Lawmakers say launch of Rural Schools Commission ‘a big win’ for region
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Published: 5/13/2021 9:52:30 AM
GREENFIELD State Sen. Adam Hinds and state Rep. Natalie Blais recently chaired the first meeting of the state’s Rural Schools Commission, and they expect that the panel will have recommendations by the end of the year for how to permanently fund rural school districts.
The commission is tasked with identifying long-term solutions to the issues that are unique to schools in rural areas, though Hinds, D-Pittsfield, said other schools that have low or declining enrollment could end up being included as well.
“This is a continuation of the Student Opportunity Act process,” Hinds said. “The work of this commission is crucial to ensure all students in the state receive a quality education, no matter their ZIP code or distance from the state capital.”
The budget bill teed up for debate later this month aims to repair economic damage wrought during the COVID-19 pandemic without factoring in the billions in federal aid set to flow to Massachusetts or the state’s recently robust tax receipts.
Senate unveils a $48b budget plan, one that would tighten stateâs film tax credit, increase aid to schools
By Matt Stout Globe Staff,Updated May 11, 2021, 2:00 p.m.
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Massachusetts Senate leaders on Tuesday unveiled the contours of a $47.6 billion budget proposal that would boost
spending by $1.2 billion over the current year and funnel hundreds of millions of more dollars to local schools, without any broad-based tax increases.
The chamber will debate changes to the bill on May 25, after which Senate and House leaders will have to reconcile differences between their proposals before sending a final product to Governor Charlie Baker for the fiscal year starting July 1.
The Massachusetts state flag flies in front of the State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Massachusetts Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a $47.6 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2022 that aims to repair economic damage from the pandemic.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee s budget calls for increasing state spending by $1.2 billion, or about 2.6% above the fiscal year that ends June 30. It includes spending $1.8 billion more than the version Governor Charlie Baker proposed in January and $64 million less than the spending bill the House approved last month.
Senate President Karen Spilka said the budget bill seeks to put us on a stable fiscal footing and build a more inclusive and resilient commonwealth for all of us.
Theyâre coming for MCAS again, and maybe itâs about time
Updated May 8, 2021, 1 hour ago
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Teachers union: Crucial time to call for less testing, more learning
Re âTeachers union garbs its latest attack on MCAS in social-justice rhetoric. Donât fall for itâ (Editorial, May 2): Itâs time to listen to Black and brown students, families, and educators who are challenging us to understand the racist roots of standardized testing. The high-stakes MCAS tests backed by The Boston Globe have served to rank and punish under-resourced schools rather than to build their capacity to educate and support our students. An intense focus on MCAS drains the joy out of learning and narrows the curriculum to one-size-fits-all. Low-income students of color pay the highest price when they and their schools are slapped with racist, dehumanizing labels, such as âfailingâ or âchronically underperforming.â