend the establishment of a finance control board for the district, and defines parameters for fiscal actions of the PVSD throughout the borrowing period.

An Act to promote and enhance civic engagement

Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: 02/06/19

On November 8, 2018, Governor Baker signed into lawChapter 296 of the Acts of 2018, An Act to promote and enhance civic engagement. 

The law is the culmination of extensive efforts by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) to ensure that Massachusetts students receive meaningful instruction and opportunities for engagement in civics education.

The Board’s Working Group on Civic Learning and Engagement, led by then Vice-Chair David Roach, presented their report to the Board on June 23, 2015. One of the recommendations was to “initiate the process to revise the 2003 History and Social Science Curriculum Framework and, in doing so, consider developments in the field that, if thoughtfully integrated into our existing frameworks, could enhance the effectiveness of civics instruction.” The Board and Department have carried out this charge, resulting in the revised History and Social Science curriculum framework that the Board approved in June 2018. The 2018 framework increases emphasis on civics at all grade levels, including a new grade 8 course on civics. These fundamental aspects are reflected in Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018.

Chapter 296 codifies many of the recommendations originally made by the Board and expands access to resources for the implementation of the new History and Social Science curriculum framework through the establishment of the Civics Project Trust Fund. The new law, effective February 6, 2019, includes the following provisions:

The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall establish a non-partisan high school voter challenge.

Each school district shall include in its three-year improvement plan a description of its implementation of the new civics education requirements.

All public school students shall receive instruction in US history and social science, including civics.

The Department shall provide professional development opportunities for educators on the history and social science framework.

The Department shall develop tools aligned with the framework to support districts in implementing it, subject to sufficient resources in the Civics Project Trust Fund, for the 2020-2021 school year.

Each public school serving students in the eighth grade and each public high school shall provide not less than 1 student-led, non-partisan civics project for each student, consistent with the History and Social Science curriculum framework.

The Department shall establish a Commonwealth Civics Challenge with guidelines for districts that will be implemented in the 2022-2023 school year, subject to appropriation.

The Commissioner is to administer the Civics Project Trust Fund established in Section 1 of Chapter 296 to assist with the development, implementation, professional development, stakeholder engagement, and assessment of the History and Social Science framework. The Commissioner is also responsible for approval and oversight of the private donations made to the Fund to assure that no donation is accompanied by any condition of use.

One additional component of Chapter 296 pertains to a History and Social Science assessment. Section 7 states that any assessment the Board adopts not later than the 2021-2022 academic year that aligns with the History and Social Science framework and includes a “participatory component” will satisfy the requirement that districts provide a student-led civics project to students.

An Act relative to education collaboratives

Chapter 437 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: April 2, 2019; April 2, 2020

Chapter 437 makes technical corrections to the collaborative law, as well as requiring the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) to create no more than six regional districts for collaboratives and allowing collaboratives to have access to grants in an effort to promote the use of educational collaboratives as providers of educational programs and services for districts.

An Act relative to financial literacy in schools

Chapter 438 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: April 2, 2019

Chapter 438 establishes criteria for financial literacy standards should the Board choose to direct the Department to develop a separate curriculum framework. It also directs the Department to make resources available to districts to assist them in choosing materials and curriculum relative to personal financial literacy.

An Act relative to regional schools

Chapter 440 of the Acts of 2018

Effective: April 2, 2019

Chapter 440 allows a regional school committee to designate any single member for the purpose of signing payroll warrants and accounts payable warrants with the requirement that that member share such records with the school committee at its next meeting.

FY2018 BUDGET LAWS

FY2018 General Appropriations Act

Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2017

Approved: 07/17/17

The General Appropriations Act (GAA) includes total state spending of $39.4 billion, representing a $652 million (1.7 percent), increase over FY2017 spending. This spending recommendation is based on a projected 3.4 percent increase in tax revenue for FY2018.

The Department’s appropriations total $5.324 billion, which represents an increase of $113.5 million (2.2 percent), over FY2017 spending. The General Appropriations Act affirms a commitment to fund education aid for our districts but reduces spending to a number of ESE accounts due to the lowered revenue forecast for FY2018. In signing the budget, the Governor vetoed spending of $5.6 million in our accounts, most of which represented legislative earmarks for specific local projects. These vetoes were subsequently overridden by the Legislature.

I. Education Local Aid & Reimbursements

Chapter 70 aid (7061-0008) is increased by $118.9M (2.6 percent) over FY2017. The increase is designed to allow for a minimum aid increase of $30 per pupil over FY2017 for every school district and provides $25 million to begin addressing the increased costs of employee and retiree health care.

GAA funding for the Special Education Circuit Breaker account (7061-0012) is increased by $4 million over FY2017. Regional School Transportation (7035-0006) has a $500,000 increase. The METCO grant program (7010-0012), and Charter School Tuition Reimbursements to Districts (7061-9010) are level funded. We estimate the latter will cover 100 percent reimbursement for the capital facility component of charter tuition ($893 per student) and 69.3 percent of first-year tuition increases.

Non-Resident Vocational Student Transportation (7035-0007) and Transportation Reimbursement for Homeless Students (7035-0008) were reduced by $7,500 and $250,500, respectively, from FY2017 levels. 

Student Assessment

The General Appropriations Act funding for the Student Assessment account (7061-9400) was insufficient to meet our planned program spending for the upcoming school year. The Governor made a reserve draw to bring the account total to $31.1 million.

III. Departmental Grant & Targeted Support Programs
The majority of our grant and targeted support programs were either level funded or reduced. 

The General Appropriations Act reduces Targeted Assistance (7061-9408) by $183,955 from FY2017.

Connecting Activities (7027-0019) received an increase of $555,250 for both earmarks and additional grant funding.

Adult Basic Education (7035-0002) received an increase of $829,289 for both earmarks and additional grant funding.

The Expanded Learning Time Grant Program (7061-9412) was reduced by $197,685 from FY2017.

The After-School Grant Program (7061-9611) is funded at $3.5 million for both earmarks and additional grants.

The Consolidated Literacy Program (7010-0033) is $76,907 higher than FY2017 spending, while Bay State Reading received an increase of $206,167.

The Special Education in Institutional Settings account (7028-0031) received an increase of $4 million over FY2017 level.

The Safe and Supportive Schools Grant program (7061-9612) is funded at $500,000, a $101,400 increase over FY17.

The GAA transfers the WPI Schools of Excellence (7061-9624) account from the Department of Higher Education to ESE, funded at $1.4 million.

IV. ESE Administrative & Operational Resources

The General Appropriations Act reduces ESE’s administrative funding below our maintenance level for FY18. This reduced funding totals $756,764 in the following three accounts that fund agency staff.

7010-0005 Main Administration $256,096 

7028-0031 Special Education in Institutional Settings $233,061

7061-9200 Education Data Services $267,607

Outside sections that are of significance to the Department and to elementary and secondary schools:

Section 90. Designates the Secretary of Education as Chair of the Homeless Student Transportation Commission established by Chapter 133 of the Acts of 2017.

Section 126. Directs the Executive Office of Education to conduct a feasibility study on substituting a minimum number of instructional hours for the minimum number of days as required by the board of education. As part of the study, the Executive Office of Education shall determine cost savings associated with an instructional hours based system including, but not limited to, energy costs, administrative costs, and transportation costs.

Section 127. Directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct a feasibility study on rural school district aid.

FY2018 Supplemental Budget

Chapter 24 of the Acts of 2018

Approved: 02/16/18

Chapter 24 appropriated $15M for a reserve to provide extraordinary relief to school districts educating students who are residents of Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands who have enrolled in their schools or in an educational entity to which they pay tuition to educate their students after October 2, 2017 due to the impact of Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

FY2018 Supplemental Budget
Chapter 90 of the Acts of 2018

Approved: May 21, 2018
Chapter 90 appropriated $12.5M to line-item 7061-0012, the circuit breaker account, and $2.5M to line-item 7061-9010, the charter school tuition reimbursement to districts account.

FY2019 BUDGET LAWS

FY2019 General Appropriations Act

Chapter 154 of the Acts of 2018

Approved: (in part) 07/26/18

The FY2019 GAA provides total state spending of $41.834 billion. The law provides $5.585 billion in spending authority for the Department, most of which goes to cities, towns, and school districts through Chapter 70 and other forms of education aid and reimbursements. This total represents 13.3 percent of the total state budget and 4.1 percent growth over FY2018 spending, an increase of $124.4 million (2.3 percent) above the Governor’s FY2019 request (House 2).

The following summarizes the GAA education spending. More detail for all Department appropriations is available in our budget tracking spreadsheet, which the Board has received.

V. Education Aid & Reimbursements

Chapter 70 aid (7061-0008) is increased by $160.6 million (3.4 percent) over FY2018, including $12.5 million to provide transitional relief to districts related to the change in the reporting metric from low-income to economically disadvantaged. The increase in Chapter 70 maintains the long-standing commitment to foundation level spending in all districts; fully phases in (100 percent) effort reduction for high-effort communities; and provides a minimum aid increase of $30 per pupil to all districts. The General Appropriations Act proposes making a structural change in the foundation budget by shifting the Limited English Proficient (LEP) rate to an LEP increment for each grade category. The law also addresses the rising cost of employee and retiree health insurance by including in foundation budgets 14.2 percent of the increase that the Foundation Budget Review Commission recommended in 2015; the House also recommended 14.2 percent and House 2 proposed 11 percent. Based on the GAA budget, districts are eligible to receive the higher of the amount determined by the GAA or the amount passed by the House; 43 districts receive the aid amount determined by the House. H.4800 also includes another $15 million in the Foundation Reserve “pothole” account (7061-0011) for districts serving Puerto Rican and USVI students displaced by Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

Funding for the Special Education Circuit Breaker account (7061-0012) is increased by $25.6 million over FY2018. Charter School Tuition District Reimbursements (7061-9010) is increased by $7 million over FY2018. Regional School Transportation (7035-0006) is increased by $7.4 million over FY2018. The METCO grant program (7010-0012) is increased by $1.5 million over FY2018. Non-Resident Vocational Student Transportation (7035-0007) is level funded. Homeless Student Transportation Reimbursement (7035-0008) receives a $1 million increase over FY2018.

The General Appropriations Act added two new accounts to provide $1.5 million in additional aid to Rural Schools (7061-9813), as well as $0.5 million for a Summer Learning Grant program (7061-9814). 

VI. Literacy Accounts and English Language Acquisition 

The General Appropriations Act partially supported the Governor’s proposal and combined Bay State Reading with Consolidated Literacy under the 7010-0033 account but added earmark language to fund Reading Recovery and Bay State Reading at FY2018 levels. 

The English Language Acquisition Account (7027-1004) sees an increase of $1.64 M over FY2018, which will fund SEI training for vocational education educators, implement the provisions of the Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) Act, and provide support for middle and high school students deemed to be at risk of dropping out of school as a result of language barriers or challenges in English language acquisition. 

VII. Expansion of Career Technical Education (7027-0019) The General Appropriations Act gives an increase of $1.45 M to School-to-Career Connecting Activities over FY2018, and the account contains $0.5 M of earmarks. 

VIII. Program Changes

The General Appropriations Act increases the Adult Basic Education line item (7035-0002) by $3.7 million to reduce the waitlist of students for English language learning slots and to fund the new professional development system to provide training and support for ABE programs.

AP Math and Science Programs (7035-0035) received a $300,000 increase over FY2018.

The General Appropriations Act supports the Governor’s request to fund Student Assessment (7061-9400) at $32.1 million, which includes $1 M of new funding to support the implementation of the new history and social science standards and the development of new assessments in history and social science.

The General Appropriations Act funds Innovation Schools (7061-9011) at $35,000 above FY2018.

Assessment Consortium (7061-9401) is level funded. The Governor vetoed $0.2 M in funding the Conference Report had provided above FY2018.

7061-9408 Targeted Assistance has received an increase of $0.358 M above FY2018. 

The General Appropriations Act funds Teacher Licensure (7061-9601) at $1,867,453, an increase of $121,104 to cover the additional volume expected in a license renewal year.

The General Appropriations Act transfers the administration of the Recovery High School Program (7061-9607) from the Department of Public Health to DESE and increases the funding to $3.1 M.

After adjusting for $1.7M of earmarks, the 7061-9611 After-School Grant Program is funded at $2,576,923, which is $0.22 M higher than FY2018 net spending excluding earmarks.

The Safe and Supportive Schools Grant Program (7061-9612) has been increased by $250,000 above FY2018 in the GAA.

The General Appropriations Act adds $650,000 to the YouthBuild Programs line item (7061-9626) over FY2018.

Mentoring Matching Grants (7061-9634) has received an increase of $275,000 above FY2018.
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention (7061-9812) is increased by $0.25 M of earmarks.

The General Appropriations Act has added a new line item for FY2019:
Educational Improvement Project Grants (7010-1192) at $1.625 M. This account represents a collection of legislative earmarks that fund specific local education needs.

In the GAA, The Department’s other accounts are either level funded or receive minor increases/decreases due to payroll changes or with the removal/addition of legislative earmarks.

An Act making appropriations for fiscal year 2018 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects

Chapter 273 of the Acts of 2018

The October 2018 supplemental budget to the FY2018 GAA appropriated:

$5M additional dollars in the Department’s targeted assistance line-item (7061-9408)
$7.5M to the Executive Office of Education for infrastructure safety grants
$7.5M to the Department for grants to districts that allow for contracts with licensed community based mental and behavioral service providers
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Mass Power Forward Lobby Day

More than 100 members of Mass Power Forward prepped for lobby day

Environmental and Energy Justice advocates were in good company at the Massachusetts State House today for Mass Power Forward's (MPF) lobby day. Focus of the lobby day was threefold:

• Share our vision
• Get co-sponsorships, especially from House Reps
• Show solidarity with Weymouth

You'll recall that the MPF coalition, of which PDM is a part, succeeded in advocating for powerful energy and environmental policy changes last legislative session. All were unanimously supported in the State Senate.

Those bills have been "refreshed" for a second round this legislative session, strengthened by a commitment to environmental justice and against racism.

Leaders of MPF note that many of our communities, especially those with a majority of people of color and low incomes, have had to bear the brunt of decades of fossil fuel pollution and are most at risk from climate change. MPF is urging state legislators to call for energy policy that leads by example to stop fossil fuel subsidies, support local renewable energy resources, keep energy dollars in our communities, create good green jobs, and protect our Commonwealth from climate change and life-threatening pollution.

Messaging MPF's legislative priorities, especially to members of the House, calls for bold, decisive action on:

• Environmental Justice -- including communities impacted by climate change and fossil fuel pollution as participants in crafting new, equitable policy
• 100% Renewable Energy -- set an ambitious goal to equitably reach 100% renewable electricity by 2035 and 100% renewable energy for heating and transportation by 2045
• Equitable Investments and Green Infrastructure -- use mechanisms such as equitable carbon pricing or TCI (Transportation Climate Initiative) to invest today to create the future we want

After the briefing, members dispersed into the State House to meet with House Reps, asking that they co-sponsor these important bills* by Friday, February 1:

1. S.D.1885/H.D.3878; S.D.1824/H.D.3523 -- An Act relative to Environmental Justice; Sen. DiDomenico/Rep.Madaro and Sen. Eldridge/Rep. Dubois & Rep. Miranda
2. S.D.1625S.D.1625/H.D.3092 --  An Act Re-powering Massachusetts with 100% Renewable Energy; Sen. Eldridge/Rep. Decker & Rep. Garballey
3. H.D.2370 -- An Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce Carbon Emissions; Rep. Benson
4. S.D.1541/H.D.3009 -- An Act to Advance Modern and Sustainable Solutions for Transportation; Sen. Lesser/Rep. Ehrlich

At 1:00, MPF members joined organizers from Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station
at Governor Baker's office to protest the Weymouth Compressor Station.

Check out #EnergyJusticeNow and #mapoli on twitter, as well as links to MPF and Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station facebook pages, for videos, pictures, comments, and more.

* As of this posting, House Docket numbers have been assigned but links to bill texts are not yet live on malegislature.gov

Image credit, Mary Ann Stewart

Cross-posted to Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts

Another Charter School to Expand

With January's regular meeting, the Board begins closing out of this year's charter school season. Final votes remain to be taken, possibly at a special meeting on February 11 and, at the regular meeting on February 12.

Two votes taken yesterday, Tuesday, January 22, determine how a charter school may move forward in New Bedford (in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 89, and 603 CMR 1.00).

Alma del Mar Charter School in New Bedford requested an amendment to expand its enrollment from 594 to 1,044 seats. Commissioner Jeff Riley, Mayor Jon Mitchell, and Founder and Principal of Alma del Mar Charter School Will Gardner agreed on a proposal that would, instead and among other things, increase enrollment to 900 seats and transfer an unused school building from New Bedford Public Schools to Alma del Mar. Alma would be responsible for seeing the building (unused since 2015) is in good repair by its opening in August 2019. (The Department's announcement of the proposal is HERE; others have reported and/or responded, including HERE, HERE, and HERE). 

The Motion was approved by the Board:

• Location: New Bedford
• Maximum enrollment: 900
• Grades served: K-8
• Effective school year: FY2020
• Yes: Craven, West, McKenna, Fernandez, Peyser, Sagan, Morton, Mathews, Moriarty
• No: Stewart
• Abstain: Doherty

The Motion states that the increase in maximum enrollment is explicitly conditioned as follows:

1. The school will participate in good-faith negotiations with New Bedford Public Schools that will result in a memorandum of understanding that supports effective implementation of the proposed collaboration and substantially aligns with the terms of the letter of intent agreed to by both parties and the Commissioner. The memorandum of understanding between Alma del Mar Charter School and New Bedford Public Schools is subject to Commissioner approval prior to execution.
2. As soon as possible, the school shall submit a draft enrollment policy that reflects the negotiated integrated enrollment process with New Bedford Public Schools and the proposed growth plan to reach 900 students, for Commissioner approval.
3. The school will promptly and effectively communicate with the Department regarding any and all significant matters relevant to the suitability and readiness of a second campus location for occupancy at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. These communications shall occur within a reasonable period of time but in any event no later than 96 hours after occurrence.

The Motion further states:

• If the Commissioner determines that these conditions have not been met or that necessary legislation has not been enacted this enrollment increase of 450 seats is null and void. 

In the event that legislation conditioned in the above approval has not been enacted, a second Motion was also moved and approved:

• Location: New Bedford
• Maximum enrollment: 1,044
• Grades served: K-8
• Effective school year: FY2020
• Yes: Craven, West, McKenna, Fernandez, Peyser, Sagan, Morton, Mathews, Moriarty
• No: Stewart, Doherty
• The Board grants this increase of 594 seats if the Commissioner determines that either good-faith negotiations on the memorandum of understanding between the school and New Bedford Public Schools have irretrievably broken down or the necessary legislation has not been enacted in sufficient time for planning and implementation of the model proposed in the letter of intent among the parties.
• The Commissioner shall report to the Board if he determines that this enrollment increase of 594 will take effect.

New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent, Thomas Anderson, and Alma Del Mar's Charter Operator, Executive Director, and Founder, Will Gardner were seated together at yesterday's Board meeting. They commented enthusiastically on the proposed arrangement and also took some questions.

Negotiations are not typical in the charter school process. School Committee and teachers were not part of the new proposal, either. Parents have not had a chance to respond to details of the new proposal in the week since it was announced. The community as a whole has not had an opportunity to contribute to the process as newly proposed and -- based on my questions to the couple seated at the table -- were not likely to. There could be school-based conversations, though.

Had this new proposal had the benefit of a substantive process in New Bedford, and with key stakeholders weighing-in (School Committee members, parents in the neighborhood and across the city, etc.), it might have had my support.

We all have a stake in the solid education of all our people, least of which are countless situations where our personal interests depend on others' competence, empathy, and compassion. I continue to hold that no new charter schools should be approved or expanded until all of our schools are fully funded as recommended by the Foundation Budget Review Commission.

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Photo credit: New heating system, pipes/instruments, part of the renovation completed at Bowman Elementary School, Lexington in 2013.

School and District Report Cards

A preamble to the post!

Which feels more parent-friendly? 

This:
In accordance with the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), all states and districts receiving federal Title I funds must prepare and disseminate annual report cards. Report cards are critical tools for promoting accountability for schools, districts, and states by publicizing data about student performance and program effectiveness for parents, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Report cards help parents/guardians and the general public see where schools and districts are succeeding and where there is still work to do. [Intro to the 2016 Massachusetts State Report Card]

Or this:
Families and communities are critical partners to a school’s success. Just as a student’s report card shows how they are performing, the school report card shows how a school is performing in multiple areas. It shows the school’s strengths and the challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the school is meeting the needs of all students. [Draft Intro on 2018 Massachusetts Report Card Prototype]

Second one. By a mile. I didn't copy down what was read to us the other night, but think it may have been edited further so that it is shorter now, too.

School and District Report Cards have been *required* since No Child Left Behind, but access to the information in them has been inconsistent, hard to find, and, for most of us (that is, those who do not speak "DESE"), hard to understand. 

Public reporting efforts have been geared toward compliance with state and federal laws, rather than being intentionally designed to meet people's needs. As a consequence, most of the data have been unseen and unused, thus limiting their ability to promote and support improvement for students and systems. 

With the reauthorization of ESEA (from No Child Left Behind) to Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are once again mandating school and district reporting. This time, states are determined to communicate better -- and differently -- with parents and other stakeholders (see notes at end of this post).

States are required to annually report on "education indicators" at the state, district, and school levels, including data used in accountability systems (which are still very much under construction in MA), assessment, educator qualifications, and other measures of school quality. Report cards could answer questions and inform actions, such as: 

• How are our schools doing (compared to others in the state, nationally)?
• What are the bright spots?
• Where are the gaps?

Since 2007, Massachusetts has prepared school and district report cards that contain all federally required elements, and has made them available via the Department's School and District Profiles website. (The site is in transition. This is the "general information" page for the state's profile; it mirrors the format of school and district report cards. Soon there will be a dedicated page for School and District Report Cards).

Beginning with the 2018-2019 report card, states must also include the per-pupil expenditures for the preceding year of federal, state, and local funds, including actual personnel and non-personnel, disaggregated by source of funds, for the state as a whole and for each public school district and public school in the state. (Oh hey! While we're at it, might we also want to see Net School Spending there? Hmmm?)

This past Monday's special meeting was an opportunity for the Board to hear an update about and see a demo of a new school and district report card that the Department will publish later this month.

In an effort to develop "parent-friendly" report cards, we learned that, wisely, the Department partnered with Learning Heroes beginning in Fall 2017. Present with Russell Johnston, Senior Associate Commissioner, and Rob Curtin, Associate Commissioner, were Bibb Hubbard, Founder and President, and Erica Gray, Strategic Advisor, from Learning Heroes. 

Learning Heroes was founded 4 years ago as a resource for parents. They have conducted impressive research in 25 states for the purpose of improving communication to parents via school and district report cards. In so doing, they have partnered with more than 25 national organizations, among them National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Flamboyan Foundation, National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and Common Sense Media. 

To understand what parents/guardians/families want to know and see in these reports, their partnerships enabled Learning Heroes to engage:

• 100+ focus groups
• In Depth Interviews (IDIs)
• 10 national surveys
• Dozens of ethnography sessions 
• Dozens of tests of their tools
• Focus on low-income parents/guardians and parents/guardians of color

The Massachusetts prototype was further built on information Learning Heroes gleaned from focus groups with Massachusetts parent groups, including Massachusetts PTA, Massachusetts Parents United, and Phenomenal Moms.

I was struck by the opportunity these report cards present for the state to put information into the hands of parents and families and other stakeholders. We have an opportunity to tell better stories, as a result. By sharing this data, we can go behind the numbers and statistics because that's where the stories are. Stories about our schools, students, and teachers, and the experiences they are having. It's an opportunity to (dare I say it!) decide how we want to feel about our schools as we tell stories that highlight and celebrate success and even identify areas for improvement.

National research revealed:

• Parents have high expectations of public schools
• They can have an over-inflated view of their child's progress, believing their child as at or above grade level in reading and math

Disaggregated data, presented flatly in text and table form, has had unintended consequences. Many times it has been perceived as discriminatory or inadvertently shaming of students who are falling short because families ultimately view the data through a personal lens. Families of color whose children are not in special education, for example, may have wondered why they were seeing data on children of color in special education. The same holds true on homelessness, English learners, foster care, and military. A clear summative rating is very important because it lets one know how a school is performing as a whole for all children.

Research of Massachusetts parents showed:

• They are more likely to see their child at grade level
• Parents are more likely to question their child's achievement when presented with data
• When parents are shown that their child is not at or above grade level, they want to know what they can do to help their child improve or to get more involved

Parents primarily care about their own child and it makes sense that the data would focus on how their action will directly impact their child's progress. Context and information about why the policy or practice matters personally to the school and their child are key and should be included.

Parents are problem-solvers. By sharing information, schools and communities can match students with additional supports they need, including, high-quality afterschool and summer programs, college mentors, summer job programs. Doing so helps students thrive.

Different people need different data to meet their information needs, including school committee members, superintendents, principals, and teachers. As someone who sat on a school committee, I see them benefiting from clearly communicated data about their schools and districts. Having access to the same information creates opportunities for telling dynamic stories.

DESE walked us through a demo of the new site. It was uncluttered, with lots of white space, good visual information, and noticeably fewer blocks of text and data tables. There were clear directions to "click" for more information or detail about the data.

As the Parent Representative on the Board, not an education expert or corporate CEO, what I saw I understood to be something of a game-changer. Rarely have report cards of this type treated parents as the customer. It remains to be seen just how personal the information will be or how clear the context will be for doable action steps. It strikes me that, up to now, too few families and other stakeholders have been unable to find the information they were looking for.

Too many times, school information comes at parents and families in a language we don't understand. I mean this both literally and figuratively. I'll admit that understanding "Edu-speak" has been a kind of badge of honor for me, but it is truly a barrier. It matters that MA's new report cards will be written in everyday language and offered in English, plus nine others.

Since we are talking about sharing data better with everyone, we should also have a clear understanding of how student data is being used and protected. And, because data doesn't always speak for itself, families deserve training and support to understand what they can do to help their children once they have this information.

Done well, parents/guardians/families and all stakeholders could inspire action in local communities and provide a conduit for shared successes with the public-at-large. With so many working from the same set of information, they could also form a baseline for authentic conversations with stakeholders. If we do, our communities, our schools, and, most importantly, our students will benefit.
- - -
Header image credit: Screenshot, http://profiles.doe.mass.edu
NOTES: 

• For perspective, take a look at West Virginia's approach 
• Or Tennessee's
• Nashville's Parent Data Chats
• Louisiana created a one-pager to promote their report card to schools, families, pediatricians, realtors, and other stakeholders 
• National School Boards Association (NSBA) and Data Quality Campaign (DQC) partnered to create this one-pager
• CCSSO just released this resource: Communicating Performance | A Best Practice Resource for Encouraging Use of State and School Report Cards
• Also just published, check out this article from National Association of Secondary School Principals: Parental Engagement | More Important than Ever?

Board's Budget Committee

We'll be following development of the State's FY20 Budget until it is finally approved later this year. Funding for public ed in the Commonwealth is the purview of the State Legislature; policy and regulation belong within the Board.

Each September the Board's Chair appoints members to a Budget Committee. A preliminary discussion of the next year's budget ensues, including budget framework and timelines. The Committee works with the Commissioner and senior staff to develop budgetary areas of focus for the October Board meeting.

Secretary of Education reviews and approves DESE's current fiscal year spending plans and Administration and Finance (ANF) gives final approval in early October. ANF also determines funding estimate based on the analysis of spending plan submissions.

The Budget Committee brings forward recommendations to the full Board, then members discuss before a vote is taken on the areas of priority. A letter, or statement of values, is drafted (the Board's FY20 Budget Priority letter is here) and accompanies DESE's budget request that is sent to the Secretary of Education for consideration in the development of the Governor's House 1 (or 2) budget proposal. In 2019, it's House 1.

Budget Committee met in September following the regular Board Meeting. The focus of that discussion was on the Holyoke Public Schools budget, specifically, their budget challenges. You'll recall that Holyoke is one of three districts held in receivership by the DESE. Steve Zrike, Receiver, Holyoke Public Schools, and Anthony Soto, Business Manager, Holyoke Public Schools, joined the meeting by phone. They provided a high-level overview of the HPS budget and the challenges -- specific budget challenges that are common to at least 32 similar districts across the Commonwealth. Districts are forced to make reductions every year as revenue and enrollment remains relatively flat while other drivers in the budget continue to grow at a much greater pace than revenue, including:

• Employee Salaries
• Health Insurance
• Charter School Tuition
• SPED Out of District Tuition
• Change in funding for economically disadvantaged students

The Committee also reviewed a summary of HPS 5-year financial forecast (on page 76 of their report), which  included anticipated revenues and expenses from FY2018-FY2023.

This brings us to Chapter 70* aid and Net School Spending (NSS). HPS is but one District needing 100% of NSS, in addition to $3M in one-time revenue streams to balance the initial projected budget deficit and avoid deeper cuts. Holyoke is one of ten cities with the lowest local contribution in Massachusetts. In fact, Holyoke is one of 32 communities across the Commonwealth who are within 5% of NSS.

The Budget Committee met again Monday, October 22 and DESE updated on several items, including:

• DESE FY19 Spending Update: State supplemental funds were applied to close government business for the year, including $5M in Targeted Assistance; $7.5M for Behavioral Health and Mental Health; and $7.5M for School Safety
• DESE FY20 Development Update: Maintenance Budget (funding the FY19 Budget items in FY20, aka, no new initiatives) was filed with ANF on October 19

Open Discussion with Committee members (Katherine Craven, Chair, Margaret McKenna, and Mary Ann Stewart; Michael Moriarty, by phone; and Ed Doherty, not present). Initial Committee discussion on areas of priority (in non priority order) for FY20 Budget:

• Foundation Budget: DESE working with Governor and Legislative Leaders to implement FBRC recommendations
• Targeted Assistance: all acknowledge the STRUCTURAL PROBLEM with Foundation Budget Formula, Budget members seek to annualize the targeted amount
• DESE looking to fund STEM Learning Initiative ~$1.4M
• DESE looking for ability to accept revenue for Educational Licensure Fee Increase (otherwise it goes to the General Fund), from $100 to $150 for the 5-year license; from $25 to $50 for each additional edu license (for an additional estimated $1.5M) to better fund and improve better response time from the Office of Professional Practice Investigations (for educator ethics and misconduct issues)
• MCAS Academic Support

• Compilation of successes, including: 
• Breakfast in the Classroom, Civics Education, LOOK Act, Early Literacy, Summer learning, Dyslexia Bill recently signed

Subsequent to the meeting, I forwarded MassBudget's updated "Cutting Class" report (of 2011) with updated numbers. Interesting to read their projected scenarios of Chapter 70 aid distribution. What the MB report does not discuss is the need for new revenue, which is where true meaningful reform lives. But, I digress.

This brings us to today. All agencies have submitted their requests to the governor who will submit his House 1 budget request no later than February 27th. Governor Baker hinted there was more to come, but we'd have to wait for his budget to be submitted. During January, House and Senate Ways and Means Committees request subsequent fiscal year maintenance budget data from all state agencies. As of this writing, Committee membership has yet to be assigned.

Going forward, Mid-Year Review of Department spending by ANF in February, to identify any projected deficiencies or any projected surpluses. Joint House and Senate Ways and Means Committee conducts budget hearings, generally held across the Commonwealth in late February.

Big challenges lie ahead, particularly for House Legislators, who must work together to challenge leadership, and for activists, who must hold House members' feet to the fire. Activists must articulate what we stand for at a gut level and Legislators have a responsibility to respond. Politics in 2019 demands proactive engagement from all of us, elected and non. It insists that we not play small, that we drive urgency on the critical issues before us:

• Short- and long-term revenue

• Adequate funding for K-12 education, including improving vocational education, expanding early childhood education, and providing debt-free college options

• Safe communities for immigrant and undocumented people

• Stronger environmental protections

• Healthcare for all

• Affordable housing

• Ballot access, i.e., same day registration and ranked choice voting

• Campaign finance reform

While ambitious, this list is far from exhaustive. For legislative action to be truly effective, issues would be prioritized and informed by the needs of the citizenry.

A progressive government will operate with transparency and the highest ethical standards. It will ensure fair debate of issues and accountability to constituents, provide a decent standard of living, affordable housing as a human right, and fair work schedules for all, as institutional racism is also addressed, working, ultimately, for freedom, equality, and justice for all.

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* (Overview and details of Chapter 70 funding may be found online at MassBudget or DESE's website). In a nutshell, Chapter 70, Foundation Budget, and Net School Spending goes like this:

• Chapter 70 is the Massachusetts General Law that establishes funding requirements for public school districts within the State. 
• The law establishes a minimum funding requirement (or “foundation budget") for each district that seeks to ensure an adequate education consistent with the Education Reform Act of 1993.
• The law also defines the payments that make up the foundation budget.
• The State uses a complex formula to calculate an adequate funding level, which is based on many factors including each district’s student demographics. 
• Then, taking into account the community’s wealth, the formula calculates the required “local contribution” (the amount the municipality can afford). 
• The State then funds the remaining amount with Chapter 70 Aid.
• In 2015 the Foundation Budget Review Commission recommended updating the formula substantially to more accurately reflect changes since enacted more than 25 years ago. The Legislature has come close but has not made any changes to date.

Image credit: Sheila Pepe's "Women Are Bricks", 1983, remade 2017. Handmade bricks, rug, cement. Currently on exhibit at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum through March 10, 2019. Photo by yours truly.

Members of the 191st General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may be found HERE.

We The People

All 200 duly elected members of the 191st General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are sworn in at once, for two years, on the first Wednesday in January following an election. Today being that day, 30 new legislators took their places, 25 of them in the House. 

Big challenges lie ahead, particularly for those House Legislators, who must work together to challenge leadership, and for activists, who must hold House members' feet to the fire.

Activists must articulate what we stand for at a gut level and Legislators have a responsibility to respond. Voters want to know how legislation will help us and we need to be listening for policies that explicitly say, "This is what this legislation does".

This isn't the time for *the common good*. This isn't the time for *we're all in this together*. Legislation needs to be specific: This bridge. This road. This community.

Politics in 2019 demands proactive engagement from all of us, elected and non, insist ing that we not play small, and that we drive urgency on the critical issues before us:

• Revenue, for the short- and long-term

• Adequate funding for K-12 education, including improving vocational education, expanding early childhood education, and providing debt-free college options

• Safe communities for immigrants and the undocumented

• Stronger protections for the environment

• Healthcare for all

• Affordable housing

• Ballot access, i.e., same day registration and ranked choice voting

• Campaign finance reform

A progressive government will operate with transparency and the highest ethical standards. It will ensure fair debate of issues and accountability to constituents, provide a decent standard of living, affordable housing as a human right, and fair work schedules for all, as institutional racism is also addressed.

Freedom. Justice. Equity for all.

It's an ambitious list and by no means exhaustive. For legislative action to be truly effective, issues would be prioritized and informed by the needs of the citizenry.

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Image credit: Screenshot, I ♥️ HUE

Members of the 191st General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may be found HERE. As of this writing, membership of House, Senate, and Joint Committees have yet to be determined. New House and Senate Legislators are listed below.

HOUSE DISTRICTS
1st Franklin, Natalie Blais (D)
1st Hampshire, Lindsay Sabadosa (D)
2nd Hampshire, Daniel Carey (D)
3rd Hampshire, Mindy Domb (D)

4th Plymouth, Patrick Joseph Kearney (D)

4th Suffolk, David Biele (D)

5th Suffolk, Liz Miranda (D)
6th Middlesex, Maria Robinson (D)
7th Plymouth, Alyson Sullivan (R)

8th Worcester, Michael Soter (R)

9th Suffolk, Jon Santiago (D)

11th Bristol, Christopher Hendricks (D)
11th Essex, Peter Capano (D)
12th Bristol, Norman Orrall (R)
12th Plymouth, Kathleen LaNatra (D)
14th Essex, Christina Minicucci (D)
14th Middlesex, Tami Gouveia (D)

15th Middlesex, Michelle Ciccolo (D)

15th Norfolk, Tommy Vitolo (D)

15th Suffolk, Nika Elugardo (D)

16th Essex, Marcos Devers (D)

17th Worcester, David LeBoeuf (D)

18th Essex, Tram Nguyen (D)
19th Middlesex, David Robertson (D)
30th Middlesex, Rich Haggerty (D)

SENATE DISTRICTS
1st Essex, Diana DiZoglio (D)
1st Middlesex, Edward Kennedy (D)
2nd Essex/Middlesex, Barry Finegold (D)
Norfolk/Bristol/Middlesex, Becca Rausch (D)
Hampshire/Franklin/Worcester, Jo Comerford (D)