THE SCHOOL FUNDING BILL being debated in the Legislature is about something much bigger than school funding. It’s about fixing the state’s most daunting problem: the growing, intractable opportunity gap between the rich and poor. Yet many of the state’s progressives are sitting on the sidelines, content with legislation that misses a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address […]
school funding
Posted inEducation
Baker unveils school funding plan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday rolled out a seven-year plan to boost school funding by more than $1 billion dollars, including what his education secretary described as a “historic investment” in communities where students are facing achievement gaps. Baker said his plan, which also includes reforms around charter school reimbursements and […]
Posted inOpinion
Charter school funding formula is broken
ONE DOESN’T HAVE to choose sides in the long debate over charter schools in order to raise legitimate questions about the approach being taken in Massachusetts. I count myself among those who have adopted a nuanced view—one that is philosophically supportive of a range of ambitious K-12 education reforms, including charters, but that also recognizes […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
Time to update state school funding formula
FOR SOME POLICYMAKERS and the public, a billion-dollar budget such as the one granted to Boston Public Schools last fiscal year appears robust — even excessive. But teachers like me know that critical resources are in short supply. Every day, we feel the pinch: There aren’t enough support staff in the building, teachers use personal […]